Welcome to the Minority Health and Health Disparities International Research Training (MHIRT) Program at CBU.

Brazil - Locations: Belem, Curitiba, Florianopolis, and Sao Paulo.

Sao Paulo: Four laboratories, 1 student per laboratory

 SITE #1

Project description: Basic research on neuroanatomy of the visual system.  Research focuses on expression of glutamate receptors, particularly the AMPA types in rodent and avian brains.  Techniques used are small animal surgery, immunocytochemistry, microscopy and in situ hybridization.

 2008 Project Title: Mapping of the 5-HT2A Receptor in the Edinger-Westphal Region of the Pigeon (Columbia livia): An Immunohistochemical Study

Mentor: Dr. Claudio Toledo

 Recent mentor publications:

• Cunha, R.P.; Reiner, A. & Toledo, C.A.B. (2007) Involvement of urocortinergic neurons below the midbrain central gray in the physiological response to restraint stress in pigeons. Brain Research 1147:175-183.

• Pavesi, E.; Enck, M.C.; Toledo, C.A.B. & Terenzi, M.G. (2007) Disruption of maternal behavior by acute stress induces selective activation of the lateral periaqueductal gray. European Journal of Neuroscience 26:2055-2065.

• Cavalcante, J.S.; Britto, L.R.G.; Toledo, C.A.B.; Nascimento Jr., E.S.; Lima, R.R.M.; Pontes, A.L.B. & Costa, M.S.M.O. (2008) Calcium-binding proteins in the circadian centers of the brains of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) and the rock cavy (Kerodon rupestris). Brain Research Bulletin 76:354-360.

SITE #2

Project Description: Basic research on neurotransmitter receptor expression and function, specifically metabotrophic glutamate receptors expression after injury and cannabinoid receptor expression in the CNS.  Techniques used are small animal surgery and immunocytochemistry, microscopy.

 2008 Project Title: Effect of motor cortex stimulation on neuronal activation in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in rats with peripheral neuropathy

 Mentor: Dr. Luiz Britto - Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo

Recent mentor publications:

• Kihara A.H., Santos T.O., Paschon V., Matos R.J. & Britto L.R.G. Lack of neuronal signaling specifically remodels the expression of synaptic proteins in the retina. Neuroscience 151: 995-1005, 2008.

• Resende, R.R., Gomes, K.N., Britto, L.R.G. & Ulrich, H. Mechanism of acetylcholine-induced calcium signaling during neuronal differentiation of P19 embryonal carcinoma cells in vitro. Cell Calcium 43: 107-121, 2008.

• Frazao, R., Pinato, L.,  Da Silva, A.V.,  Britto, L.R.G.,  Oliveira, J.A. & Nogueira, M.I. Evidence of reciprocal connections between the dorsal raphe nucleus and the retina in the monkey Cebus apella. Neuroscience Letters 430: 119-123, 2008.  

SITE #3

Project Description: The goal of this work is to analyze the modulatory effect of adenosine receptors on the mRNA and protein nitric oxide synthase (NOS), as well as the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) in cultured cells from the dorsomedial portion of the brain stem.

2011 Project Title: Effect of adenosine on levels of nitric oxide: Cellular mechanisms important for the development of hypertension

Mentor: Dr. Debora R. Fior Chadi - Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of Sao Paulo

• FERRARI, M. F. R. , REIS, E. M. , MATSUMOTO, J. P. , Fior-Chadi, or D.R. Fior, D.R.. Transcriptome analysis of nicotine-exposed cells from the brainstem of neonate spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar Kyoto rats. The Pharmacogenomics Journal, v. 10, p. 134-160, 2010

• MATSUMOTO, J. P. P. ; FERRARI, M. F. R. , Fior-Chadi, or D.R. Fior, D.R.. Adenosine receptor type Differently second is modulated by nicotine in the dorsal brainstem cells of Wistar Kyoto and spontaneously hypertensive rats. Journal of Neural Transmission, see May, P. 19-19, 2010.

• Teodorov, Elizabeth, Bernard, Mary M. ; Ferrari, Merari F. R. , Fior-Chadi, Debora R. ; Felicio, Luciano F. . Plasticity of Opioid Receptors in the periaqueductal Gray Female: Multiparity-Induced Increase in the Activity of Genes Encoding for Mu and kappa receptors and the Post-Translational Decrease Receptor Expression in Delta. Journal of Molecular Neuroscience, p. june 30-june 30, 2010.

Site #4

Project Description: The present project focuses on three major groups of vision-threatening conditions: 1. Diseases following long-term exposure to neuro-toxic drugs
and/or substances (e.g., intoxication by organic solvents such as toluene and various forms of mercury-intoxication); 2. Diseases resulting from the interaction between genetic and environmental components (e.g., diabetes and multiple sclerosis); 3. Well-known genetic
diseases  (Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy).

2011 Project Title: Vision as a sensitive indicator of conditions threatening retinal and central nervous system function.

Mentor: Dr. Dora Selma Fix Ventura, Department of Experimental Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Sao Paulo

• Gualtieri, M., Bandeira, M., Hamer, R.D., Damico, F.M., Moura, A.L.A., Ventura, D.F. Contrast Sensitivity Mediated by Inferred Magna- and Parvocellular Pathways in Type 2 Diabetics with and without Nonproliferative Retinopathy. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. Vol. 52 (2); 1151-55, Feb. 2011