Maria Bernabeu
@mariabernabeu.bsky.social
Group Leader at EMBL Barcelona. Malaria, bioengineered vascular models, blood-brain barrier
Pinned
Today my main PHD project in the lab of Dr. Maria Bernabeu was published!
Using a 3D brain microvessel model, we show:
1) an unappreciated role of brain pericytes in cerebral malaria pathogenesis
2) Tie-2 activation by AKB-9778 as a potential therapeutic avenue
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Using a 3D brain microvessel model, we show:
1) an unappreciated role of brain pericytes in cerebral malaria pathogenesis
2) Tie-2 activation by AKB-9778 as a potential therapeutic avenue
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Just hot out of the press! Rory developed a 3D microvessel model that recapitulates physiological pericyte coverage. We found that Plasmodium falciparum egress products disrupt the barrier and halt ang-1 secretion. The activator AKB-9778 could rescue barrier disruption! Congratulations, Rory!
Reposted by Maria Bernabeu
I’ve been in Toronto at the #astmh meeting these past few days and last night some very good news was presented here: A new malaria drug has proven efficacious in a large trial and could soon be approved.🧪
My story in @science.org (and 🧵on why it's important to come):
www.science.org/content/arti...
My story in @science.org (and 🧵on why it's important to come):
www.science.org/content/arti...
‘A sigh of relief’: New malaria drug succeeds in large clinical trial
As existing drugs falter because of resistance, the world gets a backup—but hard choices loom on how to use it
www.science.org
November 13, 2025 at 1:27 PM
I’ve been in Toronto at the #astmh meeting these past few days and last night some very good news was presented here: A new malaria drug has proven efficacious in a large trial and could soon be approved.🧪
My story in @science.org (and 🧵on why it's important to come):
www.science.org/content/arti...
My story in @science.org (and 🧵on why it's important to come):
www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Maria Bernabeu
📣Announcing the 4th edition of the EMBL‑IBEC Conference on “Engineering Multicellular Systems”, taking place 11–13 March 2026 in Barcelona. Exploring organoids, mechanobiology, embryo models, organ-on-chip systems, multiomics and more. Abstracts open now!
events.ibecbarcelona.eu/embl-ibec-co...
events.ibecbarcelona.eu/embl-ibec-co...
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
📣Announcing the 4th edition of the EMBL‑IBEC Conference on “Engineering Multicellular Systems”, taking place 11–13 March 2026 in Barcelona. Exploring organoids, mechanobiology, embryo models, organ-on-chip systems, multiomics and more. Abstracts open now!
events.ibecbarcelona.eu/embl-ibec-co...
events.ibecbarcelona.eu/embl-ibec-co...
Reposted by Maria Bernabeu
Huge thanks to @mariabernabeu.bsky.social and to everyone else who contributed and made this project possible 🎉
Pre-print alert 🚨
We answer a longstanding question in the field. Do immune cells cause cerebral malaria?
The answer is YES!!!! And independently of P. falciparum accumulation in the brain.
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
We answer a longstanding question in the field. Do immune cells cause cerebral malaria?
The answer is YES!!!! And independently of P. falciparum accumulation in the brain.
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Innate immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum disrupt the blood-brain barrier
Plasmodium falciparum accumulation at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a hallmark of cerebral malaria, a life-threatening complication. Conversely, the contribution of the immune response to vascular ...
www.biorxiv.org
October 21, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Huge thanks to @mariabernabeu.bsky.social and to everyone else who contributed and made this project possible 🎉
Pre-print alert 🚨
We answer a longstanding question in the field. Do immune cells cause cerebral malaria?
The answer is YES!!!! And independently of P. falciparum accumulation in the brain.
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
We answer a longstanding question in the field. Do immune cells cause cerebral malaria?
The answer is YES!!!! And independently of P. falciparum accumulation in the brain.
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Innate immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum disrupt the blood-brain barrier
Plasmodium falciparum accumulation at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a hallmark of cerebral malaria, a life-threatening complication. Conversely, the contribution of the immune response to vascular ...
www.biorxiv.org
October 21, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Pre-print alert 🚨
We answer a longstanding question in the field. Do immune cells cause cerebral malaria?
The answer is YES!!!! And independently of P. falciparum accumulation in the brain.
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
We answer a longstanding question in the field. Do immune cells cause cerebral malaria?
The answer is YES!!!! And independently of P. falciparum accumulation in the brain.
www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Just hot out of the press! Rory developed a 3D microvessel model that recapitulates physiological pericyte coverage. We found that Plasmodium falciparum egress products disrupt the barrier and halt ang-1 secretion. The activator AKB-9778 could rescue barrier disruption! Congratulations, Rory!
