Education & Training
- Postdoctoral Research Associate. Neurogenetics & Neurology: Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 2022
- Postdoctoral Fellow. Virology: Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, 2019
- PhD Molecular Biology: Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain, 2015
- MS Evolutionary Biology: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain, 2007
- BS Biology: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain, 2005
Major Awards
- Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center (ADRC) Research Education Component (REC) Scholar program. WUSM, 2022
- Finalist extraordinary doctorate award, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain, 2015
- Doctoral Student Research Award, Ministry of Science and Education, Spain, 2007
- Graduate Research Fellowship, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain, 2005
- Undergraduate Research Award, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain, 2004
- Undergraduate Fellowship, Ministry of Science and Education, Spain, 2000
Research Interests
My research primarily focuses on coupling stem cell modeling with genomic approaches to determine whether there is a common molecular mechanism that links the existence of certain MAPT mutations to the surge in tauopathies observed when they are present. To this end, I study transcriptomic profiles of iPSC-neurons, -astrocytes and -microglia carrying disease-related mutations and compare them to isogenic controls created using CRISPR/Cas9 protocols.
My long-term goal is to use ever more powerful novel approaches such as CRISPRi for multimodal genetic screening in human cell lines to understand more deeply the functions of several molecular drivers of disease and how to target these signatures to treat disease.
Key Publications
- Minaya M, Mahali S, Iyer A, Martinez R, Budde J, Temple S, Eteleeb A, Cruchaga C, Harari O, Karch C. Conserved gene signatures shared among MAPT mutations reveal defects in calcium signaling. [preprint]. 2022 June. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.06.10.22276260
- Filipello F, You S, Mahali S, Iyer A, Martinez R, Korvatska O, Raskind W, Bollman B, De Feo L, Ghezzi L, Minaya M, Cashikar A, Satoh J, Beatty W, Cella M, Piccio L, Karch C. Defects in lysosomal function and lipid metabolism in human microglia harboring a TREM2 loss of function mutation. [preprint]. 2022 July. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.07.05.22277068
- Minaya M, Jensen TL, Goll JB, Korom M, Datla SH, Belshe RB, Morrison LA, (2017 12). Molecular Evolution of Herpes Simplex Virus 2 Complete Genomes: Comparison between Primary and Recurrent Infections. J Virol. 91(23)
Read publication »Molecular Evolution of Herpes Simplex Virus 2 Complete Genomes: Comparison between Primary and Recurrent Infections. - Minaya M, Hackel J, Namaganda M, Brochmann C, Vorontsova M, Besnard G, Catalán P. Contrasting dispersal histories of broad- and fine-leaved temperate Loliinae grasses: range expansion, founder events, and the roles of distance and barriers. Journal of Biogeography. 2017 September; 44(9):1980-1993. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.13012
- Minaya M, Díaz-Pérez A, Mason-Gamer R, Pimentel M, Catalán P, (2015 Oct). Evolution of the beta-amylase gene in the temperate grasses: Non-purifying selection, recombination, semiparalogy, homeology and phylogenetic signal. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 91: 68-85
Read publication »Evolution of the beta-amylase gene in the temperate grasses: Non-purifying selection, recombination, semiparalogy, homeology and phylogenetic signal. - Minaya M, Pimentel M, Mason-Gamer R, Catalan P, (2013 Jul). Distribution and evolutionary dynamics of Stowaway Miniature Inverted repeat Transposable Elements (MITEs) in grasses. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 68(1): 106-18
Read publication »Distribution and evolutionary dynamics of Stowaway Miniature Inverted repeat Transposable Elements (MITEs) in grasses.