Overview
Background
Researching venom peptides and ion channel pharmacology to develop next-generation therapeutics for neurological disorders
Dr Fernanda Cardoso is a Brazil-born Australian dual-citizen researcher interested in venom peptide-based biodiscovery and therapeutics development. Cardoso was awarded an MSc in Molecular Pharmacology and a PhD with an emphasis in Biochemistry and Immunology and is part of the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, where she develops novel therapies for complex neurological diseases. Cardoso has interdisciplinary training in the fields of neuropharmacology, medicinal chemistry and chemical biology and a strong background in drug discovery, which provides the skills to identify naturally occurring or synthetic bioactive molecules and to study their effects in human physiology with applications in neurologic disorders such as chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and motor neuron disease (MND). Please see Dr Cardoso’s Grants and Publications list for more details.
Before joining the University of Queensland, Dr Cardoso was part of the Queensland Institute for Medical Research, holding a prestigious CAPES Postdoctoral Fellowship. During this period, Cardoso developed unique high-throughput screen platforms for discovering protein and peptide targets of novel therapies to combat infectious diseases and novel helminth-derived bioactives with anti-inflammatory properties. Please see Dr Cardoso’s Publications list for more details.
Dr Cardoso is currently part of the Centre for Drug Discovery and manages several industry and academic projects studying ion channel modulators derived from natural repertoires, particularly venoms, and developing novel, effective drugs to treat neurological disorders.
Availability
- Dr Fernanda Cardoso is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)
- Masters (Research) of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)
- Doctor of Philosophy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)
Research interests
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Venom Peptides
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Ion Channels
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Neuropharmacology
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Pain
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Neurodegeneration
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Biophysics
Research impacts
Dr. Fernanda Cardoso's research has provided remarkable insights into the discovery and biology of new agents for therapeutical use in complex disorders such as chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome and motor neuron disease, and vaccinology against tropical diseases. Her ongoing research in ion channel modulators has provided unique leads for treating neuropathic pain and neurodegenerative disorders, which could improve the lives of millions of individuals around the globe, and her past discoveries in vaccine research have the potential to improve the lives of millions of people in Africa, Asia and South America through a vaccine against schistosomiasis.
Works
Search Professor Fernanda Cardoso’s works on UQ eSpace
2015
Journal Article
Antibody signatures reflect different disease pathologies in schistosomiasis japonica
Driguez, Patrick, Li, Yuesheng, Gaze, Soraya, Pearson, Mark S., Nakajima, Rie, Trieu, Angela, Doolan, Denise L., Felgner, Philip L., Hou, Xunya, Cardoso, Fernanda C., Jasinskas, Algis, Gobert, Geoffrey, Loukas, Alexander C. and McManus, Donald P. (2015). Antibody signatures reflect different disease pathologies in schistosomiasis japonica. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 213 (1), 122-130. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiv356
2015
Journal Article
Specific humoral response of hosts with variable schistosomiasis susceptibility
Driguez, Patrick, McWilliam, Hamish E. G., Gaze, Soraya, Piedrafita, David, Pearson, Mark S., Nakajima, Rie, Duke, Mary, Trieu, Angela, Doolan, Denise L., Cardoso, Fernanda C., Jasinskas, Algis, Gobert, Geoffrey N., Felgner, Philip L., Loukas, Alex, Meeusen, Els and McManus, Donald P. (2015). Specific humoral response of hosts with variable schistosomiasis susceptibility. Immunology and Cell Biology, 94 (1), 52-65. doi: 10.1038/icb.2015.61
2015
Book Chapter
Does nature do ion channel drug discovery better than us?
Lewis, Richard J., Vetter, Irina, Cardoso, Fernanda C., Inserra, Marco and King, Glenn (2015). Does nature do ion channel drug discovery better than us?. Ion channel drug discovery. (pp. 297-313) edited by Brian Cox and Martin Gosling. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Royal Society of Chemistry. doi: 10.1039/9781849735087-00297
2015
Conference Publication
Rational development of novel analgesics for the treatment of chronic pain: Structure-Function studies of an engineered Nav1.7 blocker
Rahnama, S., Lachlan, R., Cardoso, F. C., Smith, J., Deuis, J., Vetter, I., King, G. F. and Mobli, M. (2015). Rational development of novel analgesics for the treatment of chronic pain: Structure-Function studies of an engineered Nav1.7 blocker. The 40th Lorne Conference on Protein Structure and Function, Lorne VIC, Australia, 8-12 February 2015.
