Rate My Professor Paulo Pires

Research in the Pires lab centers on the mechanisms regulating cerebral blood flow to the brain under normal and disease conditions, with a focus on neurovascular coupling between neurons, astrocytes, and endothelial cells. The lab examines how Alzheimer’s disease, hypertension, aging, and menopause disrupt endothelial ion channels such as BKCa, TRPV3, and NMDA receptors, leading to impaired blood flow, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and cognitive decline. Additional research areas include lymphatic pathophysiology, TRP channels in cerebral vascular disorders, endothelial cell autophagy, blood-brain barrier integrity, and vascular dysfunction in polycystic kidney disease. Pires has co-authored book chapters including "Lymphatic pathophysiology" in Rutherford's Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021) and "TRP Channels in Cerebral Vascular Disorders" in TRP Channels as Therapeutic Targets (2024). Key publications feature "The effects of hypertension on the cerebral circulation" (American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 2013; 548 citations), "Direct regulation of blood pressure by smooth muscle cell mineralocorticoid receptors" (Nature Medicine, 2012; 391 citations), "Brain endothelial cell TRPA1 channels initiate neurovascular coupling" (eLife, 2021; 139 citations), and "Neuroprotective effects of TRPA1 channels in the cerebral endothelium following ischemic stroke" (eLife, 2018; 102 citations). His contributions elucidate vascular roles in brain health and dementia.