Scientific topics
Keywords
ITMO
Angelique di Domenico BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Neuroscience
Course and current status
Sept 2014 – Present
PhD Student – Full-time (PI: Dra Antonella Consiglio)
Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB) – Neural Com. and Diff.
- Continued developing iPSC culture techniques, immunocytochemistry, Western Blotting, neurite counting, and confocal imaging.
- Currently investigating Parkinson´s disease pathogenesis through the use of a patient-specific iPSC-derived cell model.
- Mastered the derivation of patient-specific astrocytes and dopaminergic neurons from iPSC, embryoid body & spherical neural masses generation, and developed a successful co-culturing system with iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons and astrocytes.
- Expert in astrocyte biology and learning in depth the mechanisms of autophagy and mitochondrial dynamics.
May 2014 – Sept 2014
Laboratory Technician – Full-time (PI: Dra Antonella Consiglio)
Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB) – Neural Commitment and Differentiation
- Mastered techniques in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) culture such as culturing, passaging, freezing, thawing, differentiating, and picking iPSC, as well as reprogramming (retrovirus)/culturing/passaging human skin fibroblasts, immunocytochemistry, Western Blotting, neurite counting, and confocal imaging.
Sep 2013 – May 2014
Laboratory Technician – Part-time (PI: Dr. Cayetano Gonzalez)
Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) Barcelona - Department of Cell Division
- Tasks included Drosophila genetics and husbandry, genetic screening.
Nov 2012 – Jan 2013
Research Assistant/Biologist – Voluntary Basis (PI: Dr. Daniel Hartl)
Harvard University - Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
- Mastered Drosophila genetics and husbandry on a large scale.
- Administered pharmacological agents to Drosophila.
- Continued to master techniques such as RNA/DNA extraction and PCR.
Aug 2012 – Nov 2012
Research Assistant – Voluntary Basis (PI: Dr. Frank Hirth)
King’s College London - Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry
- Acquired extensive skills in Drosophila genetics and husbandry.
- Mastered techniques of RNA/DNA extraction, semi-Q RT-PCR, Drosophila behavioural testing, as well as gel electrophoresis and adopted new techniques such as Western blotting.
- Performed ample data interpretation/data entry and statistical analyses.
- Managed and trained new research assistants.
- Gave regular laboratory presentations on progress and project background.
Sept 2010 – Jun 2011
Laboratory Technician – Voluntary Basis (PI: Prof. Kevin O’Bryne)
King’s College London - Reproductive Neurobiology & Early life Origins of Disease Lab, School of Medicine
- Mastered scientific techniques including radioimmunoassay, rodent microdissection, and quantitative real time PCR, as well as simple microscopy and data interpretation.
- Mastered the handling and treatment of experimental rodents.
- Collaborated in an article published in Neuroendocrinology.
- Completed a laboratory Health & Safety course, including the handling of radioactive isotopes.
Sept 2005 - Aug 2006
Healthcare Assistant – Voluntary Basis
Newton-Wellesley Hospital - Maternity Ward, Wellesley, MA, USA
- Ensured a safe, comfortable and nurturing environment for patients, while aiding nursing and administrative staff in the running of the ward.
- Good patient service and communication skills obtained.
Scientific summary
Even with the wealth of current knowledge and the sheer velocity of breakthrough discoveries being made in the field of Neuroscience research, a great deal remains to be learnt about the complex function of the human nervous system and pathalogical development. Since a young age I have been fascinated by the natural world, and over time an interest turned into a hunger for understanding. While the school science curriculum served well to explain many simple phenomena of human physiology, I considered it paramount to seek answers to questions about coordinated movement, sensory mechanisms, control of organ function, the mind hypothesis and memory.
My MSc in Neuroscience has given me the techniques necessary to investigate the development of neurodegenerative diseases in order to find suitable therapies. My thesis titles, "Drosophila Models of Neurodegeneration:The role of EAAT1 in TDP-43 related Motor Neuron Disease formation", has given me the knowledge and understanding needed to further investigate ALS.
I am now doing my PhD in Dr. Antonella Consiglio's laboratory in the Institute of Biomedicine at the Universoty of Barcelona, Spain. My project focuses on the roles astrocytes play during Parksinson's disease by using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). In collaboration with Giulia Carola (current labmate), we have developed a co-culturing system with dopaminergic neurons and astrocytes, enabeling us to have a direct birds-eye view in the PD patient's brain.
Specialties
• Critically analyses
• Motivated by scientific discoveries
• Hard working
• Social and communicative
• Quick thinker
Highly flexible and able to move anywhere in Europe, North America and Canada.
Publications
Diaper, DC, Adachi, Y, Lazarou, L, Greenstein, M, Simoes FA, di Domenico, A, Solomon, A, Lowe, S, Al Subaie, R, Cheng, D, Buckley, S, Humphrey, DM, Shaw, CE, Hirth, F (2013) Drosophila TDP-43 dysfunction in glia and muscle cells cause cytological and behavioural phenotypes that characterize ALS and FTLD. Human Molecular Genetics, May 31.
Grachev, P, Li, X-F, Kinsey-Jones, J, di Domenico, A, Millar, R, Lightman, S, O'Byrne, K (2012) Suppression of the GnRH pulse generator by neurokinin B involves a kappa-opioid receptor-dependent mechanism. Neuroendorinology, 153(10):9894-904.
