Silvino Sousa
Papers
1
Total Citations
11
H-Index
1
About
Silvino Sousa is a structural biologist and biochemist whose research centers on the rational design of therapeutic molecules through protein engineering and X-ray crystallography. His most cited work, "Rational mutagenesis to support structure-based drug design: MAPKAP kinase 2 as a case study" (2009), exemplifies his core contribution: developing systematic mutagenesis strategies to stabilize flexible protein targets for drug discovery. By engineering the MAPKAP kinase 2 (MK2) structure to enable high-resolution crystallography, Sousa provided a critical tool for designing selective inhibitors against this inflammatory disease target. This approach—combining computational analysis with experimental validation—has influenced how researchers tackle challenging, dynamic proteins in structure-based drug design. While his citation count reflects a focused, technical contribution rather than broad visibility, his work has practical significance for pharmaceutical development, particularly in kinase-targeted therapies. Sousa’s methodology demonstrates how careful protein engineering can unlock previously intractable targets, making him a valuable resource for students and researchers interested in the intersection of structural biology, mutagenesis, and rational drug design.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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