Isidro Ferrer. Professor Pathology and Neuropathology 
University of Barcelona
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics. c/ Feixa Llarga sn; 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
Reseach subject
Molecular neuropathology of neurodegenerative diseases with abnormal protein aggregates
Summary
Molecular neuropathology of neurodegenerative diseases with abnormal protein aggregates, mainly Alzheimer’s disease, tauopathies, Parkinson’s disease and synucleinopathies, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and prion diseases from brain samples of the Institute of Neuropathology brain bank (a branch of the HUB-ICO-Idibell biobank) obtained according to the Spanish legislation on this matter, and optimally preserved following protocols and experience derived from the European Programme of Excellence BrainNet I and II. Application of combined “omics” in selected brain regions at different stages of disease progression and bioinformatics processing of the resulting data. Validation by RTqPCR, western blotting, immunohistochemistry and enzymatic assays, and identification of altered pathways, clusters, hubs, modules and interactions to learn about common and particular factors in the pathogenesis of the different diseases, recognition of possible biomarkers that can be tested in biological fluids (CSF and blood), and identification of putative targets of therapeutic intervention. Use of animal models, mainly transgenic mice, and cellular models (primary cultures and cell lines), to validate particular aspects. Use of animal models to test selected compounds based on our previous human and experimental observations. Translation of putative treatments to the clinical practice as clinical pilot studies.
Publications
- Ferrer I (2012) Defining Alzheimer as a common age-related neurodegenerative process not inevitably leading to dementia. Prog Neurobiol 97: 38-51
- López-Gonzalez I, Carmona M, Blanco R, Luna-Muñoz J, Martinez-Maldonado A, Mena R, Ferrer I (2013) Characterization of thorn-shped astrocytes in White matter of temoral lobe in Alzheimer’s disease brains. Brain Pathol 23: 144-153
- Ansoleaga B, Jové M, Schlüter A, Garcia-Esparcia P, Moreno J, Pujol A, Pamplona R, Portero-Otín M, Ferrer I (2015) Deregulation of purine metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease. Neurobiol Aging 36: 68-80
- Garcia-Esparcia P, Hernández-Ortega K, Koneti A, Gil L, Delgado-Morales R, Castaño E, Carmona M, Ferrer I (2015) Altered machinery of protein synthesis is region- and stage-dependent and is associated with α-synuclein oligomers in Parkinson’s disease. Acta Neuropathol Comm 3: 76
- Llorens F, Schmitz M, Ferrer I, Zerr I (2016) CSF biomarkers in neurodegenerative and vascular dementias. Prog Neurobiol 138-140: 36-53