Carla Rocha dos Santos

Organized and motivated professional with strong time management and organizational skills. Proven ability to excel in fast-paced environments and adapt to changing circumstances. Consistently recognized for high-quality work and efficiency. Seeking entry-level opportunities to contribute to company success while further developing skills.

• 2014-2018, Predoctoral fellowship, Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) - Brazil
• 2017-2018, International Predoctoral Scholarship, Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (PDSE/CAPES) - Brazil
• 2011-2013, Graduate Scholarship, São Paulo Research Foundation Grant/Award number FAPESP 11/51410-9

• 2024-present, Member Organizing Committee Baltimore Brain Series
• 2023-present, National Institute on Aging (NIA) Intramural Research Program (IRP) Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC)
• 2025, Poster Judge at 21st Annual Graduate Student Research Symposium, NIH
• 2016-2018, Ethical Committee for Research with Animals, Physical Education and Sports – University of São Paulo
• 2024, Poster Judge National Institute on Aging Retreat
• 2022, Poster Judge Research appreciation day school of biomedical sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center
• 2022, Poster Judge Postbac Virtual Poster days, National Institute on Aging
• 2017, Brazilian Cardiovascular Symposium Organizing Committee Member
• 2015, Abstract Judge at Congress to Biology students

• 2025, Photobiomodulation therapy impacts brain-neuronal activity and heart rhythm in an Alzheimer’s disease model., NIA Intramural Research Program Scientific Retreat
• 2024, Therapeutical effects on early vascular aging in animal model., Laboratory of Cardiovascular Sciences-NIA
• 2024, Prevention of early vascular aging by senolytics slows down dementia development., Women in Science Awards Ceremony
• 2024, Senolytic Reversal of Vascular Aging in Rats is Associated with the Improvement of Cognitive Function., NIA Intramural Research Program Scientific Retreat
• 2023, Programmed death-ligand (PD-L1) blockade in wound healing process in brain pericytes in a mouse Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) model., Intramural Research Program Scientific Retreat Postdoctoral Funding Award Presentation
• 2016, Aerobic training abrogate the age-depend on loss of oxytocinergic (OTergic) neurons., Brazilian Cardiovascular Symposium
• 2015, Aerobic training (T) prevents the loss of oxytocinergic (OTergic) neurons induced by aging., Brazilian Cardiovascular Symposium
• 2015, Exercise training (T) abrogates age-related loss of pre-autonomic oxytocinergic (OTergic) neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN)., International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience
• 2014, Aerobic training and sino-aortic denervation modify the expression of dopamine beta-hydroxylase in autonomic areas of normotensive rats., Forum for physical exercise research and cardiovascular rehabilitation

• 2025, Quercetin Alleviates Age-Related Cardiovascular Decline and Links Cardiac Remodeling to Cognitive Performance in Dahl Salt-sensitive Female Rats., Alzheimer's & Dementia 2025
• 2024, Reduction of central arterial stiffness by senolytic quercetin improves age-associated decline in cognitive function in a Dahl salt-sensitive rat model of early vascular aging., Alzheimer's & Dementia 2024
• 2023, Early vascular aging in chronic kidney disease model is associated with cognitive dysfunction in aged male and female Sprague-Dawley rats., Neuroscience Conference
• 2023, Effect of Photobiological Modulation Therapy on Cognitive Impairment, Cardiovascular Structure and Cortex Gene Expression in an APP/PS1 Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease., Neuroscience Conference
• 2023, Chronic kidney disease is associated with cognitive dysfunction and cardiovascular remodeling in aged male and female Sprague-Dawley rats., Alzheimer's & Dementia, 19(S13)
• 2022, Treatment with losartan, an AT1 receptor blocker, improves cognitive and cardiovascular function in a Dahl salt-sensitive rat model of age-associated vascular dementia., Alzheimer's & Dementia, 18(S3)
• 2022, Beneficial effects of AT1 antagonist treatment, losartan, on cardiovascular and cognitive function on aged male Dahl salt sensitive rats., Experimental Biology
• 2022, Losartan, angiotensin ii type 1 receptor blocker, reduced aortic stiffness and improved cognitive function in dahl-s rat model of age-associated vascular dementia., European Society of Hypertension
• 2017, Differential effects of ageing and exercise training (T) on supramedullary oxytocinergic (OTergic) circuitry driven cardiovascular control., World Congress on Neurohypophysial Hormones
• 2016, Aerobic training prevents age-dependent loss of pre-autonomic oxytocinergic neurons., Scientific Meeting of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics
• 2014, Differential effects of ageing and training (T) on pre-autonomic neurons within the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN)., Neuroscience Conference
• 2014, Exercise augments but sinoaortic denervation blocks noradrenergic signaling to PVN in trained normotensive rats., Experimental Biology
• 2013, Sequential changes on brain autonomic circuitry during low-intensity aerobic training., Annual Congress of the Brazilian Society of Physiology
• 2012, Aerobic training and sino-aortic denervation modify the expression of dopamine beta-hydroxylase in autonomic areas of normotensive rats., Annual Congress of the Brazilian Society of Physiology

