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João Peça is a Tenured Assistant Professor and Principal Investigator at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra (CNC-UC). He performed his Ph.D. research at Duke University, where he created the first transgenic mice for channelrhodopsin-2, laying the foundation for the field of optogenetics. During his postdoctoral research at MIT, João made significant contributions to the study of autism, uncovering a novel role for cortico-striatal dysfunction in autism spectrum disorders through the characterization of animal models. His current research focuses on understanding how genetic and environmental risk factors lead to alterations in neuronal circuits associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. To address these challenges, João employs a multidisciplinary approach combining molecular genetics, optogenetics, electrophysiology, and advanced models such as animal systems and human brain organoids. João’s work has resulted in primary research publications in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals, including Nature, Neuron, Nature Communications, Molecular Psychiatry, and PNAS, as well as review articles in Cell and Annual Reviews in Neuroscience. Over his career, he has successfully supervised or co-supervised 9 Ph.D. theses and more than 15 M.Sc. students. He has named an FCT Investigator (2013), receiving a Marie Curie Career Integration Grant (2014), and won a NARSAD Young Investigator Award (2014–2016). In 2019, he was honored with the prestigious “Pfizer Prize in Basic Research,” the oldest award in biomedical sciences in Portugal, and in 2022, he received the “Special Recognition - Science” distinction from the World Cultural Council, Switzerland. In addition to his research achievements, João plays an active role in academic leadership and education. 3 He is in the Board of Directors at CNC-UC, he is the Treasurer of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, and serves on the Board of Educators for “Neurasmus: the European Masters in Neuroscience" and "IMAgein: International Masters in Ageing".
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Identification

Personal identification

Full name
João Peça

Citation names

  • Peça, João

Author identifiers

Ciência ID
2516-567A-D39A
ORCID iD
0000-0003-4989-2129

Email addresses

  • jmpessa@gmail.com (Professional)
  • jpeca@uc.pt (Professional)

Telephones

Telephone
  • 304502912 (Professional)

Addresses

  • Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Rua Larga, FMUC, 205b, 3004-504, Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal (Professional)

Websites

Knowledge fields

  • Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Neurosciences

Languages

Language Speaking Reading Writing Listening Peer-review
Portuguese (Mother tongue)
English Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2) Proficiency (C2)
Education
Degree Classification
2013
Concluded
 Postdoctoral Fellow (Postgraduate Certificate)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States
2011
Concluded
 Neurobiology (Doutoramento)
Universidade de Coimbra Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Portugal

Duke University, United States
"Genetic and optogenetic engineering as a strategy to probe neuronal circuits" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)
 Com Distinção e Louvor | Summa cum laude
2004
Concluded
 Bioquímica (Licenciatura)
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Affiliation

Science

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2018/02/01 - 2019/08/31 Principal Investigator (Research) Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2013/07/01 - 2018/01/31 Auxiliary Researcher (Research) Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
2011/03/11 - 2013/12/31 Postdoc (Research) Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States
2005/06/01 - 2011/03/11 Visiting Researcher (Research) Duke University, United States

Teaching in Higher Education

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2019/09/01 - Current Assistant Professor (University Teacher) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2018 - 2019/08/31 Invited Assistant Professor (University Teacher) Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

Positions / Appointments

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2023 - Current Member of the Board of Directors - Treasurer Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal
2022 - Current Member of the Board of Education for Neurasmus: the European Master in Neuroscience Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2021/09/15 - Current Coordinator of the Master Degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
2020/09/22 - Current Member of the Board of Directors Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal

Others

Category
Host institution 		Employer
2018/02/01 - Current Group Leader Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
Projects

Grant

Designation Funders
2025/04/15 - Current F.O.C.U.S: The Role of Front-Orbito-Cerebellar Unity in Sustained Motivation
427/24
Principal investigator
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Fundação Bial
Ongoing
2025 - Current Non-Canonical Role of SHANK3 in Early Neurodevelopment
2024 PMSF Translational Award
Principal investigator
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
 Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation
Ongoing
2024/04/09 - Current ELEANA: Early-Life Environmental AllergeNs in ADHD
ELEANA
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
 Banco Santander Portugal
Ongoing
2023 - Current Th2brain: Effects of Th2-related immunity in the postnatal maturation of brain circuits
2022.02604.PTDC
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2022/05/01 - Current SHANKAstro: Astrocytes dysfunctions in Phelan-McDermid syndrome: from mechanisms towards new therapeutic strategies
NEURON/0002/2021
Principal investigator
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
 European Commission
Ongoing
2024/05 - 2024/12 Focus on Science: Attention, Attention, Attention!
Focus on Science
Supervisor
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia, Portugal
 Universidade de Coimbra
2021/02/01 - 2024 Postnatal Reorganization of the cerebellum via Neuron-microglia interaction: IL-4 as a mediator between ADHD and allergies
PTDC/MED-NEU/5993/2020
Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded
2021/02/01 - 2024 The social code in cingulate-hippocampal circuits
#074/2020
Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Fundação Bial
Concluded
2020 - 2024 A Saúde no Saber
45-2019/478
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Ciência Viva
Concluded
2022 - 2023 BrainCils: Neuronal primary cilia and chromatin dysregulation - Exploring the missing link in neurodevelopmental disorders using brain organoids
EXPL/MED-OUT/1470/2021
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2020/09 - 2023 IBRO Early Carrer Award - Deficits in mGluR activity in GPRASP2 mutant mice
ECA
Principal investigator
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 International Brain Research Organization
Concluded
2021 - 2022 NeuroCompute: Exploring the missing link between neuronal primary cilia dysfunction and neurophysiological properties using brain organoids and computational modelling
NeuroCompute
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal
 Universidade de Coimbra
Concluded
2019 - 2022 Syn2Psy - Synaptic Dysfunction in Neuropsychiatric Disorders
H2020-MSCA-ITN-2018-813986
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Ongoing
2018/10/01 - 2021/09/30 Alternate SNAPs in neurotransmitter release: from molecular function to neurocognitive dysfunction
PTDC/BIA-CEL/29451/2017
Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2018/07/01 - 2021/06/30 Cognitive disorders as defects in synaptic function: insight from human mutations in the CACNG2 gene
PTDC/MED-NEU/28541/2017
Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2018/06 - 2021/06 BrainEdition: remotely controlling gene edition in neural stem cells
PTDC/NAN-MAT/28060/2017
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2018/05/07 - 2020 ProTeAN - Production and Testing of humAn-derived Neurons and brain organoids: advanced model probing in neurodevelopmental disorders
MSCA-IF-EF-RI-799164
Supervisor
European Commission
Ongoing
2017 - 2020 BrainHealth2020: Early Detection, Neuromodulation and Advanced Therapies to Brain Disorders
CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-000008
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 CENTRO2020

