Sonia Villapol, PhD March 2018 · 2018-04-09 · Sonia Villapol, PhD – Curriculum Vitae Updated – March 2018 5 32. Villapol S, Acarin L, Faiz M, Castellano B, González B. Survivin

Sonia Villapol, PhD – Curriculum Vitae Updated – March 2018

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GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

CURRICULUM VITAE

Sonia Villapol, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Neuroscience

Georgetown University Medical Center

3970 Reservoir Rd, NW

Washington D.C., 20057

Cell phone: 240-743-8777, email: [email protected]

1. PERSONAL INFORMATION

A. Education:

2007 Ph.D. Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain (Neuroscience, Summa Cum Laude)

2004 M.S. Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain (Neuroscience)

2002 BSc. University of Santiago Compostela, Spain (Molecular Biology, Biotechnology)

B. Professional Experience:

2014 – present Assistant Professor (research track) Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown

University Medical Center, Washington, D.C.

2010 – 2014 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative

Medicine (CNRM). Department of Pharmacology. Uniformed Services

University of the Health Sciences (USUSH), Bethesda, MD. (Advisor: Dr. Aviva

Symes).

2010 – 2013 Research Fellow / Special Volunteer, at National Institutes of Health (NIH),

Section on Pharmacology, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, MD. (Advisor: Dr. Juan M.

Saavedra).

2007 – 2010 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, UMR-CNRS 7102, Department of Neurobiology

of Adaptive Processes, University Pierre and Marie Curie VI, and Institute

National de la Santé et de la Recherché (INSERM) at the Unit U676. Robert

Debré Pediatric Hospital, Paris (France). (Advisor: Dr. Christiane Charriaut-

Marlangue).

2007 Associate Lecture in Histology, at Institute of Neuroscience and Department of

Cellular Biology, Physiology and Immunology at Autonomous University of

Barcelona, Spain.

2003 – 2007 Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, Institute of Neuroscience and

Department of Cellular Biology, Physiology and Immunology at Autonomous

mailto:[email protected]


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University of Barcelona, Spain. (Advisors: Drs. Laia Acarin, Berta González and

Bernardo Castellano).

2001 – 2003 Research Assistant, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine at University

of Santiago of Compostela, Spain. (Advisors: Dr. Clara Alvarez-Villamarín).

C. Languages Spoken: Spanish (native speaker), Galician (native speaker), English (advanced), French

(fluent), and Portuguese (advanced).

2. RESEARCH AND SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES

A. Publications:

i. Original Papers in Refereed Journals;

(Reverse chronological order; 36 total) h-index: 19; i10-index: 23).

1. Main B., Villapol S., Sloley S., Barton D., Parsadanian M., Agbaegbu C, Stefos K., McCann M.,

Washington P, Rodriguez O., Burns MP. Apolipoprotein E4 impairs spontaneous blood brain barrier repair following traumatic brain injury. Molecular Neurodegeneration. In press, 2018.

2. Bozzelli, L., Alaiyed S., Kim E., Villapol S., Conant K. Proteolytic remodeling of perineuronal nets: effects on synaptic plasticity and neuronal population dynamics. Neural Plast. 2018 Feb

4;2018:5735789.

3. Lanfranco M.F., Burns M.P., Mocchetti I., Villapol S. Glial- and Neuronal-specific expression of

CCL5 mRNA in the rat brain. Frontiers in Neuroanatomy, Front. Neuroanat. 11:137. doi:

10.3389/fnana.2017.00137, 2018. PMID:29375328

4. Lanfranco, M., Loane, D. J., Mocchetti, I., Burns, M. P. and Villapol, S*. Combination of Fluorescent in situ Hybridization (FISH) and Immunofluorescence Imaging for Detection of

Cytokine Expression in Microglia/Macrophage Cells. Bio Protoc. 2017 Nov 20;7(22). pii: e2608.

doi: 10.21769/BioProtoc.2608. PMID:29238736

5. Villapol S*. Roles of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-gamma on brain and peripheral inflammation. Cell Mol Neurobiol. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2018 Jan;38(1):121-132. doi:

10.1007/s10571-017-0554-5. Epub 2017 Oct 3. Review. PMID: 28975471

6. Villapol S, Loane DJ, Burns MP. Sexual dimorphism in the inflammatory response to traumatic

brain injury. Glia. 2017 Sep;65(9):1423-1438. doi: 10.1002/glia.23171. Epub 2017 Jun 13.

PMID:28608978. Featured in News.

7. Zhou, J, Burns, MP, Villapol S, Amdur R, Saavedra JM, Taub D, Blackman MR. Temporal

changes in gene expression associated with glucose metabolism in cortex and hippocampus of mice after Controlled Cortical Impact Injury, Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2017 Sep 11;8:231.

doi: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00231. eCollection 2017. PMID:28955302

8. Main BS, Sloley S, Villapol S, Zapple DN, Burns MP. A mouse model of single and repetitive

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. J Vis Exp. 2017 Jun 20;(124). doi: 10.3791/55713.

PMID:28654066

https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.proxy.library.georgetown.edu/pubmed/29531525




https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29238736













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9. Neustadtl A, Winston CN, Parsadanian P, Main BS, Villapol S and Burns MP. Reduced cortical excitatory synapse number in APOE4 mice is associated with increased calcineurin activity.

Neuroreport. 2017 Jul 5;28(10):618-624. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0000000000000811.

PMID:28542068

10. Barrett J, Henry RJ, Villapol S, Stoica BA, Faden AI, Burns MP, Loane DJ. NOX2 deficiency

alters macrophage phenotype through an IL-10/STAT3 dependent mechanism: implications for acute brain injury. J Neuroinflammation. 2017 Mar 24;14(1):65. doi: 10.1186/s12974-017-0843-

4.PMID:28340575

11. Allen M, Ghosh S, Ahern GP, Villapol S, Maguire-Zeiss KA, Conant K. Protease induced

plasticity: matrix metalloproteinase-1 promotes neurostructural changes through activation of protease activated receptor 1. Sci Rep. 2016 Oct 20;6:35497. doi: 10.1038/srep35497.