Today my main PHD project in the lab of Dr. Maria Bernabeu was published!
Using a 3D brain microvessel model, we show:
1) an unappreciated role of brain pericytes in cerebral malaria pathogenesis
2) Tie-2 activation by AKB-9778 as a potential therapeutic avenue
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
Using a 3D brain microvessel model, we show:
1) an unappreciated role of brain pericytes in cerebral malaria pathogenesis
2) Tie-2 activation by AKB-9778 as a potential therapeutic avenue
www.embopress.org/doi/full/10....
October 18, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Just hot out of the press! Rory developed a 3D microvessel model that recapitulates physiological pericyte coverage. We found that Plasmodium falciparum egress products disrupt the barrier and halt ang-1 secretion. The activator AKB-9778 could rescue barrier disruption! Congratulations, Rory!
Then and now... 2022. Helping @rorykmlong.bsky.social and François on midnight experiments. 2025 Helping Rory to finish experiments for François' paper revision. Bonus points: The surprise of new lab members when they found me in the TC room after being > 1 year at my desk.
October 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Then and now... 2022. Helping @rorykmlong.bsky.social and François on midnight experiments. 2025 Helping Rory to finish experiments for François' paper revision. Bonus points: The surprise of new lab members when they found me in the TC room after being > 1 year at my desk.
Back from #ParaFrap! What a fantastic meeting. I feel very privileged to be part of this community! Specially in my heart the new generation of kickass PIs/GL ❤️ (mostly women dominated💪🏻)
October 8, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Back from #ParaFrap! What a fantastic meeting. I feel very privileged to be part of this community! Specially in my heart the new generation of kickass PIs/GL ❤️ (mostly women dominated💪🏻)
Have you ever wondered what happens with your microvessels after exposure to high temperature in fever? In this preprint former postdoc (ans soon to be PI) Viola Introini found that high temperatures cleaves glycocalyx , having severe consequences in malaria www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Febrile temperature enhances Plasmodium falciparum cytoadhesion by disrupting the endothelial glycocalyx
Fever, a universal host defense in infection and inflammation, paradoxically contributes to neurological complications in malaria. While febrile temperatures enhance the expression of parasite virulen...
www.biorxiv.org
September 9, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Have you ever wondered what happens with your microvessels after exposure to high temperature in fever? In this preprint former postdoc (ans soon to be PI) Viola Introini found that high temperatures cleaves glycocalyx , having severe consequences in malaria www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Reposted by Maria Bernabeu
We are searching for an enthusiastic scientist to join our team and establish annual killifish as a model system for early developmental biology and biophysics! @embl.org @embldbunit.bsky.social
Apply here:
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hei...
Please re-post 🙏
Apply here:
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hei...
Please re-post 🙏
August 8, 2025 at 9:01 AM
We are searching for an enthusiastic scientist to join our team and establish annual killifish as a model system for early developmental biology and biophysics! @embl.org @embldbunit.bsky.social
Apply here:
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hei...
Please re-post 🙏
Apply here:
embl.wd103.myworkdayjobs.com/EMBL/job/Hei...
Please re-post 🙏
We are happy to show one ourt first exciting papers. We have developed a blood-brain barrier model to study the disruptive effects caused by the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum.
First, congratulations to the fearless @liviapiatti.bsky.social and @alinabatzi.bsky.social
rdcu.be/ezBl7
First, congratulations to the fearless @liviapiatti.bsky.social and @alinabatzi.bsky.social
rdcu.be/ezBl7
Plasmodium falciparum egress disrupts endothelial junctions and activates JAK-STAT signaling in a microvascular 3D blood-brain barrier model
Nature Communications - Here the authors show that Plasmodium falciparum egress products disrupt endothelial barrier and activate JAK-STAT and interferon type response in a 3D blood-brain barrier...
rdcu.be
August 7, 2025 at 7:27 AM
We are happy to show one ourt first exciting papers. We have developed a blood-brain barrier model to study the disruptive effects caused by the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum.
