Rafael Freitas

In my scientific career I have focused my work to understand different aspects of T cell responses. During my undergraduate studies in Biomedicine (UFPE, 2005.1-2008.2) and Master in Energy and Nuclear Technologies (UFPE, 2009-2011) I studied biomarkers of exposure to ionizing radiation (IRs) and the effect of IRs on the ability of human T cells to proliferate and induce DNA damage response proteins such as p53, p21 and Caspases. In my PhD in Therapeutic Innovation (2013-2016), I hypothesized that it would be possible to further exploit the proteome of the Leishmania parasite in the search for novel antigens for vaccines. To this end, I developed a combination of linear and structural in silico protocols to search for potential CD4 and CD8 T cell epitopes throughout the predicted Leishmania proteome. I then approved a postdoctoral project by the Alexander von Humboldt foundation (Germany) and CAPES (Brazil). During the period (2017-2019) I studied the role of co-inhibitory receptors during Leishmania infections. Since 2012 I have an appointment at the University of Pernambuco and I have experience with multiple immunological techniques and flow cytometry. I am a member of the Graduate Program in Health Sciences (PPGCS-UPE), and I focus my investigations on mechanisms of immune regulation during Leishmania infection.