Neuro-Night: Spanish scientists advance health research

NIH Spanish scientists studying neurodegenerative disorders discuss how these diseases impact our nervous system and give insights into future treatments.

Due to increased concerns regarding COVID-19, this activity has been canceled.

Brain Awareness Week is an annual global campaign celebrating its 25th anniversary the week of March 16-22, 2020. This campaign was founded by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives (DABI) and the European Dana Alliance for the Brain (EDAM) with a simple but profound mission: to share the wonders of the brain with the public and teach the impact brain science has in our daily lives.

About the Society for Neuroscience

The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is a non-profit organization that advances the understanding of the brain and the nervous system by bringing together scientists of diverse backgrounds, facilitating the integration of research directed at all levels of biological organization, and encourages new scientific knowledge to develop improved disease treatments and cures. The SfN-DCMA chapter also engages in public policy, education and outreach to the public, and supports the neuroscience community.

About Dr. Bandres-Ciga

Dr. Bandres-Ciga is a molecular geneticist whose research interests are primarily focused in understanding how genetic variation affects neurodegenerative diseases. Her career started with a B.Sc. Pharm, followed by a Neuroscience M.S. degree, and lastly a PhD (Hons) in genetics degree from the University of Granada, Spain. In 2017, she joined the Laboratory of Neurogenetics at NIH as a postdoctoral researcher with the goal of conducting further research in the bioinformatics field, aimed at studying neurological disorders spanning the etiological risk spectrum from monogenic to more complicated sporadic forms. Bandres-Ciga has been recently awarded with the 2019 NIA Women in Science Excellence in Research Award as a recognition for her postdoctoral career at NIH.

About Dr. Gómez Deza

Dr. Jorge Gómez-Deza is a molecular neurobiologist interested in understanding why certain neurons die whilst others survive in neurodegenerative conditions. He obtained his BSc in Biochemistry from the University College of London, then moved to King’s College London where he obtained his MSc and PhD in Basic and Clinical Neuroscience. He is currently a Milton Safenowitz Postdoctoral Fellow working at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. His research is focused on understanding how human neurons die in neurodegenerative conditions and how to prevent it from happening. Gómez-Deza is also the current president of the DC chapter of ECUSA, a nonprofit whose mission is to promote, represent, and assist Spanish scientists in the USA.

About Dr. Saez Atienza

Sara Saez, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral researcher in the Neuromuscular Disease Research Section, at the National Institute of Health (NIH), where she studies genetic risk factors in Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their implication in biological processes. She has devoted her scientific career to study neurodegeneration from different perspectives: cell biology, using cellular models of neurodegenerative diseases; behavioral and omics data, using mouse models; and human genetics, to dissect and predict genetic risk factors in these diseases. Saez Atienza obtained her Ph.D. in 2015 (Hons) from Universidad Catolica de Valencia (Valencia, Spain) where she was awarded with the International Mention after completing a research stay at Columbia University.