First, congratulations to the fearless @liviapiatti.bsky.social and @alinabatzi.bsky.social
rdcu.be/ezBl7
First, congratulations to the fearless @liviapiatti.bsky.social and @alinabatzi.bsky.social
rdcu.be/ezBl7
Reposted by Maria Bernabeu
Our paper has finally graduated from pre-print to peer-reviewed, pretty much unscathed, and is out now! www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
The essential host genome for Cryptosporidium survival exposes metabolic dependencies that can be leveraged for treatment
An arrayed microscopy-based CRISPR screen revealed host genes affecting multiple infection
phenotypes of the intracellular parasite Cryptosporidium. Hits in the host cholesterol
biosynthesis pathway a...
www.cell.com
July 24, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Our paper has finally graduated from pre-print to peer-reviewed, pretty much unscathed, and is out now! www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
Pre-print alert 🚨: We have developed 2D and 3D stable iPSC endothelial-differentiation models through dox inducible ETS expression. We demonstrate endothelial identity and used these models for studying malaria pathogenesis research. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
July 11, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Pre-print alert 🚨: We have developed 2D and 3D stable iPSC endothelial-differentiation models through dox inducible ETS expression. We demonstrate endothelial identity and used these models for studying malaria pathogenesis research. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Because not all is work...Yesterday we took the opportunity that almost all lab members were around and had a super fun fanta blind testing activity courtesy of Viola Introini!
June 4, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Because not all is work...Yesterday we took the opportunity that almost all lab members were around and had a super fun fanta blind testing activity courtesy of Viola Introini!
Reposted by Maria Bernabeu
📅Next Tuesday, we will have a lunch session on ERC grants + ERC grantees @mariabernabeu.bsky.social and Julia Mahamid will share their experience.
Infection: pathogens, hosts, and microbiomes www.embl.org/about/info/c...
Infection: pathogens, hosts, and microbiomes www.embl.org/about/info/c...
Infection: pathogens, hosts, and microbiomes
www.embl.org
May 22, 2025 at 8:51 AM
📅Next Tuesday, we will have a lunch session on ERC grants + ERC grantees @mariabernabeu.bsky.social and Julia Mahamid will share their experience.
Infection: pathogens, hosts, and microbiomes www.embl.org/about/info/c...
Infection: pathogens, hosts, and microbiomes www.embl.org/about/info/c...
Reposted by Maria Bernabeu
Here’s our latest revision of microphysiological systems in parasitology research, published in @plos.org #plospathogens in collaboration with Jorge de-Carvalho (ITQB-NOVA) and @mariabernabeu.bsky.social. Kudos to @mariazalmeida.bsky.social, PhD student, for the heavy lifting of this work.
Leveraging microphysiological systems to expedite understanding of host–parasite interactions
Microphysiological systems (MPS) replicate the dynamic interactions between cells, tissues, and fluids. They have emerged as transformative tools for biology and have been increasingly applied to host...
journals.plos.org
May 4, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Here’s our latest revision of microphysiological systems in parasitology research, published in @plos.org #plospathogens in collaboration with Jorge de-Carvalho (ITQB-NOVA) and @mariabernabeu.bsky.social. Kudos to @mariazalmeida.bsky.social, PhD student, for the heavy lifting of this work.
Exciting work at EMBL around malaria, including our lab!
1/ Today is #WorldMalariaDay.
At EMBL, we join the global efforts to control malaria with innovative biological approaches.
👉 Swipe through to discover how scientists at EMBL study the malaria parasite and drive progress in global health.
🔗 Read more: www.embl.org/news/tag/mal...
At EMBL, we join the global efforts to control malaria with innovative biological approaches.
👉 Swipe through to discover how scientists at EMBL study the malaria parasite and drive progress in global health.
🔗 Read more: www.embl.org/news/tag/mal...
April 26, 2025 at 6:27 AM
Exciting work at EMBL around malaria, including our lab!
Thank you @silvapereiralab.bsky.social for letting us contribute and learn about sequestration of Trypanosma congolense and develop our first bovine microvessels. Spoilert alert: it presents much higher binding than P. falciparium to bioengineered microvessels
Here's a short summary of our most recent paper, published today on @commsbio.bsky.social:
We want to understand how Trypanosoma congolense cytoadheres, or sequesters, to the vascular endothelium because sequestration determines clinical outcome and disease severity.
(1/7)
We want to understand how Trypanosoma congolense cytoadheres, or sequesters, to the vascular endothelium because sequestration determines clinical outcome and disease severity.
(1/7)
Bioengineered 3D microvessels and complementary animal models reveal mechanisms of Trypanosoma congolense sequestration
Communications Biology - Organ-specific bioengineered microvessels and animal models reveal that Trypanosoma congolense sequestration depends on the endothelial cell bed, parasite strain, cyclic...
rdcu.be
February 27, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Thank you @silvapereiralab.bsky.social for letting us contribute and learn about sequestration of Trypanosma congolense and develop our first bovine microvessels. Spoilert alert: it presents much higher binding than P. falciparium to bioengineered microvessels
Congratulations to Dr. Rory Long, who successfully defended his thesis yesterday! Rory pulled out his project independently, and found that malaria products decrease secretion of Ang-1 in brain pericytes in complex 3Dmodels, and tested therapies that restore ang-Tie2 axis. Cannot be more proud!!!
