Pharmacist and Ph.D. in Therapeutic Innovation, I bring a blend of academic excellence and industry-aligned expertise in nanotechnology, pharmaceutical R&D, and quality systems. Currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Iowa State University, I develop and characterize advanced nanomaterials and drug delivery platforms applied to healthcare, agriculture, and food production.
With an MBA in Production Engineering and Quality Management, I combine technical rigor with operational insight—skilled in GMP and process optimization. My work bridges lab-scale research with real-world industrial application, especially in drug solubility, controlled release systems, and quality control.
EDUCATION
Pharmacist (Federal University of Pernambuco - UFPE), Masters and Ph.D. in Therapeutic Innovation (UFPE); MBA in Quality Management and Production Engineering.
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Pharmaceutical Science, Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Food Science, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
A Systematic Review of Functionalized Polymeric Nanoparticles to Improve Intestinal Permeability of Drugs and Biological Products Myla Lôbo de Souza, Victor de Albuquerque Wanderley Sales, Larissa Pereira Alves, Widson Michael dos Santos, Leslie Raphael de Moura Ferraz, et al. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2022 Background: The oral route is the most frequently used and the most convenient route of drug administration since it has several advantages, such as ease of use, patient compliance, and better costeffectiveness. However, physicochemical and biopharmaceutical limitations of various active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) hinder suitability for this route, including degradation in the gastrointestinal tract, low intestinal permeability, and low bioavailability. To overcome these problems, while maintaining therapeutic efficacy, polymeric nanoparticles have attracted considerable attention for their ability to increase drug solubility, promote the controlled release, and improve stability. In addition, the functionalization of nanocarriers can increase uptake and accumulation at the target site of action, and intestinal absorption, making it possible to obtain more viable, safe and efficient treatments for oral administration. Objective: This systematic review aimed to seek recent advances in the literature on the use of polymeric nanoparticles functionalization to increase intestinal permeability of APIs that are intended for oral administration. Method: Two bibliographic databases were consulted (PubMed and ScienceDirect). The selected publications and the writing of this systematic review were based on the guidelines mentioned in the PRISMA statement. Results: Out of a total of 3036 studies, 22 studies were included in this article based on our eligibility criteria. The results were consistent for the application of nanoparticle functionalization to increase intestinal permeability. Conclusion: The functionalized polymeric nanoparticles can be considered as carrier systems that improve the intestinal permeability and bioavailability of APIs, with the potential to result, in the future, in the development of oral medicines.
Enhanced Solubility of Albendazole in Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex: A Molecular Modeling Approach and Physicochemical Evaluation Camila Gomes de Melo, Lucas Amadeu Gonzaga da Costa, Marcelo Montenegro Rabello, Victor de Albuquerque Wanderley Sales, Aline Silva Ferreira, et al. Current Drug Delivery, 2022 Background: Albendazole (ABZ) is the drug of choice for the treatment of a variety of human and veterinary parasites. However, it has low aqueous solubility and low bioavailability. Cyclodextrins (CD) are pharmaceutical excipients with the ability to modulate the solubilization property of hydrophobic molecules. Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze through in vitro and in silico studies (Autodock Vina software and CycloMolder platform) the formation of inclusion complexes between ABZ, β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and its derivatives Methyl-β-cyclodextrin (M-β-CD) and Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD). Methods: The most stable inclusion complexes were produced by the kneading method and characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), determination of the ABZ content and in vitro dissolution profile. Results: Molecular modeling revealed that inclusion complexes between HP-β-CD:ABZ (in the proportion 1:1 and 2:1) presented the lowest formation energy and the highest number of intermolecular interactions, showing that the use of more cyclodextrins does not generate gains in the stability of the complex. On the characterization tests, the complexes experimentally obtained by the kneading method demonstrated highly suggestive parameters, including ABZ in HP-β-CD in both molar proportions, suppression of bands in the infrared spectrum, displacement of the drug's melting temperature in DSC, crystallinity halos instead of the characteristic peaks of ABZ crystals in the XRD and a release of more than 80% of ABZ in less than 5 minutes, dissolution efficiency of up to 92%. Conclusion: In silico studies provided a rational selection of the appropriate complexes of cyclodextrin, enabling the elaboration of more targeted complexes, decreasing time and costs for elaboration of new formulations, thereby increasing the oral biodisponibility of ABZ.