FEDER - Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional
2018/10 - 2019/09 Exploring striatal postsynaptic SAPAP3 in Huntington’s disease
Grant Number: 948
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 EHDN-European Huntington’s Disease Network
Concluded
2017 - 2019 Early life stress and social hierarchies: the role of cortico-striatal circuits
216/16
Principal investigator
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Fundação Bial
Concluded
2017 - 2019 The influence of maternal bonding in neuroimmune synaptic sculpting
264/2016
Researcher
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Fundação Bial
2016 - 2019 Social hierarchy and early life adversity: optogenetic modulation of prefrontal cortical circuits and neuroepigenetic regulation
PTDC/NEU-SCC/3247/2014
Principal investigator
Secretaria de Estado de Ciência Tecnologia e Ensino Superior
Concluded
2013 - 2018 FCT Investigator Award - IF/00812/2012/CP0151/CT0001
IF/00812/2012/CP0151/CT0001
Principal investigator
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
Concluded
2014 - 2017 NARSAD Young Investigator Grant
20733
Principal investigator
Brain and Behavior Research Foundation
2013 - 2017 CELLSYNCIRCUITS: Cellular and synaptic dissection of the neuronal circuits of social and autistic behavior
PCIG13-GA-2013-618525
Principal investigator
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions
2011 - 2012 Autism Speaks Translational Fellow: Neural circuits of social behavior
7649
Principal investigator
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States
Concluded

Contract

Designation Funders
2021/04/01 - Current Does healthy microglia rescue neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction in human cerebral organoids with FTD-associated mutations?
2020_119
Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited
Cancelled
2021/01/01 - 2025/12/31 Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology - Associate Laboratory
LA/P/0058/2020
10.54499/LA/P/0058/2020
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

Universidade Nova de Lisboa ¿Laboratório de Instrumentação Engenharia Biomédica e Física da Radiação, Portugal

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2023/01/01 - 2024/06/30 How the brain's immune cells develop: the role of Deleted in Autism-1 Related (DIA1R) in microglia ontogeny
2022.02611.PTDC
10.54499/2022.02611.PTDC
Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

Fundação Champalimaud, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Ongoing
2019/01/01 - 2019/12/31 CNC. IBILI
UID/NEU/04539/2019
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

Universidade Nova de Lisboa ¿Laboratório de Instrumentação Engenharia Biomédica e Física da Radiação, Portugal

Universidade de Coimbra Instituto de Ciências Nucleares Aplicadas à Saúde, Portugal

Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Concluded

Other

Designation Funders
2019/11 - Current Pfizer Award 2019 in Basic Research
2019 / Basic Research
Principal investigator
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Pfizer Portugal
Ongoing
2016 - 2017 AidToC - Ab initio designed Tools for optogenetic Control of retinal circuits
141733
Supervisor
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Portugal
 Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
Concluded
2013/01/01 - 2014/12/31 PROJECTO ESTRATÉGICO - LA 1 - 2013-2014 PEst-C/SAU/LA0001/2013
Pest-C/SAU/LA0001/2013-2014
Researcher
CNC.IBILI, Portugal
 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Outputs

