I am originally from southern Brazil where I grew up and got my Ph.D. in Biochemistry.
After several years teaching biochemistry in public and private Universities in Brazil,
I came to University of Vermont to expend my horizons as a scientist in basic and
translational research. Seven years went by and I felt that it was time again “to
go back to school.” So, in fall 2008 I joined the Chemistry Department at SUNY Plattsburgh.
Here, I have the opportunity to exert the professional activities I am passionate
about: teaching, mentoring and research.
Other than academic activities, I like to travel and explore different cultures, foods
and nature, in particular secluded beaches. In the North Country, during the warm
season, I spend my time biking, hiking and working in my vegetable garden. More recently,
I discovered the wonderful world of home brewing beer! So, I set up a “biochemistry
lab” in my kitchen where I develop many experiments in home brewing beer. Other hobbies
include music, reading non-fiction books, and watching sports — especially soccer.
My research involves the study of oxidants such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and
reactive nitrogen species (RNS) either endogenously formed in the cells or produced
via chemical reactions in our environment. Because their chemical instability, oxidants
can promptly react with biomolecules. I have particular interest in investigating
oxidants and its implications on biochemical events, such as changes in protein structure
and function. Despite scientific advances, the exact molecular and biochemical events
involved in modifications in proteins caused by NO and its derivates remain unclear.
One of the big challenges in this field is to specifically identify the chemical modification
and the potential target proteins. Therefore, the careful determination of these chemical
modifications can lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms of protein function
and the consequences for the biological systems. Currently, I have two major ongoing
projects: “Role of oxidants in Alzheimer Disease” and “Chemical Modification of the
Estrogen Receptor caused by nitric oxide.” This last one is in collaboration with
Dr. Linda Luck also in the Chemistry Department.
Janssen-Heininger, Y. M., Poynter, M. E. Aesif, S. W.; Pantano, C., Ather, J. L. Reynaert,
N. L., Ckless, K., Anathy, V., van der Velden, J., Irvin, C.G., & van der Vliet, A. (2009). Nuclear
factor kB, airway epithelium, and asthma: Avenues for redox control. Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society, 6(3), 249-255.
Aesif, S. W., Anathy, V., Havermans, M., Guala, A. S., Ckless, K., Taatjes, D. J. & Janssen-Heininger, Y. M. (2009). In situ analysis of protein S-Glutathionylation
in lung tissue using Glutaredoxin-1 catalyzed Cysteine Derivatization. American Journal of Patholology, 175(1), 36–45.
Alcorn, J. F., Ckless, K.,, Brown, A. L., Guala, A. S., Kolls, J. K., Poynter, M. E., Irvin, C. G., van der
Vliet, A., & Janssen-Heininger, Y. M. (2009). Strain-dependent activation of NF-{kappa}B
in the airway epithelium and its role in allergic airway inflammation. American Journal of Physiology: Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology (Epub ahead of print).
Godoy, L. C., Moretti, A. I., Jurado, M. C., Oxer, D., Janiszewski, M., Ckless, K., Laurindo, F.R., & Souza, H.P. (2009). Loss of CD40 endogenous S-Nitrosylation during
inflammatory response in endotoxemic mice and septic patients. Shock (Epub ahead of print).
Ckless, K., Lampert, A., Reiss, J., Kasahara, D., Poynter, M. E., Irvin, C. G., Lundblad, L.
K., Norton, R., van der Vliet, A., & Janssen-Heininger, Y. M. (2008). Inhibition of
arginase activity enhances inflammation in mice with allergic airway disease, in association
with increases in protein S-nitrosylation and tyrosine nitration. Journal of Immunology, 181(6), 4255-64.
Ckless, K., van der Vliet, A., & Janssen-Heininger Y. (2007). Oxidative-nitrosative stress and
post-translational protein modifications: implications to lung structure-function
relations. Arginase modulates NF-κB activity via a nitric oxide dependent mechanism.
Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol., 36(6), 645-653.
Nardi, G. M., Siqueria-Junior, J. M., Delle Monache, F., Pizzolatti, M. G., Ckless, K., & Ribeiro-do-Valle, R. M. (2007). Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of products
from Croton celtidifolius Bailon on carrageenan-induced pleurisy in rats. Phytomedicine, 14(2-3), 115-122.
Reynaert, N. L., Ckless, K., Guala, A., Wouters, E. F., van der Vliet, A., & Janssen-Heininger Y, (2006). In situ
detection of S-glutathionylated proteins following glutaredoxin-1 catalyzed cysteine
derivatization. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1760(3), 380-387.
Reynaert, N. L., Ckless, K., Wouters, E. F., van der Vliet, A., & Janssen-Heininger, Y. M. (2005). Nitric oxide
and redox signaling in allergic airway inflammation. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 7(1-2), 129-43.
Janssen-Heininger, Y. M., Ckless, K., Reynaert, N. L., and van der Vliet A. (2005). SOD inactivation in asthma: bad or
NO news? American Journal of Pathology, 166(3), 649-652.
Schuldt, E. Z., Bet, A. C., Hort, M. A., Ianssen, C., Maraschin, M., Ckless, K., & Ribeiro-do-Valle, R. M. (2005). An ethyl acetate fraction obtained from a Southern
Brazilian red wine relaxes rat mesenteric arterial bed through hyperpolarization and
NO-cGMP pathway. Vascular Pharmacology, 43(1):62-68.
Franke S. I. R., Ckless, K., Silveira, J. D., Rubensam, G., Brendel, M., Erdtman, B., & Henriques, J. A. P. (2004).
Study of antioxidant and mutagenic activity of different orange juices. Food Chemistry, 88, 45-55.
Reynaert, N. L., Ckless, K., Korn, S. H., Vos, N., Guala, A. S., Wouters, E. F., van der Vliet, A., & Janssen-Heininger,
Y.M. (2004). Nitric oxide represses inhibitory kappaB kinase through S-nitrosylation.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 101(24), 8945-8950.
Schuldt, E. Z., Farias, M. R., Ribeiro-do-Valle, R. M., & Ckless, K. (2004). Comparative study of radical scavenger activities of crude extract and fractions
from Cuphea carthagenensis leaves. Phytomedicine, 11(6), 523-529.
Ckless, K., Reynaert, N. L., Taatjes, D. J., Lounsbury, K.M., van der Vliet, A., & Janssen-Heininger,
Y. M. (2004). In situ detection and visualization of s-nitrosylated proteins following
chemical derivatization: Identification of Ran GTPase as a target for s-nitrosylation.
Nitric Oxide, 11(3), 216-227.
Nardi, G. M., Felippi, R., DAlBo, S., Siqueria-Junior, J. M., Arruda, D. C., Delle
Monache, F., Timbola, A. K., Pizzolatti, M. G., Ckless, K., & Ribeiro-do-Valle, R. M. (2003). Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Croton
celtidifolius bark. Phytomedicine, 10(2-3), 176-184.
Picada, J. N., Maris, A. F., Ckless, K., Salvador, M., Khromov-Borisov, N. N., & Henriques, J. A. (2003). Differential mutagenic,
antimutagenic and cytotoxic responses induced by apomorphine and its oxidation product,
8-oxo-apomorphine-semiquinone, in bacteria and yeast. Mutation Research, 539(1-2), 29-41.
Persinger, R. L., Poynter, M. E., Ckless, K., & Janssen-Heininger, Y. M. (2002). Molecular mechanisms of nitrogen dioxide induced
epithelial injury in the lung. Molecular Cell Biochemistry, 234-235(1-2), 71-80.
Janssen-Heininger, Y. M., Persinger, R. L., Korn, S. H., Pantano, C., McElhinney,
B., Reynaert, N. L., Langen, R. L., Ckless, K., Shrivastava, P., & Poynter, M. E. (2002). Reactive nitrogen species and cell signaling:
implications for death or survival of lung epithelium. (Review) American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 166(12 Pt2), S9-S16.
Creczynski-Pasa, T. B., Bonetti, V. R., Beirith, A., Ckless, K., Konzen, M., Seifriz, I., Paula, M. S., Franco, C. V., Wlhelm Filho, D., & Calixto,
J. B. (2001). Complexes trans-[RuCl(2)(nic)(4)] and trans-[RuCl(2)(i-nic)(4)] as free
radical scavengers. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 86(2-3), 587-594.
Galato, D., Ckless, K., Giacomelli, C., Susin, M. F., Ribeiro-do-Valle, R. M., & Spinelli, A. (2001). Antioxidant
capacity of phenolic and related compounds: correlation among electrochemical, visible
spectroscopy methods and structure-antioxidant activity. Redox Report, 6(4), 243-250.