Beta-lapachone: Natural occurrence, physicochemical properties, biological activities, toxicity and synthesis Camila Luiz Gomes, Victor de Albuquerque Wanderley Sales, Camila Gomes de Melo, Rosali Maria Ferreira da Silva, Rodolfo Hideki Vicente Nishimura, et al. Phytochemistry, 2021 β-Lapachone is an ortho-naphthoquinone originally isolated from the heartwood of Handroanthus impetiginosus and can be obtained through synthesis from lapachol, naphthoquinones, and other aromatic compounds. β-Lapachone is well known to inhibit topoisomerase I and to induce NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1. Currently, phase II clinical trials are being conducted for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. In view of ever-increasing scientific interest in this naphthoquinone, herein, the authors present a review of the synthesis, physicochemical properties, biological activities, and toxicity of β-lapachone. This natural compound has shown activity against several types of malignant tumors, such as lung and pancreatic cancers and melanoma. Furthermore, this ortho-naphthoquinone has antifungal and antibacterial activities, underscoring its action against resistant microorganisms and providing anti-inflammatory, antiobesity, antioxidant, neuroprotective, nephroprotective, and wound-healing properties. β-Lapachone presents low toxicity, with no signs of toxicity against alveolar macrophages, dermal fibroblast cells, hepatocytes, or kidney cells.
A systematic review of the anti-inflammatory effects of gallium compounds Victor de Albuquerque Wanderley Sales, Taysa Renata Ribeiro Timóteo, Natália Millena da Silva, Camila Gomes de Melo, Aline Silva Ferreira, et al. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 2021 Background: Inflammation is an essential response provided by the immune system, ensuring the survival during microbial infection, tissue injury and other noxious conditions. However, prolonged inflammatory processes are often associated with severe side effects on health. Objective: This systematic review aimed to provide the evidence in the literature of the preclinical and human anti-inflammatory activity of gallium compounds from 2000 to 2019 focused on elucidating the mechanisms involved in the inflammatory process. Methods: Seven bibliographical databases were consulted (PubMed, Medline, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Springer, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost). The selection of appropriate publications and writing of this systematic review were based on the guidelines mentioned in the PRISMA statement. Moreover, the assessment of the methodological quality of the selected studies was also performed. Results: From a total of 3018 studies, 16 studies were included in this paper based on our eligibility criteria, which showed promising and consistent results. Conclusion: Further research concerning specific inflammatory conditions is required.
ZIF-8 as a promising drug delivery system for benznidazole: development, characterization, in vitro dialysis release and cytotoxicity Leslie Raphael de Moura Ferraz, Alinne Élida Gonçalves Alves Tabosa, Débora Dolores Souza da Silva Nascimento, Aline Silva Ferreira, Victor de Albuquerque Wanderley Sales, et al. Scientific Reports, 2020 Chagas disease (CD), caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is one of the major public health problems in developing countries. Benznidazole (BNZ) is the only drug available for CD treatment in most countries, however, it presents high toxicity and low bioavailability. To address these problems this study used Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8), which has garnered considerable attention due to its potential applications, enabling the controlled delivery of drugs. The present work developed and characterized a BNZ@ZIF-8 system, and the modulation of BNZ release from the ZIF-8 framework was evaluated through the in vitro dialysis release method under sink conditions at different pH values. Moreover, the in vitro evaluation of cell viability and cytotoxicity by MTT assay were also performed. The dissolution studies corroborated that a pH sensitive Drug Delivery System capable of vectorizing the release of BNZ was developed, may leading to the improvement in the bioavailability of BNZ. The MTT assay showed that no statistically significant toxic effects occurred in the developed system, nor significant effects on cell viability.
