Lucas Antonio de Lima Paula

Ph.D. in Sciences (concentration area: Biological Chemistry) from the University of Franca. Conducted a sandwich Ph.D. at the Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (University of California, San Diego - UCSD). Developed research in the field of Parasitology, with an emphasis on Helminthology and Immunopathology of schistosomiasis mansoni. Specialized in Parasitology, Immunology, Pathology, and Molecular Biology. Experienced in project and personnel management, laboratory best practices and biosafety, laboratory instrumentation, drug screening (in vitro and in animal models of infection), cytotoxicity assays (XTT, MTT, resazurin, and clonogenic survival), molecular biology techniques (Western blotting and qRT-PCR), ELISA, parasite life cycle maintenance (Schistosoma mansoni, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Leishmania (L.) amazonensis), and cell culture (GRX, LX-2, HEK 293, LLCM-K2, C2C12, and J774A.1). Additional experience with Caenorhabditis elegans as an experimental model for the study of new anthelmintic agents. In the field of teaching, has experience with courses in Laboratory Practices, Basic and Clinical Immunology, Parasitology, and Plant Morphology and Systematics. Led the investigation of Brazilian green propolis on the NLRP3 inflammasome in the murine model of schistosomiasis mansoni. During the Ph.D. at UCSD, worked on evaluating the effects of Brazilian green propolis on the activation and inhibition of molecular factors associated with liver fibrosis in schistosomiasis. Also engaged in the discovery and characterization of new prototypes and chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases through antiparasitic, cytotoxic, and immunomodulatory evaluations of natural products and synthetic compounds. (Source: Lattes Curriculum)