Prof. Dr. Carmen Ruiz de Almodóvar

Institute of Neurovascular Cell Biology

Life & Brain Center (Geb. 76) Venusberg-Campus 1

carmen.ruizdealmodovar@ukbonn.de

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The main research focus of our institute is the study of the vasculature and its properties within the central nervous system. We are interested in understanding how blood vessels grow in the CNS, as well as how they interact with other cells of the CNS to form the neurovascular unit. Recent research demonstrates that blood vessels are not just passive tubes that deliver oxygen and nutrients but that, via active signaling, they also control organ development and function. We focus on this concept to identify the mechanisms of vascular cells-derived signals could modulate neural network formation and function, and how vascular dysfunction could contribute to different neurological diseases. Understanding the interaction of vascular cells with cells of the oligodendrocyte lineage and with microglia are new aims that we are starting to develop and which we aim to re-inforce here in Bonn.

For this we combine mouse genetic, ex-organotypic cultures, primary cell cultures, tissue clearing and high resolution imaging, and state of the art biochemical and molecular biology techniques.