Angélica Vieira

Biography

Angélica Thomaz Vieira is adjunct professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Immunology at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, where she leads a research group focused on host’s microbiota and immunomodulation among interorgan axes. During her USIAS Fellowship, she will be hosted by Professor Thomas Baumert in the Institute for Translational Medicine and Liver Disease (ITM), a joint institute of the University of Strasbourg and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm).

Professor Vieira obtained her PhD in 2011 from the Brazilian Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), focusing on the interplay of diet, gut microbiota, and host inflammatory responses. Supervised by Professor Mauro Martins Teixeira and Professor Charles R. Mackay, the research she carried out during a doctoral stay at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research (Australia) showcased a breakthrough mechanism where microbiota-derived metabolites activate a G-protein receptor (Gpr43), benefiting the host. This seminal work unveiled direct communication between microbiota and host cells, marking a milestone in our understanding of the functional role of the microbiota. Following her PhD, she pursued post-doctoral fellowships in Microbiology/Immunology at UFMG (2011-2015) and the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IBMC) of the University of Strasbourg in France (2015-2016). She investigated molecular interactions between gut microbiota and host cells, focusing on the gut-lung axis, using gnotobiotic animal models. To achieve this, she developed gnotobiotic animal models using both murine and fruit fly organisms.

Angélica Vieira is affiliate member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC). For her work, she has received prizes, including the L’Oréal-ABC For Women in Science (2018) and, from the Brazilian Society of Immunology (SBI), the Women in Science Young Award (2017) and the Thereza Kipnis Prize (2013). She was visiting scientist at the University of Technology Sydney in Australia (2019) and the University of Strasbourg (2021). In 2024, she integrated Inserm as tenured senior scientist.

Project summary

CLAUDIN-1, THE MICROBIOME, AND THE PATHOGENESIS OF LIVER CANCER

Chronic liver diseases and cancer pose significant threats to lives, characterized by high mortality rates and limited treatment options. Despite the remarkable success of current cancer immunotherapies, there are still substantial challenges, notably a limited response rate in the large majority of solid tumours until now. Human studies suggest that microbiota composition differs between healthy and diseased individuals, influencing anti-tumour immunity and impacting immunotherapy effectiveness.

Microbiota refers to the diverse community of microorganisms - including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and archaea - that reside in a particular environment, such as the human gut – known as intestinal microbiota. These microorganisms play essential roles in various physiological processes, including digestion, metabolism, and regulation of the immune system. The composition and balance of microbiota can have significant effects on human health. While the host-microbiota interplay is crucial in liver disease and cancer, the precise mechanisms and its potential as a therapeutic target remain largely unexplored.

Given the liver's constant exposure to gut microbiota-derived products, understanding the gut microbiota-liver axis is vital for developing therapeutic strategies for liver diseases. Professor Thomas Baumert's team (the host) at the University of Strasbourg has identified novel targets to treat advanced liver fibrosis and cancer and has developed a large series of patient-derived models to understand the disease biology of the liver and liver gut-axis.

The USIAS project is based on the hypothesis that the gut microbiota plays a role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis progressing to cancer and serves as a modulator of response to therapy. By addressing these gaps in knowledge, the project aims to elucidate the role of the gut-liver axis in the pathogenesis of liver disease and cancer.

Fellowship 2024

Dates - 01/09/2024-31/08/2026