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I have expertise in blood-brain barrier (BBB) models in vitro and biodistribution in vivo, as well as in the design and synthesis of trans-BBB peptide shuttles. I have also conducted research in collaboration with other groups to test the efficacy of these peptides fused to therapeutic proteins, such as antibodies for Alzheimer’s disease.

Existing collaborations relevant to drug delivery

Sofia Corte-Real - sdAb for AD. Technophage, S.A., Portugal. We have worked in close collaboration and we have a jointly filled patent in trans-BBB peptides and sdAb for Alzheimer’s disease.

João Galamba Correia – Nuclear sciences. Center of nuclear technologies (C2TN), Instituto Superior Tecnico, Portugal. We performed collaborative work to radiolabel peptides, to demonstrate BBB crossing and in vivo brain uptake.

Frederico Aires da Silva – Toxicity and immunogenicity analysis. CIISA-Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FMV), Portugal – Our drug leads pBBB-sdAb were tested in mice to address possible immunogenicity by FA Silva. I have also performed BBB in vitro studies of several molecules developed at FMV. In addition, we have a jointly funded project.

João Paulo Borges – Nanoparticles for brain delivery. CENIMAT|i3N, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Nova University of Lisbon (NOVA.ID.FCT), Portugal – Jointly master student that studied the decoration of SPIONS for brain targeting with pBBB. 

Publications relevant to drug delivery

Cavaco, M., Castanho, M.A.R.B, Neves, V*. Peptibodies: An elegant solution for a long-standing problem. Biopolymers 2017 (IF 2.248) DOI: 10.1002/bip.23095. (Publication has been chosen to be highlighted in the cover of the journal).

Neves-Coelho, S., Eleutério, R. P., Enguita, F. E., Neves, V.*, Castanho, M. A. R. B. A New Noncanonical Anionic Peptide That Translocates a Cellular Blood–Brain Barrier Model. Molecules 2017, 22(10), 1753; (Cited by 1, IF 2.86) DOI:10.3390/molecules22101753.

Neves, V.*, Aires da Silva, F.*, Morais, M., Gano, L., Ribeiro, E., Pinto, A., Aguiar, S., Gaspar, D., Fernandes, C., Correia, J. D. G., Castanho, M. A. R. B. Novel peptides derived from Dengue virus capsid protein translocate reversibly the blood-brain barrier through a receptor-free mechanism. ACS chemical Biology, 2017, web publication, March 6.(Cited by 2, IF 5.09) DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.7b00087 (Publication has been chosen to be highlighted in ACS chemical research in toxicology).

Neves, V.*, Aires da Silva*, F., Corte-Real, S., Castanho, M. A. R. B. Antibody approaches to treat brain illnesses. Trends in biotechnology, 2016, 24 (1), 36-48. (Cited by 2, IF 11.958) DOI:10.1016/j.tibtech.2015.10.005.