Education

PhD, King's College London (United Kingdom), 2016

MS, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) (Brazil), 2012

BS, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) (Brazil), 2009

Research Interest

Dr. Vigil’s research focuses on traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s Disease, and epilepsy, with a particular emphasis on the interaction between these three pathological conditions. Additionally, he is an expert in Kv7 K+ channels and investigates their relevance for the three pathological conditions mentioned above.

Teaching Interest

Dr. Vigil’s teaching interests include neurophysiology, general neurosciences, microscopy, and introduction to research methods, practice, and ethics.

Awards & Honors

2023, Best poster presentation, Department of Cellular & Integrative Physiology Research Day, UTHSA, San Antonio, Texas

2022, Best trainee poster, Long School of Medicine Research Week, San Antonio, Texas

2018, Best poster presentation, San Antonio Postdoctoral Research Forum, San Antonio, Texas

2017, Outstanding poster presentation, 5th Annual Cellular and Integrative Physiology Student Research Symposium UTHSA, San Antonio, Texas

2011, Best work in behavioral neuroscience, V Neuroscience Symposium UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

2010, Honorable mention, Brazilian Society for Neuroscience, Águas de Lindoia, SP, Brazil

2007, Best neuroscience research, Minas Gerais Society of Neuropsychology, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

Publications

Vigil F.A., Belchior H., Bugay V., Bazaldua I.I., Stoja A., Cortes D., Chun S.H., Farmer A., Bozdemir E., Holstein D.M., Cavazos J.E., Lechleiter J.D., Brenner R., Shapiro M.S. Acute treatment with the M-channel (Kv7, KCNQ) opener retigabine reduces the long-term effects of repetitive blast traumatic brain injuries. Neurotherapeutics, v.20(3), p.853-869, 2023. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36976493/ 

Bozdemir E.*, Vigil F.A.*, Chun S.H., Espinoza L., Bugay V., Khoury S., Holstein D.M., Stoja A., Lozano D., Tunca C., Sprague S.M., Cavazos J.E., Brenner R., Liston T., Shapiro M.S., Lechleiter J.D. Neuroprotective roles of the adenosine 3 receptor agonist AST-004 in mouse model of traumatic brain injury. Neurotherapeutics, v.18(4), p.2707-2721, 2021. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34608616/ 

Vigil F.A., Carver C.M., Shapiro M.S. Pharmacological manipulation of Kv7 channels as a new therapeutic tool for multiple brain disorders. Frontiers in Physiology, 11:688, 2020. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32636759/ 

Vigil F.A.*, Bozdemir E.*, Bugay V., Chun S.H., Hobbs M., Sanchez I., Hastings S.D., Veraza R.J., Holstein D.M., Sprague S.M., Carver C.M., Cavazos J.E., Brenner R., Lechleiter J.D., Shapiro M.S. Prevention of brain damage after traumatic brain injury by pharmacological enhancement of KCNQ ("M-type," Kv7) K+ currents in neurons. Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism, v.40(6), p.1256-1273, 2020. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31272312/ 

Bugay V., Bozdemir E., Vigil F.A., Holstein D., Chun S., Elliot W., Sprague C., Cavazos J., Zamora D., Rule G., Shapiro M.S., Lechleiter J.D., Brenner R. A mouse model of repetitive blast traumatic brain injury reveals post-trauma seizures and increased neuronal excitability. Journal of Neurotrauma, v.37(2), p.248-261, 2020. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31025597/ 

Vigil F.A., Giese K.P. Calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II and memory destabilization: a new role in memory maintenance. Journal of Neurochemistry, v.147(1), p.12-23, 2018. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29704430/ 

Vigil F.A., Mizuno K., Lucchesi W., Valls-Comamala V., Giese K.P. Prevention of long-term memory loss after retrieval by an endogenous CaMKII inhibitor. Scientific Reports, v.7(1), article 4040, 2017. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28642476/ 

Bueno, K.O., De Souza Resende, L., Ribeiro, A.F., Dos Santos, D.M., Gonçalves, E.C., Vigil, F.A., De Oliveira Silva, I.F., Ferreira, L.F., De Castro Pimenta, A.M., Ribeiro, A.M. Spatial cognitive deficits in an animal model of Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome are related to changes in thalamic VDAC protein concentrations. Neuroscience, v.294, p.29-37, 2015. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25766938/ 

Vigil, F. A., Ferreira, L.F., Pereira, S.R.C., Ribeiro, A.M. Spatial memory deficits and thalamic serotonergic metabolite change in thiamine deficient rats. Behavioural Brain Research, v.210, p.140-142, 2010. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20153779/ 

Grant Funding

Research fellowship, Alzheimer’s Association, role: P.I., 01/01/2024-01/31/2027

Idea development award, Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), Department of Defense (DoD), role: P.I., 05/01/2022-04/30/2024

Postdoctoral fellowship, American Heart Association (AHA), role: P.I., 1/1/2020-12/31/2021