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Doctoral candidate Rute Isabel Honorio, from the Pathophysiology and Toxicology Program of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCF) at USP, received recognition from the European Calcium Society for the best oral presentation during the Junior European Calcium Society (jECS) meeting. The event, held from February 1 to 4 in Doha, Qatar, brought together young researchers, doctoral candidates, and international specialists dedicated to the study of calcium signaling and homeostasis, a central theme for understanding physiological and pathological processes.
“I shared part of my thesis work with brilliant minds in calcium signaling and, more importantly, learned and absorbed as much as I could”, Rute said on her LinkedIn profile. She, who is pursuing her doctorate in the Pathophysiology and Toxicology Program at FCF, investigates the survival mechanisms of the malaria parasite in human blood. Her research focuses on a critical stage of the disease cycle: when the parasite ruptures red blood cells (erythrocytes) to invade new cells, causing the classic symptoms of malaria. Using advanced imaging techniques, the researcher identified an oscillatory calcium pattern that precedes membrane rupture, mapping the signaling pathways that coordinate this event.
This discovery is strategic for the development of future therapies. “The results deepen the understanding of the mechanisms that regulate the parasite’s life cycle, which is vital in light of the emergence of strains resistant to current medications”, the researcher explains.
Rute became the first doctoral candidate under a dual-degree agreement between USP and Rutgers University, in the United States. The doctorate is the result of a long-term collaboration between the laboratories of Celia Garcia, a researcher at USP and a world pioneer in the study of calcium signaling in Plasmodium falciparum , and Andrew Thomas, a professor at Rutgers and a reference in cellular imaging.
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The dual-degree agreement, approved by USP’s Provost’s Office for Graduate Affairs and by USP President Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior, marks a milestone in the internationalization of USP. The initiative brings together the excellence of both institutions, offering the student immersion in high-level research environments and expanding academic autonomy and global career prospects.
Public Health Challenge
The relevance of the study is underscored by recent epidemiological data. In 2023, the world recorded 263 million cases of malaria, with approximately 597,000 deaths, severely affecting children and pregnant women. In Brazil, the challenge is concentrated in the Amazon region, where the predominance of Plasmodium vivax coexists with the concerning growth of Plasmodium falciparum, the most lethal species of the disease.
For Rute, the international experience, made possible by scholarships from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes) and Rutgers University, was a turning point. “Obtaining the dual degree represented a unique opportunity for learning and scientific maturation in an environment of excellence”, the doctoral candidate said.
Written with information provided by the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCF)
English version: Nexus Traduções, edited by Denis Pacheco