2015
Conference Publication
Harnessing animal venoms in the discovery of potent Nav inhibitors through fluorescent and automated patch clamp assays
Cardoso, Fernanda Caldas , Herzig, Volker , King, Glenn F. and Lewis, Richard J. (2015). Harnessing animal venoms in the discovery of potent Nav inhibitors through fluorescent and automated patch clamp assays. 18th World Congress of the International Society on Toxinology, Oxford UK, 25-30 September 2015.
2014
Journal Article
A multivalent chimeric vaccine composed of Schistosoma mansoni SmTSP-2 and Sm29 was able to induce protection against infection in mice
Pinheiro, Carina S., Ribeiro, Ana Paula Dias, Cardoso, Fernanda C., Martins, Vicente P., Figueiredo, Barbara C. P., Assis, Natan R. G., Morais, Suellen B., Caliari, Marcelo V., Loukas, Alex and Oliveira, Sergio C. (2014). A multivalent chimeric vaccine composed of Schistosoma mansoni SmTSP-2 and Sm29 was able to induce protection against infection in mice. Parasite Immunology, Accepted Article (7), 1-23. doi: 10.1111/pim.12118
2014
Journal Article
An immunomics approach to schistosome antigen discovery: antibody signatures of naturally resistant and chronically infected individuals from endemic areas
Gaze, Soraya, Driguez, Patrick, Pearson, Mark S., Mendes, Tiago, Doolan, Denise L., Trieu, Angela, McManus, Donald P., Gobert, Geoffrey N., Periago, Maria Victoria, Correa Oliveira, Rodrigo, Cardoso, Fernanda C., Oliveira, Guilherme, Nakajima, Rie, Jasinskas, Al, Hung, Chris, Liang, Li, Pablo, Jozelyn, Bethony, Jeffrey M., Felgner, Philip L. and Loukas, Alex (2014). An immunomics approach to schistosome antigen discovery: antibody signatures of naturally resistant and chronically infected individuals from endemic areas. PLoS Pathogens, 10 (3) e1004033, e1004033.1-e1004033.16. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004033
2014
Conference Publication
Optimizing the potency and selectivity of a spider-venom peptide that inhibitis the analgesic target Nav1.7.
Erickson, A., Cardoso, F. C., Lewis, R. J. and King, G. F. (2014). Optimizing the potency and selectivity of a spider-venom peptide that inhibitis the analgesic target Nav1.7.. Venom to Drugs Conference 2014, Kingscliffe, NSW, Australia, 19-23 October 2014.
2014
Conference Publication
Unique evolution of D-conotoxins for defence
Prashanth, J. R., Dutertre, S., Jean, A., Lavergne, V., Hamilton, B., Cardoso, F. C., Griffin, J., Venter, D. J., Alewood, P. F. and Lewis, R. J. (2014). Unique evolution of D-conotoxins for defence. Venom to Drugs Conference 2014, Kingscliffe, NSW, Australia, 19-23 August 2014.
2014
Conference Publication
Discovery of voltage-gated sodium channel inhibitors from tarantula venoms
Cardoso, F. C., Dekan, Z., Anangi, R., Rosengren, K. J., Erickson, A., Vetter, I., Herzig, V., Alewood, P., King, G. F. and Lewis, R. J. (2014). Discovery of voltage-gated sodium channel inhibitors from tarantula venoms. Venom to Drugs Conference 2014, Kingscliffe, NSW, Australia, 19-23 October 2014.
2013
Conference Publication
Discovery of novel spider peptides blocking hNav1.7
Cardoso, F. C., Herzig, V., Hauke, T., Lewis, R. J. and King, G. F. (2013). Discovery of novel spider peptides blocking hNav1.7. 3rd Annual Conference of the Toxinological Society of India and 1st International Conference on “Biology of Natural Toxins”, Goa, India, 19-21 December, 2013.