PMID:27762280

12. Villapol S*. Consequences of hepatic damage after traumatic brain injury: current outlook and potential therapeutic targets. Neural Regen Res. 2016 Feb;11(2):226-7. doi: 10.4103/1673-

5374.177720. PMID:27073366

13. Winston CN, Noel A, Neustadtl A, Parsadanian M, Barton D, Chellappa D, Wilkins TE, Alikhani

AD, Zapple DN, Villapol S, Planel E and Burns MP. Dendritic Spine Loss and Chronic White Matter Inflammation in a Mouse Model of Highly Repetitive Head Trauma. Am J Pathol. 2016

Mar;186(3):552-67. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2015.11.006. Epub 2016 Feb 5. PMID:26857506

14. De Magalhaes Filho, C, Kappeler, L, Dupont, J, Solinc, J, Villapol S, Denis, C, Nosten-Bertrand,

M, Billard, JM, Blaise, A, Tronche, F, Giros, B, Charriaut-Marlangue, C, Aïd, S, Le Bouc, Y,

Holzenberger, M. Deleting IGF-1 receptor from forebrain neurons confers neuroprotection

during stroke and upregulates endocrine somatotropin. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2017

Feb;37(2):396-412. doi: 10.1177/0271678X15626718. PMID:26762506

15. Villapol S*, Kryndushkin D, Balarezo M, Campbell A, Saavedra JM, Shewmaker FP, Symes AJ. Hepatic expression of Serum Amyloid A1 is induced by traumatic brain injury and modulated by

telmisartan. Am J Pathol. 2015 Oct;185(10):2641-52. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2015.06.016.

PMID:26435412. Featured in News.

16. Villapol S*, Balarezo M, Affram K, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. Neurorestoration after traumatic brain injury through Angiotensin II receptor blockage. Brain. 2015 Nov;138(Pt 11):3299-315.

doi: 10.1093/brain/awv172. Epub 2015 Jun 26.PMID:26115674. Featured in News.

17. Washington PM, Villapol S, Burns MP. Polypathology and dementia after brain trauma: Does

brain injury trigger distinct neurodegenerative diseases, or should it be classified together as traumatic encephalopathy? Exp Neurol. 2016 Jan;275 Pt 3:381-388. doi:

10.1016/j.expneurol.2015.06.015. Epub 2015 Jun 16. Review. PMID:26091850. Cover article.

18. Villapol S, and Saavedra JM. Neuroprotective effects of angiotensin receptor blockers. Review.

Am J Hypertens. 2015 Mar;28(3):289-99. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpu197. Epub 2014 Oct 31. Review.

PMID: 25362113.

19. Villapol S, Byrnes K, Symes AJ. Temporal dynamics of astrocytes-vasculature interaction, astrogliosis and apoptosis that occurs in the pericontusional cortical brain after traumatic brain

injury. Front Neurol. 2014 Jun 4;5:82. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2014.00082. PMID:24926283



























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20. Susarla B, Villapol S, Yi JH, Geller HM, Symes AJ. Temporal patterns of cortical proliferation of glial cell populations after traumatic brain injury in mice. ASN Neuro. 2014 May 8;6(3):159-

70. doi: 10.1042/AN20130034. PMID:24670035

21. Villapol S, Wang Y, Adams M, Symes AJ. Smad3 deficiency increases cortical and hippocampal

neuronal loss following traumatic brain injury. Exp Neurol. 2013 Dec;250:353-65. doi:

10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.10.008. Epub 2013 Oct 9. PMID:24120438

22. Hafko R, Villapol S, Nostramo R, Symes AJ, Sabban EL, Inagami T, Saavedra

JM. Commercially available Angiotensin II AT2 receptor antibodies are nonspecific. PLoS One.

2013 Jul 1;8(7):e69234. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069234. Print 2013. PMID:23840911

23. Logan TT, Villapol S, Symes AJ. TGF-β superfamily gene expression and induction of the Runx1

transcription factor in adult neurogenic regions after brain injury. PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e59250.

doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059250. Epub 2013 Mar 21. PMID: 23555640

24. Villapol S, Yaszemski AK, Logan TT, Sánchez-Lemus E, Saavedra JM, Symes

AJ. Candesartan, an Angiotensin II AT(1)-Receptor Blocker and PPAR-γ Agonist, Reduces

Lesion Volume and Improves Motor and Memory Function After Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2012 Dec;37(13):2817-29. doi: 10.1038/npp.2012.152. Epub 2012

Aug 15. PMID:22892395. Featured in News.

25. Charriaut-Marlangue C, Bonnin P, Gharib A, Leger PL, Villapol S, Pocard M, Gressens P,

Renolleau S, Baud O. Inhaled Nitric Oxide Reduces Brain Damage by Collateral Recruitment in a Neonatal Stroke Model. Stroke. 2012 Nov;43(11):3078-84. doi:

10.1161/STROKEAHA.112.664243. Epub 2012 Sep 4. PMID:22949477

26. Bonnin P, Leger PL, Villapol S, Deroide N, Gressens P, Pocard M, Renolleau S, Baud O,

Charriaut-Marlangue C. Dual action of NO synthases on blood flow and infarct volume consecutive to neonatal focal cerebral ischemia. Exp Neurol. 2012 Jul;236(1):50-7. doi:

10.1016/j.expneurol.2012.04.001. Epub 2012 Apr 12. PMID:22531298

27. Villapol S, Fau S, Renolleau S, Biran V, Charriaut-Marlangue C, Baud O. Metatonin promotes

myelination by decreasing white matter inflammation after neonatal stroke. Pediatr Res. 2011

Jan;69(1):51-5. doi: 10.1203/PDR.0b013e3181fcb40b. PMID:20856166. Cover article.

28. Villapol S, Bonnin P, Fau S, Baud O, Renolleau S, and Charriaut-Marlangue, C. Unilateral blood

flow decrease induces bilateral and symmetric responses in the immature brain. Am J Pathol.

2009 Nov;175(5):2111-20. doi: 10.2353/ajpath.2009.090257. Epub 2009 Oct 8. PMID:19815715

29. Gelot A, Villapol S, Renolleau S., and Charriaut-Marlangue, C., Astrocytic demise in the

developing rat and human brain after hypoxic-ischemic damage, Dev Neurosci. 2009;31(5):459-

70. doi: 10.1159/000232564. Epub 2009 Aug 11. PMID:19672074

30. Villapol S, Gelot A, Renolleau S, and Charriaut-Marlangue C. Astrocyte responses after neonatal

ischemia: the yin and the yang. Neuroscientist. 2008 Aug;14(4):339-44. doi:

10.1177/1073858408316003. Epub 2008 Jul 8. Review. PMID:18612085

31. Faiz M, Acarin L, Villapol S, Castellano B, Gonzalez B. Substantial migration of SVZ cells to the cortex results in the generation of new neurons in the excitotoxically damaged immature rat

brain. Mol Cell Neurosci. 2008 Jun;38(2):170-82. doi: 10.1016/j.mcn.2008.02.002. Epub 2008

Mar 4. PMID:18434192


























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32. Villapol S, Acarin L, Faiz M, Castellano B, González B. Survivin and Heat Shock Protein 25/27 colocalize with cleaved caspase-3 in surviving reactive astrocytes following excitotoxicity to the

immature brain. Neuroscience. 2008 Apr 22;153(1):108-19. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.

