Draft:Benildo Sousa Cavada

{{Infobox scientist

| name = Benildo Sousa Cavada

| image = File:Portrait of Benildo Sousa Cavada.jpg

| birth_date = 12 December 1953

| birth_place = Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

| fields = Biochemistry; Protein Chemistry and Structural Biology

| workplaces = Federal University of Ceará

| alma_mater = Federal University of Pelotas; Federal University of Ceará and Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier

| known_for = Structural studies of plant lectins; legume lectins

| awards = Commander of the National Order of Scientific Merit (2006); Full Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (2010) and CNPq Productivity Fellowship (Level 1A, since 1987)

}}

'''Benildo Sousa Cavada''' (born 12 December 1953) is a Brazilian [[biochemist]] and professor, recognized for his research on plant [[Lectin|lectins]] and [[structural biology]].{{Cite web |title=Google Scholar |url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8mOwHA0AAAAJ&hl |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=scholar.google.com}} He is a professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the [[Federal University of Ceará]], where he leads the Laboratory of Biologically Active Molecules (BioMol-Lab).{{Cite web |title=Benildo Sousa Cavada |url=https://ppgbiotec.ufc.br/pt/corpo-docente/benildo-sousa-cavada/ |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia de Recursos Naturais |language=pt-br}}{{Cite web |last=Universitários |first=Divisão de Portais |title=Laboratório de Moléculas Biologicamente Ativas promove evento alusivo aos 25 anos |url=https://www.ufc.br/noticias/noticias-de-2016/8575-laboratorio-de-moleculas-biologicamente-ativas-promove-evento-alusivo-aos-25-anos |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=www.ufc.br |language=pt-br}} Cavada’s research has significantly advanced the understanding of plant [[Lectin|lectins]], particularly their structural diversity and biological functions, with implications for [[biotechnology]] and [[Biomedicine|biomedical sciences]].{{Cite journal |last=Cavada |first=Benildo S. |last2=Pinto-Junior |first2=Vanir R. |last3=Osterne |first3=Vinicius J. S. |last4=Nascimento |first4=Kyria S. |date=2018-12-21 |title=ConA-Like Lectins: High Similarity Proteins as Models to Study Structure/Biological Activities Relationships |url=https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/1/30 |journal=International Journal of Molecular Sciences |language=en |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=30 |doi=10.3390/ijms20010030 |issn=1422-0067 |pmc=6337138 |pmid=30577614}} A member of the [[Brazilian Academy of Sciences]] and a recipient of Brazil's National Order of Scientific Merit, Cavada has authored over 360 publications, supervised more than 100 graduate students, and accumulated more than 12,000 citations.{{Cite web |title=Benildo Sousa Cavada - ABC - Academia Brasileira de Ciências |url=https://www.abc.org.br/membro/benildo-sousa-cavada/ |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=www.abc.org.br}} His work has established structural and functional data for an entire family of [[Lectin|lectins]], namely [[Legume lectin|legume lectins]].{{Cite journal |last=Cavada |first=B. S. |last2=Barbosa |first2=T. |last3=Arruda |first3=S. |last4=Grangeiro |first4=T. B. |last5=Barral-Netto |first5=M. |title=Revisiting proteus: Do Minor Changes in Lectin Structure Matter in Biological Activity? Lessons from and Potential Biotechnological Uses of the Diocleinae Subtribe Lectins |url=https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/26663 |journal=Current Protein & Peptide Science |language=en |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=123–135 |doi=10.2174/1389203013381152}}{{Cite journal |last=Cavada |first=Benildo Sousa |last2=Osterne |first2=Vinicius Jose Silva |last3=Lossio |first3=Claudia Figueiredo |last4=Pinto-Junior |first4=Vanir Reis |last5=Oliveira |first5=Messias Vital |last6=Silva |first6=Mayara Torquato Lima |last7=Leal |first7=Rodrigo Bainy |last8=Nascimento |first8=Kyria Santiago |date=2019-08 |title=One century of ConA and 40 years of ConBr research: A structural review |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0141813019321361 |journal=International Journal of Biological Macromolecules |language=en |volume=134 |pages=901–911 |doi=10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.05.100}}