Publications

Book chapter
  1. Rodrigues, Artur Filipe; Rebelo, Catarina; Reis, Tiago; Sousa, João André; Pinho, Sónia L. C.; Sargento-Freitas, João; Peça, João; Ferreira, Lino. "Therapeutic Approaches for Stroke: A Biomaterials Perspective". In Engineering Biomaterials for Neural Applications, 185-218. Springer International Publishing, 2021.
    10.1007/978-3-030-81400-7_8
  2. Peça, João. "The Social Brain". In Cérebro – mais vasto que o céu. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, 2019.
    Published
  3. Fernandes, Joana; Franco, Lara; Peça, João. "Autism Spectrum Disorders". In Neurociências, edited by Duarte, Carlos; Rego, Cristina; Oliveira, Catarina. Portugal: Lidel, 2017.
    Published
  4. Carvalho, Ana Luisa; Caldeira, Gladys; Peça, João. "Esquizofrenia". In Neurociências, 39-72. Portugal: LIDEL, 2017.
    Published
  5. Heyer, M.P.; Feliciano, C.; Peca, J.; Feng, G.. "Elucidating Gene Function through use of Genetically Engineered Mice". In Genomics. Wiley Online Books, 2010.
    10.1002/9780470711675.ch10
Conference abstract
  1. Seabra, Catarina M.; Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Guedes, Joana Ribeiro; Cardoso, Ana Luísa; Sequeira, Diana; Palma, Paulo J.; Santos, João Miguel; et al. "The neurogenetics of neurodevelopmental disorders - Hints from brain organoids". Paper presented in Annual Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Human Genetics, 2020.
    Published • doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000019291
  2. Moraes, Bruno; Ferreira, Ildete; Lino, Patrícia; Passos, Diogo; Coelho, Patrícia; Fão, Lígia; Peça, João; Rego, Ana Cristina. "Postsynaptic decrease of SAPAP3 scaffold protein in Huntington¿s disease". 2019.
    Published • 10.3389/conf.fncel.2019.01.00006
Conference paper
  1. Guedes, J. R.; Ferreira, P.A.; Soares-Cunha, Carina; Reis, T.; Almeida, J.S; LEBRE, CAROLINA; Costa, J.; et al. "Early-life IL-4 as a risk factor for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder". Paper presented in VIII Symposium Portuguese Glial Network, Braga, 2024.
  2. Coelho, Patricia; Fão, Lígia; Nobre, Rui Jorge; Pereira de Almeida, Luis ; Peça, João; Rego, Ana Cristina Carvalho. "Impact of SAPAP3 on mitochondrial function in Huntingtons disease". 2021.
    Published
  3. Costa, Jéssica; Guedes, Joana; Franco, Lara; Peça, João; Cardoso, Ana Luísa. "Microglia morphology and density analysis: using stereology and 3D reconstruction to study the neuroimmune impact of early life stress". Paper presented in Paper presented in 52th International Congress on Microscopy and Microanalysis, Coimbra, 2018.
  4. Viegas, Ana Teresa; Carmona, Vítor; Almeida, Luis; Oliveira, Catarina Resende; Magalhães, João; Peça, João; Cardoso, Ana Luísa. "MicroRNA contribution in a new therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer’s disease". Paper presented in The 2016 Alzheimer’s Disease Congress, London, 2016.
  5. Sequeira, Diana; Cardoso, Ana; Peça, João; Palma, Paulo; Santos, João Miguel. "The effect of calcium silicate-based cements on viability of stem cells within the apical papilla". Paper presented in 17° Biennal Congress of the European Society of Endodontology, Barcelona, 2015.
Conference poster
  1. Guedes, J. R.; LEBRE, CAROLINA; Desmedt, M.; Almeida, J. S.; Pedroso, S.; Rosendo, I.; Regateiro, Frederico; et al. "Early-life allergies as a risk factor for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: insight from human samples and patient-reported data". Paper presented in At the Crossroads of Neuroscience & Immunology: Advances and Innovations, 2024.
  2. Santos, Henrique; Guedes, J. R.; Cardoso, Ana; Boeckers, Tobias; Peça, João. "The Hidden Player: Decoding the Non-canonical Role of SHANK3 in Neurodevelopment". Paper presented in Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation International Conference, 2024.
  3. Santos, Henrique; Guedes, J. R.; Cardoso, Ana; Boeckers, Tobias; Peça, João. "Beyond the Synapse: Exploring the Non-Canonical Role of SHANK3 in Neurodevelopment". Paper presented in ERANET NEURON Midterm Symposium - Berlin, 2024.
  4. Amaral, F.; Ferreira, P.A.; Cardoso, A.L.; Peça, João; Guedes, J. R.. "Characterization of cerebellar pruning and microglia function in mice deficient for IL-4 signaling in microglia". Paper presented in BEB day 2024, 2024.
  5. Ferreira, R.; Reis, T.; Ferreira, P.A.; Cardoso, A.L.; Guedes, J. R.; Peça, João. "Inhibitory synaptic alterations in neuroimmune insults mediated by IL-4". Paper presented in BEB day 2024, 2024.
  6. LEBRE, CAROLINA; Ferreira, P.A.; Costa, J.; Amaral, F.; Ferreira, R.; Guedes, J. R.; Peça, João. "Long-term alterations in microglia induced by postnatal IL-4 administration.". Paper presented in VIII Symposium Portuguese Glial Network, 2024.
  7. Guedes, J. R.; Ferreira, P.A.; Costa, J.; Laranjo, M.; Pinto, M. J.; Reis, T.; Cardoso, A. M.; et al. "IL-4 and allergies shape microglia-dependent pruning of the cerebellum during postnatal development". Paper presented in British Society of Immunology Congress 2023, 2023.
  8. Santos, Bárbara; Afonso, Mariana; Alves, André; Amaral, Sandra; Candeias, Emanuel; Cardoso, Maria; Cortes, Luisa; et al. "GreenLabsCIBB - One path for sustainable research". Paper presented in GreenLabs Portugal Symposium: Promoting sustainability in Research, 2023.
  9. Mendes, Candida; Marques, Carla; Mota, Sandra; Afonso, Mariana; Alves, André; Amaral, Sandra; Candeias, Emanuel; et al. "GreenLabs @CIBB - "Collection Points" - Reuse and Recycling". Paper presented in GreenLabs Portugal Symposium: Promoting sustainability in Research, 2023.
  10. Serra, Diana; Joana Henriques; Sousa, Fábio J.; Laranjo, Mariana; Resende, Rosa; Ferreira-Marques, Marisa; Freitas, Victor; et al. "AN ANTHOCYANIN-RICH EXTRACT FROM PORTUGUESE BLUEBERRIES AS A NOVEL STRATEGY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS: AN IN VIVO MODEL". Paper presented in 4th International Conference on Food Bioactives and Health, 2023.
