CD2AP and alfa3 beta1 and alfav beta3 integrins Expression and Localization Assays after Albumin Overload in 3D Co-culture Spheroid Model GlomSpheres with and without Damage

• Grant number: 25/10344-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: November 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Mara Sanches Guaragna
• Grantee: Heber da Silva Antonio
• Supervisor: Moin Saleem
• Host Institution: Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética (CBMEG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Bristol, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/13911-6 - INTEGRINS AND CD2AP EXPRESSION AFTER ALBUMIN OVERLOAD IN PODOCYTE CELL CULTURE WITH AND WITHOUT INJURY, BP.MS

Abstract

Podocyte injury drives glomerular disease, proteinuria, and chronic kidney disease progression. However, the molecular effects of prolonged albumin exposure in podocytopathies remain unclear. The candidate of this BEPE internship is studying the effects of albumin overload on CD2AP and ¿3¿1/¿¿¿3 integrins expression in 2D human podocyte cell line donated by Dr. Moin Saleem, under both normal and pre-damaged conditions. Although 2D cultures are traditionally used to study expression and signaling pathways, they fail to replicate the complex in vivo glomerular microenvironment. Recently a 3D co-culture spheroid model - GlomSphere - consisting of human conditionally immortalized podocytes and glomerular endothelial cells was shown to self-organize and form an extracellular matrix like the glomerular basement membrane, making it a promising tool for studying glomerular diseases. Therefore, this project aims to expand the candidate study by analysing of CD2AP and ¿3¿1/¿¿¿3 integrins expression on 3D Glomspheres following albumin overload under normal and pre-damaged conditions. This research will be conducted in the laboratory of Glomerular Cell Biology in collaboration with Dr. Moin Saleem, a professor at Bristol Children's Hospital. Dr. Moin Saleem is a well-known researcher in glomerular disease, including podocyte biology and nephrotic syndrome (NS). He is the Director of Bristol Renal, the creator of the UK Renal Rare Disease Registry (RaDaR), the leader of the UK NS study (NephroS), a major industry-academic collaboration termed NURTuRE (National Unified Renal Translational Research Enterprise) and founder and CSO of Purespring Therapeutics. (AU)