Susana Monteiro

  • Neuroimmunology
  • Immunomodulation
  • Microglia
  • Myeloid cells
  • Sympathetic Nervous System
  • Spinal Cord Injury

Susana Monteiro is a neuroimmunologist with an MSc in Biomolecular Methods (University of Bristol, UK and Universidade de Aveiro) and a PhD in Health Sciences (Universidade do Minho). During her scientific training, she was involved in multiple research projects in the Neuroimmunology field – from clinical research searching for Multiple Sclerosis biomarkers to basic research understanding how the autonomic deregulation caused by chronic stress exposure impacts immunity. She joined the ReNEU team in 2016 for her postdoc working on understanding the contribution of inflammation for Spinal Cord Injury pathophysiology and conversely, how injury to the spinal cord affects the neuronal pathways controlling the regulation of immune responses. Presently, her current research interests are: 1) understanding how to engage efficient immune responses to CNS injury repair by manipulating peripheral autonomic neural circuits. 2) exploring how peripheral immune cells shape microglia behaviour and CNS local inflammation. 3) identifying peripheral targets for CNS immunomodulation and validating them in translational/clinical studies. In parallel to her scientific interests, she is committed to student mentoring and science communication to inspire young minds to shape the future of scientific discovery.

Susana Monteiro

  • Neuroimmunology
  • Immunomodulation
  • Microglia
  • Myeloid cells
  • Sympathetic Nervous System
  • Spinal Cord Injury

Susana Monteiro is a neuroimmunologist with an MSc in Biomolecular Methods (University of Bristol, UK and Universidade de Aveiro) and a PhD in Health Sciences (Universidade do Minho). During her scientific training, she was involved in multiple research projects in the Neuroimmunology field – from clinical research searching for Multiple Sclerosis biomarkers to basic research understanding how the autonomic deregulation caused by chronic stress exposure impacts immunity. She joined the ReNEU team in 2016 for her postdoc working on understanding the contribution of inflammation for Spinal Cord Injury pathophysiology and conversely, how injury to the spinal cord affects the neuronal pathways controlling the regulation of immune responses. Presently, her current research interests are: 1) understanding how to engage efficient immune responses to CNS injury repair by manipulating peripheral autonomic neural circuits. 2) exploring how peripheral immune cells shape microglia behaviour and CNS local inflammation. 3) identifying peripheral targets for CNS immunomodulation and validating them in translational/clinical studies. In parallel to her scientific interests, she is committed to student mentoring and science communication to inspire young minds to shape the future of scientific discovery.

Scientific Highlights

S Monteiro, AG Pinho, M Macieira, C Serre-Miranda et al. (2020) Splenic sympathetic signaling contributes for acute neutrophil’s infiltration of the injured spinal cord. J Neuroinflammation Sep23;17(1)

Pinho, AG., Monteiro, A, Fernandes S., de Sousa, N, Salgado, AJ, Silva, NS*. and Monteiro, S.* 2023. “The Central Nervous System Source Modulates Microglia Function and Morphology In Vitro” Int J Mol Sci 24, no. 9: 7685.

The peripheral sympathetic system as a target for immunomodulation in spinal cord injury pathophysiology (Principal Investigator (PI) Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) EXPL/MED-PAT/0931/202

“Electric stimulator for cell culture, device, methods and uses thereof”. (utility patent, DP/01/2022/78133)

“Compositions for treatment of spinal cord injury, methods and uses thereof” (international patent, WO/2021/198909)

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Projects

As Leader

Basic mechanisms of degeneration/regeneration

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…

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Projects

As Member

Molecular Therapies

The remarkable advances in molecular biology in the past decades have led to a better understanding of the mechanisms implicated in the pathophysiology of many CNS disorders as well as mechanisms that control axonal regeneration…

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