  11. Martins, Solange; Neves, Mafalda; Martins, Mariana; Cardoso, Ana Maria; Almeida, Maria Rosário; Santana, Isabel; Peça, João; Cardoso, Ana L.. Corresponding author: Cardoso, Ana L.. "Immunocompetent brain organoids and induced-microglia-like cells to study the pathological mechanisms of Frontotemporal Dementia". Paper presented in FENS Regional Meeting, Algarve, Portugal, 2023.
  12. Ribeiro, Rodrigo; Pereira, Dina; Reis, Tiago; Lopes, Sara; Ferreira-Marques, Marisa; Fernandes, Rita; Gaspar, Laetitia S; et al. "The Circadian Clock is Disrupted in the YAC Machado-Joseph Disease Mouse Model". Paper presented in BEB Day 2023 - Doctoral Programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine (PDBEB) 17th symposium, 2023.
  13. Laranjo, Mariana; Guedes, J. R.; Reis, Tiago; Marcos Gomes; Pereira, M.; Maria J. Pinto; Cammarata, G.; et al. "Conditional deletion of Gprasp2 in PV-positive neurons drives hippocampal circuit alterations and cognitive dysfunction". Paper presented in BEBday2023 Meeting, 2023.
  14. Caldeira, Gladys Lima; Inácio, Ângela S.; Beltrão, Nuno; Barreto, Carlos A.V.; Ventura Rodrigues, Marina; Rondão, Tiago; Macedo, Renato; et al. "Aberrant hippocampal transmission and behavior in mice with stargazin mutation linked to intellectual disability.". Paper presented in SPN2021, 2022.
  15. Antal, Orsolya; Macedo, Renato; Beltrão, Nuno; Inácio, Ângela S.; Caldeira, Gladys Lima; Peça, João; Carvalho, Célia; Pato, Carlos; Carvalho, Ana Luisa. "Cognitive behavioural deficits in a knock-in model with a human schizophrenia-associated mutation in the CACNG2 gene.". Paper presented in SPN2021, 2022.
  16. Martins, Mariana; Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Cammarata, Giuseppe; Martins, Solange; Pedro Perdigão; Guedes, Joana; Cardoso, Ana Luísa; et al. "BrainCils: Exploring the missing link between neuronal primary cilia dysfunction and neurodevelopmental disorders: hints from dental stem cell-derived brain organoids". Paper presented in Synapse Meeting, 2022.
  17. Oliveira, A. R.; Cammarata, G.; Cardoso, A. M.; Seabra, C. M.; Guedes, J. R.; Cardoso, A. L.; Fernandes, D.; et al. "Autism associated CASPR2 auto-immune antibodies modify the developmental trajectory and network activity in human brain organoids". Paper presented in FENS Forum 2022, 2022.
  18. Guedes, J. R.; Ferreira, P.A.; Costa, J.; Laranjo, M.; Reis, T.; Cardoso, A. M.; Lebre, C.; et al. "Allergies and IL-4 shape postnatal cerebellar development via microglia-mediated neuronal pruning to induce ADHD-like behaviors in mice". Paper presented in FENS Forum 2022, 2022.
  19. Ferreira, P.A.; Guedes, J. R.; Reis, T.; Costa, J.; Cardoso, A. L.; Peça, João. "Postnatal L-4 administration induces long-term dysfunction in cerebellar-VTA connectivity". Paper presented in FENS Forum 2022, 2022.
  20. Costa, J.; Martins, S.; Kunicki, C.; Ferreira, P.A.; Guedes, J. R.; Peça, João; Cardoso, A. L.. "Early-life adversity induces sex-specific dysfunction of the mOFC and leads to impulsive, hyperactive, and risk-taking behaviors in juvenile male mice". Paper presented in FENS Forum 2022, 2022.
  21. Cardoso, A. L.; Costa, J.; Martins, S.; Kunicki, C.; Ferreira, P.A.; Guedes, J. R.; Peça, João. "Exposure to early-life stress promotes sex-dependent changes in microglia morphology and phagocytic activity in the prefrontal cortex". Paper presented in FENS Forum 2022, 2022.
  22. Costa, Jéssica; Martins, Solange; Carolina Kunicki; Ferreira, P.A.; Guedes, J. R.; Peça, João; Cardoso, A.L.. "Early-life adversity induces sex-specific dysfunction of the mPFC and leads to impulsive, hyperactive, and risk-taking behaviors in juvenile male mice". Paper presented in FENS Forum 2022, 2022.
  23. Martins, M.; Oliveira, A. R.; Cammarata, G.; Martins, S.; Perdigão, P.; Guedes, J. R.; Cardoso, A. L.; et al. "Exploring the missing link between primary cilia and neurodevelopmental disorders: The case of a novel MBD5 variant in a patient with severe epilepsy". Paper presented in CIBB Neuroscience & Disease Retreat, 2022.
  24. Costa, Jéssica; Martins, Solange; Ferreira, António Pedro A.; Franco, Lara; Lebre, Carolina; Guedes, Joana; Peça, João; Cardoso, AL. "The influence of maternal bonding on neuroimmune synaptic sculpting". Paper presented in 13th Bial Symposium, 2022.
  25. Canijo, Bárbara; Laranjo, Mariana; Reis, Tiago; Ferreira-Fernandes, Emanuel; Peça, João. "The role of PFC/Hipp projections in social hierarchies". Paper presented in VI meet.Lab, 2022.
  26. Franco, Lara Oliveira; Carvalho, Mário J.; Costa, Jéssica; Ferreira, P.A.; Guedes, Joana R.; Sousa, Renato; Edfawy, Mohamed; et al. "Early life stress and social hierarchies: The role of cortico-striatal circuits". Paper presented in 13th Symposium of Bial Foundation, 2022.
  27. Costa, Jéssica; Martins, Solange; Ferreira, P.A.; LEBRE, CAROLINA; Guedes, J. R.; Franco, Lara Oliveira; Peça, João; Cardoso, Ana L.. "The influence of maternal bonding in neuroimmune synaptic function". Paper presented in 13th Symposium of Bial Foundation13th Symposium of Bial Foundation, 2022.
  28. Cardoso, Ana; Mariana, Laranjo; Peça, João. "Dissecting the role of parvalbumin-positive inhibitory neurons in the cellular and behavioural phenotypes associated with Gprasp2 deletion". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2021.
  29. Gomes, Marcos; Pereira, Marta; Laranjo, Mariana; Reis, Tiago; Cardoso, Ana Maria; Ferreira-Marques, Marisa; Aveleira, Célia; et al. "GPRASP2 (dys)function in metabolism and obesity". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2021.
  30. Guedes, J. R.; Ferreira, P.A.; Costa, J.; Laranjo, M.; Reis, T.; Cardoso, A.M.; Casquinha, M.; et al. "Abnormal microglia-mediated pruning in the cerebellum induces circuitry and behavioral dysfunction in mice". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2021.
  31. Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Seabra, Catarina; Guedes, Joana; Cammarata, Giuseppe; Cardoso, Ana Maria; Fernandes, Dominique; Coutinho, Ester; et al. "Uncovering the neurodevelopmental consequences of anti-CASPR2 antibody exposure in 3D brain organoids". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2021.