February 20, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Congratulations to Dr. Rory Long, who successfully defended his thesis yesterday! Rory pulled out his project independently, and found that malaria products decrease secretion of Ang-1 in brain pericytes in complex 3Dmodels, and tested therapies that restore ang-Tie2 axis. Cannot be more proud!!!
Happy to announce that we are running the third edition of the EMBL-UNESCO residency on infection biology. If you are an African female scientist and would like to do a research stay at EMBL, my lab is a possible hosting group.
Deadline March 31st!
www.embl.org/about/info/s...
Deadline March 31st!
www.embl.org/about/info/s...
February 19, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Happy to announce that we are running the third edition of the EMBL-UNESCO residency on infection biology. If you are an African female scientist and would like to do a research stay at EMBL, my lab is a possible hosting group.
Deadline March 31st!
www.embl.org/about/info/s...
Deadline March 31st!
www.embl.org/about/info/s...
Reposted by Maria Bernabeu
To the Cell BIology of the Neuron Community out there! The Deadline for our meetings.embo.org/event/25-cel... EMBO workshop is approaching! Register by March 1st and join us in Crete!
February 7, 2025 at 10:20 AM
To the Cell BIology of the Neuron Community out there! The Deadline for our meetings.embo.org/event/25-cel... EMBO workshop is approaching! Register by March 1st and join us in Crete!
Less than one month left to submit your abstract!
⏰ You have until 3 March to submit your abstract and be part of #EESInfection ➡️ https://s.embl.org/ees25-04-bl
🦠 🍄 This symposium will bring together researchers working on different pathogens and pave the way for new strategies to overcome current challenges in the treatment of infections 💡
🦠 🍄 This symposium will bring together researchers working on different pathogens and pave the way for new strategies to overcome current challenges in the treatment of infections 💡
February 8, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Less than one month left to submit your abstract!
The @mimsumea.bsky.social , @scilifelab.se and @embl.org workshop "infection across scales" was a success. Special thanks to @mimsumea.bsky.social Oliver and Nora for being fantastic hosts and organizing once in a lifetime networking activities.
February 5, 2025 at 1:27 PM
The @mimsumea.bsky.social , @scilifelab.se and @embl.org workshop "infection across scales" was a success. Special thanks to @mimsumea.bsky.social Oliver and Nora for being fantastic hosts and organizing once in a lifetime networking activities.
Reposted by Maria Bernabeu
The Kowalinski group's latest study on trypanosome parasites reveals significant differences between the trypanosomal and human nuclear cap-binding complex.
This key player in cellular RNA metabolism could be a potential target for novel anti-parasitic drugs.
www.embl.org/news/science...
This key player in cellular RNA metabolism could be a potential target for novel anti-parasitic drugs.
www.embl.org/news/science...
January 21, 2025 at 8:21 AM
The Kowalinski group's latest study on trypanosome parasites reveals significant differences between the trypanosomal and human nuclear cap-binding complex.
This key player in cellular RNA metabolism could be a potential target for novel anti-parasitic drugs.
www.embl.org/news/science...
This key player in cellular RNA metabolism could be a potential target for novel anti-parasitic drugs.
www.embl.org/news/science...
Reposted by Maria Bernabeu
TODAY is the last day of abstract submission for @cshlmeetings.bsky.social Brain Barriers 2025...get them in so you will not miss presenting at one of the best CNS barriers meeting in the world! 🧠 + 🚧 #cshlbbb @caromenard666.bsky.social @ayalbenzvi.bsky.social
January 24, 2025 at 3:36 PM
TODAY is the last day of abstract submission for @cshlmeetings.bsky.social Brain Barriers 2025...get them in so you will not miss presenting at one of the best CNS barriers meeting in the world! 🧠 + 🚧 #cshlbbb @caromenard666.bsky.social @ayalbenzvi.bsky.social
Reposted by Maria Bernabeu
Not all astrocytes regulate blood-brain barrier integrity, but those expressing Dmp1 apparently do ! #cerebrovascular #BloodBrainBarrier www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Regulation of blood-brain barrier integrity by Dmp1-expressing astrocytes through mitochondrial transfer
A subset of astrocytes expressing Dmp1 helps maintain blood-brain barrier by transferring mitochondria to endothelial cells.
www.science.org
December 29, 2024 at 12:35 PM
Not all astrocytes regulate blood-brain barrier integrity, but those expressing Dmp1 apparently do ! #cerebrovascular #BloodBrainBarrier www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...