CHRISTINA DIMOVASILI

• Led research on Alzheimer's disease, neuronal vulnerability, and aging white matter using cell-based, molecular, and tissue-based approaches to advance understanding of neurodegenerative processes.
• Conduct single-nucleus multiomics analyses (snRNA-seq/snATAC-seq), lipidomics, immunohistochemistry, and RNAscope to investigate oligodendrocyte and glial changes in aging primate white matter.
• Apply human iPSC-derived neurons, SH-SY5Y, and HEK293 cell models to investigate disease-associated mechanisms and gene regulation.
• Perform lentiviral transduction, lentiviral/AAV production, and luciferase reporter assays to evaluate genetic and microRNA-mediated regulation.
• Integrate qPCR, Western blotting, immunocytochemistry, and fluorescence imaging to characterize cellular and molecular responses.
• Coordinated multidisciplinary projects and mentored junior researchers in experimental techniques and data interpretation, enhancing team competency and project outcomes.
• Established ex vivo brain tissue cultures to investigate therapeutic strategies targeting age-associated cellular changes.

• Investigated glial biology and brain aging through primary OPC and microglial cultures, human and nonhuman primate fibroblasts, and brain tissue to advance understanding of neurodegenerative processes.
• Applied direct fibroblast-to-OPC conversion approaches and microglial phagocytosis assays to elucidate cellular identity and function, contributing to insights into cellular interactions in the brain.
• Designed and adapted cellular and molecular experiments, integrating microscopy and quantitative analyses to address research questions.
• Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams, training junior researchers in experimental methods to enhance laboratory capabilities and foster knowledge transfer.

• Developed in vitro familial Alzheimer's disease models with primary murine neurons, HEK293 cells, and stable cell lines to study disease mechanisms.
• Designed experiments on neuronal stress and neurotrophic factors; evaluated cellular responses using viability/MTT assays, ELISA, and Western blotting to assess neuroprotective effects.
• Applied genetic manipulation and optimized experimental conditions and assay readouts to explore neuronal vulnerability and neuroprotection.

GPA: Distinction