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ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR – DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY IN THE RIBEIRAO PRETO MEDICAL SCHOOL/USP.
Training:
• MD degree (1984) at Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo – FMRP-USP.
• Medical Residency Program at University Hospital of FMRP-USP (1985-1987).
• PhD degree (1995) at Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo – FMRP-USP, supervised by Professor Ayrton Moreira.
• Postdoctoral training at St Bartholomew’s Hopspital and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK (1996 – 1998), supervised by Professor Adrian Clark.
Research:
My laboratory is interested in the neuroendocrine regulation of energy homeostasis. To attain this purpose we have used diferent experimental models in rodents that include bilateral adrenalectomy with and without corticosterone replacement to study the mechanism of hypophagia and satiety responses with the adrenal gland failure; low grade inflammation induced by endotoxemia to study hypothalamic resistance to leptin. We are also using cre-lox methodology to study the role of mediators of leptin signaling (STAT3, STA5 PI3K, ERK) in specific hypothalamic neurons in the energy homeostasis. Nutritional changes during development are well known to have long-lasting efffect in post-natal life. Therefore, we are also interested in the effects of neonatal nutritional changes on the hypothalamic circuitries involved in the control of food intake and body weight gain in the juvenile and adult life.
My academic bibliography: