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Claudia Freitas, PhD

Associate Professor and Director of Biomedical Sciences

Area of expertise

Immunology (T cells, Macrophages), Calcium signaling, Metabolism, E-cig impact in oral health, Cancer and Oral immunity

Dr. Claudia Freitas is an Assistant Professor in the College of Dental Medicine where she teaches courses in Immunology, and other Biomedical classes. Her research is focused in understanding better the oral host immune response and metabolic changes induced in the oral cells when exposed to e-cigarette’s vapors. She received her undergraduate from Universidad de los Andes in Bogota, Colombia and her doctorate from Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah.

Dr. Freitas has authored and co-authored publications on the alteration of intracellular calcium mobilization, T cell calcium signaling regulation, common gut microbial metabolites, and the improvement of calcium mobilization. She has presented numerous posters on topics such as, e-cigarette inflammatory effects, HPRT overexpression, as well as CD5 co-receptor influences T cell metabolism, gut microbiota and cognitive behavior. She has also been awarded external and internal grants by 3M and BYU Simmons Center for Cancer Research.

Education

Ph.D. in Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University – 2019
Molecular Immunology Focus _ Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology. Provo, UT

B.S. in Bacteriology, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia. – 2000

Research Interests

Host Immune Response – Oral Immunology
T cells role in periodontal disease
Cancer
Metabolism

Affiliations

Member of the International Association for Dental Research IADR/AADOCR.
Member of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA).
• Chair- elected Member of the ADEA Section of Biochemistry, Nutrition and Microbiology. -2021.
Member of the American Association of Immunologists.

Awards

Roseman University, College of Dental Medicine, Internal Research Grants -2021
Roseman University, College of Dental Medicine, Internal Research Grants – 2019
BYU Mentoring Grant – 2018
Cancer Fellowship Award – BYU Simmons Cancer Center – 2018

Teaching Subjects

Immunology and Microbiology
Elective – Basic Spanish
DMD 5350
DMD 6254
DMD 7246
DMD 7250
MS 630

Publications

Guerrero-Arguero I, Tellez-Freitas CM, Weber KS, Berges BK, Robison RA, Pickett BE. Alphaviruses: Host pathogenesis, immune response, and vaccine & treatment updates. Journal of General Virology. 2021;102(8)

Gonzalez Murcia JD, Weinert A, Freitas CMT, Arens DK, Ferrel M, Grose JH, Wilson E, Kauwe JSK , Weber KS* (2020) Atypical chemokine receptor ACKR2-V41A has decreased CCL2 binding, scavenging, and activation, sustaining inflammation and increasing Alzheimer’s disease risk. Scientific Reports 10, 8019. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64755-1

Townsend MH, Freitas CMT, Larsen D, Piccolo SR, Weber KS, Robison RA, and O’Neill KL (2020) Hypoxanthine Guanine Phosphoribosyltransferase expression is negatively correlated with immune activity through its regulation of purine synthesis. Immunobiology. 20:151931. 10.1016/j.imbio.2020.151931

Bitner B, Ray J, Kener K, Herring J, Tueller J, Johnson DK, Freitas CMT, Fausnacht D, Allen M, Thomson A, WeberKS, McMillan R, Hulver M, Brown D, Tessem J, and Neilson A. (2018). Common gut microbial metabolites ofdietary flavonoids exert potent anti-diabetes activities in β-cell and skeletal muscle cells. Journal of NutritionalBiochemistry

Freitas CMT, Burrell H, Valdoz J.C, Hamblin GJ, Raymond CM, Cox TD, Johnson DK, Andersen J, Weber KS,Bidgewater LC. (2019). The nuclear variant of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (nBMP2) is expressed inmacrophages and alters intracellular calcium mobilization. Scientific Reports 9, 934, doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-37329-5.

Freitas CMT, Hamblin GJ, Raymond CM and Weber KS. (2017) Naive T helper cell with high CD5 levels has improved calcium mobilization. PLoS ONE. May 31; 12(5): e0178799.

Book Chapters

Freitas CMT, Johnson DK, and Weber KS. (2019) Calcium signaling in Human Health and Disease – T cell calcium signaling regulation by the CD5 coreceptor. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 292-312 doi.org/10.3390/books978-3-03897-538-0

Most Recent Presentations (2019-2021):

Whitley K, Freitas C, Haynie C, Reaveley K, Magoffin W, Weber KS. CD5-deficient mice have enhanced helper T cell metabolic function, a systemic metabolic shift in amino acids, and altered behavior. Autumn Immunology Conference 49th Annual Meeting. November 19-22nd 2021. Chicago Illinois

Moreno C, Whitley K, Freitas CT, Pickett B, and Weber KS. CD5 signaling inhibits the transcription of metabolic enzymes and metabolite transporters at the transcriptomic level. Autumn Immunology Conference 49th Annual Meeting. November 19-22nd 2021. Chicago Illinois

Bybee E, Moreno C, Weber KS and Freitas CT. The role of CD5 in periodontal disease. Autumn Immunology Conference 49th Annual Meeting. November 19-22nd 2021. Chicago IIlinois

Reaveley K, Whitley K, Freitas C, Johnson D, and Weber KS. The role of CD5 on mouse behavior and gut microbiome. BYU CURA Research Conference. November 11th 2021. Provo UT

Bennett J, Whitley K, Freitas C, Johnson D, Weber KS. The role of CD5 in T cell activation. American Society for Microbiology Rocky Mountain Branch Meeting. October 21st 2021. Fort Collins CO (online) – #3 ranked Poster Presentation Award

Bybee E*, Moreno C*, Freitas C, and Weber KS. The role of CD5 in periodontal disease. American Society for Microbiology Rocky Mountain Branch Meeting. October 21st 2021. Fort Collins CO (online). – #1 ranked Poster Presentation Award

Dearden L, Gonzalez Murcia JD, Nelson A, Weinert A, Freitas CMT, Ferrel MN, Grose JH, Ridge PG, Wilson E, Kauwe JSK, Weber KS. The CCRL2 atypical chemokine receptor variant V180M has a higher binding affinity for chemerin and alters CCL4 secretion in leukocytes. American Society for Microbiology Rocky Mountain Branch Meeting. October 21st 2021. Fort Collins CO (online)

Corrigan B*, Lara R*, Tuft J, Markham A*, Ray P*, Freitas CTM, Howard D, and Velasco K. Comparative Study of Two Different Tooth Restorative and Finishing/Polishing Techniques, and the Post-Restorative Impact. 6th. IADR/AADR/CADR 99th General Session. Virtual. 2021.

Awan K, Freitas CTM. E-cigarette and Oral cell damage. IADR/AADR/CADR 99th General Session. Virtual. 2021

Finch J, Gurumurthy T, Shrestha R, Vu T, Ledingham L, Mohajeri A, Freitas CMT, Awan K. COVID-19: Ramifications and Effects on University Healthcare Students. ADR/AADR/CADR General Session 99th, Virtual. 2021.

Cardon D, Townsend JE, Ketch Y, Weber KS, Freitas CMT. Role of CD5 in oral inflammation and periodontal disease. IADR/AADR/CADR General Session 99th Virtual. 2021.

Mahler K, Sperry Y, Townsend JE, Cardon D, Weber KS, Freitas CMT. Role of the CD5 T Cell Coreceptor in T Cell Activation in Periodontal Disease. 7th Annual Roseman University Research Symposium. April 14th, 2021. Virtual

Sperry Y, Mahler K, Townsend JE, Cardon D, Weber KS, Freitas CMT. The CD5 Coreceptor’s Effect on T Cell Proliferation in Periodontal Disease. 7th Annual Roseman University Research Symposium. April 14th, 2021. Virtual

Reaveley K, Whitley KV, Freitas CMT, Cox T, Magoffin W, Wallwitz I, Mahler K, Haynie C, Tall A, Teasdale J, and Weber KS. The T cell co-receptor CD5 alters mouse behavior and gut microbiome composition. Roseman University Research Symposium. April 14th, 2021. South Jordan UT

Reaveley K, Whitley KV, Freitas CMT, Cox T, Magoffin W, Wallwitz I, Mahler K, Haynie C, Tall A, Teasdale J, and Weber KS. The T cell co-receptor CD5 alters mouse behavior and gut microbiome composition. BYU College of Life Sciences and Library Undergraduate Research Poster Competition. March 25th 2021. Provo UT

Sylvester C, Kalloo O, Freitas CTM, Awan K. E-cigarette and Oral cell damage. IADR/AADR/CADR General Session 98th General Session- Session of Oral Health Research Posters- Novel technologies and techniques to assess efficacy. March 19th, 2020. Washington DC. (Meeting was cancelled due to COVID19 – Abstract was accepted)

Kalloo O, Sylvester C, Freitas CTM, Awan K. E- cigarette and Oral cell damage. 6th Annual Roseman University Research Symposium. March 11th, 2020. South Jordan, Utah

Corrigan B, Lara R, Tuft J, Markham A, Ray P, Freitas CTM, Howard D, and Velasco K. Comparative Study of Two Different Tooth Restorative and Finishing/Polishing Techniques, and the Post-Restorative Impact. 6th Annual Roseman University Research Symposium. March 11th, 2020. South Jordan, Utah

Cardon D, Townsend JES, Ketch Y, Freitas CMT, Weber KS. Role of CD5 in oral inflammation and periodontal disease. Annual Roseman Research Symposium, March 11th, 2020. South Jordan, UT

Freitas CMT, Kamran Awan. E-cigarette Inflammatory Effect in Oral Health. Nevada Chapter CEOs Against Cancer Meeting. November 14, 2019. Vegas-Summerlin, NV