2013
Conference Publication
The injected venom of vermivorous cone snails
Prashanth, J. R., Dutertre, S., Lavergne, V., Hamilton, B., Cardoso, F. C., Venter, D. J., Alewood, P. F. and Lewis, R. J. (2013). The injected venom of vermivorous cone snails. 10th Australian Peptides Conference, Penang, Malaysia, 8-13 September 2013.
2013
Conference Publication
Harnessing high-throughput screening strategies for identification of selective hNav1.7 blockers for the treatment of chronic pain
Cardoso, F. C., Herzig, V., Hauke, T., King, G. F. and Lewis, R. J. (2013). Harnessing high-throughput screening strategies for identification of selective hNav1.7 blockers for the treatment of chronic pain. CASB Division Symposium 2013, Brisbane Australia, 7 November, 2013.
2011
Journal Article
Evaluation of approaches to identify the targets of cellular immunity on a proteome-wide scale
Cardoso, Fernanda C., Roddick, Joanne S., Groves, Penny and Doolan, Denise L. (2011). Evaluation of approaches to identify the targets of cellular immunity on a proteome-wide scale. Plos One, 6 (11) e27666, e27666.1-e27666.14. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027666
2011
Journal Article
Protein classification with extended-sequence coding by sliding window
Rodrigues, Thiago de Souza, Cardoso, Fernanda Caldas, Ribeiro Teixeira, Santuza Maria, Oliveira, Sergio Costa and Braga, Antonio Padua (2011). Protein classification with extended-sequence coding by sliding window. IEEE/ACM Transactions on Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, 8 (6) 5765931, 1721-1726. doi: 10.1109/TCBB.2011.78
2010
Journal Article
Immunization with SmIg, a novel tegument protein from Schistosoma mansoni, fails to induce protection in mice but reduces liver pathology
Pinho, J. M. R., Cardoso, F. C., Lopes, D. O., Pinheiro, C. S., Caliari, M. V., Oliveira, F. M. S., Leite, L. C. and Oliveira, S. C. (2010). Immunization with SmIg, a novel tegument protein from Schistosoma mansoni, fails to induce protection in mice but reduces liver pathology. Parasitology, 137 (07), 1079-1088. doi: 10.1017/S0031182009991387
2010
Journal Article
Schistosoma mansoni antigens modulate the allergic response in a murine model of ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation
Cardoso, L. S., Oliveira, S. C., Góes, A. M., Oliveira, R. R., Pacífico, L. G., Marinho, F. V., Fonseca, C. T., Cardoso, F. C., Carvalho, E. M. and Araujo, M. I. (2010). Schistosoma mansoni antigens modulate the allergic response in a murine model of ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation. Clinical and Experimental Immunology, 160 (2), 266-274. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2009.04084.x
2010
Journal Article
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv1419 encodes a secreted 13 kDa lectin with immunological reactivity during human tuberculosis
Nogueira, Lucas, Cardoso, Fernanda C., Mattos, Ana M., Bordignon, Juliano, Figueiredo, Cláudia P., Dahlstrom, Pedro, Frota, Cristiane C., Duarte dos Santos, Cláudia N., Chalhoub, Marcelo, Cavada, Benildo S., Teixeira, Henrique C., Oliveira, Sérgio C., Barral-Netto, Manoel and Báfica, André (2010). Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv1419 encodes a secreted 13 kDa lectin with immunological reactivity during human tuberculosis. European Journal of Immunology, 40 (3), 744-753. doi: 10.1002/eji.200939747
2010
Journal Article
Schistosoma mansoni Stomatin like protein-2 is located in the tegument and induces partial protection against challenge infection
Farias, Leonardo P., Cardoso, Fernanda C., Miyasato, Patricia A., Montoya, Bogar O., Tararam, Cibele A., Roffato, Henrique K., Kawano, Toshie, Gazzinelli, Andrea, Correa-Oliveira, Rodrigo, Coulson, Patricia S., Wilson, R. Alan, Oliveira, Sérgio C. and Leite, Luciana C. C. (2010). Schistosoma mansoni Stomatin like protein-2 is located in the tegument and induces partial protection against challenge infection. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 4 (2) e597, e597-1-e597-13. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000597
2010
Conference Publication
Proteome-wide screening of antigens targeted by cell mediated immune responses
Cardoso, F. C., Trieu, A., Groves, P. and Doolan, D. L. (2010). Proteome-wide screening of antigens targeted by cell mediated immune responses. 14th International Congress of Immunology, Kobe, Japan, 22-27 August 2010.
