Jorge Pedrosa

mycobacterioses
Drug Delivery Systems
buruli ulcer
host genetics
immunology of infection
Phage Therapy

Jorge Pedrosa (JP) holds degrees in Pathologic Anatomy (1986) and in Biochemistry (1994) and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences (2000).
JP is a Full Professor and Senior Researcher at the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), ICVS/3B’s Associate Laboratory (AL), School of Medicine, University of Minho (UMinho).
Presently, JP serves as President of the Portuguese Society of Microbiology (SPM), President of B.ACIS (Tech transfer office, UMinho), Coordinator of the InflammaSignal Research Team/ICVS, member of the Direction Board of the Clinical Academic Center 2CA– Braga Hospital and member of the Scientific Council of the Lusófona Platform for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation.
His research interests are in the field of Health Sciences-Immunology and he is particularly interested in the host immune response against infections by virulent mycobacteria, namely Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent of the neglected tropical disease Buruli ulcer, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis. He is using animal models in Biosafety Level 3 laboratories and developing clinical research with a network of health care institutions in Europe and Africa, to both evaluate new strategies aiming at the modulation of the host immune response and to develop new systems of specific delivery of antimicrobial agents to infected cells.

Jorge Pedrosa

mycobacterioses
Drug Delivery Systems
buruli ulcer
host genetics
immunology of infection
Phage Therapy

Scientific Highlights

1. First demonstration of a protective role played by neutrophils in the early phase of experimental tuberculosis;

2. First isolation from the environment of a pure culture of M. ulcerans, the causative agent of the emergent infectious disease Buruli ulcer, implicating the involvement of aquatic insects in the transmission of this neglected disease;

3. Characterization of the host inflammatory response to M. ulcerans;

4. First description of an intracellular growth phase for M. ulcerans, as well as of the mechanisms of macrophage-mediated immune control for this pathogen.

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Projects

As Leader

Jorge Pedrosa

Treatment of chronic bacterial infections: Bacteriophages as a potential treatment option

Life-threatening human infectious diseases caused by bacterial pathogens are now re-emerging, in part due to increased resistance to antibiotics.

As Member

Carlos Capela

Buruli ulcer: immunogenetic determinants of susceptibility/resistance to chronic skin infection

Buruli Ulcer (BU) is a neglected infectious disease responsible for massive necrotic skin lesions. BU is the third most common mycobacteriosis worldwide,..

Alexandra Fraga

Buruli ulcer: immunometabolic requirements for host-mycobacteria interaction

Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causative agent of Buruli Ulcer (BU), a neglected tropical disease characterized by extensive necrotic skin lesions. M. ulcerans,…

Paula Ludovico

Extracellular vesicles with biomarkers for metabolic diseases and chronic inflammation associated diseases

Many metabolic disorders are chronic diseases that require continuous biomarker monitoring to ensure the patient is stable and responding to treatment…