RESUME
Chilean neurobiologist interested in endosomal trafficking, neurotrophic signalling and how neurons define their shape and connectivity in health and disease (lately trying to better understand how the brain changes when you live with Down Syndrome). Love brains, microscopes and politics. Also a musician.
WORK
since 2023
Honorary Senior Research Fellow
> UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and UK Dementia Research Institute
Senior Researcher at The Molecular NeuroPathobiology Laboratory (Prof. Schiavo). Interests include neurotrophic signalling, plasticity of the endo-lysosomal system, axonal transport of signalling endosomes and novel therapeutic targets for Alzheimer’s Disease in the context of Down Syndrome.
2019-2023
Research Fellow
> UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and UK Dementia Research Institute
Postdoc at The Molecular NeuroPathobiology Laboratory (Prof. Schiavo). Interests include molecular signatures of signalling endosomes, Rab GTPases and novel therapeutic targets for dementia.
2016 – 2018
Newton International Fellow
> UCL Institute of Neurology
Honorary Research Associate at The Molecular NeuroPathobiology Laboratory (Prof. Schiavo) and Research Fellow of The Royal Society. Sorting and axonal transport of retrograde signalling endosomes and autophagosomes.
2013 – 2016
Profesor Adjunto
> Universidad Andrés Bello
Lecturer in the Biological Sciences Department, the Psychology School and the Direction of Innovation and Teaching Development. Courses included Neurobiology, Neurophysiology of the Human Behaviour and teaching methodologies for faculty of other academic units across the country.
2011 – 2013
Investigador Postdoctoral
> Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Postdoctoral Researcher at the Cell Neurobiology and Regeneration Lab (Prof. Bronfman). Work with animal models of stroke and antidepressants to enhance neuroplasticity and functional recovery.
2011 – 2015
Profesor
> Programa de Educación y Desarrollo de Talentos PENTA UC
Lecturer of Neuroscience and Biology for academically talented children and young people. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
EDUCATION
2006 – 2011
Doctor en Ciencias Biológicas, mención Fisiología
> Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
I studied my PhD at the Department of Physiology of the Faculty of Biological Sciences in the PUC, supervised by Prof. Bronfman (PUC) and co-supervised by Prof. Couve (Universidad de Chile). My thesis was about the role of the post-endocytic trafficking of TrkB receptors and BDNF-induced dendritic branching.
2006 – 2007
Magíster en Ciencias Biológicas
> Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Master degree in Biological Sciences.
2001 – 2006
Licenciado en Ciencias Biológicas
> Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
General biology (ecology, animal and plant physiology, cell biology, biochemistry, evolution, microbiology). My undergraduate research was about degeneration of the forebrain cholinergic neurons after axotomy and depletion of retrograde neurotrophic signalling from the hippocampus.
LANGUAGES
Spanish
English
Portuguese
ACADEMIC FIELDS
Neurotrophins
Neurodegeneration
Endocytosis and endosomal trafficking
Axonal Transport
Microscopy and image analysis
Cognitive Neuroscience
Stroke
Bioethics
Science communication
Science public policies
TOOLS
Software
R, ImageJ/FIJI, Logic, Ableton Live, MS Office, Endnote, Photoshop, Illustrator, GraphPad Prism, WordPress.
Lab methods
Primary culture of diverse neuronal types (cortical, hippocampal, septal, striatal), cell lines and embryonic stem cells, microscopy (confocal and super-resolution) and live-cell imaging, co-localisation studies, microfluidic chambers, stereotaxic surgery, microinjection of tracers, endothelin-induced brain stroke, histology, immunofluorescence and immunoendocytosis, viral vectors.
Music
Acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar, vocals, sequences, drums, recording, editing, mixing, vocal arrangements, composition.