== Early life and education ==

Benildo Sousa Cavada was born on 12 December 1953 in [[Pelotas]], [[Rio Grande do Sul]], [[Brazil]]. He completed his primary education at Grupo Escolar Cassiano do Nascimento and his secondary education at Colégio Agrícola Visconde da Graça, both in [[Pelotas]]. Cavada earned a degree in Agronomic Engineering from the [[Federal University of Pelotas]] in 1976. He subsequently pursued a master’s degree in [[Biochemistry]] at the [[Federal University of Ceará]], completing it in 1980 with a thesis on the isolation, characterization, and functional behavior of the [[lectin]] from ''Canavalia brasiliensis'' Mart. seeds during germination.{{Cite web |title=Professor Dr. Benildo Sousa Cavada |url=https://biotecnologia.ufc.br/pt/ensino/corpo-docente/professor-dr-benildo-sousa-cavada/ |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=Bacharelado em Biotecnologia |language=pt-br}}{{Cite journal |last=Cavada |first=Benildo Sousa |date=1980 |title=Lectinas de Canavalia brasiliensis Mart. isolamento, caracterização parcial e comportamento durante a germinação |url=http://repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/71164 |language=pt-BR}} In 1985, he obtained a Doctorat d'État in Sciences Pharmaceutiques (Biochimie Végétale) from the [[University of Toulouse-Jean Jaurès|University of Toulouse III]] (Paul Sabatier), [[France]]. He later completed three post-doctoral stays in [[France]] funded by CAPES: at the [[Lille University of Science and Technology|Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille]] (2004) and at the Centre de Recherches sur les Macromolécules Végétales (CERMAV) in [[Grenoble]] (2007 and 2009).{{Cite web |url=http://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/visualizacv.do?metodo=apresentar&id=K4783679D8 |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=buscatextual.cnpq.br}}

== Academic career ==

Cavada began his academic career at the [[Federal University of Ceará]], where he has served as a faculty member in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology since the 1980s and has been promoted to full professor in 2011. Cavada has been a productivity fellow of the [[National Council for Scientific and Technological Development]] ([[CNPq]]) since 1987, currently at the highest level (1A). His primary institutional contribution has been the creation of the BioMol-Lab (Laboratory of Biologically Active Molecules) in 1991, which he has led continuously since its founding. The laboratory has become a reference center for [[lectin]] studies of Brazilian biodiversity, focusing on bioprospection, protein chemistry, [[structural biology]] and [[X-ray crystallography]] of [[Lectin|lectins]] from Brazilian flora.{{Cite journal |last=Cavada |first=Benildo S. |last2=Nascimento |first2=Kyria S. |last3=Osterne |first3=Vinicius J. S. |date=2025-06-24 |title=Revisiting Proteus 2.0: Two Decades of Pioneering Lectin Crystallography at BioMol-Lab in Northeast Brazil |url=https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.5c03011 |journal=ACS Omega |language=en |volume=10 |issue=24 |pages=25176–25191 |doi=10.1021/acsomega.5c03011 |issn=2470-1343 |pmc=12199033 |pmid=40584308}}

From 2009 to 2016, He coordinated the National Institute of Science and Technology for NanoBioStructures and NanoBioMolecular Simulation (INCT NANO(BIO)SIMES), with a focus on interdisciplinary research in [[nanobiotechnology]].{{Cite web |title=Inicial |url=https://www.nanobiosimes.ufc.br/ |access-date=2026-04-17 |website=www.nanobiosimes.ufc.br}} Cavada was the founder and first coordinator of the Graduate Program in Biotechnology of Natural Resources at UFC (2013–2015).