  32. Guedes, J. R.; Ferreira, P.A.; Costa. J.; Laranjo, M.; Reis, T.; Cardoso, A.M.; Gomes, M.; et al. Corresponding author: Peça, João. "Abnormal microgia-mediated pruning in the cerebellum induces circuitry and behavioral dysfunction in mice". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2021.
  33. Reis, T.; Guedes, J. R.; Peça, João; Ferreira, L.. "ChuTe - Cellular homing using TRPV channel expression for thermal sensitivity and thermotaxis". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2021.
  34. Seabra, Catarina M.; Varela Amaral, Sara; Daniel Ribeiro; Santos, Sílvio; Peça, João; Laranjo, Mariana B.. "A neuroscience dissemination initiative for higher education students". Paper presented in SPN Annual Meeting 2021, 2021.
  35. Gomes, Marcos; Pereira, Marta; Laranjo, Mariana; Reis, Tiago; Cardoso, Ana Maria; Ferreira, Pedro; Ferreira-Marques, M; et al. "GRASP2 (dys)function in metabolism and obesity". Paper presented in XVII Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience ¿ SPN2021, 2021.
  36. Coelho, Patrícia; Fão, Lígia; Nobre, Rui; Almeida, Luís Pereira de; Peça, João; Rego, AC. "Postsynaptic SAPAP3 improves mitochondrial function in Huntington's disease". Paper presented in Neuronus 2020 IBRO Neuroscience Forum, 2020.
  37. Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Seabra, Catarina M.; Guedes, Joana Ribeiro; Cammarata, G.; Fernandes, Dominique; Coutinho, Ester; Carvalho, Ana Luisa; Ferreira, Lino; Peça, João. "Uncovering the role of immune response in ASD: Neurodevelopmental consequences of anti-CASPR2 antibodies exposure in 3D brain organoids". Paper presented in EMBL Symposia "Organoids: Modelling Organ Development and Disease in 3D Culture - Virtual", 2020.
  38. Coelho, Patrícia; Fão, Lígia; Nobre, Rui; Almeida, Luís Pereira de; Peça, João; Rego, AC. "Elevated SAPAP3 ameliorates mitochondrial function in Huntington's disease". Paper presented in Portuguese Society of Movement Disorders (SPDMov2020), 2020.
  39. Cardoso, A. L.; Costa, J. M.; Oliveira, S.; Ferreira, P.A.; Guedes, J. R.; Carvalho, M.; Peça, João. "Early-life stress causes sex-dependent changes in microglia function, circuit wiring and behavior in the PFC". Paper presented in 2020 FENS Virtual Forum, 2020.
  40. Cardoso, A.; Costa, J.; Martins, S.; Ferreira, P.A.; Guedes, J. R.; Carvalho, M.; Peça, João. "Early-life stress causes sex-dependent changes in microglia function, circuit wiring and behavior in the mPFC". Paper presented in 12th FENS Forum of Neuroscience, 2020.
  41. Peça, João; Laranjo, Mariana; Edfawy, Mohamed; Guedes, J. R.; Mário Carvalho; Marcos Gomes; Pereira, Marta; Ana Luísa Cardoso. "Conditional deletion of Gprasp2 in PV-positive interneurons leads to selectively behavioural and circuit dysfunction.". Paper presented in 12th FENS Forum of Neuroscience, 2020.
  42. Silva, Ana Manuela; Seabra, Catarina M.; Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Laranjo, Mariana; Duque, Frederico; Café, Cátia; Peça, João; Oliveira, Guiomar. "Autism Spectrum Disorder seen through brain organoids - a Portuguese cohort characterization.". Paper presented in In4Med IX, 2020.
  43. Coelho, Patrícia RD; Fão, Lígia; Nobre, Rui; Luís Pereira de Almeida; Peça, João; Rego, AC. "Involvement of SAPAP3 scaffold postsynaptic protein in mitochondrial dysfunction in Huntington's disease". Paper presented in BEBday 2019, 2019.
  44. Santos, João Miguel; Catarina M. Seabra; Peça, João. "ProTeAN - Production and testing of human-derived neurons and brain organoids: Advanced model probing in neurodevelopmental disorders.". Paper presented in 23ª Reunião Anual da Sociedade Portuguesa de Genética Humana., 2019.
  45. Oliveira, Ana R.; Seabra, Catarina M.; Guedes, Joana R.; Ferreira, L.; Peça, João. "Mini-brains on a dish: Characterization of autism susceptibility genes using iPSCs and CRISPR/Cas9 gene engineering.". Paper presented in 11th International Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Stem Cells and Cell Therapies (SPCE-TC), 2019.
  46. Caldeira, Gladys Lima; Inácio, Ângela; Beltrão, Nuno; Rondão, Tiago; Louros, Susana R; Ventura Rodrigues, Marina; Guedes, Joana; Peça, João; Carvalho, Ana Luisa. "Abnormal synaptic transmission and behavioral deficits in mice with Stargazin mutations linked to psychiatric disorders". Paper presented in European Synapse Meeting, 2019.
  47. Costa, J.; Guedes, J. R.; Ferreira, P.A.; Franco, L; Peça, João; Cardoso, A. L.. "Early life stress causes behaviour changes and microglia dysfunction in the pre-frontal cortex of male mice". Paper presented in XIV European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease, 2019.
  48. Martins, João; Cavaleiro, Carla; Sereno, José; Edfawy, Mohamed; Peça, João; Abrunhosa, Antero; Castelo-Branco, Miguel; Gonçalves, Joana. "Neural basis for adult cognitive deficits in neurofibromatosis type 1 animal model: Relevance for autism spectrum disorders.". Paper presented in XVI Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neurocience, 2019.
  49. Costa, Jéssica; Guedes, J. R.; Ferreira, P.A.; Franco, Lara Oliveira; Peça, João; Cardoso, Ana. "Early-life stress causes behavior changes and microglia dysfunction in the pre-frontal cortex of male mice". Paper presented in XIV European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease, 2019.
  50. Guedes, J. R.; Ferreira, P.A.; Costa, Jéssica; Cardoso, Ana; Peça, João. "IL-4 skews the microglial developmental program during cerebellar maturation". Paper presented in XVI Meeting of the Portuguese Society for Neuroscience, 2019.
  51. Guedes, J. R.; Ferreira, P.A.; Costa, Jéssica; Pereira, Marta; Cardoso, Ana; Peça, João. "Microglia-dependent remodeling of cerebellar circuits". Paper presented in Gordon Research Conference - Neuroimmune Communication in Health and Disease, Exploring Neuroimmunology: From Single Cells to Organisms, 2019.
