Proteolytic activity of secreted aspartate protease and cytotoxicity of a designed antimicrobial peptide: complementary analyses.

• Grant number: 25/22720-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 07, 2026
• End date: March 06, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Materials
• Principal Investigator: Janaina Habib Jorge
• Grantee: Rafaelly Camargo
• Supervisor: Eduardo Buozi Moffa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia (FOAr). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Saskatchewan (USASK), Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/06860-3 - In vitro evaluation of the microbiological properties and surface roughness of denture base resins obtained by the conventional method and by 3D printing after simulated brushing with cleaning/disinfection agents., BP.IC

Abstract

Resistance to antimicrobial agents and the ability to disseminate infections are characteristics of biofilms, which can colonize both host tissues and abiotic surfaces. Biofilms are a challenge to medicine, as they are the leading cause of infections and are resistant to conventional treatments, which has intensified the search for new strategies to combat them, such as the use of antimicrobial peptides. Therefore, a study was proposed and recently approved by FAPESP (renewal of grant Scientific Initiation - process 2023/06860-3) to evaluate the effect of an antimicrobial peptide D11 (designed, derived from UyCT1, which is derived from the venom of the scorpion Urodacus yaschenkoi) on the adhesion and formation of biofilms of susceptible (CaS) and fluconazole-resistant (CaR) Candida albicans on three-dimensionally (3D) printed resin samples for denture bases. To complement the results, this proposal aims to evaluate the proteolytic activity of secreted aspartate protease (SAP) and the cytotoxicity of the same peptide during an internship abroad (RIA - Scientific Initiation), under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Eduardo Buozi Moffa, from February 15, 2026, to March 14, 2026 (1 month). The results obtained will be tabulated and analyzed descriptively and, subsequently, will be subjected to normality tests. Then, the most appropriate statistical method will be applied, adopting a significance level of 5% (¿ = 0.05). (AU)