Keyla Sá, PhD
Postdoctoral AssociateAbout
Titles
Postdoctoral Associate
Biography
I am a Pew Latin American Fellow and postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine under the guidance of Dr. Akiko Iwasaki. My work investigates how pathogenic autoantibodies emerge after infections and contribute to chronic diseases such as Long COVID and ME/CFS. I integrate large-scale proteomics, immunology, and translational approaches to uncover mechanisms of neuro-immune interactions and identify therapeutic targets. My long-term goal is to establish an independent research program focused on autoantibody-mediated neurological chronic diseases and precision medicine.
For a complete list of publications: https://scholar.google.com/cit...
Last Updated on September 25, 2025.
Education & Training
- PhD
- Universidade de São Paulo, Cellular and molecular biology (2022)
- MSc
- Universidade Federal do Pará, Biology of Infectious and Parasitic Agents (2018)
- BSc
- Universidade Federal do Pará, Biomedicine (2016)
Research
Publications
2026
A causal link between autoantibodies and neurological symptoms in long COVID.
de Sá KSG, Silva J, Bayarri-Olmos R, Baker CA, Lu Z, Gipson W, Na D, Chen B, Wenxue L, Khosroabadi D, Brinda R, Constable RAR, Omene B, Colom Díaz PA, Kwon DI, Rodrigues G, Heidecke H, Schulze-Forster K, Gross A, Shneer T, Clarke A, Linnekin T, Brate A, Brown L, Buda H, Jatiani S, Moise L, Greene K, Bhagchandani S, Bhattacharjee B, Gehlhausen J, Wood J, Tabacof L, Scheibenbogen C, Liu Y, Guan L, Schneeberger Pane M, Putrino D, Horvath TL, Iwasaki A. A causal link between autoantibodies and neurological symptoms in long COVID. Cell 2026, 189: 3214-3235.e37. PMID: 42208499, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2026.04.042.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2025
SARS-CoV‑2 Aerosol Susceptibility to Bipolar Ion Disinfection
Angel D, Luhung I, de Sá K, Peccia J. SARS-CoV‑2 Aerosol Susceptibility to Bipolar Ion Disinfection. ACS ES&T Air 2025, 2: 3054-3060. DOI: 10.1021/acsestair.5c00313.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchA causal link between autoantibodies and neurological symptoms in long COVID 2133
Sa K, Silva J, Bayarri-Olmos R, Brinda R, Alec R, Constable R, Omene B, Colom Diaz P, Lu J, Gipson W, Kwon D, Rodrigues G, Wenxue L, Baker C, Bhattacharjee B, Wood J, Tabacof L, Liu Y, Putrino D, Horvath T, Iwasaki A. A causal link between autoantibodies and neurological symptoms in long COVID 2133. The Journal Of Immunology 2025, 214 DOI: 10.1093/jimmun/vkaf283.095.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchLC patientsNeurological symptomsSciatic nervePassive transferPatients report headacheNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesAcute SARS-CoV-2 infectionPatient-reported symptomsSARS-CoV-2 infectionFunctional autoantibodiesMouse sciatic nerveTransfer of IgGElevated autoantibodiesSpinal cordMild casesPassive transfer of IgGNational InstituteAutoantibodiesNervous systemPatientsMiceHuman protein arraySymptomsMeningitisInfectious diseasesMucosal unadjuvanted booster vaccines induce de novo IgA responses by conversion of pre-existing immunity 2452
Kwon D, Mao T, Goldman-Israelow B, Sa K, Dong H, Iwasaki A. Mucosal unadjuvanted booster vaccines induce de novo IgA responses by conversion of pre-existing immunity 2452. The Journal Of Immunology 2025, 214 DOI: 10.1093/jimmun/vkaf283.369.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMucosal immunityMucosal deliveryProduction of mucosal IgAMemory CD4 T cellsRobust mucosal immunityLocal protective immune responseCD4 T cellsMemory B cellsIgA-secreting plasma cellsB cell recruitmentPre-existing immunityPeripheral lymph nodesProtective immune responsesTGF-b signalingIntranasal boostLymph nodesT cellsImmune cellsPlasma cellsB cellsNatural adjuvantDe novo productionIgA responsesMucosal IgARespiratory mucosaThe Susceptibility of Airborne SARS-CoV‑2 to Far-UVC Irradiation