• 2025, Quercetin Alleviates Age-Related Cardiovascular Decline and Links Cardiac Remodeling to Cognitive Performance in Dahl Salt-sensitive Female Rats., Alzheimer's & Dementia 2025
• 2024, Photobiomodulation Therapy Increases Brain Cortex Neuroprotective Gene Expression and Improves Motor Function in an APP/PS1 Male Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease., Alzheimer's & Dementia
• 2023, Cognitive performance is associated with cardiovascular and renal remodeling in young female rats with chronic kidney disease., Alzheimer's & Dementia, 19(S13)
• 2023, Effect of photobiological modulation therapy on cognitive impairment and cardiovascular structure in an APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer’s Disease., Alzheimer's & Dementia, 19(S13)
• 2022, Effects of Na/K-ATPase Inhibitor Marinobufagenin on Gene Expression and Cognition in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease., Alzheimer's & Dementia, 19(S1)
• 2022, Cognitive impairment is associated with increased central arterial stiffness in an animal model of chronic kidney disease., Alzheimer's & Dementia, Volume 18, Issue S3
• 2022, Bioactive Steroid Marinobufagenin in a Mouse Model of Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease., Experimental Biology

• Ovarian Hormone Deprivation Reduces Oxytocin Expression in Paraventricular Nucleus Preautonomic Neurons and Correlates with Baroreflex Impairment in Rats., De Melo, V.U.; Saldanha, R.R.M.; Dos Santos, C.R.; De Campos Cruz, J.; Lira, V.A.; Santana-Filho, V.J.; Michelini, L.C., Frontiers in Physiology, 10/13/16, 10.3389/fphys.2016.00461, 27790154, PMC5063006
• Exercise training preserves vagal preganglionic neurones and restores parasympathetic tonus in heart failure., Ichige, M. H. A.; Santos, C. R.; Jordao, C. P.; Ceroni, A.; Negrao, C.E.; Michelini, L.C., The Journal of Physiology, 11/01/16, 10.1113/JP272730, 27444212, PMC5088253
• Exercise training abrogates age-dependent loss of hypothalamic oxytocinergic circuitry and maintains high parasympathetic activity., Santos, C. R; Ruggeri, A; Ceroni, A. Michelini L. C., Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 04/14/18, 101111/jne.12601, 29656427
• Activity-Dependent Neuroplastic Changes in Autonomic Circuitry Modulating Cardiovascular Control: The Essential Role of Baroreceptors and Chemoreceptors Signaling., Rocha-Santos, C; Braga, D.C; Ceroni, A.; Michelini L.C., Frontiers in Physiology, 04/09/20, 10.3389/fphys..00309, 32328002, PMC7160511
• Activation of Oxytocin Neurons Improves Cardiac Function in a Pressure-Overload Model of Heart Failure., Dyavanapalli, J; Rodriguez, J; Santos, C.R.; Escobar, Jb.; Dwyer, Mk; Schloen, J; Lee, Km; Wolaver, W; Wang, X; Dergacheva, O; Michelini, Lc.; Schunke, Kj.; Spurney, Cf.; Kay, Mw.; Mendelowitz, D., JACC: Basic to Translational Science, 05/25/20, 10.1016/j.jacbts.2020.03.007, 32478209, PMC7251188
