Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine

Jorge Malheiro, MD, PhD

Positions:

• Nephrologist, staff physician in the Nephrology Department of Centro Hospitalar do Porto
• Member of Gabinete Coordenador de Investigação, Departamento de Ensino, Formação e Investigação, Centro Hospitalar do Porto
• Assistant Professor, Integrated Master in Medicine, ICBAS-UP

Research interests:

• Transplant Immunobiology

• Highly-sensitized patients transplantability

• HLA-incompatible kidney transplantation

• Post-transplant allosensitization mechanisms

• Antibody-mediated rejection: diagnosis and treatment

• Transcriptomics of kidney graft biopsies

• Long-term allograft survival improvement

Research area keywords:

Selected publications:

1. Malheiro J, Tafulo S, Dias L, Martins LS, Fonseca I, Beirao I, et al. Analysis of preformed donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies characteristics for prediction of antibody-mediated rejection in kidney transplantation. Transpl Immunol. 2015;32(2):66-71. doi: 10.1016/j.trim.2015.01.002

2. Malheiro J, Tafulo S, Dias L, Martins S, Fonseca I, Beirao I, et al. Determining donor-specific antibody C1q-binding ability improves the prediction of antibody-mediated rejection in human leucocyte antigen-incompatible kidney transplantation. Transpl Int. 2017;30(4):347-59. doi:10.1111/tri.12873

3. Malheiro J, Martins LS, Tafulo S, Dias L, Fonseca I, Beirao I, et al. Impact of de novo donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies on grafts outcomes in simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation. Transpl Int. 2016;29(2):173-83. doi: 10.1111/tri.12687

4. Malheiro J, Santos S, Tafulo S, Dias L, Martins S, Fonseca I, et al. Detection of Complement-Binding Donor-Specific Antibodies, not IgG-Antibody Strength nor C4d Status, at Antibody-Mediated Rejection Diagnosis is an Independent Predictor of Kidney Graft Failure. Transplantation. 2018. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000002265

5. Malheiro J, Santos S, Tafulo S, Dias L, Martins S, Fonseca I, et al. Correlations between donor-specific antibodies and non-adherence with chronic active antibody-mediated rejection phenotypes and their impact on kidney graft survival. Hum Immunol. 2018;79(6):413-23. doi:10.1016/j.humimm.2018.03.004

Prizes, honors, awards:

- Best revision article 2014
Malheiro, J.; Santos, J. Uso de equações para estimar o débito do filtrado glomerular nos idosos. Portuguese Journal of Nephrology & Hypertension 2014, 28, 22-30. Given by the Portuguese Journal of Nephrology and Hypertension.

- Prémio Ana Maria Correia 2015
Malheiro, J.; Martins, L.S.; Tafulo, S.; Dias, L.; Fonseca, I.; Beirão, I.; Castro‐Henriques, A.; Cabrita, A. Impact of de novo donor‐specific anti‐HLA antibodies on grafts outcomes in simultaneous pancreas–kidney transplantation. Transplant International 2016, 29, 173-183
Given by Sociedade Portuguesa de Transplantação.

- Best oral communication – Nephrology
Impact of de novo donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies in kidney graft failure: a case-control analysis
Malheiro J, Tafulo S, Dias L, Martins LS, Beirão I, Henriques AC
Oral presentation in UMIB SUMMIT 2015. Given by the meeting scientific committee.
Porto, September 2015.

- Best abstract in the field of transplantation

Transplante renal em doentes hipersensibilizados: definição da população-alvo e análise comparativa dos custos associados a um protocolo de dessensibilização
Malheiro J, Dias L, Tafulo S, Martins LS, Beirão I, Henriques AC, Cabrita A
Oral presentation in Encontro renal 2016. Given by the meeting scientific committee.
Vilamoura, April 2016.

- Absolute best abstracts
Improving the prediction of early antibody mediated rejection in HLA-incompatible kidney transplantation
Malheiro J, Ana Castro, Tafulo S, Dias L, Martins LS, Beirão I, Henriques AC
Oral presentation in EDTA 2016. Given by the meeting scientific committee to the best 8 abstracts
submitted.
Vienna, Austria. May 2016.

- Prémio Sollari Allegro 2016 – 2 nd prize
Malheiro, J.; Tafulo, S.; Dias, L.; Martins, L.S.; Fonseca, I.; Beirão, I.; Castro-Henriques, A.; Cabrita, A. Analysis of preformed donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies characteristics for prediction of antibody-mediated rejection in kidney transplantation. Transplant immunology 2015, 32, 66-71
Given by the Awards and Grants Committee of Centro Hospitalar do Porto.

- Best abstract in the field of transplantation
Deleterious effect of anti-angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) on kidney graft outcomes is both proper and synergistical
Malheiro J, Tafulo S, Dias L, Martins LS, Fonseca I, Almeida M, Pedroso S, Henriques AC, Cabrita A
Oral presentation in Encontro renal 2017. Given by the meeting scientific committee. Vilamoura, April 2017.

- Young Investigator Award
Early antibody-mediated rejection C4d status remains a marker of prognosis in HLA-incompatible
kidney transplantation

Malheiro J, Castro A, Tafulo S, Dias L, Martins LS, Fonseca I, Almeida M, Pedroso S, Henriques AC
Oral presentation in ESOT 2017. Given by the meeting scientific committee. Barcelona, Spain. September 2017.

Ongoing projects

Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) epitope matching in kidney transplantation – PhD Research Project in Biomedical Sciences - Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto. PI: Sandra Tafulo. Co-investigator: Jorge Malheiro

Concluded projects:

Characterization of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies detected before kidney transplantation and their impact on kidney graft outcomes – PhD Research Project in Medical Sciences - Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto. PI: Jorge Malheiro.

• Tiago Lemos – “Genetics of IgA nephropathy”, Thesis of the Integrated Master in Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto; September2012.
• Élia Cipriano– “The role of proteinuria in chronic kidney disease: pathophysiological mechanisms and therapeutical approach”, Thesis of the Integrated Master in Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto; July 2014.
• Isabel Silva– “The importance of complement in ischemic acute kidney injury”, Thesis of
  the Integrated Master in Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar,
  University of Porto; July 2017.