  52. Lara Franco; Edfawy, Mohamed; Pereira, Marta; Laranjo, Mariana; Cardoso, Ana; Peça, João. "Golgi-like labelling and sparse tagging of neurons using peripheral administration of AAVs". Paper presented in 52º International Congress on Microscopy and Microanalysis, 2018.
  53. Seabra, Catarina M.; Sequeira, Diana; Palma, Paulo; Oliveira, Guiomar; Duque, Frederico; Santos, João; Feng, Guoping; Cardoso, Ana; Peça, João. "Production and testing of human-derived neurons and brain organoids: advanced model probing in neurodevelopmental disorders". Paper presented in FENS-SfN Summer School 2018, 2018.
  54. Caldeira, Gladys Lima; Louros, Susana R; Ventura Rodrigues, Marina; Pato, CN; Chen, C; Peça, João; Carvalho, Ana Luisa. "CACNG2, a new candidate gene for schizophrenia and intellectual disability. Integrating Hebbian and Homeostatic Plasticity.". Paper presented in Society for Neuroscience, 2016.
  55. Calmeiro, João; Bruce F. Milne; Gladys Caldeira; Joana Fernandes; Carvalho, Ana Luisa; Fernando M.S. Nogueira; Peça, João. "Channelrhodopsin engineering and characterization of novel optogenetic tools designed in silico". Paper presented in 5th Champalimaud Neuroscience Symposium . Champalimaud Center for the Unknown (CCU), Champalimaud Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal, 2016.
  56. Franco, Lara; Fernandes, Joana; Sousa, Renato; Cardoso, Ana Luísa; Peça, João. "Win or Lose ¿ Behavior, cellular and molecular characterization of social subordinance". Paper presented in 10th FENS Forum of Neuroscience, 2016.
  57. Calmeiro, João; Bruce F. Milne; Gladys Caldeira; Joana Fernandes; Carvalho, Ana Luisa; Fernando M.S. Nogueira; Peça, João. "Characterization of novel optogenetic tools designed in silico". Paper presented in Synaptic Function and Dysfunction in Brain Diseases, 7th Curriculum Vitae ¿ João Calmeiro 13 International Society for Neurochemistry (ISN) Special Neurochemistry Conference, Coimbra, Portugal, 2016.
  58. Franco, Lara; Fernandes, Joana; Sousa, Renato; Cardoso, Ana Luísa; Peça, João. "Does early life adversity affects social hierarchy in adulthood?". Paper presented in 7th Special ISN Neurochemistry Conference, 2016.
  59. Silva, Mariline Mendes; Santos, Sandra; Cruz, Bruno; Fernandes, Joana; Oliveira, Ana; Peça, João; Carvalho, Ana Luísa. "Identification and characterization of a novel microRNA regulated by neuronal activity". Paper presented in EMBO Conference - RNA localization and local translation, 2016.
  60. Calmeiro, João; Bruce F. Milne; Gladys Caldeira; Joana Fernandes; Carvalho, Ana Luisa; Fernando M.S. Nogueira; Peça, João. "Production and in vitro characterization of Ab-Initio designed Channelrhodopsin-2 mutants". Paper presented in XIII CNC Annual Meeting, Coimbra, Portugal, 2015.
  61. Franco, Lara; Fernandes, Joana; Sousa, Renato; Cardoso, Ana Luísa; Peça, João. "Social submissive behaviour in ranked hierarchies is triggered by early life adversity and stress". Paper presented in XIII CNC Annual Meeting, 2015.
  62. Lourenço, A.S.T.; Mas, P.J.; Anjo, Sandra Isabel; Euclides, Pires; Manadas, Bruno; Macedo-Ribeiro, Sandra; Simões, Isaura; et al. "Structural and interactomic characterization of SAPAP3 - a postsynaptic density scaffolding protein involved in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.". Paper presented in XXVI Paulo Foundation Symposium ¿From Atomic Structures to Disease Mechanisms", 2015.
Journal article
  1. Pedro A. Ferreira; Carolina Lebre; Jéssica Costa; Francisca Amaral; Rosário Ferreira; Filipe Martinho; Vítor H. Paiva; et al. "Early-life IL-4 administration induces long-term changes in microglia in the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex". Journal of Neurochemistry (2025): https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.16266.
    10.1111/jnc.16266
  2. Rodrigues, Beatriz; Leitão, Ricardo A.; Santos, Mónica; Trofimov, Alexander; Silva, Mariline; Inácio, Ângela S.; Abreu, Mónica; et al. "MiR-186-5p inhibition restores synaptic transmission and neuronal network activity in a model of chronic stress". Molecular Psychiatry (2024): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-024-02715-1.
    10.1038/s41380-024-02715-1
  3. Pereira, Marta I.; Laranjo, Mariana; Gomes, Marcos; Edfawy, Mohamed; Peça, João. "Maternal behaviours disrupted by Gprasp2 deletion modulate neurodevelopmental trajectory in progeny". Scientific Reports 14 1 (2024): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-62088-x.
    10.1038/s41598-024-62088-x
  4. Simões, Susana; Lino, Miguel; Barrera, Angela; Rebelo, Catarina; Tomatis, Francesca; Vilaça, Andreia; Breunig, Christopher; et al. "Near-Infrared Light Activated Formulation for the Spatially Controlled Release of CRISPR-Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein for Brain Gene Editing". Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2024): http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/anie.202401004.
    10.1002/anie.202401004
  5. Ferreira-Fernandes, Emanuel; Laranjo, Mariana; Reis, Tiago; Canijo, Bárbara; Ferreira, Pedro A.; Martins, Pedro; Vilarinho, João; et al. "In vivo recordings in freely behaving mice using independent silicon probes targeting multiple brain regions". Frontiers in Neural Circuits 17 (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fncir.2023.1293620.
    10.3389/fncir.2023.1293620
  6. Sequeira, Diana B.; Diogo, Patrícia; Gomes, Brenda P. F. A.; Peça, João; Santos, João Miguel Marques. "Scaffolds for Dentin-Pulp Complex Regeneration". Medicina 60 1 (2023): 7. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/medicina60010007.
    10.3390/medicina60010007
  7. Guedes, Joana R.; Ferreira, Pedro A.; Costa, Jéssica; Laranjo, Mariana; Pinto, Maria J.; Reis, Tiago; Cardoso, Ana Maria; et al. "IL-4 shapes microglia-dependent pruning of the cerebellum during postnatal development". Neuron 111 21 (2023): 3435-3449.e8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.031.
    10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.031