2008.01.054. Epub 2008 Feb 14. PMID:18358624

33. Villapol S, Acarin L, Faiz M, Castellano B, González B. Distintic spatial and temporal activation profile of apoptotic pathways in neurons and glial cells after excitotoxic damage in the neonatal

rat brain. J Neurosci Res. 2007 Dec;85(16):3545-56. PMID:17668855

34. Acarin L, Villapol S, Faiz M, Rohn TT, Castellano B, González B. Caspase-3 activation in

astrocytes following postnatal excitotoxic damage correlates with cytoskeletal remodeling but not with cell death or proliferation. Glia. 2007 Jul;55(9):954-65. PMID:17487878

35. Spiegler M, Villapol S, Biran V, Goyenvalle C, Mariani J, Renolleau S, Charriaut-Marlangue C.

Bilateral Changes after neonatal ischemia in the P7 rat brain. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2007

Jun;66(6):481-90. Erratum in: J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2007 Jul;66(7):673. PMID:17549008

36. Faiz M, Acarin L, Peluffo H, Villapol S, Castellano B, Gonzalez B. Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase

expression in progenitor and stem cells of the postnatal subventricular zone. Neurosci Lett. 2006

Jun 19;401(1-2):71-6. Epub 2006 Mar 29. PMID:16567040.

ii. Reviews or Editorials in Refereed Journals

1. Villapol S. Roles of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-gamma on brain and peripheral

inflammation. Cell Mol Neurobiol. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2018 Jan;38(1):121-132. doi:

10.1007/s10571-017-0554-5. Epub 2017 Oct 3. Review. PMID: 28975471.

2. Villapol S. Consequences of hepatic damage after traumatic brain injury: current outlook and

potential therapeutic targets. Neural Regen Res. 2016 Feb;11(2):226-7. doi: 10.4103/1673-

5374.177720. PMID:27073366

3. Washington PM, Villapol S, Burns MP. Polypathology and dementia after brain trauma: Does

brain injury trigger distinct neurodegenerative diseases, or should it be classified together as traumatic encephalopathy? Exp Neurol. 2016 Jan;275 Pt 3:381-388. doi:

10.1016/j.expneurol.2015.06.015. Epub 2015 Jun 16. Review. PMID:26091850. Cover article.

4. Villapol S, and Saavedra JM. Neuroprotective effects of angiotensin receptor blockers. Review.

Am J Hypertens. 2015 Mar;28(3):289-99. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpu197. Epub 2014 Oct 31. Review.

PMID: 25362113.

5. Villapol S, Gelot A, Renolleau S, and Charriaut-Marlangue C. Astrocyte responses after neonatal

ischemia: the yin and the yang. Neuroscientist. 2008 Aug;14(4):339-44. doi:

10.1177/1073858408316003. Epub 2008 Jul 8. Review. PMID:18612085.

iii. Books or Chapters in Books

Book Chapter

Villapol S, Logan TT, Symes AJ (2013). Role of TGF-β Signaling in Neurogenic Regions After Brain

Injury, Trends in Cell Signaling Pathways in Neuronal Fate Decision, Dr. Sabine Wislet-Gendebien

(Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-51-1059-0, InTech, DOI: 10.5772/53941. Most downloaded Book Chapter.
























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Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/trends-in-cell-signaling-pathways-in-neuronal-fate-

decision/role-of-tgf-signaling-in-neurogenic-regions-after-brain-injury.

Book

Villapol S. Apoptotic and Anti-apoptotic Mechanisms in the Immature Brain: Understanding the

alternative roles of caspase-3 in the survival and death of neurons and astrocytes. Vdm Verlag, Dr.

Müller (Broschiert, Germany, 2009). Available from: Amazon. ISBN 10: 363919358X.

ISBN 13: 9783639193589.

iv. Other Publications

1. Villapol S. Daño hepático tras un traumatismo cerebral. July/August 2017. “Mente y Cerebro”

Journal from “Investigación y Ciencia”, Spanish edition of Scientific American.

2. Scientific Blog: SciLogs, Blog: “Neuronas Vivas” in “Investigación y Ciencia”, Spanish edition

of Scientific American.

v. Abstracts for Conference papers and posters (SELECTED, first or last author.)

1. Moffet B., Villapol S. Sex differences in the neuroinflammatory response following traumatic

brain injury, Tri-Annual student presentation of M.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Program, Georgetown University, December 9, 2017.

2. Wicker E., Benton L., Alaiyed S., Mualem W., Burns M.P., Villapol S. Targeting the liver acute

phase response following traumatic brain injury reduces brain inflammation. SfN Neuroscience

meeting, November 11-15, 2017. Washington D.C.

3. Jacobs A.F., Rajan L., Burns M.P., Villapol S. ApoE genotype and sex dependent differences in

the neuroinflammatory response to traumatic brain injury in aging mice. Capstone Meeting for

Medical Students. Georgetown University, September 19th 2017.

4. Benton L., Wicker E., Alaiyed S., Mualem W., George K., Furlow W., Burns M.P., Villapol S.

Targeting the liver acute phase response following traumatic brain injury reduces brain

inflammation. National Neurotrauma Society Annual Meeting. Abstracts from The 35th Annual

National Neurotrauma Symposium, July 7–12, 2017 Snowbird, Utah. Journal of Neurotrauma.

July 2017, 34(13): A-1-A-163.

5. Benton L., Furlow W., George K., Burns M., Villapol S. Hepatic blockage of a serum biomarker

of traumatic brain injury, Tri-Annual student presentation of M.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular

Biology Program, Georgetown University, April, 2017.

6. George K., Benton L., Furlow W., Burns M., Villapol S. Targeting serum amyloid A1 following

traumatic brain injury reduces brain inflammation, Tri-Annual student presentation of M.S. in

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program, Georgetown University, April, 2017.

7. Furlow W., Benton L., George K., Burns M., Villapol S. The Neurobiological response of ApoE3

and E4 following traumatic brain injury, Tri-Annual student presentation of M.S. in

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program, Georgetown University, April, 2017.

http://www.intechopen.com/books/trends-in-cell-signaling-pathways-in-neuronal-fate-decision/role-of-tgf-signaling-in-neurogenic-regions-after-brain-injury

http://www.intechopen.com/books/trends-in-cell-signaling-pathways-in-neuronal-fate-decision/role-of-tgf-signaling-in-neurogenic-regions-after-brain-injury

https://www.amazon.de/Apoptotic-Antiapoptotic-Mechanisms-Immature-Brain/dp/363919358X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books-intl-de&qid=1253519808&sr=8-4

https://www.investigacionyciencia.es/revistas/mente-y-cerebro/con-ojos-de-beb-710/dao-heptico-tras-un-traumatismo-cerebral-15434

http://www.investigacionyciencia.es/revistas/mente-y-cerebro/numeros

http://www.investigacionyciencia.es/blogs/psicologia-y-neurociencia/95/posts

http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/neu.2017.29011.abstracts

http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/neu.2017.29011.abstracts


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8. Mualem W., Wicker E., Alaiyed S., Benton L., Furlow W., George K., Jacobs A., Burns M.,

Villapol S. Blocking serum amyloid A using antisense therapy reduces brain inflammation,

Undergraduate Research Conference, Georgetown University, April, 2017.

