FPU2025 - Ritmos circadianos y metabolismo en el envejecimiento y la neurodegeneración

Circadian rhythms coupling with metabolism are impaired with aging or unhealthy lifestyles, causing alterations in the brain homeostasis and increasing the risk for neurodegenerative disease development. Therefore, this research line seeks to bridge the knowledge gap between the brain clearance mechanisms regulated by circadian and metabolic synchronization. This new knowledge will open new therapeutic and preventive healthy aging strategies for neurodegenerative and cognitive impairment treatment. To achieve these objectives, we will make use of cutting-edge Multi-omic technologies and bioinformatics, including spatial transcriptomics, electrophysiology and whole-brain imaging, in combination with behavioral test (fragility and memory tests) and physiological data (electrophysiology and metabolic tests). Students will be trained at the CNC in: · Animal handling: Behavioural test, neurosurgery and electrophysiology. Students will obtain a certification to work with animal models for scientific research. · Molecular biology training: basic molecular biology methods, NGS, single-cell transcriptomics. · Neuroscience methods: Brain anatomy, histological techniques, confocal and whole-brain imaging. · Digital skills: Phyton, R, or MATLAB programming languages, Bioinformatics, NGS data analysis, image analysis, multi-modal data analysis. Our collaborators will also introduce the student to electrophysiology and Magnetic Resonance Imaging.