  8. Mariana Martins; Ana Rafaela Oliveira; Solange Martins; José Vieira; Pedro Perdigão; Ana Rita Fernandes; Pereira de Almeida L; et al. "A Novel Genetic Variant in MBD5 Associated with Severe Epilepsy and Intellectual Disability: Potential Implications on Neural Primary Cilia". International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023): https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/16/12603.
    10.3390/ijms241612603
  9. Laranjo, Mariana; Amaral, Sara; Caetano, Carolina; Santos, Sílvio; Campos, Rita; Peça, João; Seabra, Catarina M.. "Brain Gain - Discovering Neurosciences: A digital education outreach project for higher education students". The Biochemist 45 2 (2023): 21-27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1042/bio_2023_104.
    10.1042/bio_2023_104
  10. Rodrigues, Artur Filipe; Rebelo, Catarina; Reis, Tiago; Simões, Susana; Bernardino, Liliana; Peça, João; Ferreira, Lino. "Engineering optical tools for remotely controlled brain stimulation and regeneration". Biomaterials Science (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d2bm02059a.
    10.1039/d2bm02059a
  11. Serra, Diana; Henriques, Joana F.; Sousa, Fábio J.; Laranjo, Mariana; Resende, Rosa; Ferreira-Marques, Marisa; de Freitas, Victor; et al. "Attenuation of Autism-like Behaviors by an Anthocyanin-Rich Extract from Portuguese Blueberries via Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis Modulation in a Valproic Acid Mouse Model". International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23 16 (2022): 9259. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms23169259.
    10.3390/ijms23169259
  12. Joana R. Guedes; Pedro A. Ferreira; Jéssica M. Costa; Ana L. Cardoso; João Peça. "Microglia-dependent remodeling of neuronal circuits". Journal of Neurochemistry (2022): https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.15689.
    10.1111/jnc.15689
  13. Ana Rafaela Oliveira; Solange Martins; Giuseppe Cammarata; Mariana Martins; Ana Maria Cardoso; Maria Rosário Almeida; Maria do Carmo Macário; et al. "Generation and Characterization of Novel iPSC Lines from a Portuguese Family Bearing Heterozygous and Homozygous GRN Mutations". Biomedicines (2022): https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10081905.
    10.3390/biomedicines10081905
  14. Rebelo, Catarina; Reis, Tiago; Guedes, Joana; Saraiva, Cláudia; Rodrigues, Artur Filipe; Simões, Susana; Bernardino, Liliana; et al. "Efficient spatially targeted gene editing using a near-infrared activatable protein-conjugated nanoparticle for brain applications". Nature Communications 13 1 (2022): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31791-6.
    10.1038/s41467-022-31791-6
  15. Ferreira-Fernandes, Emanuel; Peça, João. "The Neural Circuit Architecture of Social Hierarchy in Rodents and Primates". Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 16 (2022): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2022.874310.
    10.3389/fncel.2022.874310
  16. Caldeira, Gladys Lima; Inácio, Ângela; Beltrão, Nuno; Barreto, Carlos A. V.; Ventura Rodrigues, Marina; Rondão, Tiago; Macedo, Renato; et al. "Aberrant hippocampal transmission and behavior in mice with a stargazin mutation linked to intellectual disability". Molecular Psychiatry (2022): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-022-01487-w.
    Published
  17. Jéssica Costa; Solange Martins; Pedro A. Ferreira; Ana M.S. Cardoso; Joana R. Guedes; João Peça; Ana L. Cardoso. "The old guard: Age-related changes in microglia and their consequences". Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 197 (2021): 111512-111512. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2021.111512.
    10.1016/j.mad.2021.111512
  18. Sequeira, Diana B.; Oliveira, Ana Rafaela; Seabra, Catarina M.; Palma, Paulo J.; Ramos, Carlos; Figueiredo, Maria H.; Santos, Ana C.; et al. "Regeneration of pulp-dentin complex using human stem cells of the apical papilla: in vivo interaction with two bioactive materials". Clinical Oral Investigations (2021): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00784-021-03840-9.
    10.1007/s00784-021-03840-9
  19. Ribeiro, Luís F.; Catarino, Tatiana; Carvalho, Mário; Cortes, Luísa; Santos, Sandra D.; Opazo, Patricio O.; Ribeiro, Lyn Rosenbrier; et al. "Ligand-independent activity of the ghrelin receptor modulates AMPA receptor trafficking and supports memory formation". Science Signaling 14 670 (2021): eabb1953. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/scisignal.abb1953.
    10.1126/scisignal.abb1953
  20. Coelho, Patrícia; Lourenço, Ana Sofia; Ferreira, Íldete Luísa; Marinho, Daniela; Anjo, Sandra Isabel; Mas, Philippe J.; Carvalho, MJ; et al. "The postsynaptic scaffolding protein SAPAP3 controls mitochondrial dynamics and function". Nature Communications (2021):
    Submitted
  21. Li, Yinqing; Lopez-Huerta, Violeta G.; Adiconis, Xian; Levandowski, Kirsten; Choi, Soonwook; Simmons, Sean K.; Arias-Garcia, Mario A.; et al. "Distinct subnetworks of the thalamic reticular nucleus". Nature 583 7818 (2020): 819-824. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2504-5.
    10.1038/s41586-020-2504-5
  22. Franco, Lara O.; Carvalho, Mário J.; Costa, Jéssica; Ferreira, Pedro A.; Guedes, Joana R.; Sousa, Renato; Edfawy, Mohamed; et al. "Social subordination induced by early life adversity rewires inhibitory control of the prefrontal cortex via enhanced Npy1r signaling". Neuropsychopharmacology 45 9 (2020): 1438-1447. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41386-020-0727-7.
    Open access • 10.1038/s41386-020-0727-7
  23. Barros-Viegas, Ana Teresa; Carmona, Vítor; Ferreiro, Elisabete; Guedes, Joana; Cardoso, Ana Maria; Cunha, Pedro; Pereira de Almeida, Luís; et al. "miRNA-31 Improves Cognition and Abolishes Amyloid-ß Pathology by Targeting APP and BACE1 in an Animal Model of Alzheimer’s Disease". Molecular Therapy - Nucleic Acids 19 (2020): 1219-1236. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.omtn.2020.01.010.
    Open access • 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.01.010