9. Alaiyed S., Wicker E., Benton L., Furlow W., George K., Mualem W., Jacobs A., Bozzelli L.,

Burns M., Villapol S. Inhibition of hepatic serum amyloid A1 production using

antisense oligonucleotides reduces microglia activation in the injured brain, NCA TBI Research

Symposium (NIH, Bethesda, MD), March, 2017.

10. Wicker E., Burns M., Villapol S. Hepatic Serum Amyloid A1 Levels Are Influenced by the

Severity of Brain Injury and its Production is Sex-Dependent. Unraveling Vascular Inflammation:

From Immunology to Imaging. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), NIH, DHHS.

October, 2016 at NIH (Bethesda, MD).

11. Villapol S., Loane D.J., Burns M.P., Sex differences in the neuroinflammatory response following

traumatic brain injury. PINK Concussions International Summit on Female Concussion and TBI.

Georgetown University, February, 2016.

12. Wicker E., Burns M., Villapol S. Hepatic Serum Amyloid A1 Levels Are Influenced by the

Severity of Brain Injury and its Production is Sex-Dependent. Student Research Day for graduate

students. Georgetown University, October, 2016.

13. Villapol S, Loane DJ, Burns MP. Sex differences in the neuroinflammatory response following

traumatic brain injury. National Capital Area TBI Research Symposium, April, 2016, NIH

(Bethesda, MD).

14. Villapol S, Stefos K, Barton D, Parsadanian M, Burns MP. Apolipoprotein E4 gene modulates

the neuroinflammatory response, cell death and blood-brain barrier function after traumatic

brain injury in mice. National Capital Area TBI Research Symposium, April, 2016, NIH

(Bethesda, MD).

15. Villapol S, Communication between brain damage and peripheral organs. Joint Meeting of

Spanish Scientists in US, Georgetown University, Washington DC, September, 2015.

16. Villapol S, Kryndushkin D, Balarezo M, Campbell A, Saavedra JM, Shewmaker FP, Symes

AJ. Serum Amyloid A1 induced in the liver following traumatic brain injury. CNRM Annual

Meeting, NIH (Bethesda, MD), March, 2015.

17. Villapol S, Kryndushkin D, Balarezo M, Campbell A, Saavedra JM, Shewmaker FP, Symes

AJ. Serum Amyloid A1 induced in the liver following traumatic brain injury. SfN Neuroscience

Meeting, Washington DC, November, 2014.

18. Symes AJ. Saldana-Prieto E, Balarezo M, Cox RT, Villapol S. Genetic deletion of Parkin

enhances recovery from traumatic brain injury. National Neurotrauma Society Annual Meeting,

San Francisco, June, 2014.

19. Villapol S, Saldana-Prieto E, Balarezo M, Cox RT, Symes AJ. Genetic deletion of Parkin

enhances recovery from traumatic brain injury in a gender-dependent manner. CNRM Annual

Meeting, NIH (Bethesda, MD), April, 2013.

20. Villapol S, Balarezo M, Affram K, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. The Angiotensin II receptor

blockers, candesartan and telmisartan, reduce cortex lesion volume and improve outcome after

traumatic brain injury. CNRM Annual Meeting, NIH (Bethesda, MD), April, 2013.

21. Villapol S, Balarezo M, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. Low dose candesartan administered after injury

is beneficial for recovery from controlled cortical impact injury in mice. CNRM Annual Meeting,

NIH (Bethesda, MD), April, 2013.


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22. Villapol S, Balarezo M, Affram K, Mitchell K, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. Low dose candesartan

administered after injury is beneficial for recovery from controlled cortical impact injury in mice.

National Neurotrauma Society Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN, August, 2013.

23. Villapol S, Logan TT, Balarezo M, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. Treatment with candesartan, the

angiotensin II type I receptor antagonist, after traumatic brain injury is neuroprotective in mice.

ASENT Meeting, (Bethesda, MD), May, 2013.

24. Villapol S, Yaszemski AK, Logan TT, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. Post-treatment with

Candesartan, the angiotensin II type I receptor antagonist, protects against traumatic brain injury

in mice. USU Research Days 2012. USUHS (Bethesda, MD), May, 2012.

25. Villapol S, Yaszemski AK, Logan TT, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. Post-treatment with

Candesartan, the angiotensin II type I receptor antagonist, protects against traumatic brain injury

in mice. CNRM Annual Meeting, NIH (Bethesda, MD), May, 2012.

26. Villapol S, Yaszemski AK, Logan TT, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. Treatment with Candesartan,

the angiotensin II type I receptor antagonist, after traumatic brain injury is neuroprotective in

mice. National Capital Area TBI Symposium, NIH (Bethesda, MD), May, 2012.

27. Villapol S, Yaszemski AK, Logan TT, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. “Treatment with Candesartan,


mice”. National Neurotrauma Society Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona, July, 2012.

28. Conference Session Chair: Villapol S, Yaszemski AK, Logan TT, Saavedra JM, Symes

AJ. “Treatment with Candesartan, the angiotensin II type I receptor antagonist, after traumatic

brain injury is neuroprotective in mice”, SfN Neuroscience meeting, New Orleans, October,

2012.

29. Villapol S, Yaszemski AK, Sanchez-Lemus E, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. Candesartan,

Angiotensin II type I receptor antagonist, protects against traumatic brain injury. SfN

Neuroscience Meeting, Washington DC, November, 2011.

30. Villapol S, Yaszemski AK, Sanchez-Lemus E, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. The Angiotensin II type

I receptor blocker, candesartan, improves recovery after traumatic brain injury in mice. Published

by Journal of Neurotrauma, 28:A-1-A-134. National Neurotrauma Society Annual Meeting,

Florida, June, 2011.

31. Villapol S, Yaszemski A, Logan TT, Sanchez-Lemus E, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. The

angiotensin receptor blocker, candesartan, improves recovery after traumatic brain injury in

mice. Mini Symposium on Controlled Cortical Impact in Rodent Models of Traumatic Brain

Injury. CNRM, USUHS (Bethesda, MD), August, 2011.

