About the Research:
Neurodegenerative diseases share early alterations in calcium and polyphosphate balance and in mitochondrial energy production, contributing to the progressive loss of neurons. This project proposes a bio-inspired strategy based on acidocalcissomes, organelles found in Trypanosoma cruzi that store calcium, among other ions, and polyphosphate, and play a role in bioenergetic production by interacting with mitochondria.
Using cryo-electron microscopy, spatial proteomics, and structural modeling, we will construct the Visual Contactome, a 3D map of the contact regions between acidocalcisomes and mitochondria. This mapping will guide the development of biomimetic nanoparticles designed to transport calcium and polyphosphate and interact with key intracellular structures to restore mitochondrial function in cellular models of neurodegenerative diseases.
Awards and Honors:
🏆 15th Science and Art Photography Award, National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2026).
🏆 Wellcome Photography Prize, Wellcome Trust, London, United Kingdom (2025).
🏆 Journal Cover Publication – Augusto et al., Journal of Cell Science (2025).
🏆 Young Scientist Assembly Award – IMC20, International Federation of Societies for Microscopy, Busan, South Korea (2023).
🏆 Best Oral Presentation Award – IMC20, International Federation of Societies for Microscopy (2023).
Selected Publications:
AUGUSTO, I.; LEMOS, M. ; GIRARD-DIAS, W. ; OLIVEIRA FILHO, J. A. ; PASCUTTI, P. G. ; SOUZA, W. ; MIRANDA, K. . New dimensions in acidocalcisome research: the potential of cryo-EM to uncover novel aspects of protozoan parasite physiology. mBio, p. 1-17, 2025. doi.org/10.1128/mbio.01662-24
AUGUSTO, I.; GIRARD-DIAS, W. ; SCHOIJET, A. ; JIMENEZ, V. ; ALONSO, G. ; SOUZA, W. ; MIRANDA, K. . The adhesion plaque mediates the fluid discharge and duplication of the contractile vacuole complex in Trypanosoma cruzi. Journal of Cell Science, v. 138, p. jcs263810, 2025 doi.org/10.1242/jcs.263810
AUGUSTO, I.; GIRARD-DIAS, W. ; SCHOIJET, A. ; ALONSO, G. ; Portugal, R ; SOUZA, W. ; JIMENEZ, V. ; MIRANDA, K. . Quantitative assessment of the nanoanatomy of the contractile vacuole complex in Trypanosoma cruzi. Life Science Alliance, v. 7, p. 1/e202402826-18, 2024 / doi.org/10.26508/lsa.202402826
GIRARD-DIAS, WENDELL ; AUGUSTO, INGRID ; V. A. FERNANDES, TÁCIO ; G. PASCUTTI, PEDRO ; DE SOUZA, WANDERLEY ; MIRANDA, KILDARE . A spatially resolved elemental nanodomain organization within acidocalcisomes in. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, v. 120, p. 1-9, 2023 http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300942120 doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300942120
