Postdoctoral Fellows
Dr Oscar Lanussa, M.Sc. Ph.D. Postdoctoral Fellow
Email: oscaralejandro.hidalgolanussa@ul.ie
Oscar holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia, specializing in Neuroscience and Biochemistry. His doctoral thesis focused on sex differences mediated by estrogenic activity in human astrocytes under metabolic stress induced by fatty acids. He also holds a Master’s degree in the same field, with research centered on the effects of neuroactive steroids in an inflammatory microglial model. Oscar earned his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Universidad Distrital "Francisco José de Caldas." He has extensive research and teaching experience, particularly in the study of neurodegenerative diseases, lipotoxicity, and neuroprotective signaling under metabolic stress conditions. His current work focuses on coupling neuroscience and artificial intelligence to enhance the pharmacological effects of tibolone and development of new ligands to improve neuroprotection.
Ph.D. students
Andrew J. McGovern, B.Sc. M.Sc PGDip. Ph.D. Student
Email: Andrew.McGovern@ul.ie
Andrew completed his B.Sc. in Neuroscience at University College Cork, where he studied the sexually dimorphic effects of early life stress on hippocampal neurogenesis and microglial activation. Afterward, he pursued a Masters by Research at the same institution, focusing on sex differences in brain responses. He later joined our lab as a PhD student, where his research explores genetic and hormonal sex differences in metabolism, with the goal of understanding their implications in diseases like Alzheimer's. Andrew is also featured in podcasts and scientific discussions on sex-based biological differences in health, which highlights his engagement in public outreach and science communication.
Nicolas Castellanos, M.D., Ph.D. Student, University of Bergen, Norway
Email: nicolascastellanos1107@gmail.com
Nicolas graduated as a Medical Doctor in 2021 and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at SESAM - Centre for Age-Related Medicine, Stavanger University Hospital, Norway. He is also a Research Fellow at the Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. With a strong background in clinical research and statistical analysis, his main interests lie in neurosciences, neurology, dementia, and aging. His current work focuses on Lewy Body Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. His Ph.D. thesis, titled "Crosstalk between muscular health, fatty acids, and oxidative stress in cognitive decline and depression," is supervised by Dr. Audun Vik-Mo from the University of Bergen, Norway, with co-supervision by Prof. Dag Aarsland (Stavanger University Hospital and King's College London) and Prof. George Barreto (University of Limerick, Ireland).
Catarina de Jesus Nunes, B.Sc., M.Sc. Ph.D. Student
Email: catarinadejesusnunes@gmail.com
Catarina is a Biomedical Scientist and Clinical Pathologist with a Master's degree in Immunology from the Graduate Program in Immunology at the Federal University of Bahia (Brazil). She is currently pursuing a PhD in Translational Neurosciences at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Her doctoral research, supervised by Prof Silvia Costa (Federal University of Bahia) and Prof George Barreto, titled "Investigation of the Neuroprotective and Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects and Mechanisms of Terpenoid Compounds in an In Vitro Model of Neuroinflammation", focuses on exploring novel therapeutic approaches for this condition. In addition to her academic work, she is very passionate about teaching, reading, listening to music, and swimming. She believes these activities are essential for maintaining balance between a demanding academic routine and moments of relaxation and well-being.
José Eduardo Amaral, B.Sc., M.Sc. Ph.D. Student
Email: doamaral.jose@ul.ie
José graduated from the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture at USP-Piracicaba in Food Science and holds a master’s degree from the Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture (CENA-USP-Piracicaba) (Brazil), with a focus in Chemistry in Agriculture and Environment. He has consistently worked in the biochemistry and instrumental analysis lab, conducting cell culture studies for intestinal absorption models and investigating the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of food compounds. For both his undergraduate and master’s research projects, he explored how different forms of the same compound (such as esters and glycosides) affect his models. His hobbies include biking, playing saxophone, and watching classic films, though during his master's, he dedicated more time to reading research papers.
His Ph.D. project, supervised by Prof. Daniel Granato and co-supervised by Prof. George Barreto, aims to study the effects of apple pomace bioactive molecules on glial cells and adipocytes.