32. Villapol S, Yaszemski AK, Sanchez-Lemsu E, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. Angiotensin II type I

receptor blockers as potential therapeutics for TBI. National Capital Area TBI Symposium. NIH

(Bethesda, MD), May, 2011.

33. Villapol S, Yaszemski AK, Sanchez-Lemus E, Saavedra JM, Symes AJ. Angiotensin II type I

receptor blockers as potential therapeutics for traumatic brain injury. National Capital Area TBI

Symposium, Gaithersburg, MD, April, 2011.

34. Villapol S, Unilateral blood flow decrease induces bilateral and symmetric responses in the

immature brain. First Conference of the European Research Institute for Integrated Cellular

Pathology (ERI -ICP). Death, danger and degeneration. Institut Pasteur, Paris (France), April,

2010.

35. Villapol S., Bonnin P., Fau S., Renolleau S., Charriaut-Marlangue C. “Relation entre cleavage de

la caspase-3 et perturbations du flux sanguin dans le cerveau immature”. Journées Francophones

de Recherche en Néonatologie, Paris (France), December, 2008.


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36. Villapol S., Fau S., Renolleau S., Charriaut-Marlangue C. “Caspase-3 activation and astrocytic

demise after ischemic damage in both cerebral hemispheres in the neonatal rat brain”. SfN

Neuroscience Meeting, Washington DC, November, 2008.

37. Villapol S., Gelot A., Renolleau S.,Charriaut-Marlangue C. “Astrocytic demise after neonatal

ischemia in the rat and human brain”. Sixth Hershey Conference on Developmental Brain Injury,

Paris (France), June, 2008.

38. Villapol S., Gelot A, Renolleau S., Charriaut-Marlangue C. “Apoptotic and antiapoptotic

mechanisms on the neonatal brain damage”. Conference Cell death in development and aging,

Paris (France), December, 2007.

39. Villapol S. Acarin L., Faiz M., Castellano B. and Gonzalez B. "Expression of activated caspase-8

and caspase-9 following an excitotoxic injury to the immature rat brain". FENS 2006, Vienna

(Austria), July, 2006.

40. Villapol S. Acarin L., Faiz M., Castellano B. and Gonzalez B. “Expression activated caspase-8

following an excitotoxic injury to the immature rat brain.” 13th Euroconference on Apoptosis,

ECDO, Budapest (Hungry), October, 2005.

41. Villapol S., Castellano B. and Gonzalez B. “Lithium effects in the rat brain after a cortical lesion

by aspiration”. 12th Euroconference on Apoptosis, ECDO, Chania (Greece), September, 2004.

42. Villapol S., García A., Cañibano C., Llovo R., Smith R., Diéguez C., Álvarez C. “Ghrelin

phosphorylates CREB to induce pit-1 transcription”.10th Meeting of the European

Neuroendocrine Association, ENEA, Munich (Germany), September, 2002.

B. Research Funding:

i. Current Active

Agency: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Identifying Number: R03 NS09503 (PI: Villapol)

Time Commitment: 35% Effort; 4.2 Calendar Months

Dates of Project Period: 07/01/16 - 06/30/18

Level of Funding: $50,000 Direct Costs per year

Total Direct plus Indirect Costs over all years of award: $155,500.00

Title of Project: “The role of peripheral serum amyloid A on brain inflammation after TBI”

Brain trauma comprises an injury surrounding the impact site and local inflammation, but also triggers

systematic inflammation in peripheral organs such as the liver. An injury to the brain is accompanied by a

rapid response in the liver, where acute phase proteins are produced that promote an inflammatory

cascade involving serum amyloid A1 (SAA1). SAA1 induces the production of more inflammatory

factors, which aggravate central inflammation by activating signals that are carried back to the brain.

Thus, we hypothesize in this project that blocking SAA1 production in the liver might slow down the

inflammatory response in the damaged brain, providing an advantageous environment for repair and

functional recovery after traumatic brain injury.

Role: PI

Agency: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Identifying Number: R21 NS106640 (PI: Villapol)

Time Commitment: 40% Effort

Dates of Project Period: 04/01/2018 – 03/31/2020


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Level of Funding: $137,500 Direct Costs per year

Total Direct plus Indirect Costs over all years of award: $423,463.00

Title of Project: “The role of the gut microbiome in the neuropathology of traumatic brain injury”

Communication between the brain and the gut is intriguingly modulated by the microbiome. Gut

microbiota have been shown to impact brain inflammation and outcome after brain damage. In this

project, our goal is to elucidate which bacteria are altered after traumatic brain injury (TBI), specifically

to investigate damage severity in a gender-specific manner. We also will explore TBI treatments based on

probiotics that could facilitate the restoration of the intestinal flora after a brain injury to promote

recovery from both neuropathological outcomes and anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors. Thus,

through understanding the role of specific bacteria in the gut-brain axis, our goal in this project is to

identify probiotics that provide immediate benefits to patients suffering from TBI.

Role: PI

ii. Previous

Agency: Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine.

Identifying Number: G175RL, Pilot/Postdoctoral Fellowship

Title of Project: “Pre-clinical development of Angiotensin receptor blockers for treatment of TBI”.

Dates of Project Period: 01/01/12-01/01/14

Direct Costs $ 199,663.00

Role: Co-PI

Agency: Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine.

Identifying Number: G175QR, Pilot/Postdoctoral Fellowship

Title of Project: “Angiotensin receptor blockers as potential therapeutics for TBI”.



Role: PI

Agency: Fondation PremUp. Robert Debré Pediatric Hospital. INSERM. Paris, (France).

Identifying Number: AVENIR RI5230 Pilot/Postdoctoral Fellowship

Title of Project: “Neuroprotection after neonatal stroke”



Role: PI

C. Invited Lectures: (National and International)

1. Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA) and Instituto de Investigación

Biomédica, A Coruña (Spain). “Comunicación do cerebro co resto do corpo: novas terapias

para reparar o dano cerebral”, International Invited speaker, April 24, 2018.

2. Institut Pasteur, Montevideo (Uruguay). International Invited speaker. Neurotrauma

Symposium: “Traumatic brain injury: from Preclinical Research to Clinical”, April 9-14, 2018.

3. National Capital Area TBI Research Symposium 2018, Bethesda, MD. “Gut-brain axis:

bacterial dysbiosis following controlled cortical impact injury in mice”, March 6-7th, 2018.


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4. Kansas University, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indianapolis, IN. “Brain-

periphery crosstalk: targeting peripheral organs to help brain recovery”, February 23th, 2018.

