Overview

My primary research interest is deciphering the intricate molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern the distribution of neuronal cell surface receptors across the neuronal membrane. Additionally, I aim to elucidate the functions of neuronal cell surface receptors that remain uncharacterized. Importantly, I aim to address these questions under healthy, aging, and disease conditions. This approach will enable me to understand the mechanisms underlying brain wiring and normal neuronal function, essential for proper brain function, as well as identify novel therapeutic avenues to mitigate the impact of neurological disorders and aging on brain function.

During my PhD, completed in September 2013 under the supervision of Prof. Ana Luísa Carvalho at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra (CNC-UC) in Portugal, I investigated the hippocampal function of ghrelin, an appetite-stimulating hormone, and its receptor. This work was published in PNAS (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1313798111) and Science Signaling (DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abb1953), and it gave me a great deal of knowledge on how synapses and neural circuits operate.

In May 2014, I joined Prof. Joris de Wit's lab at VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research in Belgium for my postdoctoral studies. Here, I gained expertise in imaging, biochemical, and proteomic approaches. These methods were instrumental in identifying new molecules and mechanisms involved in regulating synaptic and surface protein composition in neurons. This work was published in Neuron (DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.08.007) and PLoS Biology (DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000466).

Following my postdoc, I secured funding from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology – FCT (project grant and 6-years’ salary support as an Assistant Investigator – Scientific Employment Stimulus Program) and European Commission (Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action Individual Fellowship – MSCA-IF). These grants enabled me to establish my independent research line at CNC-UC, where I began as an Assistant Investigator in September 2021.

Recently, I have been offered an independent Group Leader position at MIA - Portugal, where I will expand my interests in understanding the mechanisms that control the proper distribution of neuronal surface receptors and in unraveling the function of uncharacterized neuronal surface receptors, as well as investigating how this is impacted by brain disorders and aging. Consistent with this plan, I just secured funding from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (collaborative pair pilot project award), which will allow me to implement new projects in the lab and to generate new research lines.

Affiliation

Multidisciplinary Institute of Ageing (MIA - Portugal); Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC); Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB); University of Coimbra (UC)

Publications

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Information about journal articles, updated at 01-12-2024, from platform CIÊNCIAVITAE.

Microglial TNFa orchestrates protein phosphorylation in the cortex during the sleep period and controls homeostatic sleep

Pinto, Maria J; Cottin, Léa; Dingli, Florent; Laigle, Victor; Ribeiro, Luís F; Triller, Antoine; Henderson, Fiona; et al, The EMBO Journal. 1. 42. 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.15252/embj.2022111485 . 10.15252/embj.2022111485 . published The EMBO Journal

Heterotypic Amyloid ß interactions facilitate amyloid assembly and modify amyloid structure

Konstantoulea, Katerina; Guerreiro, Patricia; Ramakers, Meine; Louros, Nikolaos; Aubrey, Liam D; Houben, Bert; Michiels, Emiel; et al, The EMBO Journal. 2. 41. 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.15252/embj.2021108591 . 10.15252/embj.2021108591 . published The EMBO Journal

Ligand-independent activity of the ghrelin receptor modulates AMPA receptor trafficking and supports memory formation

Ribeiro, Luís F.; Catarino, Tatiana; Carvalho, Mário; Cortes, Luísa; Santos, Sandra D.; Opazo, Patricio O.; Ribeiro, Lyn Rosenbrier; et al, Science Signaling. 670. 14. 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/scisignal.abb1953 . 10.1126/scisignal.abb1953 . published Science Signaling

Nuclear import of the DSCAM -cytoplasmic domain drives signaling capable of inhibiting synapse formation

Sachse, Sonja M; Lievens, Sam; Ribeiro, Luís F; Dascenco, Dan; Masschaele, Delphine; Horré, Katrien; Misbaer, Anke; et al, The EMBO Journal. 6. 38. 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.15252/embj.201899669 . 10.15252/embj.201899669 . The EMBO Journal

SorCS1-mediated sorting in dendrites maintains neurexin axonal surface polarization required for synaptic function

Luís F. Ribeiro; Ben Verpoort; Julie Nys; Kristel M. Vennekens; Keimpe D. Wierda; Joris de Wit, PLOS Biology. e3000466 - e3000466. 10. 17. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000466 . 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000466 . PLOS Biology

Dystrophin deficiency leads to dysfunctional glutamate clearance in iPSC derived astrocytes

Patel, Abdulsamie M.; Wierda, Keimpe; Thorrez, Lieven; van Putten, Maaike; De Smedt, Jonathan; Ribeiro, Luis; Tricot, Tine; et al, Translational Psychiatry. 1. 9. 2019. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41398-019-0535-1 . 10.1038/s41398-019-0535-1 . published Translational Psychiatry

S-Nitrosylation of Ras Mediates Nitric Oxide-Dependent Post-Injury Neurogenesis in a Seizure Model

Santos, Ana Isabel; Carreira, Bruno Pereira; Izquierdo-Álvarez, Alicia; Ramos, Elena; Lourenço, Ana Sofia; Filipa Santos, Daniela; Morte, Maria Inês; et al, Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. 15 - 30. 1. 28. 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/ars.2016.6858 . 10.1089/ars.2016.6858 . Antioxidants & Redox Signaling

A Modular Organization of LRR Protein-Mediated Synaptic Adhesion Defines Synapse Identity

Schroeder, A.; Vanderlinden, J.; Vints, K.; Ribeiro, L.F.; Vennekens, K.M.; Gounko, N.V.; Wierda, K.D.; de Wit, J., Neuron. 329 - 344.e7. 2. 99. 2018. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85049055996&partnerID=MN8TOARS . 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.06.026 . published Neuron

