Research Projects

Exploring Redox Metabolism Dynamics in the Response to Hypoxia-Induced Stress (2024-ongoing)

My role: Principal Investigator

Principal Investigator: Daniel C. Moreira

Funding:  Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF - Brazil) and University of Brasilia (UnB)

Smartphones as "Portable Chemical Analyzers" to Acquire Analytical Signals from Colorimetric Assays (2022-2024)

My role: Principal Investigator

Principal Investigator: Daniel C. Moreira

Funding: University of Brasilia (UnB)

Products: 

• Moreira, D.C. 2022. RGBradford: Accurate measurement of protein concentration using a smartphone camera and the blue to green intensity ratio. Analytical Biochemistry, 655, 114839. DOI.

•  Moreira, D.C.  2023. RGBradford: Protein quantitation with a smartphone camera. Journal of Visualized Experiments, 199, e65547. DOI.

Featured in: 

• Bradford protein assay - Wikipedia

PEP-GLIA: Characterization of the mechanism of an antioxidant peptide from the Brazilian biodiversity with neuroprotective effect (2022-2024)

My role: Principal Investigator and Post-Doc Junior Researcher in the Glial Cell Biology Group, Institute for Research & Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, Portugal.

Responsible Investigator: Daniel C. Moreira

Funding: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq - Brazil).

Product: 

• Moreira, D.C., Batagin-Neto, A and Leite, J.R.S.A. 2024. Frog-derived neuroprotective peptides. In M.R. de Oliveira (Ed.), Natural Molecules in Neuroprotection and Neurotoxicity. Elsevier. Link. DOI.

VIDA-FROG: Valorization of Molecules Isolated from Portuguese Amphibians (2018-2023)

My role: Collaborating Researcher

Principal Investigators: Peter Eaton and Massuo Kato

Funding: Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT - Portugal) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP - Brazil).

Products: 

• Plácido, A., Bueno, J., Barbosa, E.A., Moreira, D.C., Dias, J.N., Cabral, W.F., Albuquerque, P., Bessa, L.J., Freitas, J. et al. 2020. The antioxidant peptide salamandrin-I: first bioactive peptide identified from skin secretion of salamandra genus (Salamandra salamandra). Biomolecules, 10(4), 512. DOI.

• Barbosa, E.A., Plácido A., Moreira, D.C., Albuquerque, L., Dematei, A., Silva-Carvalho, A.E., Cabral, W.F.,  Báo, S.N., Saldanha-Araújo, F. et al. 2021. The peptide secreted at the water to land transition in a model amphibian has antioxidant effects. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 288, 20211531. DOI.

• Barros, A.L.A.N., Hamed, A., Marani, M., Moreira, D.C., Eaton, P., Plácido, A., Kato, M.J. and Leite, J.R.S.A. 2022. The arsenal of bioactive molecules in the skin secretion of urodele amphibians.  Frontiers in Pharmacology, 12, 810821. DOI.

• Plácido, A., Amaral, C.P., Teixeira, C., Nogueira, A., Brango-Venegas, J., Barbosa, E.A., Moreira, D.C., Silva-Carvalho, A.E., Silva, M.A. et al. 2022. Neuroprotective effects on microglia and insights into the structure–activity relationship of an antioxidant peptide isolated from Pelophylax perezi. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, 26, 2793–2807. DOI.

• Silva-Carvalho, A.E., Natiely, N., Machado, J.V., Moreira, D.C., Brand, G.D., Leite, J.R.S.A., Placido, A, Eaton, P. and Saldanha-Araujo, F. 2023. The antioxidant peptide Salamandrin-I modulates components involved in pyroptosis and induces cell death in human leukemia cell line HL-60. Pharmaceutics, 15, 1864. DOI.

Antioxidant Systems and Oxidative Stress Markers during Metamorphosis of Holometabolous Insects (2019-2022)

My role: Principal Investigator

Principal Investigator: Daniel C. Moreira

Funding: Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF - Brazil) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq - Brazil).

Products: 

• Moreira, D.C., Paula, D.P. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2021. Changes in metabolism and antioxidant systems during tropical diapause in the sunflower caterpillar Chlosyne lacinia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 134, 103581. DOI. 

