Her work focuses on advancing Parkinson’s Disease research by developing novel experimental models and investigating stem cell–based secretome strategies to modulate neurodegenerative processes. During her Biochemistry degree, I contributed to published research on aging-associated changes in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and iMSCs secretomes (Stem Cell Reviews and Reports) and later helped evaluate the therapeutic potential of iMSCs secretome in a 6-OHDA rat model. These early experiences established her long-term interest in stem-cell–based neuroprotection and regenerative medicine. During her master’s in health sciences, she developed a genetic–toxin mouse model of early-onset PD, expanding her expertise in neurodegeneration, and in vivo modeling. Alongside research, she took on leadership roles within AAUMinho and NEBQUM and helped organize major events, strengthening her ability to coordinate teams, communicate science, and contribute to the academic community. She is currently a PhD student, focusing on iMSCs-derived secretome as a modulator of proteostasis in PD. To date, she has published four peer-reviewed papers, delivered more than four oral presentations and seven poster communications at national and international meetings, and helped organize four scientific gatherings. Moreover, she was distinguished with the Animal Research Tomorrow 2025 Award that enable to fund her first project based on an alternative, non-invasive, secretome-based therapies delivery method. More recently, her PhD research was awarded the 8th edition CNS Award José Ferreira Júnior & João Januário Coutinho.
Her work focuses on advancing Parkinson’s Disease research by developing novel experimental models and investigating stem cell–based secretome strategies to modulate neurodegenerative processes. During her Biochemistry degree, I contributed to published research on aging-associated changes in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and iMSCs secretomes (Stem Cell Reviews and Reports) and later helped evaluate the therapeutic potential of iMSCs secretome in a 6-OHDA rat model. These early experiences established her long-term interest in stem-cell–based neuroprotection and regenerative medicine. During her master’s in health sciences, she developed a genetic–toxin mouse model of early-onset PD, expanding her expertise in neurodegeneration, and in vivo modeling. Alongside research, she took on leadership roles within AAUMinho and NEBQUM and helped organize major events, strengthening her ability to coordinate teams, communicate science, and contribute to the academic community. She is currently a PhD student, focusing on iMSCs-derived secretome as a modulator of proteostasis in PD. To date, she has published four peer-reviewed papers, delivered more than four oral presentations and seven poster communications at national and international meetings, and helped organize four scientific gatherings. Moreover, she was distinguished with the Animal Research Tomorrow 2025 Award that enable to fund her first project based on an alternative, non-invasive, secretome-based therapies delivery method. More recently, her PhD research was awarded the 8th edition CNS Award José Ferreira Júnior & João Januário Coutinho.
Marote, Ana; Santos, Diogo; Mendes-Pinheiro, Bárbara; Serre-Miranda, Cláudia; Anjo, Sandra I.; Vieira, Joana; Ferreira-Antunes; et al. “Cellular Aging Secretes: a Comparison of Bone-Marrow-Derived and Induced Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Their Secretome Over Long-Term Culture”. Stem Cell Reviews and Reports (2022): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12015-022-10453-6.
Cláudia Raquel Marques ; Jonas Campos; Belém Sampaio-Marques; FerreiraAntunes; Raquel Medina dos Santos Cunha; Deolinda Silva; Sandra Barata Antunes; et al. Corresponding author: António José Braga Osório Gomes Salgado. “Secretome of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Cultured in a Dynamic System Induces Neuroprotection and Modulates Microglial Responsiveness in an a-Synuclein Overexpression Rat Model”. Cytotherapy: Under revision
Ferreira-Antunes; Monteiro-Fernandes, Daniela; Barata Antunes, Sandra; Campos, Jonas; Pinho AG; de Sousa N; Mendes-Pinheiro, Bárbara; Marote, Ana; Salgado AJ. Corresponding author: Salgado AJ. “Noradrenergic Degeneration in a DJ-1 Knockout mouse model”. Scientific Poster presented in CONGRESSO SPDMOV 2023, 2023.
Marote, A., Santos, D., Mendes-Pinheiro, B., Serre-Miranda, C., Anjo, S. I., Vieira, J., Ferreira-Antunes, F., Correia, J. S., Borges-Pereira, C., Pinho, A. G., Campos, J., Manadas, B., Teixeira, M. R., Correia-Neves, M., Pinto, L., Costa, P. M., Roybon, L., & Salgado, A. J. (2023). Cellular Aging Secretes: a Comparison of Bone-Marrow-Derived and Induced Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Their Secretome Over Long-Term Culture. Stem cell reviews and reports, 19(1), 248–263. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12015-022-10453-6
Marques, C. R., Campos, J., Sampaio-Marques, B., Antunes, F. F., Dos Santos Cunha, R. M., Silva, D., Barata-Antunes, S., Lima, R., Fernandes-Platzgummer, A., da Silva, C. L., Sousa, R. A., & Salgado, A. J. (2024). Secretome of bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells cultured in a dynamic system induces neuroprotection and modulates microglial responsiveness in an α-synuclein overexpression rat model. Cytotherapy, 26(7), 700–713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcyt.2024.02.008
Carneiro-Pereira, B., Ferreira-Antunes, F., Campos, J., Salgado, A. J., & Sampaio-Marques, B. (2025). Caloric Restriction Mimetics as Priming Agents of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Secretome to Enhance Regenerative Responses to Parkinson’s Disease. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 30(11), 2260. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30112260
Marote, A.*, Ferreira-Antunes, F.*, Barata-Antunes, S., Mendes-Pinheiro, B., Soares-Cunha, C., Domingues, A. V., Oliveira, S., Anjo, S. I., Monteiro-Fernandes, D., Patrício, P., Manadas, B., Teixeira-Castro, A., Pinto, L., Sampaio-Marques, B., Salgado, A. J. (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.07.687231v1)
2025: Grant – Animal Research Tomorrow 2025, “Intranasal Administration as a minimally invasive alternative for stem cell-based therapies in Parkinson’s Disease”; budget: 3000€.
This project dedicates to fundamental research to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) pathophysiology.
In the context of PD, we focus on addressing how…
