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Add to Calendar 2025-10-28 12:00:00 2025-10-28 13:00:00 GuestSeminars@UCIBIO | Nuno Santos Atomic force microscopy-based assessment of cardiovascular patients’ risk Nuno Santos, Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine (GIMM), Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal   Hosts: Ricardo Franco, UCIBIO NOVA   Zoom Link: https://ucibio.pt/l/GuestSeminars   Abstract: Erythrocytes are deformable cells that undergo progressive biophysical and biochemical changes affecting normal blood flow. Fibrinogen, one of the most abundant blood plasma proteins, is a primary determinant for changes in hemorheological properties, and a major independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. We have previously demonstrated the biomedical relevance of the measurement of single-molecule fibrinogen-erythrocyte receptor binding and erythrocyte-erythrocyte adhesion, using atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based force spectroscopy, at the level of clinical prognosis in heart failure and essential arterial hypertension patients. Recently, the adhesion between human erythrocytes was further assessed by comparing AFM-based force spectroscopy measurements with micropipette aspiration technique, in the absence and presence of fibrinogen. These experimental data were used for the development of a mathematical model to examine the biomedical relevant interaction between two erythrocytes. More recently, we evaluated changes in fibrinogen-erythrocyte and erythrocyte-erythrocyte interactions in carotid artery disease (CAD) patients, and characterized the biomechanical properties of carotid atherosclerotic plaques from CAD patients. Blood samples collected from CAD patients, before and after endarterectomy surgery (including a 3-year follow up) were analyzed and compared to a control group of healthy blood donors. This study comprising hemorheological parameters and AFM measurements of fibrinogen-erythrocyte and erythrocyte-erythrocyte interactions, as well as cell biomechanical properties, provided clinically-relevant data on the post-surgery improvement of the patients and on the evolution as a function of time of the restenosis process.    Research Interests: Membrane biology & host–pathogen interactions​ Virus infection & inactivation​ Cardiovascular risk factors​ Therapeutic & diagnostic innovation​ Cellular & structural biophysics NOVA FCT Library Auditorium & Teams Session UCIBIO info@simbiose.com Europe/Lisbon public
nuno santos

Atomic force microscopy-based assessment of cardiovascular patients’ risk

Nuno Santos, Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine (GIMM), Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal

 

Hosts: Ricardo Franco, UCIBIO NOVA

 

Zoom Link: https://ucibio.pt/l/GuestSeminars

 

Abstract:

Erythrocytes are deformable cells that undergo progressive biophysical and biochemical changes affecting normal blood flow. Fibrinogen, one of the most abundant blood plasma proteins, is a primary determinant for changes in hemorheological properties, and a major independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. We have previously demonstrated the biomedical relevance of the measurement of single-molecule fibrinogen-erythrocyte receptor binding and erythrocyte-erythrocyte adhesion, using atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based force spectroscopy, at the level of clinical prognosis in heart failure and essential arterial hypertension patients. Recently, the adhesion between human erythrocytes was further assessed by comparing AFM-based force spectroscopy measurements with micropipette aspiration technique, in the absence and presence of fibrinogen. These experimental data were used for the development of a mathematical model to examine the biomedical relevant interaction between two erythrocytes. More recently, we evaluated changes in fibrinogen-erythrocyte and erythrocyte-erythrocyte interactions in carotid artery disease (CAD) patients, and characterized the biomechanical properties of carotid atherosclerotic plaques from CAD patients. Blood samples collected from CAD patients, before and after endarterectomy surgery (including a 3-year follow up) were analyzed and compared to a control group of healthy blood donors. This study comprising hemorheological parameters and AFM measurements of fibrinogen-erythrocyte and erythrocyte-erythrocyte interactions, as well as cell biomechanical properties, provided clinically-relevant data on the post-surgery improvement of the patients and on the evolution as a function of time of the restenosis process. 

 

Research Interests:

  • Membrane biology & host–pathogen interactions​

  • Virus infection & inactivation​

  • Cardiovascular risk factors​

  • Therapeutic & diagnostic innovation​

  • Cellular & structural biophysics

GuestSeminars@UCIBIO | Nuno Santos