5. Indiana University School of Medicine, Stark Neurosciences Research Institute and

Indiana Spinal Cord & Brain Injury Research Group, Indianapolis, IN. “Restoration of the

injured brain: is peripheral immunomodulation on the way?”. February 21th, 2018.

6. Georgetown University, Department of Neuroscience, “Pathology of cerebral ischemia and

neurovascular protection: is peripheral immunomodulation on the way?”. February 15th, 2018.

7. Houston Methodist Research Institute, Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston, TX. “Brain-

periphery crosstalk: targeting peripheral organs to help brain recovery”, February 7th, 2018.

8. Albany Medical Center, Department of Neuroscience, Albany, NY. “Restoration of the brain

through the periphery: exploring a new therapeutic avenue for brain injuries”. January 25th,

2018.

9. MUNCYT (Museo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología). “VIII International Young

Investigator Meeting 2017”. A Coruña, Spain. International Invited speaker. December 27th,

2017.

10. University of Mississippi, Department of Pharmacology, Jackson, MS. “Restoration of the brain

through the periphery: exploring a novel therapeutic avenue for traumatic brain injury”. October

2nd, 2017.

11. National Neurotrauma Society Annual Meeting, Utah. “Targeting the liver acute phase

response following traumatic brain injury reduces brain inflammation”. July 7-12th, 2017.

12. National Neurotrauma Society Annual Meeting, Utah, 35th Annual Neurotrauma Symposium,

Invited Chair, Conference Session: “Peripheral organ involvement in CNS trauma”, July 7-

12th, 2017.

13. Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, “Targeting the liver acute phase response

following TBI reduces brain inflammation”. April 26th, 2017.

14. GMU´S Annual Symposium in Neuroscience at George Mason University, Virginia,

“Targeting peripheral organs to repair the injured brain”. April 25th, 2017.

15. “Let´s talk about Neuroscience”; Perspectives and Panel Discussion, ECUSA, Georgetown

University, Washington D.C., Invited Chair and speaker, Conference Session: “Restoration of

the damaged brain”, March 4th, 2016.

16. Dr. Welch´s Lab, Georgetown University, “How mediators of the inflammatory response

contribute to the outcome of TBI”, November, 2015.

17. Department of Pharmacology, Georgetown University, “Neurorestoration after traumatic

brain injury; new avenues”, October, 2015.

18. Joint Meeting of Spanish Scientists in US, Georgetown University, “Communication between

brain damage and peripheral organs”, September, 2015.

19. Department of Human Physiology, University of Iowa, “Neuroprotective effects of Sartans: a

novel therapeutic avenue for Traumatic brain injury”, January 30th, 2014.

20. Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, “Neuroprotective effects of Sartans: a

novel therapeutic avenue for Traumatic brain injury”, January 15th, 2014.

21. CIMUS, Host: Dr. Labandeira, University of Santiago of Compostela, Spain,

“Neuroprotective effects of Sartans: a novel therapeutic avenue for Traumatic brain injury”,

December 30th, 2013.

22. 4th Young Investigator's Workshop, Fundación Barrié & Biomedical Research Center

(INIBIC), CHUAC, A Coruña (Spain), “Neuroprotective effects of Sartans: a novel therapeutic

avenue for Traumatic brain injury”, December 2013.


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23. SfN Neuroscience meeting, Conference Session: “Nanosymposium Brain Trauma: Animal

Models and Human Studies” at, New Orleans, Invited Chair and speaker. “Treatment with

Candesartan, the angiotensin II type I receptor antagonist, after traumatic brain injury is

neuroprotective in mice”, October, 2012.

24. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, (MD), Host: Dr. Geller, “Treatment with Candesartan,


mice”, November, 2012.

25. Laboratory of Cancer Biology & Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of

Health, Bethesda, (MD), Host: Dr. Flanders. “TGF-ß expression after brain injury”, January,

2012.

26. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, (MD), Host: Dr. Geller, “TGF-ß family after brain

injury”, February, 2012.

27. CNRM CCI Symposium USUHS, Bethesda (MD), “Angiotensin II receptor blockers as

potential therapeutics for Traumatic Brain Injury”, August, 2011.

28. CNRM CCI Symposium USUHS, Bethesda (MD), “Proliferation of different cell populations

after CCI”, August, 2011.

29. CNRM Annual Meeting, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, (MD), “Angiotensin II type 1

receptor blocker, candesartan, reduces cell death after traumatic brain injury in mice”, May,

2011.

30. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, (MD), Host: Dr. Geller, “Angiotensin II receptor

blockers as potential therapeutics for traumatic brain injury”, March, 2011.

31. Department of Pharmacology (USUHS), Bethesda (MD), “Angiotensin II receptor blockers as

potential therapeutics for traumatic brain injury”, February, 2011.

32. Journées Francophones de Recherche en Néonatologie, Paris (France), “Relation between

cleaved caspase-3 and cerebral blood flow variation in the neonatal brain”. December, 2008.

33. University Pierre et Marie Curie: Department of Neurobiologie des Processus Adaptatifs

UMR-CNRS 7102, “Apoptotic and antiapoptotic mechanisms in the injury neonatal brain”,

October, 2008.

34. Institute of Neuroscience, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain, “Caspase activation

after a excitotoxic damage to the immature brain”, June, 2007.

35. V Simposi de Neurobiologia Experimental, Sociedat Catalana de Biología. Barcelona (Spain),

“Caspase activation after a excitotoxic damage to the immature brain”, December, 2005.

36. Young Spanish Researchers Meeting, Published by Xunta of Galicia, A Coruña (Spain), “Cara

a imnortalidade das Células e a Eliminación do cáncer; a telomerasa”, July, 1998.

37. “XIV Young Researchers Meeting”, Published by INICE, Salamanca (Spain), “Free-radicals

and aging”, December, 1997.

D. Editorships, Editorial Boards, and Reviewing Activities

Member of the following Journal Editorial Boards: Frontiers in Neurotrauma; Cellular and Molecular

Neurobiology; Journal of Alzheimer's disease, Dementia & Parkinsonism; Neural Regeneration Research;

Archives of Inflammation; Neuroscience Communications; Journal of Neurology, Neurological Science

and Disorders; Journal of Blood Disorders and Medicine; Remedy Open Access-Clinical Neurology;

Austin Journal of Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke; JSM Brain Science.


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Scientific Review Activities: I have been invited to review original research as part of the peer-review

process of prestigious peer-review journals: Brain, Journal of Neuroinflammation, Cellular and Molecular

Neurobiology, BMC neuroscience, Frontiers in Neurotrauma, Frontiers in Neuroscience, Frontiers in

Neurology, Experimental Neurology, Journal of Neurochemistry, Brain Research, Neurodegenerative

Disease Management, Pharmacopsychiatry, Neurochemical Research, PloS One, Peer J, American

Journal of Pathology, The International Journal of Neuroscience, Cell Communication Signaling,

Molecular Neurobiology, Neural Regeneration Research, Disease Models and Mechanisms, Experimental

Brain Research, BMC Pediatrics, Neuroscience Research, Behavioural Brain Research, Frontiers in

Aging Neuroscience, and Journal of Neurotrauma.

