Myriam Moreno García, PHD

Studies a UBQLN2-mediated ALS disease by manipulating the genetic expression of a specific protein isoform suspected to aggregate and lead to neurodegeneration

• Designs and performs in vivo administration of novel therapeutic in neonatal mice to evaluate neuromotor and cognitive performance in adulthood (intracerebroventricular injections and behavioral testing)
• Analyzes post-mortem whole cell protein expression changes and histopathological analysis on treated brains and spinal cords (molecular techniques and immunohistochemistry)
• Interprets large data sets to refine, conclude and plan subsequent experiments
• Collaborates with 5 scientists (Marvin Caruthers laboratory) to fine tune in vitro and vivo experiments and respective analyses.
• Clones and uses dual reporter constructs for high-throughput screening and validation of therapeutic targets (flow cytometry)
• Pending patent on a novel anti-sense oligonucleotide therapeutic against a type of ALS in human and mouse cell lines (proteomics)

Generated novel surgical cerebellar ischemic mouse model to understand the electrophysiological changes following neuronal injury

• Used whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology, paired with optogenetics and neuropharmacology, to evaluate and characterize neuronal populations based on their biophysical properties and synaptic input (i.e., excitability, passive membrane properties, ion channel density, input resistance (first author in pre-print, PMID: 37292810)
• Developed and characterized a surgical mouse model to understand mechanisms of ischemic brain injury (first author published, PMID: 35337949)
• Co-authored a study investigating chronic changes in oligodendrocyte sub-populations after Middle Cerebral Artery occlusion (MCAo)
• Conducted, optimized, and troubleshot her own experiments and other projects in the laboratory
• Mentored and trained technicians and other graduate students on labortory techniques

• Co-authored four publications and a strong foundation in neuroscience research by performing utilizing advanced molecular and biochemistry assays to study the cellular and molecular changes following neuronal injury (i.e., traumatic brain injury (TBI), cardiac arrest/cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CA/CPR), and middle cerebral artery occlusion MCAo)
• Independently performed an extensive microarray study to analyze changes in genes associated with apoptosis after global cerebral ischemia
• Managed a wild-type and transgenic colony of 200+ cages.

• Co-authored five publications and gained a strong foundation in molecular biology and biochemistry assays
• Independently led a project of embryonic tissue microdissection and culture with the goal of studying a possible cleft palate reversal in E12.5 embryos with a lenti-viral approach
• Organized and maintained a library composed of hundreds of bacterial stocks and DNA plasmids.