Biography
Leandro Barbosa, Ph.D.
Dr. Barbosa has expertise in the study of biochemistry and physiology evaluation of the involvement of the Na,K-ATPase in health and disease, such as cancer and hematological diseases. During the course of his career, he has published 70 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and written 2 book chapters, with an H index of 12 and more than 370 citations. His level of excellence in teaching and research can be attested from: 1) The international recognition he received by winning the 2016 New Investigator Award of The American Physiological Society – Cell and Molecular Physiology Section – of which he was the first scientist working outside the United States to be awarded; and 2) From the research productivity fellowship award which he received from the CNPq (Brazilian equivalent to the NIH), that has the objective of recognizing and valuing the work of highly productive scientists invested in advancing scientific knowledge and technological innovation.
Selected references:
GARCIA, I. J. P.; KINOSHITA, P. F.; SILVA, L. N. D. E. ; BUSCH, M. S. ; ATELLA, G. C. ; SCAVONE, C. ; CORTES, V. F. ; BARBOSA, L. A. ; SANTOS, H. L. . Ouabain attenuates oxidative stress and modulates lipid composition in hippocampus of rats in Lipopolysaccharide-induced hypocampal neuroinflammation in rats. Journal Of Cellular Biochemistry, 2019; v. 120, p. 4081-4091.
PARREIRA, G. M.; RESENDE, M. D. A.; GARCIA, I. J. P.; SARTORI, D. B.; UMEOKA, E. H. L.; GODOY, L. D.; GARCIA-CAIRASCO, N.; BARBOSA, L. A.; SANTOS, H. L.; TILELLI, C. Q. Oxidative stress and Na,K-ATPase activity differential regulation in brainstem and forebrain of Wistar Audiogenic Rats May Lead To Increased Seizure Susceptibility. Brain Research. 1679, p. 171-178, 2018.
PESSOA, M. T. C.; ALVES, S. G., TARANTO, A. G., VILLAR, J. A. F. P., BLANCO, G., BARBOSA, L. A. Selectivity Analyses of γ-Benzylidene Digoxin Derivatives to Different Na,K-ATPase α Isoforms: A Molecular Docking Approach. Journal Of Enzyme Inhibition And Medicinal Chemistry v. 33, p. 85-97, 2018.
VENUGOPAL, J.; SHARMA, M.; REIF, G. A.; WALLACE, D. P.; BARBOSA, L. A.; BLANCO, G. Ouabain promotes partial epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) changes in human autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) cells. Experimental Cell Research. , p.142 – 152, 2017.
Positions and Employment
2006 – 2009: Pharmacist and Researcher, Scientific and Technical Division, Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCa), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2006 – 2009: Assistant Professor, Pharmacy School, UNIVERSO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2008 – 2009: School Director of Pharmacy School, UNIVERSO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2009 – 2017: Assistant Professor, Biochemistry School, Federal University of São João del Rei (UFSJ), Minas Gerais, Brazil
2017 – present: Associate Professor, Biochemistry School, Federal University of São João del Rei (UFSJ), Minas Gerais, Brazil
Significant Professional Activities
2013 – 2016: Member, American Physiological Society
2000 – present: Member, Brazilian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SBBq)
Honors
2020: Professor Honored of Nursing School graduates Class of 2020 – Federal University of Sao Joao del Rei
2019: Research productivity fellowship (level 2) of the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Brazil
2016: CaMPS New Investigator Award, American Physiology Society
2015: Professor Honored of Nursing School graduates Class of 2015 – Federal University of Sao Joao del Rei
2008: Professor Honored of Pharmacy School graduates Class of 2008 – Universo University
2005: Student Travel Award. International Conference on Na+,K+-ATPase and Related ATPases, Woods Hole, USA
2003: Hyclone Prize, FESBe Conference, Caxambú, Brazil
Contributions to Science
My early works was to study the involvement of the Na,K-ATPase in hematological diseases. Particularly, how the irradiation modulates the activity of the Na,K-ATPase. In blood bank, as a normal procedure, red blood cells are irradiated before transfusion for some diseases. Also, the involvement of the Na,K-ATPase in iron overload and hemochromatosis diseases were not studied. We discovered the inhibition timeline of the Na,K-ATPase for irradiated red blood cells, and that information could be important for new guidelines to storage blood bags in hemotherapy units. In iron overload, we discovered that iron is a potent modulator of the Na,K-ATPase that leads to an increase of the activity in red blood cells of patients with this disease.