3. TEACHING, MENTORING, AND ADVISING

A. Teaching Activities

i. Medical School Courses

Name Course: Neuroscience Grand Rounds, “Cerebral ischemic stroke: why are babies not little

adults?”. MedStart Georgetown University Hospital

Role: Lecturer

Number of Direct Contact Hours: 2/year

Year Taught: 2018

Number of Students: 40

Name Course: Medical Neuroscience, Georgetown University

Role: Instructor

Number of Direct Contact Hours: 20 h/year

Year Taught: 2016


Name Course: “Neuroanatomy and Cellular Neurobiology” and Practical Classes: “Histology

Recitations”. Teaching in basic histology and microscopic structure of the human body, first and second

year students in the Medical School, Department of Cellular Biology, Physiology and Immunology,

Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.

Role: Associate Lecturer


Year Taught: 2007


Name Course: Practical Classes: “Histology Recitations” and “Histology and microscopic structure of

the human body”. First and second year students in Medical School, Department of Cellular Biology,

Physiology and Immunology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.

Role: Instructor


Year Taught: 2003 to 2007


ii. Graduate Biomedical Education Courses


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Name and Course Number: Journal Club (INNS-510), Master in Integrative Neuroscience,

Georgetown University.

Role: Instructor


Year Taught: 2017

Number of Students: <10

Name and Course Number: Experimental Approaches & Techniques, Master in Integrative

Neuroscience, Georgetown University.

Role: Instructor


Year Taught: 2017


Name and Course Number: Topics of Neuroinflammation (NSCI-559-01), Master in Integrative

Neuroscience, Georgetown University.

Role: Instructor


Year Taught: 2017


Name and Course Number: Neuroscience Survey Course (NSCI-505-01), Interdisciplinary Program in

Neuroscience (IPN), Georgetown University.

Role: Instructor


Year Taught: 2017


Name and Course Number: Survey Course Mentorship and Skills and Ethics Course, Interdisciplinary

Program in Neuroscience (IPN), Georgetown University.

Role: Mentor


Year Taught: 2017


Name and Course Number: “Molecular Basis of Neural Function” Fall Neuroscience Courses,

Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD.

Role: Lecturer


Year Taught: 2013


iii. Undergraduate Courses

Name and Course Number: Mentored Research Fall-Spring (UROP-NSCI-04), Georgetown

University.

Role: Instructor


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Number of Direct Contact Hours: 20 h/week

Year(s) Taught: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018


B. Mentoring:

25 TOTAL (mentees:13, co-mentees:12)

UNDERGRADUATES

Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Lucas Djavaherian (Undergraduate student)

Dates of Mentorship: 2017 to 2018

Outcomes: Research Assistant Summer GU Award ($3,000), one manuscript in preparation.

Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: William Mualem (Undergraduate student)

Dates of Mentorship: 2016 to 2018

Outcomes: Summer GUROP Award ($4,500), one manuscript in preparation.

Co-Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Jeevan Nijhar (Undergraduate student, Georgetown University)

Dates of Mentorship: 2015-2016

Co-Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Kyle Jenkins (Undergraduate student, Georgetown University)


Outcomes: one manuscript in preparation.

Co-Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: France Prioul (Undergraduate student, Paris Diderot University, Paris, France)


Co-Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Isabel Beltran (Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris, France.)


MEDICAL STUDENTS

Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Addison Jacobs (Medical Student, Georgetown University)


Outcomes: Awarded as a Dean´s Summer Stipend ($ 2,500).

Co-Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Maria Spiegler (Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris, France.)



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PRE-DOCTORAL TRAINEES

Co-Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Holly Korthas (Rotating Ph.D. student), Georgetown University.

Dates of Mentorship: 2017

Outcomes: mentor of DoD fellowship and NSF Graduate Research Fellowship applications.

Co-Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Laya Rajan (Rotating Ph.D./M.D. student): Georgetown University.

Dates of Mentorship: 2017

Outcomes: Award for the best rotation talk at IPN, one manuscript in preparation.

Co-Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Evan Wicker (Rotating Ph.D. student): Georgetown University.

Dates of Mentorship: 2016 to present.

Outcomes: He presented a poster describing his research "Hepatic Serum Amyloid A1 Levels Are

Influenced by the Severity of Brain Injury and its Production is Sex-Dependent" in the “Student Research

Day for graduate students” (October, 2016) and in the Symposium "Unraveling Vascular Inflammation:

From Immunology to Imaging" at NHLBI (NIH), in October 24-25, 2016 in Bethesda, MD. Three

manuscripts in preparation.

Co-Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Seham Alaiyed (Rotating Ph.D. student) Georgetown University.

Dates of Mentorship: 2016-2017.

Outcomes: Awarded 2nd Place Students Presentation at National Capital Area TBI Research Symposium,

2017, one manuscript in preparation.

Co-Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Trevor Logan (Ph.D. student): Uniformed Services University, MD


Outcomes: co-author of two publications and one book chapter.

Co-Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Kwame Affram (Ph.D. student): Uniformed Services University, MD.


Outcomes: co-author of one publication and one manuscript in preparation.

POST-DOCTORAL TRAINEES

Co-Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: MariaFe LanFranco, Ph.D. (post-doctoral fellow), Georgetown University.


Outcomes: co-author of two publications.

LABORATORY RESEARCH ASSISTANTS


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Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Alexandra Yaszemski, Uniformed Services University, MD.


Outcomes: co-author of one publication.

Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Maria Balarezo, Uniformed Services University, MD.


Outcomes: co-author of one publication.

MASTER STUDENTS

Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Eduardo Flores (M.S. student in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology): Georgetown

University.

Dates of Mentorship: 2018-present.

Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Alex Harvey (M.S. student in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology): Georgetown

University.


Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Aishu Nambiar (M.S. student in Physiology and Biophysics): Georgetown University.


Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Bridge Moffet (M.S. student in Biochemistry and Mol. Biology): Georgetown

University.

Dates of Mentorship: 2017.

Outcomes: two manuscripts in preparation, Poster presentation at “Tri-Annual Student Poster

Presentation”, M.S. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program. Georgetown University.

Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Leah Benton (M.S. student in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology): Georgetown

University.


Outcomes: one manuscript in preparation, Poster presentation at “Tri-Annual Student Poster


Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: William Furlow (M.S. student in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology): Georgetown

University.





