David Pires
PhD (2014) in Pharmacy (Cellular and Molecular Biology), Universidade de Lisboa
Post-Doctoral Fellow, iMed.ULisboa, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa
Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa — Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
Research Interests
Host-pathogen interactions during M. tuberculosis and HIV infection of host immune cells. These pathogens manipulate host cells at different stages of infection inhibiting cellular processes and resisting antimicrobial mechanisms. I have been focusing my studies on finding new mechanisms and drugs that allow us to manipulate the host cellular response to infection while also targeting the pathogen itself. This dual-approach to infection reduces the probability of emergence of new drug resistant strains and improves the conventional therapy.
Selected Publications
Pires D, Bernard EM, Pombo JP, Carmo N, Fialho C, Gutierrez MG, Bettencourt P, Anes E. Mycobacterium tuberculosis Modulates miR-106b-5p to Control Cathepsin S Expression Resulting in Higher Pathogen Survival and Poor T-Cell Activation. Front Immunol 2017; 8: 1819.
Pires D, Marques J, Pombo JP, Carmo N, Bettencourt P, Neyrolles O, Lugo-Villarino G, Anes E. Role of Cathepsins in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Survival in Human Macrophages. Sci Rep 2016; 6: 32247
Machado D, Pires D, Perdigão J, Couto I, Portugal I, Martins M, Amaral L, Anes E, Viveiros M. Ion Channel Blockers as Antimicrobial Agents, Efflux Inhibitors, and Enhancers of Macrophage Killing Activity against Drug Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. PLoS One 2016; 11: e0149326.
Vibe CB, Fenaroli F, Pires D, Wilson SR, Bogoeva V, Kalluru R, Speth M, Anes E, Griffiths G, Hildahl J. Thioridazine in PLGA nanoparticles reduces toxicity and improves rifampicin therapy against mycobacterial infection in zebrafish. Nanotoxicology. 2016; 17: 680–8.
Pires D, Valente E, Simões MF, Carmo N, Testa B, Constantino L, Anes E. Esters of Pyrazinoic Acid Are Active against Pyrazinamide-Resistant Strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Other Naturally Resistant Mycobacteria In Vitro and Ex Vivo within Macrophages. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2015; 59: 7693–9.