Trafficking mechanisms of synaptogenic cell adhesion molecules

Ribeiro, L.F.; Verpoort, B.; de Wit, J., Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience. 34 - 47. 91. 2018. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-85045454630&partnerID=MN8TOARS . 10.1016/j.mcn.2018.04.003 . published Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience

Neuronal Polarity: MAP2 Shifts Secretory Vesicles into High Gear for Long-Haul Transport down the Axon

Ribeiro, Luís F.; de Wit, Joris, Neuron. 223 - 225. 2. 94. 2017. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2017.04.002 . 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.04.002 . Neuron

The Sorting Receptor SorCS1 Regulates Trafficking of Neurexin and AMPA Receptors

Savas, Jeffrey N.; Ribeiro, Luís F.; Wierda, Keimpe D.; Wright, Rebecca; DeNardo-Wilke, Laura A.; Rice, Heather C.; Chamma, Ingrid; et al, Neuron. 764 - 780. 4. 87. 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2015.08.007 . 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.08.007 . Neuron

GABAA receptor dephosphorylation followed by internalization is coupled to neuronal death in in vitro ischemia

Mele, Miranda; Ribeiro, Luís; Inácio, Ana R.; Wieloch, Tadeusz; Duarte, Carlos B., Neurobiology of Disease. 220 - 232. 65. 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nbd.2014.01.019 . 10.1016/j.nbd.2014.01.019 . published Neurobiology of Disease

Ghrelin triggers the synaptic incorporation of AMPA receptors in the hippocampus

Ribeiro, L. F.; Catarino, T.; Santos, S. D.; Benoist, M.; van Leeuwen, J. F.; Esteban, J. A.; Carvalho, A. L., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. E149 - E158. 1. 111. 2013. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1313798111 . 10.1073/pnas.1313798111 . published Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Regulation of synapse composition by protein acetylation: the role of acetylated cortactin

Catarino, Tatiana; Ribeiro, Luís; Santos, Sandra D.; Carvalho, Ana Luísa, Journal of Cell Science. 149 - 162. 1. 126. 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jcs.110742 . 10.1242/jcs.110742 . published Journal of Cell Science

Contactin-associated Protein 1 (Caspr1) Regulates the Traffic and Synaptic Content of a-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid (AMPA)-type Glutamate Receptors

Santos, Sandra D.; Iuliano, Olga; Ribeiro, Luís; Veran, Julien; Ferreira, Joana S.; Rio, Pedro; Mulle, Christophe; Duarte, Carlos B.; Carvalho, Ana Luísa, Journal of Biological Chemistry. 6868 - 6877. 9. 287. 2012. http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m111.322909 . 10.1074/jbc.m111.322909 . published Journal of Biological Chemistry

Activity and Protein Kinase C Regulate Synaptic Accumulation of N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) Receptors Independently of GluN1 Splice Variant

Ferreira, Joana S.; Rooyakkers, Amanda; She, Kevin; Ribeiro, Luis; Carvalho, Ana Luísa; Craig, Ann Marie, Journal of Biological Chemistry. 28331 - 28342. 32. 286. 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m111.222539 . 10.1074/jbc.m111.222539 . published Journal of Biological Chemistry

All projects

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Information of exclusive responsibility of the researcher 01-12-2024 , from platform CIÊNCIAVITAE.

2023/03/01 - 2024/08/31

A New TransSynaptic Bridge: Functional characterization of the NMDA receptor-Neurexin interaction

2022.05386.PTDC

Researcher

Universidade de Coimbra

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

2022/10/01 - 2028/09/30

Uncovering the molecular machinery responsible for cargo sorting in neuronal polarization.

2021.03397.CEECIND/CP1656/CT0021

Principal investigator

Universidade de Coimbra

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

2021/03/29 - 2025/03/28

Uncovering the molecular machinery responsible for cargo sorting in neuronal polarization

PTDC/BIA-CEL/2286/2020

Principal investigator

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

2021/03/01 - 2024/02/29

Uncovering the molecular machinery responsible for cargo sorting in neuronal polarization

PTDC/BIA-CEL/2286/2020

Principal investigator

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

2021/10/01 - 2024/03/31

Exploring the dendritic molecular machinery responsible for neuronal polarization

101031398

Principal investigator

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular

Funders: European Commission

2018/10/01 - 2021/08/31

Exploring the role of neuronal sorting in the presynaptic expression of homeostatic plasticity

12N0319N

Post-doc Fellow

VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences

Funders: Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen

2015/05/01 - 2015/09/30

Role of the sorting receptor SorCS1 in controlling excitation/inhibition balance in neural circuits

659927

Principal investigator

VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences

Funders: European Commission

2015/10/01 - 2018/09/30

Role of the sorting receptor SorCS1 in controlling excitation/inhibition balance in neural circuits

12N0316N

Post-doc Fellow

VIB Center for Brain & Disease Research; KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences

Funders: Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen

2011/01/01 - 2012/12/31

Strategic Project - LA 1 - 2011-2012

PEst-C/SAU/LA0001/2011

Researcher

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

2010/09/15 - 2013/12/31

Molecular Mechanisms of Synaptic Traffic of Glutamate Receptors of the NMDA Type

PTDC/SAU-NEU/099440/2008

Researcher

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

2009/04/01 - 2013/03/31

Modulation of Hippocampal Glutamatergic Synapses by Ghrelin

SFRH/BD/47879/2008

PhD Student Fellow

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular

Funders: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

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