Lipid nanoparticles as a skin wound healing drug delivery system: Discoveries and advances Myla Lôbo de Souza, Widson Michael dos Santos, André Luiz Moreira Domingues de Sousa, Victor de Albuquerque Wanderley Sales, Fernanda Pontes Nóbrega, et al. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2020 Chronic wounds are a remarkable cause of morbidity, requiring long-time treatments with a significant impact on the quality of life and high costs for public health. Although there are a variety of topical skin preparations commercially available, they have several limitations that frequently impair wound healing, such as drug instability, toxicity, limited time of action and ineffective skin permeation. In recent years, researchers have focused on the development of new effective treatments for wound healing and shown frequent interest in nanometric drug delivery systems to overcome such obstacles. In dermatology, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have received great attention from researchers due to their great functionalities, greater adhesion to the skin and film formation, enabling the hydration and maintenance of skin integrity, as well as present a more effective penetration through the skin barrier. This review provides an update on topical formulations based on Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) and Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) as wound healing treatments. Both SLNs and NLCs are able to increase solubility and stability of active pharmaceutical ingredients and increase skin penetration compared to the free drugs. Additionally, SLNs and NLCs can increase pharmacological activity, increase the release profile of the drugs, promote synergistic effects and improve the sensory properties of the final formulation. Topical dosage forms containing nanoparticles have been extensively evaluated for wound healing activity, mainly the dressings, films and scaffolds. Therefore, lipid nanoparticles have contributed in improving wound healing therapies when incorporated into other dosage forms with better efficacy and lesser adverse effects than conventional formulations.
Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for oral treatment of leishmaniasis: Design and preclinical evaluation ML Souza, VAW Sales, SGS Sales, PAS Junior, VRA Pereira, ... COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS 694 , 2024 2024
Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for oral treatment of leishmaniasis: Design and preclinical evaluation ML de Souza, VAW Sales, SG dos Santos Sales, PAS Júnior, ... Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 694, 134140 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
Development and evaluation of the in vitro schistosomicidal activity of solid dispersions based on 2-(-5-bromo-1-H-indole-3-yl-methylene)-N-(naphthalene-1-ylhydrazine-carbothiamide TC de Luna Rocha, MJ dos Santos Lima, JLN do Nascimento, ... Experimental Parasitology 256, 108626 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
A systematic review of functionalized polymeric nanoparticles to improve intestinal permeability of drugs and biological products ML de Souza, V de Albuquerque Wanderley Sales, LP Alves, ... Current Pharmaceutical Design 28 (5), 410-426 , 2022 2022 Citations: 6
Drug associations as alternative and complementary therapy for neglected tropical diseases LR de Moura Ferraz, LRM Ferraz, LCPBB Silva, ML de Souza, LP Alves, ... 2022
Drug associations as alternative and complementary therapy for neglected tropical diseases LRM Ferraz, LCPBB Silva, ML de Souza, LP Alves, VAW Sales, ... Acta tropica 225, 106210 , 2022 2022 Citations: 26
Enhanced solubility of Albendazole in Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex: A Molecular Modeling Approach and Physicochemical Evaluation CG de Melo, LAC Gonzaga, MM Rabello, ... Current Drug Delivery 18, 1-8 , 2021 2021 Citations: 6
LIBIDIBIA FERREA EXTRACT AS A PROMISING ANTIDIABETIC AGENT: CHARACTERIZATION, PRE-CLINICAL ANALYSIS AND DEVELOPMENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL DOSAGE FORMS RMFS Maria Joanellys dos Santos Lima, Karolynne Rodrigues de Melo, Victor de ... Brazilian Journal of Development 7 (4), 43644-43666 , 2021 2021 Citations: 4