Cavada has supervised 74 doctoral theses, 64 master’s dissertations, and over 140 undergraduate students and research fellows in various modalities as principal advisor. His mentorship has contributed to the formation of researchers in areas that include [[biochemistry]], protein chemistry, [[structural biology]], and plant sciences.

== Research contributions ==

=== Plant lectins and structural biology ===

[[File:Crystal structure of ConBr.png|thumb|Ribbon diagram of the tetrameric structure of ''Canavalia brasilensis'' lectin (PDB ID: 1AZD; structure published in 1997), showing the canonical legume lectin quaternary assembly and the bound Ca²⁺ and Mn²⁺ ions.]]

Cavada’s research is internationally recognized for its focus on plant [[Lectin|lectins]] and their structural and functional diversity. His work has elucidated the purification methods and molecular architecture of numerous [[Legume lectin|legume lectins]], particularly those seeds of the Brazilian flora, and explored their biological activities and potential applications in [[biotechnology]] and [[medicine]].{{Cite journal |last=Cavada |first=Benildo Sousa |last2=Pinto-Junior |first2=Vanir Reis |last3=Osterne |first3=Vinicius Jose Silva |last4=Oliveira |first4=Messias Vital |last5=Lossio |first5=Claudia Figueiredo |last6=Silva |first6=Mayara Torquato Lima |last7=Bari |first7=Alfa Umaro |last8=Lima |first8=Lara Dias |last9=Souza-Filho |first9=Claudio Henrique Dahne |last10=Nascimento |first10=Kyria Santiago |date=2020-11 |title=Comprehensive review on Caelsalpinioideae lectins: From purification to biological activities |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0141813020336023 |journal=International Journal of Biological Macromolecules |language=en |volume=162 |pages=333–348 |doi=10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.06.161}}{{Cite journal |last=Cavada |first=Benildo Sousa |last2=Osterne |first2=Vinicius Jose Silva |last3=Oliveira |first3=Messias Vital |last4=Pinto-Junior |first4=Vanir Reis |last5=Silva |first5=Mayara Torquato Lima |last6=Bari |first6=Alfa Umaro |last7=Lima |first7=Lara Dias |last8=Lossio |first8=Claudia Figueiredo |last9=Nascimento |first9=Kyria Santiago |date=2020-07 |title=Reviewing Mimosoideae lectins: A group of under explored legume lectins |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0141813020314677 |journal=International Journal of Biological Macromolecules |language=en |volume=154 |pages=159–165 |doi=10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.03.113}}

A landmark achievement was the determination of the crystal structure of ''Canavalia brasiliensis'' lectin (ConBr), which revealed distinct quaternary conformations compared to the closely related [[Concanavalin A]] (ConA). This structural difference was shown to correlate with unique biological properties, such as differential induction of inflammatory responses and immune cell activation. The study, has been published in FEBS Letters in 1997.{{Cite journal |last=Sanz-Aparicio |first=Julia |last2=Hermoso |first2=Juan |last3=Grangeiro |first3=Thalles B |last4=Calvete |first4=Juan J |last5=Cavada |first5=Benildo S |date=1997-03-17 |title=The crystal structure of Canavalia brasiliensis lectin suggests a correlation between its quaternary conformation and its distinct biological properties from Concanavalin A |url=https://febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1016/S0014-5793%2897%2900137-3 |journal=FEBS Letters |language=en |volume=405 |issue=1 |pages=114–118 |doi=10.1016/S0014-5793(97)00137-3 |issn=0014-5793}}

Cavada’s laboratory has pioneered the [[X-ray crystallography|crystallography]] of plant [[Lectin|lectins]] in Northeast Brazil, establishing the first protein crystallization facility outside the country’s Southeast and contributing to the decentralization of advanced [[structural biology]] research in Brazil.

