Reconstituição Imunológica

Interesse da Investigação

I am interested on studying the web of relationships and interdependencies the immune system undertakes. I have been at first studying how B cells and immunoglobulin influence T cell development in the thymus promoting T cell receptor diversification and lymphocyte repertoire shaping and how can that be used to modulate peripheral T cell function. Recently, I have projects examining the role of immunoglobulin as a promoter of a better and faster immune reconstitution. Also, I am developing translational studies that apply to the clinical field the basic research I have been conducting. In this sense, I am studying the effect of B cell depletion, resulted by treatment with biological therapies against B cells, on the immune system.
In general, my areas of interests are mainly how to apply fundamental immunological concepts and discoveries to the clinical field, mostly to hematological malignancies and treatment options. Other areas of scientific research are pathogenesis of lymphoid malignancies, immunological responses to cancer and modulation of biological treatments.

Publicações

Pires, AE, Borges, C, Simões, F, Amorim, IR, Petrucci-Fonseca, F, Matos, J. (2009). Molecular Markers from domestic dog Y-chromosome discriminate Iberian wolves from domestic dogs (submitted)

Borges, C., Simoes, F. Fonseca, F.P., Matos, J & Pires, A.E. (2009). A multiplex snapshot assay for detection of Y-chromosome SNPs in dogs and the Iberian wolves Archivos de Zootecnia 58 (Supl. 1) :(in press)

Pires, AE, Amorim, IR, Ginja, C, Gomes, M, Godinho, I, Simões, F, Oom, M, Petrucci-Fonseca, F, Matos, J & Bruford, MW. (2009). Molecular Structure in peripheral dog breeds: Portuguese native breeds as a case study Animal Genetics 40 :383–392

João, C., Farinha P., Gomes da Silva M., Martins C., Crespo M., Cabeçadas J. (2007). MALT1 gene rearrangement is uncommon in primary breast MALT lymphomas Histopathology 50 :217-224

João, C. (2007). Immunoglobulin is a highly diverse self molecule that improves cellular diversity and function during immune reconstitution Medical Hypotheses 68 :158-161

João, C. Brenda M. Ogle, Susan Geyer (2006). Immunoglobulin promotes the diversity and the function of T cells European Journal of Immunology 36 :1718-1728

João, C., Luis F. Porrata, David J. Inwards, Stephen Ansell, Ivana Micallef, Patrick Johnston, Dennis A. Gastineau, Svetomir N. Markovic (2006). Early lymphocyte recovery after autologous stem cell transplantation predicts superior survival in Mantle Cell Lymphoma Bone Marrow Transplantation 37 :865-871

Pires, AE (2006). Phylogeny, Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of dog breeds in the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, Doctoral Thesis Sciences Faculty, University of Lisbon and Cardiff University, School

Pires, AE, Ouragh, L, Kalboussi, M, Petrucci-Fonseca, F & Bruford, MW. (2006). Mitochondrial DNA variation and the relationships among Iberian and North African dog breeds Journal of Heredity 97 :318-330

João, C., Ogle B., Gay-Rabinstein C., Platt J. L., Cascalho M. (2004). B cell-dependent TCR diversification Journal of Immunology 172 :4709-4716

Ogle B., Cascalho M., João, C., Taylor W., West J. L., Platt L. J. (2003). Direct measurement of lymphocyte receptor diversity Nucleic Acids Research 31 :e139

Pires, AE & Fernandes, M (2003). Last lynxes in Portugal? Molecular approaches in a pre-extiction scenario Conservation Genetics 4 :525-532

João, C., Carrilho C., Leite A., Miranda C., Serra I., Reves L., Brandao T., Freitas P. (2001). Advantageous use of thorax x-ray for the localization of pneumothoraces in ventilated patients Revista Portuguesa Medicina Intensiva 2 :201-02 Link

João, C., Matias T., Sá J. (2001). Paget’s disease associated with myelofibrosis and myeloid metaplasia – a common pathophysiology? Haematologica 86 :E22 Link