Joana Carvalho, PhD, managing science editor —

Joana holds a bachelor’s in biology, a Master of Science in evolutionary and developmental biology, and a PhD in biomedical sciences from Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal. Her work has been focused on the impact of non-canonical Wnt signaling in the collective behavior of endothelial cells — those that make up the lining of blood vessels — found in the umbilical cord of newborns. In addition to several research fellowships, she was awarded two Erasmus scholarships to conduct part of her studies in France.

Articles by Joana Carvalho

Routine Exams of Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients Should Include Cognitive Function Tests, Study Contends

Routine examinations of patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome should include cognitive function tests to assess the presence of impairments, a review study recommends. The study, “Cognitive Function in Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome: A Systematic Review,” was published in Brain Sciences. Sjögren’s syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized…

Sjögren’s Syndrome Patients Have High Risk of Cardiovascular Disease, Study Suggests

Patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (PSS) have stiffer arteries and more atherosclerotic plaques than control subjects without the disease, a study found. The findings suggest that PSS patients have a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. The study, “Association between primary Sjogren’s syndrome, arterial stiffness, and subclinical atherosclerosis: a systematic review…

Myeloid Cells Increase Inflammation, Worsen Sjögren’s Symptoms and Prognosis, Study Suggests

A type of immunosuppressive cells called myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), high levels of which were found in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome, seem to worsen the symptoms and prognosis of the disease, a study reports. While the results seem counterintuitive, researchers found that MDSCs act on other regulatory immune cells, reducing their number…