=== Functional and applied studies ===

Beyond structural studies, Cavada has investigated the biological activities of lectins, including their [[anti-inflammatory]], [[antimicrobial]], and [[antitumor]] properties.{{Cite journal |last=Cavada |first=Benildo S. |last2=Pinto-Junior |first2=Vanir R. |last3=Osterne |first3=Vinicius J. S. |last4=Nascimento |first4=Kyria S. |date=2018-12-21 |title=ConA-Like Lectins: High Similarity Proteins as Models to Study Structure/Biological Activities Relationships |url=https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/20/1/30 |journal=International Journal of Molecular Sciences |language=en |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=30 |doi=10.3390/ijms20010030 |issn=1422-0067 |pmc=6337138 |pmid=30577614}} His research has demonstrated the potential of plant [[Lectin|lectins]] as tools for the [[diagnosis]] and treatment of [[cancer]], particularly through their ability to recognize specific [[Carbohydrate|glycan]] patterns on [[Neoplasm|tumor]] cells.{{Cite journal |last=Cavada |first=Benildo Sousa |last2=Oliveira |first2=Messias Vital |last3=Osterne |first3=Vinicius Jose Silva |last4=Pinto-Junior |first4=Vanir Reis |last5=Correia-Neto |first5=Cornevile |last6=Nascimento |first6=Kyria Santiago |date=2021-11 |title=Lectins applied to diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer and benign hyperplasia: A review |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0141813021019243 |journal=International Journal of Biological Macromolecules |language=en |volume=190 |pages=543–553 |doi=10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.09.011}} Recent studies from his group have highlighted the use of lectins in [[drug delivery]], and as agents with direct antiproliferative effects on cancer cells.{{Cite journal |last=Osterne |first=Vinicius J.S. |last2=Ervijn |first2=Lien |last3=Oliveira |first3=Messias V. |last4=Pinto-Junior |first4=Vanir R. |last5=Serna |first5=Sonia |last6=Reichardt |first6=Niels C. |last7=Nascimento |first7=Kyria S. |last8=Van Damme |first8=Els J.M. |last9=Cavada |first9=Benildo S. |date=2026-04 |title=Crystal structure, glycan specificity, and induction of cellular stress by the legume lectin DmegA |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0141813026017216 |journal=International Journal of Biological Macromolecules |language=en |volume=358 |pages=151795 |doi=10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151795}}{{Cite journal |last=Osterne |first=Vinicius J. S. |last2=Verduijn |first2=Joost |last3=Lossio |first3=Claudia F. |last4=Parakhonskiy |first4=Bogdan |last5=Oliveira |first5=Messias V. |last6=Pinto-Junior |first6=Vanir R. |last7=Nascimento |first7=Kyria S. |last8=Skirtach |first8=Andre G. |last9=Van Damme |first9=Els J. M. |last10=Cavada |first10=Benildo S. |date=2022-05 |title=Antiproliferative activity of Dioclea violacea lectin in CaCO3 particles on cancer cells after controlled release |url=https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10853-022-07230-8 |journal=Journal of Materials Science |language=en |volume=57 |issue=19 |pages=8854–8868 |doi=10.1007/s10853-022-07230-8 |issn=0022-2461}}

Cavada has also contributed to the understanding of lectin-mediated modulation of immune responses, the development of biotechnological applications such as biosensors, and the exploration of lectins from underexplored [[legume]] groups, such as [[Mimosoideae]] and [[Caesalpinioideae]].

=== Collaborations ===

Key collaborating research groups include those led by Kyria Santiago do Nascimento ([[Federal University of Ceará]]), Ana Maria Sampaio Assreuy ([[State University of Ceará]]), Rodrigo Bainy Leal ([[Federal University of Santa Catarina]]), C. Fred Brewer ([[Albert Einstein College of Medicine]]), Juan Calvete (Biomedicine Institute of Valencia), Karl Gruber ([[University of Graz]]), and Els J.M. Van Damme ([[Ghent University]]).

