After finishing my degree in Biology (Genetics and Cellular biology) in 2001 I wanted to continue my formation to work as a researcher of Health and Life sciences.
I obtained financiation from a competitive grant from the Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR) 2002-2005 (2002FI 00790) for my PhD studies. I joined the Genetics Unit of Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), leaded by Dr. Luis Alberto Pérez-Jurado to begin my PhD in Health and Life Sciences of the UPF. My PhD was focused in genetics of  a rare disease (Williams-Beuren syndrome; WBS). During my PhD, in 2004, I had the opportunity to perform an international stay of 3 months in Tufts University School of Medicine, Ananda L Roy lab, Boston, MA (USA). The lecture was in April 2006 with the qualification of Excellent cum laude. 
My passion for research prompted me to continue my formation in a post-doctoral period, which I dedicated first to the field of human genetics of rare diseases in the Genetics Unit of UPF and since 2010 to Neurosciences. In 2010 I moved to Alzheimer’s disease and Other cognitive disorders Group (Neurosciences Area of IDIBAPS and clinical Unit in Hospital Clínic of Barcelona).

I obtained a competitive human resources grant from the Health Department of Catalonia, from the Pla strategic de recerca i innovació en salut de Catalunya (PERIS) for the incorporation of post-doctoral researchers (2017-2019) (SLT002/16/00329). In 2017 I obtained my first project as principal investigator funded by the Carlos III Institute of Health (Spanish National institute of Health) (PI17/00670; 87.120 €, entitled “Estudio comparativo de portadores de mutaciones determinantes de enfermedad de Alzheimer y demencia frontotemporal genéticas en un modelo de línea celular linfoblastoide y cerebro”).
Finally, in a 2018 call I obtained as Principal Investigator a PFIS contract for pre-doctoral researchers funded by Carlos III Institute of Health (Spanish National institute of Health) (FI18/00121), which will represent my first PhD directed thesis. However, I have already supervised 4 final MSc thesis and 2 BSc thesis.

My research lines since 2010 have been related to the study of neurodegenerative dementias, mainly Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The main goals or interests have been:
1.- Diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid: miRNA levels and several protein biomarkers such as  neurofilament light (NF-L), neurogranin (Ng), 14-3-3 g protein (14-3-3) and YKL-40.
2.- Study of genetically determined dementias and genetic risk factors: detection of new pathogenic mutations and analysis through whole exome sequencing of genetic variants in risk genes for these diseases.
3.- Study of mechanisms leading to neurodegeneration in Autosomal dominant AD and FTD using blood-derived cell lines and brain tissue as models. In this research line we aim to study differences in whole-genome gene expression and DNA whole-genome methylome analysis. Moreover, we will study apoptosis and oxidative stress cell pathways abnormalities in lymphoblatoid cell lines derived from patients.

As a result of these research activities, I have leaded or co-authored 77 indexed original publications (Google Scholar Bibliometrics: number of cites: 4574; h index 33; i10 index 70, accessed February 17th 2022). 


Participation in national / international consortiums:
1.- Dementia Genetics Spanish Consortium (DEGESCO).
2.- European Early-Onset Dementia Consortium (EU EOD).