Staff Profile

Qualifications

·     Ph.D. in Molecular Biosciences (2006-2011) - Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty Medical Sciences, Newcastle University. The Role of Redox-Sensitive Antioxidants in Oxidative Stress Signaling in Candida albicans. Supervised by Professor Janet Quinn and co-supervised by Professor Brian Morgan.

·     MSc. in Molecular Biology (2003-2005) - Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasília. Antioxidant Response to Oxidative stress in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Supervised by Dr. Élida Geralda Campos and co-supervised by Professor Maria Sueli Soares Felipe.

·     BSc. in Biological Sciences (1998-2002) - Institute of Biology, University of Brasília.

Career Appointments 

·     Lecturer in Oral Biosciences (2022) - School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle University.

·     Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2018-2022) - MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter (Laboratory of Prof. Neil Gow).

·     Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2016-2018) - Aberdeen Fungal Group, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen (Laboratory of Prof. Neil Gow).

·     Research Fellow (2013-2015) - Laboratory of Cellular Mycology and Proteomics. Institute of Biosciences. University of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

·     Postdoctoral Research Associate (2011-2013) - Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University (Laboratory of Prof. Janet Quinn). 

·     Research Associate (2005-2006) - Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasília (Laboratory of Professor Maria Sueli Soares Felipe).

Memberships

Society for General Microbiology

British Society of Medical Mycology

British Mycological Society 

British Society for Research on Ageing

Honours and Awards

Fungal Biology Research Committee – BMS (since 2023)

Junior Editor for Molecular Microbiology (since 2021).

Science without Boarders Fellowship (2013).

Overseas Research Students Award Scheme (ORSAS) (2006).

Newcastle International Postgraduate Scholarship (NIPS) (2006).

My lab is interested in determining how ageing heighten stress tolerance in pathogenic yeasts. We know that in most organisms, failure to respond to stress is linked to aging and age-related diseases. I have discovered the existence of a paradoxical phenomenon in the pathogenic yeast C. albicans, whereby replicative ageing results in cells that are more resistant to several environmental stress. For example, ageing of individual C. albicans cells enables them (and their offspring) to avoid immune surveillance and survive phagocytic killing. We are now trying to determine the mechanistic basis on how C. albicans exploits the ageing process to overcome extreme stresses posed in the mammalian niche and to drive antifungal drug resistance.

Immunology and Healthcare (DEN2106)

Cell Biology (DEN1102)

• Articles

  • Day AM, NcNiff MM, da Silva Dantas A, Gow NAR, Quinn J. Hog1 Regulates Stress Tolerance and Virulence in the Emerging Fungal Pathogen Candida auris. mSphere 2018, 3(5), e00506-18.
  • Kos I, Patterson MJ, Znaidi S, Kaloriti D, da Silva Dantas A, Herrero-de-Dios C, d'Enfert C, Brown AJP, Quinn J. Mechanisms underlying the delayed activation of the Cap1 transcription factor in Candida albicans following combinatorial oxidative and cationic stress important for phagocytic potency. mBio 2016, 7(2), e00331-16.
  • Patterson M, McKenzie C, Smith D, da Silva Dantas A, Sherston S, Veal EA, Morgan B, MacCallum D, Erwig LP, Quinn J. Ybp1 and Gpx3 Signaling in Candida albicans Govern Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Oxidation of the Cap1 Transcription Factor and Macrophage Escape. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling 2013, 19(18), 2244-2260.
  • Cheetham J, MacCallum DM, Doris KS, Dantas A, Scorfield S, Odds F, Smith DA, Quinn J. MAPKKK-independent Regulation of the Hog1 Stress-activated Protein Kinase in Candida albicans. Journal of Biological Chemistry 2011, 286(49), 42002-42016.
  • Bruce CR, Smith DA, Rodgers D, Dantas AD, MacCallum DM, Morgan BA, Quinn J. Identification of a Novel Response Regulator, Crr1, That Is Required for Hydrogen Peroxide Resistance in Candida albicans. PLoS One 2011, 6(12), e27979.
  • da Silva Dantas A, Patterson MJ, Smith DA, MacCallum DM, Erwig LP, Morgan BA, Quinn J. Thioredoxin regulates multiple hydrogen peroxide-induced signaling pathways in Candida albicans. Molecular and Cellular Biology 2010, 30(19), 4550-4563.
  • Cheetham J, Smith DA, da Silva Dantas A, Doris KS, Patterson MJ, Bruce CR, Quinn J. A single MAPKKK regulates the Hog1 MAPK pathway in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. Molecular Biology of the Cell 2007, 18(11), 4603-4614.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)

  • Dantas AD, Crawshaw A, Morgan BA, Quinn J. Trx1 as a hydrogen peroxide sensor and regulator of signal transduction in the fungal candida albicans. In: FREE RADICAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE. 2012, 360 PARK AVE SOUTH, NEW YORK, NY 10010-1710 USA: ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC.

• Review

  • Dantas AS, Day A, Ikeh M, Kos I, Achan B, Quinn J. Oxidative stress responses in the human fungal pathogen, Candida albicans. Biomolecules 2015, 5(1), 142-165.