• Moreira, D.C. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2022. Conference Abstract. Redox imbalance and oxidative eustress during larval-pupal transition in a holometabolous insect.  Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 192 (S1), 130. DOI.

• Moreira, D.C. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2024. Dynamics of redox metabolism during complete metamorphosis of insects: Insights from the sunflower caterpillar Chlosyne lacinia (Lepidoptera). Antioxidants, 13, 959. DOI.  

Preparation for Oxidative Stress: Ecophysiology and Evolution (2018-2022)

My role: Collaborating Researcher

Principal Investigator: Marcelo Hermes-Lima

Funding: Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF - Brazil) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq - Brazil).

Products: 

• Oliveira, M.F., Geihs, M.A., Moreira, D.C. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2018. Is “Preparation for Oxidative Stress” a case of physiological conditioning hormesis? Frontiers in Physiology, 9, 945. DOI.

• Giraud-Billoud, M., Rivera-Ingraham, G.A., Moreira, D.C., Burmester, T., Castro-Vaquez, A., Carvajalino-Fernández, J.M., Dafre, A., Niu, C., Tremblay, N. et al. 2019. Twenty years of the 'Preparation for Oxidative Stress' (POS) theory: Ecophysiological advantages and molecular strategies. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A, 234, 36–49. DOI. 

• Geihs, M.A., Moreira, D.C., López-Martínez, G., Minari, M., Ferreira-Cravo, M., Carvajalino-Fernández, J.M. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2020. Ultraviolet radiation triggers “preparation for oxidative  stress” antioxidant response in animals: Similarities and interplay with other stressors. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A, 239, 110585. DOI. 

• Moreira, D.C., Carvajalino-Fernández, J.M., Silva, W.P., Kuzniewski, F., Navas, C.A., Carvalho, J.E. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2020. Preparation for oxidative stress in Proceratophrys cristiceps (Anura, Odontophrynidae) naturally estivating in the Brazilian Caatinga. Science of the Total Environment, 723, 137957. DOI. 

• Moreira, D.C., Sabino, M.A.C.T., Kuzniewski, F.T.B., Furtado-Filho, O.V., Carvajalino-Fernández, J.M., Angelini, R., Freire, C.A. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2021. Redox metabolism in mussels (Brachidontes solisianus) under the influence of tides in a rocky beach in Southern Brazil. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 258, 107424. DOI.

• Moreira, D.C., Carvajalino-Fernández, J.M., Navas, C.A., de Carvalho, J.E. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2021. Metabolic and redox biomarkers in skeletal muscle underlie physiological adaptations of two estivating anuran species in a South American semi-arid environment.  Frontiers in Physiology, 12, 769833 . DOI.

• Moreira, D.C., Campos, E.G., Giraud-Billoud, M., Storey, K.B. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2023. Commentary: On the merit of an early contributor of the “Preparation for Oxidative Stress” (POS) theory. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A, 276, 111341. DOI.

• Ferreira-Cravo, M.*, Moreira, D.C.* and Hermes-Lima, M. 2023. Glutathione depletion disrupts redox homeostasis in an anoxia-tolerant invertebrate. Antioxidants, 12, 1197. DOI. *These authors contributed equally.

• Moreira, D.C., Sabino, M.A.C.T., Minari, M., Kuzniewski, F.T.B., Angelini, R., Hermes-Lima, M. 2023. The role of solar radiation and tidal emersion on oxidative stress and glutathione synthesis in mussels exposed to air. PeerJ, 11, e15345. DOI. Citations.

• Giraud-Biloud, M., Moreira, D.C., Minari, M.,  Andreyeva, A., Campos, E.G., Carvajalino-Fernández, J.M., Istomina, A., Michaelidis, B., Niu, C. et al. 2024. Evidence Supporting the 'Preparation for Oxidative Stress' (POS) Strategy in Animals in Their Natural Environment. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A, 293, 111626. DOI.

Nutri Tech: Development of Natural Products Aimed at Improving the Quality of Life  (2021-2022)

My role: Technical Coordinator

Project Manager: José Roberto S. A. Leite

Funding: Federal parliamentary amendment.