Obtainment of the spray-dried extracts of Peperomia pellucida L. (H.B.K.) using different atomization temperatures: physicochemical characterization and technological … DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 28 (1), 1-12 , 2021 2021 Citations: 6
A Systematic Review of the Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Gallium Compounds VAW Sales, TRR Timóteo, NM da Silva, CG de Melo, AS Ferreira, ... Current medicinal chemistry 28, 2062-2076 , 2021 2021 Citations: 32
Beta-lapachone: Natural occurrence, physicochemical properties, biological activities, toxicity and synthesis CL Gomes, V de Albuquerque Wanderley Sales, CG de Melo, ... Phytochemistry (Elsevier) 186 (2021), 112713-112721 , 2021 2021 Citations: 81
Lipid nanoparticles as a skin wound healing drug delivery system: discoveries and advances ML de Souza, WM dos Santos, ALMD de Sousa, ... Current Pharmaceutical Design 26 (36), 4536-4550 , 2020 2020 Citations: 61
ZIF-8 as a promising drug delivery system for benznidazole: development, characterization, in vitro dialysis release and cytotoxicity. LR de Moura Ferraz, AÉGA Tabosa, DDS da Silva Nascimento, ... Scientific Reports 10, 16815 , 2020 2020 Citations: 96
ZIF-8 as a Promising Drug Delivery System for Benznidazole: Development, Characterization DDS da Silva Nascimento, AS Ferreira, ... Vitro Dialysis Release and Cytotoxicity. Sci. Rep 10 (1), 16815 , 2020 2020 Citations: 8
DESENVOLVIMENTO DE COMPRIMIDOS À BASE DE COMPLEXO DE INCLUSÃO CONTENDO EFAVIRENZ Farmácia e promoção da saúde 4, 1-15 , 2020 2020
EFEITOS ANTICÂNCER DOS COMPOSTOS DE GÁLIO: UMA REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA SOBRE ESTUDOS IN VIVO VDAW Sales, TRR Timóteo, RP Portela, ML Souza, AF Silva, ... Comunicação Científica e Técnica em Medicina 1, 70-78 , 2020 2020
TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF OINTMENT BASED ON ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF LIBIDIBIA FERREA FOR ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY ETN FARIAS, TF SILVA, M SEF, MJS LIMA, GMS LIMA, KR MELO, ... Indo American Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 7, 689-699 , 2020 2020 Citations: 2
TECHNOLOGICAL STRATEGIES TO INCREASE SOLUBILITY OF ALBENDAZOLE: A REVIEW ABOUT INCLUSION COMPLEXES AND SOLID DISPERSIONS CG MELO, PCD SILVA, LAG COSTA, LJA DANDA, LCPBB SILVA, ... INDO AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES 7, 423-444 , 2020 2020
Formulation, development and scale-up of fixed-dose combination tablets containing zidovudine, lamivudine and nevirapine ZMM Lavra, FPM de Medeiros, RMF da Silva, TA Rosa, ... Current HIV Research 17 (5), 360-367 , 2019 2019 Citations: 5
Neuroprotective effect of extract of Anacardium occidentale Linn on a rotenone model of Parkinson's disease CFB Linard-Medeiros, VAW Sales, AC Ramos, A Sereniki, MTS Trevisan, ... International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research 6 (1), 123 , 2015 2015 Citations: 7
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
ZIF-8 as a promising drug delivery system for benznidazole: development, characterization, in vitro dialysis release and cytotoxicity. LR de Moura Ferraz, AÉGA Tabosa, DDS da Silva Nascimento, ... Scientific Reports 10, 16815 , 2020 2020 Citations: 96
Beta-lapachone: Natural occurrence, physicochemical properties, biological activities, toxicity and synthesis CL Gomes, V de Albuquerque Wanderley Sales, CG de Melo, ... Phytochemistry (Elsevier) 186 (2021), 112713-112721 , 2021 2021 Citations: 81
Lipid nanoparticles as a skin wound healing drug delivery system: discoveries and advances ML de Souza, WM dos Santos, ALMD de Sousa, ... Current Pharmaceutical Design 26 (36), 4536-4550 , 2020 2020 Citations: 61
A Systematic Review of the Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Gallium Compounds VAW Sales, TRR Timóteo, NM da Silva, CG de Melo, AS Ferreira, ... Current medicinal chemistry 28, 2062-2076 , 2021 2021 Citations: 32