  24. Lima Caldeira, Gladys; Peça, João; Carvalho, Ana Luísa. "New insights on synaptic dysfunction in neuropsychiatric disorders". Current Opinion in Neurobiology 57 (2019): 62-70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2019.01.004.
    10.1016/j.conb.2019.01.004
  25. Edfawy, Mohamed; Guedes, Joana R.; Pereira, Marta I.; Laranjo, Mariana; Carvalho, Mário J.; Gao, Xian; Ferreira, Pedro A.; et al. "Abnormal mGluR-mediated synaptic plasticity and autism-like behaviours in Gprasp2 mutant mice". Nature Communications 10 1 (2019): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09382-9.
    10.1038/s41467-019-09382-9
  26. Sequeira, Diana; Seabra, Catarina; Palma, Paulo; Cardoso, Ana; Peça, João; Santos, João. "Effects of a New Bioceramic Material on Human Apical Papilla Cells". Journal of Functional Biomaterials 9 4 (2018): 74. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jfb9040074.
    10.3390/jfb9040074
  27. Santos, Tiago; Ferreira, Raquel; Quartin, Emanuel; Boto, Carlos; Saraiva, Cláudia; Bragança, José; Peça, João; et al. "Blue light potentiates neurogenesis induced by retinoic acid-loaded responsive nanoparticles". Acta Biomaterialia 59 (2017): 293-302. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2017.06.044.
    Published • 10.1016/j.actbio.2017.06.044
  28. Ting, Jonathan T.*; Peça, João*; Feng, Guoping. "Functional Consequences of Mutations in Postsynaptic Scaffolding Proteins and Relevance to Psychiatric Disorders". Annual Review of Neuroscience 35 1 (2012): 49-71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-062111-150442.
    10.1146/annurev-neuro-062111-150442
  29. Peça, J.; Feng, G.. "Cellular and synaptic network defects in autism". Current Opinion in Neurobiology 22 5 (2012): 866-872. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84867426528&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1016/j.conb.2012.02.015
  30. Peça, J.; Ting, J.; Feng, G.. "SnapShot: Autism and the synapse". Cell 147 3 (2011): http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84855174133&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1016/j.cell.2011.10.015
  31. Peça, J.; Feng, G.. "Neuroscience: When lights take the circuits out". Nature 477 7363 (2011): 165-166. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-80052602669&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1038/477165a
  32. Peça, J.; Feliciano, C.; Ting, J.T.; Wang, W.; Wells, M.F.; Venkatraman, T.N.; Lascola, C.D.; Fu, Z.; Feng, G.. "Shank3 mutant mice display autistic-like behaviours and striatal dysfunction". Nature 472 7344 (2011): 437-442. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-79955536349&partnerID=MN8TOARS.
    10.1038/nature09965
  33. Arenkiel, Benjamin R.; Peça, João. "Using Light to Reinstate Respiratory Plasticity". Journal of Neurophysiology 101 4 (2009): 1695-1698. http://dx.doi.org/10.1152/jn.00009.2009.
    Open access • 10.1152/jn.00009.2009
  34. Welch, Jeffrey M.; Lu, Jing; Rodriguiz, Ramona M.; Trotta, Nicholas C.; Peca, Joao; Ding, Jin-Dong; Feliciano, Catia; et al. "Cortico-striatal synaptic defects and OCD-like behaviours in Sapap3-mutant mice". Nature 448 7156 (2007): 894-900. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature06104.
    10.1038/nature06104
  35. Wang, H.*; Peca, J.*; Matsuzaki, M.*; Matsuzaki, K.; Noguchi, J.; Qiu, L.; Wang, D.; et al. "High-speed mapping of synaptic connectivity using photostimulation in Channelrhodopsin-2 transgenic mice". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104 19 (2007): 8143-8148. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0700384104.
    Open access • 10.1073/pnas.0700384104
  36. Arenkiel, Benjamin R.; Peca, Joao; Davison, Ian G.; Feliciano, Catia; Deisseroth, Karl; Augustine, George J.; Ehlers, Michael D.; Feng, Guoping. "In Vivo Light-Induced Activation of Neural Circuitry in Transgenic Mice Expressing Channelrhodopsin-2". Neuron 54 2 (2007): 205-218. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2007.03.005.
    Open access • Published • 10.1016/j.neuron.2007.03.005
Journal issue
  1. Xu, Junyu; Shi, Lei; Peça, João. "Autism Spectrum Disorder: New Insights Into Molecular Pathophysiology and Therapeutic Development". Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience (2020):
    Published
Newspaper article
  1. Guedes, J. R.; Ferreira, P.A.; Shkatova, V.; Pedroso, S.; Cerejeira, Joaquim; Cardoso, A. L.; Peça, João. "O que é a perturbação de hiperactividade e défice de atenção? Serão só bichos-carpinteiros?", Público, 2021, https://www.publico.pt/2021/05/19/ciencia/noticia/perturbacao-hiperactividade-defice-atencao-serao-so-bichoscarpinteiros-1962657.
Preprint
  1. Carvalho, Ana Luisa; Rodrigues, Beatriz; Leitão, Ricardo; Santos, Mónica; Trofimov, Alexander; Silva, Mariline; Inácio, Ângela; et al. "MiR-186-5p inhibition restores synaptic transmission and neuronal network activity in a model of chronic stress". 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3405749/v1.
    10.21203/rs.3.rs-3405749/v1
Thesis / Dissertation
  1. Peça, João. "Genetic and optogenetic engineering as a strategy to probe neuronal circuits". PhD, 2011.
Distinctions

Award

2025 SPN Best Manuscript Award 2023
Sociedade Portuguesa de Neurociências, Portugal
2025 CIBB - Best Paper in Neurosciences - 2024
Universidade de Coimbra Centro de Inovação em Biomedicina e Biotecnologia, Portugal
2022 2022 Teaching Innovation Award
Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal

Banco Santander Portugal, Portugal
2022 Special Recognition - Science
World Cultural Council, Switzerland
2020 IBRO Early Career Award
International Brain Research Organization, France
2020 FENS-IBRO/PERC
Federation of European Neuroscience Societies, Belgium
2019 Prizer Prize
Pfizer Portugal, Portugal
2014 NARSAD Young Investigator Award
Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, United States

Title

2013 FCT Investigator
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal
2011 Autism Speaks Translational Fellow
Autism Speaks, United States