== Selected publications ==

* {{cite journal |last1=Sanz-Aparicio |first1=J. |last2=Hermoso |first2=J. |last3=Grangeiro |first3=T.B. |last4=Calvete |first4=J.J. |last5=Cavada |first5=B.S. |title=The crystal structure of Canavalia brasiliensis lectin suggests a correlation between its quaternary conformation and its distinct biological properties from Concanavalin A |journal=FEBS Letters |year=1997 |volume=405 |issue=1 |pages=114–118 |doi=10.1016/S0014-5793(97)00137-3}}

* {{cite journal |last1=Cavada |first1=B.S. |last2=Barbosa |first2=T. |last3=Arruda |first3=S. |last4=Grangeiro |first4=T.B. |last5=Barral-Netto |first5=M. |title=Revisiting proteus: do minor changes in lectin structure matter in biological activity? Lessons from and potential biotechnological uses of the Diocleinae subtribe lectins |journal=Current Protein & Peptide Science |year=2001 |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=123–135 |doi=10.2174/1389203013381152 |pmid=12370020}}

* {{cite journal |last1=Cavada |first1=B.S. |last2=Pinto-Junior |first2=V.R. |last3=Osterne |first3=V.J.S. |last4=Nascimento |first4=K.S. |title=ConA-Like Lectins: High Similarity Proteins as Models to Study Structure/Biological Activities Relationships |journal=International Journal of Molecular Sciences |year=2018 |date= |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=30 |doi=10.3390/ijms20010030 |pmid= |pmc=}}

* {{cite journal |last1=Cavada |first1=B.S. |last2=Osterne |first2=V.J.S. |last3=Pinto-Junior |first3=V.R. |last4=Nascimento |first4=K.S. |title=ConBr, the Lectin from Canavalia brasiliensis Mart. Seeds: Forty Years of Research |journal=Current Protein & Peptide Science |year=2019 |volume=20 |issue=6 |pages=600–613 |doi=10.2174/1389203720666190104123210 |pmid=}}

* {{cite journal |last1=Cavada |first1=B.S. |last2=Nascimento |first2=K.S. |last3=Osterne |first3=V.J.S. |title=Revisiting Proteus 2.0: Two Decades of Pioneering Lectin Crystallography at BioMol-Lab in Northeast Brazil |journal=ACS Omega |year=2025 |date= |volume=10 |issue=24 |pages=25176–25191 |doi=10.1021/acsomega.5c03011 |pmid=}}

== Awards and honors ==

* '''Commander of the National Order of Scientific Merit (Ordem Nacional do Mérito Científico, Comendador, 2006):''' Cavada was admitted to this prestigious Brazilian honor by presidential decree in recognition of his contributions to agricultural sciences and scientific development.{{Cite web |last=importacao |date=2011-02-04 |title=Professor cearense é eleito membro da Academia Brasileira de Ciências |url=https://www.funcap.ce.gov.br/2011/02/04/professor-cearense-e-eleito-membro-da-academia-brasileira-de-ciencias/ |access-date=2026-04-18 |website=Fundação Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico |language=pt-BR}}

* '''Full Member of the [[Brazilian Academy of Sciences]] (Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 2010):''' Elected as a titular member in the area of Agricultural Sciences, reflecting his standing in the national scientific community.

* '''[[National Council for Scientific and Technological Development|CNPq]] Productivity Fellowship (Level 1A, since 1987):''' Awarded by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development for sustained excellence in research.

He has also organized major scientific meetings, including the '''19th International Lectin Meeting (INTERLEC)''' in 2001.{{Cite journal |date=2000-06-01 |title=Glycoforum |url=https://academic.oup.com/glycob/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/oxfordjournals.glycob.a018815 |journal=Glycobiology |language=en |volume=10 |issue=6 |pages=iii–iii |doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.glycob.a018815 |issn=0959-6658}}

== References ==

== References ==

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