Systems Biology Applied to Transcriptomic Analysis of Inflammatory Diseases

• Grant number: 22/02605-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2022
• End date: July 28, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Immunogenetics
• Principal Investigator: Helder Takashi Imoto Nakaya
• Grantee: Carlos Alberto de Carvalho Fraga
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/08216-2 - CRID - Center for Research in Inflammatory Diseases, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Inflammatory diseases constitute a complex and heterogeneous group of diseases, being an important cause of morbidity and mortality. In the present project, we intend to develop translational research in the area of Inflammatory Diseases. In addition, the association with chemists trained in molecular modeling and molecule synthesis will allow the development of new drugs to treat these diseases. Our project is made up of different subprojects in inflammatory diseases: 1) infectious, 2) autoimmune, 3) cardiovascular, as well as cancer and chronic pain. The development of the project will allow the identification of new common biological targets for most of the aforementioned inflammatory diseases. For this, comparative studies of these diseases will be carried out, hoping that the data obtained and the integration of basic and clinical research will contribute to the identification of new common therapeutic targets for the diseases studied. Specifically, we aim to: 1) recognize new molecular (genetic, intracellular signaling) and immunological (cellular) mechanisms involved in the triggering, maintenance and resistance of these diseases; 2) search for possible diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers; 3) identify new biological targets for the development of tools (drugs, antibodies, immunobiologicals, etc.) for the treatment of these diseases; 4) in parallel with the experimental models, studies will be carried out with patient samples, which will support the data obtained in the experimental models; 5) we intend to perform genomics, proteomics analyzes on experimental models and patient samples, which will also provide significant evidence, complementing the search for new therapeutic targets. Studies on genetic polymorphism in patients will also be performed; and 6) to develop (via modeling and synthesis) new molecules aimed at the treatment of these diseases. The synthesized molecules will be tested for efficacy in experimental models and subjected to concept tests on samples obtained from patients. If there is therapeutic potential, it is intended to register patents, carry out stability, pharmacokinetic, pre-clinical toxicology and clinical trials that may be carried out at the HC-FMRP-USP.