Main research line

Impact of alpha-synuclein overexpression in the substantia nigra and the neuroprotective role of the CB2 receptor.

Brief CV

I hold a degree in pharmacy (2001) and a PhD (2008) from the UPV/EHU, where I am currently an associate professor in the department of pharmacology. My doctoral research focused on the effects of cannabinoid derivatives on the basal ganglia, utilizing in vivo electrophysiological recordings in both control and 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat models of Parkinson's disease.

Following my PhD, I completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in Dr. Venance’s laboratory at the Collège de France (Paris, France). During this period, I specialized in both in vivo and in vitro intracellular and patch-clamp recordings of striatal neurons, deepening my expertise in synaptic plasticity and neuronal excitability.

Since returning to the department of pharmacology at the UPV/EHU, my research has focused on the search for novel therapeutic targets for Parkinson's disease, with a particular emphasis on the endogenous cannabinoid system. I employ various rodent models and a multidisciplinary range of experimental techniques, including stereotaxic surgery, electrophysiology, behavioral testing, and immunohistochemistry.

My academic and scientific trajectory includes:

- Publications & impact: 32 indexed articles (21 in Q1), 2 books, and 2 book chapters, with an H-index of 14.

- Supervision: Mentor of 4 PhD theses (3 international and one in Basque), 24 master's theses (TFM), and 15 undergraduate projects (TFG).

- Funding: Participation in 31 research projects, serving as principal investigator (PI) in three of them.

- Academic leadership: Since 2018, I have been the head of the master in pharmacology: development, evaluation, and rational use of medicines. I am also a member of the UPV/EHU postgraduate commission and the faculty’s quality and internship commissions.