Angel D, Luhung I, de Sá K, Peccia J. The Susceptibility of Airborne SARS-CoV‑2 to Far-UVC Irradiation. Environmental Science And Technology 2025, 59: 20526-20535. PMID: 40970481, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c09275.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMucosal unadjuvanted booster vaccines elicit local IgA responses by conversion of pre-existing immunity in mice
Kwon D, Mao T, Israelow B, Santos Guedes de Sá K, Dong H, Iwasaki A. Mucosal unadjuvanted booster vaccines elicit local IgA responses by conversion of pre-existing immunity in mice. Nature Immunology 2025, 26: 908-919. PMID: 40360777, PMCID: PMC12133566, DOI: 10.1038/s41590-025-02156-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMucosal immunityIgA responsesMemory CD4+ T cellsInduce robust mucosal immunitySARS-CoV-2 spike proteinCD4+ T cellsLocal protective immune responseRobust mucosal immunityRespiratory tractMRNA-LNP vaccinesIgA-secreting plasma cellsB cell recruitmentInduce mucosal immunityPre-existing immunityProtective immune responsesLower respiratory tractRecombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike proteinLocal IgA responseIntranasal boosterMucosal boostingIntranasal boostSpike proteinMRNA-LNPChemokines CXCL9T cells
2024
Pulmonary inflammation and viral replication define distinct clinical outcomes in fatal cases of COVID-19
de Sá K, Amaral L, Rodrigues T, Caetano C, Becerra A, Batah S, Lopes F, de Oliveira I, Lopes L, Almeida L, Mota C, Oliveira S, Wada D, Koenigkam-Santos M, Martins R, Rosales R, Arruda E, Fabro A, Zamboni D. Pulmonary inflammation and viral replication define distinct clinical outcomes in fatal cases of COVID-19. PLOS Pathogens 2024, 20: e1012222. PMID: 38838044, PMCID: PMC11182505, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012222.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAlpha 1-acid glycoprotein is upregulated in severe COVID-19 patients and decreases neutrophil NETs in SARS-CoV-2 infection
Mestriner F, Francisco D, Campos L, Couto A, Fraga-Silva T, Flora Dugaich V, D Avila-Mesquita C, Zukowski Kovacs H, Vasconcelos J, Milani E, Santos Guedes de Sá K, Martins R, Jordani M, Corsi C, Barbosa J, Vasconcelos T, Gonçalves Menegueti M, Neto J, da Costa R, Evora P, Arruda E, Tostes R, Polonis K, Bonato V, Auxiliadora-Martins M, Ribeiro M, Becari C. Alpha 1-acid glycoprotein is upregulated in severe COVID-19 patients and decreases neutrophil NETs in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cytokine 2024, 176: 156503. PMID: 38301358, DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2024.156503.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2023
Gasdermin-D activation promotes NLRP3 activation and host resistance to Leishmania infection
de Sá K, Amaral L, Rodrigues T, Ishimoto A, de Andrade W, de Almeida L, Freitas-Castro F, Batah S, Oliveira S, Pastorello M, Fabro A, Zamboni D. Gasdermin-D activation promotes NLRP3 activation and host resistance to Leishmania infection. Nature Communications 2023, 14: 1049. PMID: 36828815, PMCID: PMC9958042, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36626-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCASP4/11 Contributes to NLRP3 Activation and COVID-19 Exacerbation
. CASP4/11 Contributes to NLRP3 Activation and COVID-19 Exacerbation. Journal Of Infectious Diseases 2023, 227: 1364-1375. PMID: 36763010, DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad037.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
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