Meet Alba Rodríguez Leal – New Research Fellow in the Nykjær Group
Please join us in welcoming Alba Rodríguez Leal, our new Research Fellow in the Nykjær Group. Alba joins DANDRITE with a background in neuroinflammation and will explore the molecular and circuit-level mechanisms underlying how the brain actively forgets memories.
What research were you involved in immediately prior to joining DANDRITE, and at which institution(s)?
“I was involved in pediatric research investigating how placental gene expression of nutrient-sensing and growth-related genes could predict cortical development. The research was conducted at Universidad de Granada, within the group of Andrés Catena and Cristina Campoy.”
What made you decide to join DANDRITE and move to Aarhus, Denmark?
“I wanted to take the next steps in my research career and thought the approach of DANDRITE could be the ideal option, since I have a strong interest in neuroscience, specifically in molecular and psychological aspects.”
What will you be working on, and is there anything in particular that you are especially looking forward to in your new position?
“My project is part of a five-year Novo Nordisk Foundation programme grant investigating the molecular and circuit-level mechanisms of active forgetting in the group of Professor Anders Nykjær. The programme focuses on SORCS3, a top-risk gene across eight neuropsychiatric conditions, including PTSD, which the group has identified as a key molecular player of synaptic depotentiation and potentially memory decay. The project combines optogenetics, in vivo electrophysiology, miniscope calcium imaging, and spatial transcriptomics to investigate how the brain actively erases memories, with direct implications for PTSD, addiction, and chronic pain. I will be working together with Associate Professor Andrea Moreno, PhD candidate Christian Boel and MSc student Ramona Tanović and will join our efforts to discover the mechanisms underlying forgetting at the molecular, synaptic and behavioural levels.”
Is there a fun fact about yourself that you would be happy to share?
“I have played the cello since I was 7 years old because I love music, which is one of my passions. I find the relationship between music and neuroplasticity particularly interesting, as well as the potential of music-based sensory therapies to treat memory-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.”