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Rua Câmara Pestana, 6 - Edifício CEDOC II
Phone: 218803101

Inês Figueira

Researcher Investigador Doutorado
Post-Doctoral Researcher

Inês Figueira is a Junior Post-Doctoral researcher from researcher in Claudia Santos’ lab, Molecular Nutrition and Health. Her research is focused on understanding the cellular & molecular mechanisms that trigger brain diseases, aiming to prevent their progression and focusing on blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction as a central hallmark. Inês seeks to develop improved cell models of brain diseases using microfluidics systems to disclose the potential of small molecules towards neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, BBB impairment, and Parkinson´s disease.

  • Figueira I, Bastos P, González-Sarrías A, Espín JC, Costa-Silva B, Santos CN. Can exosomes transfer the preconditioning effects triggered by (poly)phenol compounds between cells? Food and Function 2023. 14, 15-23. doi: 10.1039/D2FO00876A – highlighted as journal cover
  • Godinho-Pereira J, Dionísio Lopes M, Garcia AR, Botelho HM, Malhó R, Figueira I, Brito MA. A drug screening reveals minocycline hydrochloride as a therapeutic option to prevent breast cancer cells extravasation across the blood-brain barrier. Biomedicines 2022. 10 (8), 1988. Doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10081988
  • Carecho R, Figueira I, Terrasso AP, Godinho-Pereira J, Sequeira CO, Pereira SA, Milenkovic D, Leist M, Brito C, Santos CN. Circulating (poly)phenol metabolites: Neuroprotection in a 3D cell model of Parkinson’s disease. Mol Nutr Food Res 2021. 2100959, 1-14. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.202100959
  • Rosado-Ramos R, Godinho-Pereira J, Marques D, Figueira I, Outeiro TF, Menezes R, Santos CN. Small molecule fisetin modulates alpha-synuclein aggregation. Molecules. 2021. 26(11): 3353. doi: 10.3390/molecules26113353
  • Figueira I, Godinho-Pereira J, Galego S, Maia J, Haskó J, Molnár K, Malhó R, Costa-Silva B, Wilhelm I, Krizbai I, Brito MA. MicroRNAs and extracellular vesicles as distinctive biomarkers of precocious and advanced stages of breast cancer brain metastases development. Int J Mol Sci. 2021. 22(10), 5214. doi: 10.3390/ijms22105214
  • Figueira I, Galego S, Custódio-Santos T, Vicente R, Molnar K, Haskó J, Malhó R, Videira M, Wilhelm I, Krizbai I, Brito MA. Picturing breast cancer brain metastasis development to unravel molecular players and cellular crosstalk. Cancers. 2021. 13(4): 910. doi: 10.3390/cancers13040910
  • Carregosa D, Carecho R, Figueira I, Santos CN. Low-Molecular Weight Metabolites from Polyphenols as Effectors for Attenuating Neuroinflammation. Food Chem. 2020. 8, 7: 1790-1807. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.9b02155
  • Figueira I, Tavares L, Jardim C, Costa I, Terrasso AP, Mes J, McDougall GJ, Stewart D, Filipe A, Brito C, Kim KS, Brites D, Brito MA, Santos CN. Blood-brain barrier transport and neuroprotective potential of blackberry-digested polyphenols: an in vitro study. Eur J of Nutr. 2019. 58, 113-130. doi: 10.1007/s00394-017-1576-y
  • Figueira I, Garcia G, Pimpão RC, Terrasso AP, Costa I, Almeida AF, Tavares L, Pais TF, Pinto P, Ventura MR, Filipe A, McDougall G, Stewart D, Kim KS, Palmela I, Brites D, Brito MA, Brito C, Santos CN. Polyphenols journey through blood-brain barrier towards neuronal protection. Sci Rep. 2017. 7: 11456. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-11512-6
  • Figueira I, Menezes R, Macedo D, Costa I, Santos CN. Polyphenols beyond barriers: a glimpse into the brain. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2017. 15(4):562-594. doi: 10.2174/1570159X14666161026151545
  • 2022 Best Poster Presentation Award of the work “Low-molecular-weight (poly)phenol metabolites preconditioning attenuates dopaminergic degeneration in a 3D cellular model of Parkinson’s disease”
  • 2017 Travel support to attend the 8th International Conference on Polyphenols and Health, Quebec, Canada, provided by Roche2017 ITC Conference Travel Grant to attend the 8th International Conference on Polyphenols and Health, Quebec, Canada, provided by POSITIVe COST Action.
  • 2016 Best Poster Presentation award of the work "3D Cell Models of Neurodegeneration to evaluate polyphenols metabolites protection"
  • 2015 Conference Travel Grant to attend the 7th International Conference on Polyphenols and Health, Tours, France
  • 2014 Best Poster Presentation award of the work "Crossing the Blood-Brain Barrier: unravelling beneficial effects of Blackberry Digested Polyphenols for human health"
  • 2014 Short Term Scientific Mission – Travel Grant at The James Hutton Institute (Dundee, Scotland, UK), in the aim of the Infogest COST Action