Maria do Carmo Pereira

Senior Researcher

Coordinator of the research group Supramolecular Assemblies

Member of the Scientific Steering Committee

Research group: Supramolecular Assemblies

Academic position: Associate Professor (FEUP)

Background: PhD in Chemical Engineering – Faculty of Engineering of Porto, Portugal

Major research topics

• Novel nano-engineered biomaterials for therapeutic applications (cancer therapy, DNA delivery).
• Fluorinated peptides and active molecules interactions with surfaces and lipid model membranes.
• Design of inhibitors of Alzheimer fibrillogenesis.
• Antibody-directed nanocarriers for Alzheimer’s disease.Electrochemical immunosensors for detection of degenerative disease biomarkers.
• Air pollutants /exposure risk assessment

Selected Publications

Carneiro, P., Loureiro, J., Delerue-Matos, C., Morais, S., Pereira, M.C.  “Alzheimer's disease: Development of a sensitive label-free electrochemical immunosensor for detection of amyloid beta peptide" Sensors and Actuators, B: Chemical, (2017) 239, 157-165.

Loureiro, J.A.,  Gomes, B., Fricker, G.,  Coelho, M.A.N.,  Rocha, S.,  Pereira, M.C. “Cellular uptake of PLGA nanoparticles targeted with anti-amyloid and anti-transferrin receptor antibodies for Alzheimer's disease treatment” Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, (2016), 145, 8-13.

Ramalho, M.J., Loureiro, J.A., Gomes, B., Frasco, M.F., Coelho, M.A.N., Pereira, M.C. “PLGA nanoparticles as a platform for vitamin D-based cancer therapy” Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology, (2015) 6, 1306–1318.

Gomes, B., Loureiro, J.A., Coelho, M.A.N., Pereira, M.C. “The Potential Effect of Fluorinated Compounds in the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease” Current Pharmaceutical Design, (2015) 21, 5725-5735.

Fonseca J., K. Slezakova, S. Morais, M.C. Pereira. “Assessment of ultrafine particles in Portuguese preschools: levels and exposure doses“. Indoor Air, (2014) 24(1), 618-628.

Selected Projects

"NANOEFEct - Nanoparticle-Enhanced Molecular Fluorescence-endoscopy for Detection of Early-stage Colorectal Adenocarcinomas" (ERA-NET: CANCER12-FP-052). Beginning: 2014. Duration 36 months. Role: team member.

"How Indoor Air Quality Can Affect Children Allergies and Asthma" (PTDC/DTP-SAP/1522/2012) funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia. Beginning: 2013. Duration 36 months. Role: principal investigator for FEUP's team.

"Antibody-directed Liposomes for Alzheimer’s Disease" (PTDC/QUI-BIQ/118076/2010) Beginning: 2012. Duration 36 months. Role: team member from FEUP.

"Design and Biological Activity of Fluorinated Peptides on the Amyloid Beta-Peptide Aggregation" (PTDC/QUI-BIQ/102827/2008) Beginning: 2010. Role: principal investigator.