Margarida Maia, PhD,  science writer—

Margarida is a biochemist (University of Porto, Portugal) with a PhD in biomedical sciences (VIB and KULeuven, Belgium). Her main interest is science communication. She is also passionate about design and the dialogue between art and science.

Articles by Margarida Maia

Milk-derived particles may offer treatment path for SSc fibrosis

Milk-derived extracellular vesicles — very small, natural particles from cow’s milk — were shown to safely reduce inflammation and scarring in a mouse model of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Because these vesicles carry molecules that can protect and help tissue repair itself, they “have attracted much attention due to their…

New skin markers help doctors refine dcSSc treatment prognosis

In people with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc), certain skin features, including levels of specific molecules and cells, depend on disease duration, a study finds. These features, combined with disease duration, allowed researchers to predict patients’ response to mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), an immunosuppressive therapy commonly used for dcSSc. These…

Worsening breathing is key risk for people with SSc-ILD

More than a third of adults with systemic sclerosis (SSc) who develop interstitial lung disease (ILD) see their condition progress, and those who reported increasing shortness of breath in the past month had a higher risk of death — even if their breathing tests have not declined — an…

Immunosuppressants may help treat scleroderma with heart involvement

Immunosuppressive medications may help to reduce inflammation in the heart and the overall burden of primary heart involvement that is associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a retrospective study suggests. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings, its researchers stated. The study, “Immunosuppressive therapy to treat newly diagnosed…