Alejandra Carrancho Arroyo

Centre: Dpto. Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular/IUI BIFI
Institution: University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza (Spain)
Position: PhD Student
E-mail: acarrancho@unizar.es
Phone: 876555415
Profile:   Ver

Personal statement
I graduated in Biochemistry from the University of Castilla-La Mancha (2020) and obtained a Master’s degree in Genetics and Cell Biology at the Complutense University of Madrid (2021). My interest in neurodegenerative diseases led me to a stay at Akershus University Hospital (Oslo), where I gained experience in this field.

In 2022, I joined Dr. Nunilo Cremades’ group as an N3 contract researcher, where I am involved in the study of amyloid protein misfolding and aggregation. Currently, I am working on my PhD thesis at the Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), funded by a grant from the DGA for the recruitment of predoctoral research staff in training.

Researcher profile identity
Currently, I am an R1 researcher at BIFI (predoctoral student). My work focuses on the study of amyloid protein aggregation, a key process in the development of neurodegenerative diseases for which there is still no cure. In our group, we use biophysical and molecular biology techniques to characterize these processes and better understand their mechanisms.

I am involved in several projects, including the development of a diagnostic method for Parkinson’s disease based on molecular biomarkers and the generation of cellular models of amyloid aggregation.

Why my research is important
Neurodegenerative diseases represent a major challenge for public health, as they significantly affect the quality of life of patients and are especially prevalent in the aging population. At present day, many of these pathologies have no cure and, in some cases, the biomolecular mechanisms that trigger them are unknown.

One of the key processes in the development of certain neurodegenerative diseases is amyloid aggregation, in which certain proteins form deposits in different tissues. An in-depth understanding of these mechanisms is essential to develop strategies to modulate them for therapeutic purposes.

My research focuses on two main lines: the development of methodologies for the early detection of Parkinson’s disease using molecular biomarkers, and the characterization of the mechanical properties of biomolecular condensates formed by amyloid proteins, including alpha-synuclein and Tau.

Know more about me and my research
– https://bifi.es/es/biofisica/
– LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alejandra-carrancho-arroyo-2934b3199
– Twitter/X: @Ale_carrancho