|
Senior Researcher in Public Health
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Brazil
Email: veronicaschmitz@ioc.fiocruz.br
VALIDATE Role:
Network Affiliate
Research Keywords:
Leprosy, Immunology, Experimental Models, Clinical Trials
Biography:
Dr. Veronica is a Senior Researcher in Public Health at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), where she leads the Human Immunology research line at the Leprosy Laboratory of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute. With over 20 years of experience in translational immunology, her scientific career is dedicated to understanding host immune responses in neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), with a particular focus on leprosy. She holds a BSc, PhD, and postdoctoral training from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), and currently leads multiple multidisciplinary projects, including a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial for LepVax, a candidate vaccine for leprosy. Her research integrates genomic analyses and human ex vivo models to identify therapeutic targets and biomarkers for immune-mediated complications such as ENL. Dr. Veronica is also deeply committed to mentoring young scientists and promoting equitable international scientific collaboration.
Related Websites:
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz)
LinkedIn
Key Publications:
- Feitosa da Silva Barboza M, de Andrea Hacker M, Maria Sales A, Fontoura Rodrigues D, Pedrosa Marques D, José Ciryllo Silva Noya D, et al. Neutrophilic leukocytosis and erythema nodosum leprosum in leprosy: insights from a retrospective observational study. Front Immunol [Internet]. 12 de julho de 2024 [citado 12 de julho de 2024];15. Disponível em: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1368460/full
- Tavares IF, Dos Santos JB, Pacheco FDS, Gandini M, Mariante RM, Rodrigues TF, et al. Mycobacterium leprae Induces Neutrophilic Degranulation and Low-Density Neutrophil Generation During Erythema Nodosum Leprosum. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021;8:711623.
- Rosa TLSA, Leal-Calvo T, Tavares IF, Mendes MA, Dias AA, Piauy MHDS, et al. Whole blood transcriptomics reveals the enrichment of neutrophil activation pathways during erythema nodosum leprosum reaction. Front Immunol. 23 de abril de 2024;15:1366125.
- Pacheco FS, Prata RBDS, Brandão SS, Ferreira H, Rodrigues TF, Brandão Dos Santos J, et al. Erythema Nodosum Leprosum Neutrophil Subset Expressing IL-10R1 Transmigrates into Skin Lesions and Responds to IL-10. ImmunoHorizons. 1o de fevereiro de 2020;4(2):47–56.
- Rosa TLSA, Mendes MA, Linhares NRC, Rodrigues TF, Dias AA, Leal-Calvo T, et al. The Type I Interferon Pathway Is Upregulated in the Cutaneous Lesions and Blood of Multibacillary Leprosy Patients With Erythema Nodosum Leprosum. Front Med. 6 de junho de 2022;9:899998.
|