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Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Kershina George (M.S. student in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology): Georgetown

University.




Mentor: Villapol

Name of Mentee: Stephen Pupkin (M.S. student in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology): Georgetown

University.


Outcomes: Poster presentation at “Tri-Annual Student Poster Presentation”, M.S. Biochemistry and

Molecular Biology Program. Georgetown University.

4. SERVICE

A. University Service:

i. Department

Role: Member Thesis committee. Lorenzo Bozzelli, B.S. Interdisciplinary Program Neuroscience

(Georgetown University) Project: TDB. Advisor: Katherine Conant, Ph.D. 2017 – present.

Role: Member Thesis committee. Seham Alaiyed, M.D. Pharmacology Ph.D. Program (Georgetown

University) Project: TDB. Advisor: Katherine Conant, Ph.D. 2017 – present.

Role: Member Thesis committee. Nahdia Jones. Interdisciplinary Program Neuroscience (Georgetown

University) Project: TDB. Advisor: Bill Rebeck. 2018 – present.

ii. University

Role: Member of the Georgetown University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC),

(2016 -present).

Role: Search Committee member of Ph.D. Candidates, Interdisciplinary Program of Neuroscience

(IPN), Georgetown University (2017 - present).

Role: Judge, Poster and Oral Presentations, “Tri-Annual Student Poster Presentation”, M.S.

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program. Georgetown University (2016 – present).

Role: Organizer, Session Chair, and speaker, “Let´s talk about Neuroscience”; Perspectives and Panel

Discussion, ECUSA, Georgetown University, 2016.

Role: President, “Hispanic Scientists Association”, Georgetown University. 2017-present.

Role: Member of Georgetown Women in Medicine. Georgetown University (2014 – present).

https://neuroscience.georgetown.edu/


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iii. National

Role: Organizer, Session Chair, and speaker, SfN Neuroscience meeting, Conference Session:

“Nanosymposium Brain Trauma: Animal Models and Human Studies, “Treatment with Candesartan, the

angiotensin II type I receptor antagonist, after traumatic brain injury is neuroprotective in mice”,

October, 2012.

Role: Organizer, Session Chair, and speaker, National Neurotrauma Society Annual Meeting, Utah,

35th Annual Neurotrauma Symposium, Invited Chair, Conference Session: “Peripheral organ

involvement in CNS trauma”, July 7-12th, 2017.

Role: Abstract Grader, National Neurotrauma Society, (2016 – present).

Role: Organizer, “Bridging the legacy of Santiago Ramón y Cajal: A symposium honoring the father

of modern Neuroscience”, at NIH, MD, October, 2015.

Role: Coordinator of scientific outreach of Spanish Scientists in USA (ECUSA), organize webinars

between Neuroscientists from Spanish Academic Institutions and American Universities (2015-present).

iv. International

Role: Judge, Abstracts and Oral Presentations “International Scientific Committee: “VIII International

Young Investigator Meeting”. A Coruña, Spain. (2015-present)

Role: External Evaluator (Thesis committee). Paula Carpintero Fernández, B.S. (University of A Coruña,

Spain). Project: “Mechanisms of cellular communication in articular cartilage and its implication

development of arthrosis”, Advisor: María D. Mayán, Ph.D. (2015).

Role: External Evaluator (Thesis committee). Nahuai Badiola Benito, B.S. (Autonomous University of

Barcelona, Spain). Project: “Study of the molecular mechanisms involved in apoptotic cell death in a

model of brain ischemia in vitro”, Advisor: José Rodríguez, Ph.D. (2008).

B. Professional Service:

2018 Grant Reviewer (Ad hoc), “La Caixa” Health Research Call, Barcelona (Spain).

2017 Grant Reviewer (Ad hoc), “Early Career Reviewer (ERC) Program” at the Center for

Scientific Review (CSR), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD.

2017 Grant Reviewer (Ad hoc), 25th TV3 Marató on “Strokes and traumatic spinal cord and brain

injury”, Barcelona (Spain).

2017 Grant Reviewer (Ad hoc), “Israel Science Foundation” (ISF), Israel.


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5. HONORS AND AWARDS

Honors

2013 1st Place for Young Scientist Career Trajectory Award, at the “4th Young Investigator's

Workshop”. Foundation Barrié & Biomedical Research Center, A Coruña, Spain.

2013 Poster Competition Finalist at National Neurotrauma Society, (Nashville, TN).

2013 1st Place Poster Award. National Capital Area TBI Research Symposium, NIH, (Bethesda, MD).

2012 Superior Performance Award as Postdoctoral Fellow from Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the

Advancement of Military Medicine, USUHS, Bethesda, MD.

2007 Extraordinary Doctorate Award. Summa Cum Laude. Autonomous University of Barcelona,

Spain.

Travel Awards

2013 National Neurotrauma Society Travel Grant Award from National Neurotrauma Society.

Nashville, TN.

2011 Pilot/Fellowship Award – Project: “Angiotensin II receptor blockers as potential therapeutics for

TBI”, Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine. Bethesda, MD.

2004-2007 International Travel Grant Awards for Dissertation Summer Research Stays.

Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.

Fellowships and Scholarships

2010 PremUp Postdoctoral Fellowship Award. Robert Debré Pediatric Hospital. INSERM. Paris,

(France).

2008 Mairie Paris Postdoctoral Fellowship Award. CNRS. Paris, (France).

2007 Postdoctoral Fellowship Award from Pierre and Marie Curie University-Paris6. Paris, (France).

2003 Postgraduate Scholarship (Ph.D.) Award from the Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and

Immunology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.

6. PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP

2016- Georgetown University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

2015- Mid-Atlantic Microbiome Meet-up (M3) (University of Maryland, MD)

2014- ECUSA (Spanish scientists in the USA, Washington DC).

2011- 2014 Inflammation Interest Group (University of Maryland, USUHS, John Hopkins

University, Georgetown University).


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2011- 2014 TBI Research Consortium (VA, Georgetown University, USUHS, and NIH).

2010- NNS (National Neurotrauma Society).

2008- SfN (Society for Neuroscience).

2003- 2007 EDCO (European Death Cell Organization).

2003- 2007 FENS (Federation of European Neuroscience).

2003- 2007 SENC (Spanish Society for Neuroscience).

2003- 2007 ApoRed (Spanish Network of Apoptosis).

I certify that this curriculum vitae is a current and accurate statement of my professional record.

Signature:___________________________ Date: 03-24-2018

Documents

Sonia Villapol, PhD March 2018 · 2018-04-09 · Sonia Villapol, PhD – Curriculum Vitae Updated – March 2018 5 32. Villapol S, Acarin L, Faiz M, Castellano B, González B. Survivin