Miquel Vila

Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Spain

  • CAIXARESEARCH
    AWARDEE

    Miquel Vila
    Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Spain
    Modulation of age-dependent neuromelanin accumulation as a novel therapeutic strategy for Parkinson’s disease and brain aging
    Project leader

  • HIGHLIGHTS OF
    THE PROJECT

    Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder which incidence is increasing due to the progressive rise in life expectancy. Despite the availability of symptomatic treatments, PD remains incurable, as these treatments do not stop neuronal loss. In PD, there is a selective degeneration of neurons that contain neuromelanin, a dark-brown brain pigment that accumulates with age, causing the symptoms of the disease. However, the role of neuromelanin in PD has remained largely unknown because, in contrast to humans, common laboratory animals lack this brain pigment. We developed genetically-engineered rodents able to produce human-like neuromelanin up to levels reached in elder humans and found that progressive neuromelanin accumulation inside neurons ultimately kills these neurons and triggers PD. Using this unique animal model, we developed new therapeutic strategies able to reduce age-dependent neuromelanin accumulation and prevent, halt or delay the initiation of PD-like neurodegeneration. Based on these results, modulation of neuromelanin levels may represent a conceptually novel therapeutic approach for PD and, in a broader sense, brain aging.

  • PROFILE

    Dr. Vila is ICREA Research Professor at the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR). In addition, he holds positions as Associate Professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and as Principal Investigator of the Spanish Network of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED) and the Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s initiative (ASAP, USA). He received his MD from the University of Barcelona (UB) and PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Paris 6 (France) and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Dept. of Neurology of Columbia University in New York. In 2001, he obtained a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of Neurology at Columbia University, before moving back to Barcelona in 2006 to lead the Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group at VHIR.

  • FULL CV

  • RESEARCH
    INTERESTS

    Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of neuron cell death occurring in Parkinson's disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's dementia, in order to: (i) identify biomarkers for the diagnosis, early detection, patient stratification, disease progression, prognosis or response to treatment, (ii) identify new molecular targets for potential therapeutic intervention, (iii) develop novel therapeutic strategies with disease-modifying potential for this currently incurable disease, (iv) unravel molecular pathways common to other neurodegenerative diseases.

  • REFERENCES
    OR LINKS

  • CONTACT INFO

    Vall d’Hebron Research Institute
    Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Lab
    Mediterranean Building, First Floor, Lab. 102
    Pg. Vall d'Hebron 119-129
    08035 Barcelona
    Spain
    Tel.: +34 93 489 45 43

    https://www.icrea.cat/en
    http://www.vhir.org/gr/neurodegeneration/