Neurosciences, sense organs and mental health

At IRYCIS 6 Priority Research Areas are established, each one coordinated by 2 directors, with a basic mission to: i) ensure the achievement of the objectives set for their area overall; ii) guarantee communication and collaboration between the different research groups; iii) guide the emerging groups and the associate clinical researchers to achieve their progressive integration into the consolidated group level.

This is perhaps the oldest research area of the Ramón y Cajal Hospital. Since its inception, translational research in the field of Neurology and of Neurosciences general, has played a prominent role in the research activity of the hospital and currently constitutes the largest research area of IRYCIS. Being the area with the largest number of research groups, it integrates groups focused on basic research and genetic bases of neurological, neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, sensory organ pathologies and psychiatric diseases.

Leaders

Dr. Alicia Mansilla Aparicio

I am a Biologist from the Complutense University of Madrid. In 2005 I obtained my PhD in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and then I moved to the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, UK, where I worked on protein degradation in relation to neurodegenerative diseases. Afterwards, I did another postdoctoral stay at the Cajal Institute (CSIC) where I started researching on a calcium sensor and its mechanisms of synapse regulation. In this context, I lead a research project aimed at testing new drugs that modulate the activity of this sensor.

I joined IRYCIS in 2016, first as a Ramón y Cajal Researcher and currently as a professor at the University of Alcalá. I have participated in 13 research projects, being the principal investigator in 4 of them, and I am an inventor in 3 patents.

Contact: alicia.mansilla(ELIMINAR)@uah.e
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Dr. Alicia Mansilla Aparicio

Senior Scientist, UAH-IRYCIS
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Dr. Luisa Mª Villar Guimerans

I have a degree in Pharmacy from the University of Seville (1981), a PhD in Pharmacy from the UCM (1988) and am a Specialist in Immunology (2003). I furthered my training during my stays at the Institute of Neurology. UCL. London. UK (1998-1999) and at the Montreal Neurological Institute (Montreal, Canada) in 2010.

Since 2015 I am the Head of the Immunology Service at the Ramón y Cajal University Hospital where I coordinate the different sections of the service including the New Therapies section, which includes a Clean Room (the latter in collaboration with the Hematology service). I am also Head of the Neuroimmunology Unit for diagnosis and prognosis and response to treatment in Multiple Sclerosis. This unit has been established as a reference unit at national and international level. In addition, I hold other roles as a member of the REI (Spanish Inflammation Network) funded by the ISCIII since 2022, having been approved for continuity for 2025-2027, a period during which I will be the coordinator of the area of implementation of biomarkers in clinical practice and responsible for several work programs. 2017-2022 I was coordinator of the Spanish Multiple Sclerosis Network (RETICS funded by the ISCIII).

My research, focused on the field of neuroimmunology, is carried out in the Multiple Sclerosis research group of which I am responsible. Throughout my research career since 1993, I have been the principal investigator of competitive research projects in Multiple Sclerosis funded by the ISCIII, the National Research Plan of the Ministry of Science and Research, the NIH or the European Community. I am currently the PI of a FIS Project and Coordinator of the Multiple Sclerosis area of the European Project 3TR (Horizon 2020). In addition, we have been beneficiaries of two Rio Hortega contracts and a Juan Rodés contract in the last 5 years.

My scientific production includes more than 300 articles in indexed journals, with more than 80% in the first or second quartile and being first or last author in more than 40% of them. In the last 5 years we have published 83 articles. I am also the author of multiple communications at national and international conferences. I am a regular national and international speaker in the field of Multiple Sclerosis.

Regarding my teaching experience, I have been the Director of more than ten doctoral theses, five of which have been presented in the last 5 years. All five of them obtained the grade of outstanding cum laude and one of them also received an extraordinary award for the best doctoral thesis at the UCM Faculty of Medicine in 2021. I am also a Professor of the Master of Neurosciences at the UAM and the Master of Immunology at the UCM and I collaborate in the training in Multiple Sclerosis of Neurology residents, Immunology residents and other specialties, and researchers in training from other centers.

Contact: luisamaria.villar(ELIMINAR)@salud.madrid.org
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Dr. Luisa Mª Villar Guimerans

Head of Immunology service
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Dr. Manuel Guzmán Pastor

Manuel Guzmán is Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Complutense University of Madrid and member of the Spanish Royal Academy of Pharmacy. He has served as President of the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines (IACM) and the Spanish Society for Cannabinoid Research (SEIC), as well as Secretary of the Spanish Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SEBBM).

During the last 25 years his research has been mostly focused on the study of the mechanism of cannabinoid action. This work has allowed characterizing new effects and signaling pathways evoked by cannabinoid receptors, as well as suggesting new physiopathological implications derived from them, especially in the fields of neurology and neuro-oncology. He has published 220 scientific articles, as well as 6 patents on the potential therapeutic applications of cannabinoids as antitumoral and neuroprotective drugs. He has supervised 26 PhD theses.

Contact: mguzman@quim.ucm.es
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Dr. Manuel Guzmán Pastor

Senior Scientist, UCM-IRYCIS
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