Monica Belles Fernandez

I obtained my BSc in Biochemistry from Universitat de Barcelona, where I completed my Bachelor’s thesis in Antonella Consiglio's Lab. My project focused on Tyrosine Hydroxylase Deficiency, a rare neuropedriatic disorder, using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and brain organoid models to study how impaired dopamine synthesis affects neuronal development and function. I am currently completing my Master’s degree in Fundamental Neuroscience at Maastricht University. As part of my Master’s thesis, I am a visiting Master’s student in Hugo Fernandes's Lab. My current research focuses on lipid metabolism and its role in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson’s disease. I combine bioinformatic analysis of large-scale transcriptomic datasets with experimental validation in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neuronal models. I am interested in understanding how lipid dysregulation and neuroinflammatory processes contribute to neuronal vulnerability, with the goal of identifying novel therapeutic targets for neurodegeneration.