Ángel José
Acebes Vindel

PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 1999 at the Autonoma University (Madrid). During this period, my work has focused on the characterization of brain activity in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, using genetic manipulations, electrophysiology and behaviour. In these works, we have identified several tools to increase synapse number in vivo in fly cerebral circuits. After a postdoctoral stage at Dijon (France, 2000-2004), I was awarded with a competitive International grant (European Reintegration Grant, 2004-2007, EC) and a Ramón y Cajal postdoctoral contract, Cajal Institute, CSIC, Madrid (2007-2012). During this period, I have obtained funds from international (European Reintegration Grant-EC, CNRS/CSIC Research Actions ) funding agencies as well as Spanish public (CAM, CSIC) and private (Fundación Ramón Areces, Fundación Reina Sofía/Red CIEN) institutions. As an independent researcher, my scientific interest focused on the identification of the underlying mechanisms modulating synapse number and activity in vivo and their physiological and behavioural consequences, employing the olfactory system of Drosophila but also the mammalian brain in rodent models. From July 2013, I lead a research team (Molecular Mechanisms in Neurodegeneration) at the Institute of Biomedical Technologies (ITB), University of La Laguna. Our research line aims to counteract two early clinically characterized markers of neurodegenerative diseases, anosmia and synaptic loss, in specific brain areas, employing genetic (Drosophila) and pharmacological (rodents) tools to restore synapses in vivo. From November 2020, I am a University Full Professor teaching at the School of Medicine and the School of Pharmacy in the University of La Laguna.