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Fernanda Cardoso is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose a supervisor.
Available projects
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We are seeking enthusiastic students to join our Lab! Please get in touch with us if you want to learn from our fantastic team at the Institute for Molecular Biosciences!
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Discovery and characterization of bio-active molecules from animal venoms
We have open positions for Research Students to develop projects in discovery, characterization and structure-function studies of bio-active compounds in animal venoms and other natural repertoires. Students will develop skills in high throughput cellular assays using fluorescence imaging assays, manual and automated whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology, high performance liquid chromatography, mass spectometry, recombinant expression, peptide synthesis, amongst other state-of-the-art methods and techiniques. Students will also co-author papers and be involved in writting and figures preparation for research publications from their work.
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Therapeutics development
We have open positions for Research Students to develop projects in therapies for treating Chronic Pain, Visceral Pain and Motor Neuron Disease. These novel therapies will be developed from bio-active compounds targeting voltage-gated sodium and/or calcium channels. Students will develop skills in manual and automated whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology, high performance liquid chromatography, mass spectometry, recombinant expression, peptide synthesis, amongst other state-of-the-art methods and techiniques. Students will also co-author papers and be involved in writting and figures preparation for research publications from their work.
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Other research projects in HDR
On-going
Isolation and characterisation of novel analgesic conotoxins - Tianjiao Zhao Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Completed
The unexplored pharmacopeia of Australian spiders: learning from the experts - Hayden Wirth (2022) Science Honours — Principal Advisor
Peptides targeting sodium channels to treat Motor Neuron Disease - Charan Kotapati (2022) Biomedical Sciences Honours — Principal Advisor
Structure-Function and Rational Design of a Newly Discovered Spider Venom Peptide Ssp1a at hNaV1.2, hNaV1.3 and hNaV1.7 Yashad Dongol (2020) Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Spider-venom peptides targeting ion channels in chronic pain pathways - Amatulla Shakir Nashikwala (2022) Master Coursework — Principal Advisor
In vitro assessment of human neuroblastoma cytotoxicity induced by snake venoms - Simon Kramer (2022) Summer Research project — Principal Advisor
Molecular pharmacology and peripheral analgesia of omega-conotoxins- Mahadhi Hasan (2021) Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Discovery and Characterisation of Venom Peptide and Small Molecule Modulators for T-type Calcium Channels - Dan Wang (2020) Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Molecular interactions between spider peptides and the sodium channel Nav1.1 - Huyiu Hu (2019) Masters Coursework — Principal Advisor
Structure-function relatioships of the multifunctional spider peptide Tap1a - Saja E Mawlawi (2019) Masters Coursework — Principal Advisor
Novel ion channels modulators from Australian tarantula venoms - Phil M Choin (2015) Summer Research Project — Associate Advisor
N-type calcium channels modulators from Australian tarantula venoms - Wan Nur Amalina (2015) Summer Research Project — Associate Advisor
Isolation and characterization of novel spider venom peptides antagonizing voltage-gated calcium channels - Ching Koon Lim (2014) Masters Coursework — Associate Advisor
Optimizing the potency and selectivity of a spider-venom peptide that inhibits the analgesic target Nav1.7 - Andelain Erickson (2014) Honours — Associated Advisor
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Selective modulation voltage gated sodium channels to investigate pathophysiology and treatment for motor neuron disease
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Glenn King
Completed supervision
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2025
Doctor Philosophy
Clinical implications and evolutionary insights of Latin American pit viper venom function
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Andrew Walker, Professor Bryan Fry
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Venom Components as Analgesics and Pharmacological Tools to Elucidate Mammalian Pain Signalling Pathways
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Markus Muttenthaler, Professor Glenn King
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
A Pharmacological and Transcriptomic approach to exploring Novel Pain Targets
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Peter Cabot, Professor Irina Vetter
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Fernanda Cardoso directly for media enquiries about:
- Analgesics
- Bio-active peptides
- Drug discovery
- Ion channels
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Motor Neuron Disease
- Neurodegeneration
- Neurological disorders
- Pain
- Snake
- Spider
- Toxins
- Venoms
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