Education & Training
- Biotechnology Degree: Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain, 2007
- Biochemestry Degree: Autonomous Unversity of Barcelona, Spain, 2007
- Master in Biomedicine: University of Barcelona, Spain, 2008
- PhD in Biomedicine: University of Barcelona, Spain, 2015
Major Awards
- PhD Fellowship from the Catalan Goverenment – FIDGR, 2010
- Spanish HIV Fundation (FIPSE) travel award, 2013
- CZI Neurodegeneration Community Projects, 2019
- ESO WSO 2020 Young Investigator Award, 2020
Research Interests
My research interests are focused on using genetics to improve the management and well-being of people that suffer from neurodegenerative diseases. Currently there is a great potential in combining genomics and bioinformatics, especially machine learning. Predictive models can easily be used in clinical settings to improve the management and quality of life of patients. My research is focused on the application novel bioinformatics tools to unique longitudinal datasets to create a predictive models for neurodegenerative diseases. My current research aims to create predictive models for Alzheimer Disease and Parkinson’s disease using cell free RNA and cell free DNA present in the plasma of afected individuals.
Key Publications
- Ibanez L, Heitsch L, Dube U, Farias FHG, Budde J, Bergmann K, Davenport R, Bradley J, Carrera C, Kinnunen J, Sallinen H, Strbian D, Slowik A, Fernandez-Cadenas I, Montaner J, Lee JM, Cruchaga C, (2019 06). Overlap in the Genetic Architecture of Stroke Risk, Early Neurological Changes, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors. Stroke. 50(6): 1339-1345.
Read publication »Overlap in the Genetic Architecture of Stroke Risk, Early Neurological Changes, and Cardiovascular Risk Factors. - Ibanez L, Dube U, Davis AA, Fernandez MV, Budde J, Cooper B, Diez-Fairen M, Ortega-Cubero S, Pastor P, Perlmutter JS, Cruchaga C, Benitez BA, (2018 April). Pleiotropic Effects of Variants in Dementia Genes in Parkinson Disease. Front Neurosci. 12: 230.
Read publication »Pleiotropic Effects of Variants in Dementia Genes in Parkinson Disease. - Ibanez L, Dube U, Saef B, Budde J, Black K, Medvedeva A, Del-Aguila JL, Davis AA, Perlmutter JS, Harari O, Benitez BA, Cruchaga C, (2017 Nov). Parkinson disease polygenic risk score is associated with Parkinson disease status and age at onset but not with alpha-synuclein cerebrospinal fluid levels. BMC Neurol. 17(1): 198.
Read publication »Parkinson disease polygenic risk score is associated with Parkinson disease status and age at onset but not with alpha-synuclein cerebrospinal fluid levels. - Ibanez L, Dube U, Budde J, Black K, Medvedeva A, Davis AA, Perlmutter JS, Benitez BA, Cruchaga C, (2017 08). TMEM230 in Parkinson’s disease. Neurobiol. Aging. 56: 212.e1-212.e3.
Read publication »TMEM230 in Parkinson’s disease. - Ibáñez L, Velli PS, Font R, Jaén A, Royo J, Irigoyen D, Cairó M, De la Sierra A, Arranz MJ, Gallardo D, Dalmau D, (2014 November). HIV-infection, atherosclerosis and the inflammatory pathway: candidate gene study in a Spanish HIV-infected population. PLoS ONE. 9(11): e112279.
Read publication »HIV-infection, atherosclerosis and the inflammatory pathway: candidate gene study in a Spanish HIV-infected population. - Dube U, Del-Aguila JL, Li Z, Budde JP, Jiang S, Hsu S, Ibanez L, Fernandez MV, Farias F, Norton J, Gentsch J, Wang F, , Salloway S, Masters CL, Lee JH, Graff-Radford NR, Chhatwal JP, Bateman RJ, Morris JC, Karch CM, Harari O, Cruchaga C, (2019 11). An atlas of cortical circular RNA expression in Alzheimer disease brains demonstrates clinical and pathological associations. Nat. Neurosci.. 22(11): 1903-1912.
Read publication »An atlas of cortical circular RNA expression in Alzheimer disease brains demonstrates clinical and pathological associations.