Andrea Pérez Arévalo
New York,New York
Summary
Neuroscientist with extensive experience at Icahn School of Medicine, focusing on neuroimmune biology and microglial pathophysiology. Proven ability to lead research projects and mentor diverse teams. Expertise in microglia biology and neuroinflammation, contributing to significant advancements in therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Postdoctoral Fellow – Neuroscience
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, NY
01.2023 - Current
- - Lead investigator on the project dissecting APOE4-mediated microglial dysfunction post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) using 3D iPSC-derived cortical tissue (miBrain); identified dysregulated lipid metabolism and phagocytosis pathways as therapeutic targets.
- - Designed and managed multi-modal data pipelines (bulk RNA-seq, lipidomics, immunophenotyping), and advanced high-content imaging workflows to prioritize actionable therapeutic nodes.
- - Serve as co-lead on a multi-institutional collaborative project with Calico Life Sciences, coordinating between biotech, academic, and computational research teams to investigate glial biology and therapeutic targets in aging.
- - Mentored diverse trainees (from high school through PhD) and co-developed laboratory onboarding processes.
- - Conference Presentation: New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Annual Conference, 2025.
- - Course Faculty: Preceptor for Molecular and Cellular Genomics (Fall 2024–2025).
- Assisted principal investigators with grant applications related to postdoctoral research initiatives.
- Coordinated meetings with other scientists to discuss progress on current projects.
- Presented research at national conferences and seminars.
Predoctoral Researcher – Human Biology (PhD)
Institute of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Ulm University
Ulm, Germany
01.2019 - 01.2023
- - Investigated glia-neuron interactions in Shank3-deficient models of autism, uncovering impaired myelination (Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; Mol Autism 2023).
- - Discovered that microglial cells express SHANK3 and contribute to the development of Phelan-McDermid Syndrome; identified peripheral SHANK3 expression in PBMCs as a promising blood-based biomarker (in review).
- - Pioneered a neonatal perfusion and whole-body immunostaining protocol (PLOS ONE, 2022) adopted by multiple academic collaborators.
- - Graduated magna cum laude; awarded the ProTrainU Mobility Fellowship for international research exchange.
- Conducted literature reviews and synthesized research to identify gaps in knowledge and inform project objectives.
- Coordinated with multi-disciplinary teams (neurology and clinical departments) to formulate experiments, capture data, and evaluate results.
Graduate and Master Student
Neuropharmacology & Pain Lab, University of Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain
02.2017 - 10.2018
- - Explored early-onset Parkinson's disease mechanisms via ADORA1 mutation analysis. Contributed to two high-impact publications.
- Participated in a variety of campus events, such as career fairs, lectures, and workshops.
- Completed assigned readings and homework, enhancing understanding of subject matter.
- Participated actively in group projects, contributing to successful outcomes.
- Attended workshops and seminars to enhance learning beyond the classroom.
Undergraduate Research Assistant
IFMSA SCORE Exchange Program
Vienna
07.2017 - 08.2017
- - Investigated GPCR signaling and receptor dynamics in transfected HEK293 models.
- Performed laboratory experiments in accordance with established protocols.
- Gathered, compiled, and interpreted information from various sources.
Education
PhD - Human Biology (Neuroscience)
Ulm University
Ulm, Germany07-2023
MS - Neuroscience
University of Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain01.2018
BS - Biomedical Science
University of Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain01.2017
Skills
- Neuroimmune biology and microglial pathophysiology
- IPSC-derived multicellular brain models (miBrain)
- Team collaboration
- Research communication
- Phenotypic screening and imaging
- Lipidomics, metabolomics, and RNA-seq
- Biomarker discovery and validation
- Rodent handling and behavioral assays
- Molecular cloning and proteomics
- Scientific mentoring and communication
- Emotional intelligence and collaboration
- Strategic thinking in experimental design
- Leadership and adaptability
- Team-oriented mindset
- Goal-driven organization with attention to detail
- Problem-solving and creative thinking
- Mouse handling and primary cell culture
- Immunofluorescence and microscopy techniques
- RNA-seq pipelines and analysis tools
- Proteomics workflows using LC-MS/MS
- Programming in R
Awards
PhD magna cum laude, Ulm University (2023)
ProTrainU Research Mobility Fellowship, Ulm University (2022)
Affiliations
- Volunteer at Children's Hospital
- Volunteer at Animal Shelters
- Music studies (Clarinet)
- Science communication to students in small towns in Spain
Publications
- Atanasova E, Pérez-Arévalo A.P., Graf I, et al. Immune activation during pregnancy exacerbates ASD-related changes in Shank3-deficient mice. Molecular Autism 14:1 (2023).
- Sarasola L.L., Llinas del Torrent C., Pérez-Arévalo A., et al. ADORA1 mutation impairs A1-A2A receptor heteromer formation in early-onset PD. Biomed Pharmacother 156 (2022).
- Fernández-Dueñas V, Pérez-Arévalo A., et al. A1-A2A heteromers as novel PD targets. Front Neurosci 11 (2017).
- Malara M, Pérez-Arévalo A. (co-author), et al. SHANK3 deficiency disrupts CNS and PNS myelination. Cell Mol Life Sci 79:371 (2022).
- First Author: SHANK3 and β-synuclein as blood biomarkers for Phelan-McDermid Syndrome. Submitted to Translational Psychiatry (Nature Portfolio).
- First Author: TBI-induced APOE4 microglial dysregulation in human miBrain model. (In preparation)
- First-Author: Microglial P2RY12 as a Therapeutic Target in Parkinson’s Disease: Insights from GWAS-Guided Human iPSC Brain Models. (In preparation)
- Multiple additional collaborative manuscripts in progress on glial contributions to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer's disease.
TEACHING & MENTORSHIP
- - Preceptor, Molecular & Cellular Genomics, Icahn School of Medicine (2024–2025)
- - Mentor, Summer Research Program for Science Teachers, Mount Sinai x Columbia (2024–present)
- - Supervised six students (high school to MSc); two co-authored abstracts
Languages
Spanish
Native/ Bilingual
Catalan
Native/ Bilingual
English
Full Professional
German
Elementary
Certification
- Use of animals for laboratory research (University of Barcelona, 2017)
- Microglia biology in brain development (EMBO, 2021)
- Drug Discovery (Boehringer Ingelheim, 2025)
Timeline
Postdoctoral Fellow – Neuroscience
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
01.2023 - Current
Predoctoral Researcher – Human Biology (PhD)
Institute of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Ulm University
01.2019 - 01.2023
Undergraduate Research Assistant
IFMSA SCORE Exchange Program
07.2017 - 08.2017
Graduate and Master Student
Neuropharmacology & Pain Lab, University of Barcelona
02.2017 - 10.2018
PhD - Human Biology (Neuroscience)
Ulm University
MS - Neuroscience
University of Barcelona
BS - Biomedical Science
University of Barcelona
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