Now my focus is to screen new synthetic cardiotonic steroids for cancer treatment and neurological disorders as ischemia and neuroinflammation. The problem with cardiotonic steroids is the narrow therapeutic index that increases the cytotoxicity for normal cells. Also, the different tissue isoforms of the Na,K-ATPase are a challenge for the specificity of this pharmacologic group. In my studies I demonstrated that non-conventional cardiotonic steroids are interesting to pharmacologic utilization, because it is possible to achieve specificity of binding with Na,K-ATPase isoforms and trigger of signaling events, leading to a unexpected effect on the Na,K-ATPase, different from the traditional one (e.g. digoxin, digitoxin and ouabain).
Complete List of Published Work: available at the CNPq bank of Curriculum Vitae
(http://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/visualizacv.do?id=K4768447A9)
Complete List of Published Work in My Bibliography:
CNPq bank of Curriculum Vitae: http://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/visualizacv.do?id=K4768447A9
ResearcherID: K-1008-2013
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4631-0130
Ongoing Research Support
PPM-00307-18 – FAPEMIG – PPM XI. Barbosa (PI) 2021– 2023
Effect Of 21- Benzylidene Digoxin Analogs On Cell Adhesion.
APQ-00855-19 Call 03/2019 Barbosa (PI) 2020– 2023
Research project: Maintenance of the Analytical Center core
CNPq 305173/2018-9 Barbosa (PI) 2019-2022
Research productivity fellowship – Level 2
INCT – MCTI/CNPq/CAPES/FAPs nº 16/2014. Silva (PI) 2016-2021
National Institute of Science and Technology for Structural Biology and Bioimaging
The aim of this grant is to create National Institute for support activities of scientific, technological and innovation research in strategic areas and / or at the frontier of knowledge aimed at the pursuit of great national problems solution.
Role: Collaborator. Test several compounds to find activity against cancer cell.
Completed Research Support
CNPq Universal Program 401914/2016-0 Barbosa (PI) 2016-2019
Research project: Mechanism of action of 21-benzylidene digoxin on cell-cell adhesion and in the reversion of the multiple drug resistance phenotype
Role: PI
FAPEMIG Universal Program APQ-00290-16 Barbosa (PI) 2017-2019
Research project: Study of the modulation of lipid membrane domain and caveolae signaling by ouabain and 21-benzylidene digoxin
Role: PI
CNPq Travel Grant 450671/2018-6 Barbosa (PI) 2018
Financial aid for travel to meeting with international collaborator Dr. Gustavo Blanco – Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City, USA
CNPq Universal Program 472394/2012-6 Barbosa (PI) 2012-2015
Research project: Anticancer mechanism of action of digoxin and new cardiac glycosides
The aim of this grant is to find new cardiac glycoside that can be used as anticancer therapy and to study the relevance of Na,K-ATPase in cancer biology.
Role: PI
FAPEMIG APQ-00362-1010/05/10 Lopes (PI) 2010-2012
Research Project: The Use of Lipo-Peptide Chimeras Vaccine Production in the Schistosomiasis (Debora Lopes, PI)
Role: Collaborator. Responsible for lipossomal production to carrier peptide vaccine
CNPq 401989/2010-0 Santos (PI) 2010-2013
Research project: Creation of a reference center for the control of familial cancer in the central-western Minas Gerais-based clinical and molecular analysis – a pilot for a regional referral center in cancer genetics, the structure of the National Network of familial cancer (Luciana Lara dos Santos, PI)
Role: Collaborator. Responsible for ovarian familial cancer analysis.
Education and Training
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil, B.A. Pharmacy
University of Toledo, OH, US Ph.D. Biochemistry
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil Ph.D. Biochemistry
Kansas University Medical Center (KUMC), Kansas, US Post-doctoral, Biochemistry