Drug associations as alternative and complementary therapy for neglected tropical diseases LRM Ferraz, LCPBB Silva, ML de Souza, LP Alves, VAW Sales, ... Acta tropica 225, 106210 , 2022 2022 Citations: 26
ZIF-8 as a Promising Drug Delivery System for Benznidazole: Development, Characterization DDS da Silva Nascimento, AS Ferreira, ... Vitro Dialysis Release and Cytotoxicity. Sci. Rep 10 (1), 16815 , 2020 2020 Citations: 8
Neuroprotective effect of extract of Anacardium occidentale Linn on a rotenone model of Parkinson's disease CFB Linard-Medeiros, VAW Sales, AC Ramos, A Sereniki, MTS Trevisan, ... International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research 6 (1), 123 , 2015 2015 Citations: 7
A systematic review of functionalized polymeric nanoparticles to improve intestinal permeability of drugs and biological products ML de Souza, V de Albuquerque Wanderley Sales, LP Alves, ... Current Pharmaceutical Design 28 (5), 410-426 , 2022 2022 Citations: 6
Enhanced solubility of Albendazole in Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex: A Molecular Modeling Approach and Physicochemical Evaluation CG de Melo, LAC Gonzaga, MM Rabello, ... Current Drug Delivery 18, 1-8 , 2021 2021 Citations: 6
Obtainment of the spray-dried extracts of Peperomia pellucida L. (H.B.K.) using different atomization temperatures: physicochemical characterization and technological … DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 28 (1), 1-12 , 2021 2021 Citations: 6
Formulation, development and scale-up of fixed-dose combination tablets containing zidovudine, lamivudine and nevirapine ZMM Lavra, FPM de Medeiros, RMF da Silva, TA Rosa, ... Current HIV Research 17 (5), 360-367 , 2019 2019 Citations: 5
LIBIDIBIA FERREA EXTRACT AS A PROMISING ANTIDIABETIC AGENT: CHARACTERIZATION, PRE-CLINICAL ANALYSIS AND DEVELOPMENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL DOSAGE FORMS RMFS Maria Joanellys dos Santos Lima, Karolynne Rodrigues de Melo, Victor de ... Brazilian Journal of Development 7 (4), 43644-43666 , 2021 2021 Citations: 4
Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for oral treatment of leishmaniasis: Design and preclinical evaluation ML de Souza, VAW Sales, SG dos Santos Sales, PAS Júnior, ... Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 694, 134140 , 2024 2024 Citations: 3
Development and evaluation of the in vitro schistosomicidal activity of solid dispersions based on 2-(-5-bromo-1-H-indole-3-yl-methylene)-N-(naphthalene-1-ylhydrazine-carbothiamide TC de Luna Rocha, MJ dos Santos Lima, JLN do Nascimento, ... Experimental Parasitology 256, 108626 , 2024 2024 Citations: 2
TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF OINTMENT BASED ON ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF LIBIDIBIA FERREA FOR ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY ETN FARIAS, TF SILVA, M SEF, MJS LIMA, GMS LIMA, KR MELO, ... Indo American Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 7, 689-699 , 2020 2020 Citations: 2
Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for oral treatment of leishmaniasis: Design and preclinical evaluation ML Souza, VAW Sales, SGS Sales, PAS Junior, VRA Pereira, ... COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS 694 , 2024 2024
Drug associations as alternative and complementary therapy for neglected tropical diseases LR de Moura Ferraz, LRM Ferraz, LCPBB Silva, ML de Souza, LP Alves, ... 2022
DESENVOLVIMENTO DE COMPRIMIDOS À BASE DE COMPLEXO DE INCLUSÃO CONTENDO EFAVIRENZ Farmácia e promoção da saúde 4, 1-15 , 2020 2020
EFEITOS ANTICÂNCER DOS COMPOSTOS DE GÁLIO: UMA REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA SOBRE ESTUDOS IN VIVO VDAW Sales, TRR Timóteo, RP Portela, ML Souza, AF Silva, ... Comunicação Científica e Técnica em Medicina 1, 70-78 , 2020 2020
TECHNOLOGICAL STRATEGIES TO INCREASE SOLUBILITY OF ALBENDAZOLE: A REVIEW ABOUT INCLUSION COMPLEXES AND SOLID DISPERSIONS CG MELO, PCD SILVA, LAG COSTA, LJA DANDA, LCPBB SILVA, ... INDO AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES 7, 423-444 , 2020 2020