Product:

Video (in Portuguese) – https://youtu.be/pliDslGz6VQ 

Verification of Antiviral Activity of Intragenic Antimicrobial Peptides (IAPs) (2020-2021)

My role: Collaborating Researcher

Principal Investigator: Guilherme D. Brand

Funding: Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF - Brazil).

Video (in Portuguese): https://youtu.be/vDkgAH_p1EM

Development of a Bioprospecting Platform for Screening Biodiversity for Antioxidant Peptides with Neuroprotective Potential (2018-2020)

My role: Collaborating Researcher

Principal Investigator: José Roberto S. A. Leite

Funding: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq - Brazil).

Product: 

• Barbosa, E., Oliveira, A., Plácido, A., Socodato, R., Portugal, C.C., Mafud, A.C., Ombredane, A.S., Moreira, D.C., Vale, N. et al. 2018. Structure and function of a novel antioxidant peptide from the skin of Tropical frogs. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 115, 68–79. DOI.

• Dematei A., Costa, S.R., Moreira, D.C., Barbosa, E., Albuquerque, L.F.F., Vasconcelos, A.G., Nascimento, T., Silva, P.C., Silva-Carvalho, A.E. et al. Antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of the first tryptophyllin found in snake venom (Bothrops moojeni). Journal of Natural Products, 85, 2695–2705. DOI.

• Nogueira,  A., Brango-Vanegas, J., Vasconcelos, A.G.,  Coleone, A.P., Barbosa, E.A., Moreira, D.C.,  da Silva, M.G., Cabral, W.F., Dias, J.N. . et al.  2025. Novel tryptophyllin peptides from Physalaemus centralis inhibit oxidative stress-induced endothelial dysfunction in rat aorta preparation. Toxicon, 255, 108234. DOI. 

Role of Redox Metabolism in Animal Adaptation to Environmental Stressors (2014-2018)

My role: Collaborating Researcher

Principal Investigator: Marcelo Hermes-Lima

Funding: Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF - Brazil) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq - Brazil).

Products: 

• Hermes-Lima, M., Moreira, D.C., Rivera-Ingraham, G.A., Giraud-Billoud, M., Genaro-Mattos, T.C. and Campos, E.G. 2015. Preparation for oxidative stress under hypoxia and metabolic depression: Revisiting the proposal two decades later. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 89, 1122–1143. DOI. 

• Moreira, D.C., Venancio, L.P.R., Sabino, M.A.C.T. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2016. How widespread is preparation for oxidative stress in the animal kingdom? Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A, 200, 64–78. DOI.

• Welker, A.F., Moreira, D.C. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2016. Roles of catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the tolerance of a pulmonate gastropod to anoxia and reoxygenation. Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 186(5), 553–568. DOI. 

• Moreira, D.C., Oliveira, M.F., Liz-Guimarães, L., Diniz-Rojas, N., Campos, E.G. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2017. Current trends and research challenges regarding “preparation for oxidative stress.” Frontiers in Physiology, 8, 702. DOI.

• Moreira, D.C., Welker, A.F., Campos, E.G., de Souza, S.C.R. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2018. Subtropical hibernation in juvenile tegu lizards (Salvator merianae): insights from intestine redox dynamics. Scientific Reports, 8, 9368. DOI. 

Redox Biochemistry of Polyphenols, Transition Metals and Plant Extracts (2010-2016)

My role: Collaborating Researcher

Principal Investigator: Marcelo Hermes-Lima

Funding: Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Distrito Federal (FAPDF - Brazil) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq - Brazil).

Products: 

• Dalvi, L.T., Moreira, D.C., Alonso, A., de Avellar, I.G.J. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2018. Antioxidant activity and mechanism of commercial Rama Forte persimmon fruits (Diospyros kaki). PeerJ, 6, e5223. DOI.

• Dalvi, L.T., Moreira, D.C., Andrade Jr., R., Ginani, J., Alonso, A. and Hermes-Lima, M. 2017. Ellagic acid inhibits iron-mediated free radical formation. Spectrochimica Acta A, 173, 910–917. DOI.