• Transcytosis within PVN capillaries – a mechanism determining both hypertension-induced blood-brain barrier dysfunction and exercise-induced correction., Fragas, M.G.; Candido, V.B.; Davanzo, G.G.; Rocha-Santos, C.; Ceroni, A.; Michelini, L.C., Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 09/22/21, 10.1152/ajpregu.00154, 34549626
• Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics map senescent vascular cells in arterial remodeling during atherosclerosis in mice., Mazan-Mamczarz, K.; Tsitsipatis, D.; Childs, B.G.; Carr, A.E.; Rocha Dos Santos, C.; Anerillas, C.; Romero, B.; Gregg, J.M.; Henry-Smith, C.; Okereke, A.N.; Michel, M.; Munk, R.; Martindale, J.L.; Piao, Y.; Fan, J.; Hernandez, M.O.; Kedei, N.; Wong, M.; Viacheslavov, M.L.; Wong, M.M.F.; Fedorova, O.; Batish, M.; De, S.; Baker, D.; Gorospe, M.; Herman, A., Nature Aging, 07/2025, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-025-00889-z
• Chronic kidney disease and cardiac remodeling potentiate cognitive impairment progression: disentangling the sex-specific cross talk of kidney-heart-brain axis., Pillai, S.S.; Morrell, C.H.; Rocha Dos Santos, C.; Lakhani, H.V.; De Souza Goncalves, B.; Pereira, D.G.; Thakur, A.; Thompson, E.; Wei, W.; Nayyar, A.; Khitan, Z.J.; Shapiro, J.I.; Lakatta,L.G.; Sodhi, K.; Fedorova, O.V., Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 11/24/25, 10.1152/ajpheart.00617.2025, 41285406

• 2025, Translational Science Training Program
• 2024, Scientists Teaching Science 9-week Pedagogy Course, OITE NIH
• 2024, Developing Interpersonal Skills, 4 hours
• 2024, Mitochondria and the Brain Workshop, NIA IRP, 1 day
• 2024, Virtual Workshop on Cellular Senescence, Quiescence, and Cell Death in Aging and Longevity, 1 day
• 2024, Blood-Brain Barrier Transport in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease, 2 days
• 2021, Grant writing workshop, 6 weeks

• 2024, Women in Science – Excellence in Research Awards Postdoctoral at NIA, National Institute on Aging, Choose by Women Scientists Advisors (WSA)
• 2023, Postdoctoral funding opportunity Award – Research funding, National Institute on Aging, Proposal entitled “Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade in wound healing process in brain pericytes in a mouse Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) model” for the Postdoctoral Funding Opportunity.
• 2022, Scholarship Butler – Williams Scholar Program, National Institute on Aging, Awarded based on academic merit and promise in research.

• Post-baccalaureate mentee, Mackenzie Barnett, Physical Assistant student – North Carolina, 06/01/23, 05/01/24
• Summer Students, 05/01/23, 08/01/23
• Post-baccalaureate mentee, Mahdi Hagkar, PA Temple University School of medicine, 09/01/21, 05/01/23
• Post-baccalaureate mentee, Shanaya Fox, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, 05/01/21, 07/01/22
• Pre-baccalaureate, Financial Support – Institutional Program of Scientific Initiation - Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel, 03/01/17, 02/01/18