Blanca Díaz Castro

Research Fellow: Dysfunctional vasculature Postdoctoral Researcher at the Hall Lab UCL London with Catherine Hall exploring how vascular dysfunction shapes brain activity in dementia research.

Postdoctoral Researcher Vacancy at the @ukdri.ac.uk Hall Lab UCL London with Catherine Hall exploring how vascular dysfunction shapes brain activity in dementia research. Closing date: 4th January

www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...

EASTBIO Mechanisms regulating the protein composition of astrocyte endfeet in mice at University of Edinburgh on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - EASTBIO Mechanisms regulating the protein composition of astrocyte endfeet in mice at University of Edinburgh, listed on FindAPhD.com

Please reach out if you are curious, dedicated, motivated, and interested ✨

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

👉🏼👉🏾👉🏻👉🏿👉🏽An opportunity for a PhD studentship in my lab to investigate the mechanisms that mediate the specialization astrocyte endfeet (subcellular compartments enwrapping the vasculature) in collaboration with the magnificent Lorena Arancibia.

See below:

Data from this study by Isabel Bravo-Ferrer and colleagues paves the way for future studies to investigate how region-specific blood-brain barrier dysfunction may contribute to disease-associated regional vulnerability in the brain.

Real the full paper: edin.ac/4idNn1a

On my way to San Diego for the Society for Neuroscience 2025 conference to present in the amazing minisymposium: Astrocytes as therapeutic targets in neurodegenerative disorders.

Anyone there? 👀

A team led by Blanca Díaz Castro (UK DRI at Edinburgh) has uncovered how specialised cells in the blood-brain barrier communicate, and how that dialogue changes during inflammation & disease.

The research could lead to new therapeutic targets👉 buff.ly/jXxViZO

😂😂🫶🏼

Thanks Caroline!

Thanks Ciarán!

¡Gracias Carmen!

Finally, we didn’t give a name to the method… any suggestions? 🤔

I’m also very thankful to the reviewers for the time they put into it and their constructive comments that made the paper more robust and exciting.

I feel very proud of how my team has worked together to make this happen and very thankful to our collaborators and funders without which it wouldn’t have happened.

All the data can be found with the article and we also put it in this fantastic website thanks to Amonida Zadissa 🇵🇸’s team and UK Dementia Research Institute.

neuromics-explorer.ukdri.ac.uk/diaz-castro

These communication pathways are modulated by peripheral inflammation, e.g. WNT10B-FZD7. 80% of the ligand-receptors pairs we identified in mouse are also present in human brain vasculature-astrocyte and the expression of some of them is altered in Alzheimer’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis.

We developed a new method to identify the proteins that are located in the astrocyte branches (endfeet) that enwrap the mouse brain blood vessels. Among the proteins identified there are many receptors for ligands produced by the brain endothelial cells (vasculature).

Finally it’s here! 🌟⬇️

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

I’m sooo excited to share our latest article led by Steve Hill and Isabel Bravo-Ferrer
1- How does the vasculature communicate with astrocytes?
2- Is this communication dependent to what happens in the body.
3- Is it relevant to human diseases?

UK Glia 2026 UK Glia 2026 meeting will highlight the pivotal role of glia in brain physiology, offering invaluable insights for those investigating glia function in both health and disease. Find out more about the...

📢 June 8th-9th 2026 Bristol University 📢

We have partnered with @physoc.bsky.social to organise the 2nd meeting Bristol. It is a privilege to announce Professor Baljit Khakh, FRS will join us in the UK.

Check out the exciting programme here:
www.physoc.org/events/uk-gl...

#neuroskyence #glia

NIHR Postdoctoral Award - DEMENTIA RESEARCHER NIHR Postdoctoral Award funds researchers with a PhD or submitted thesis to develop careers improving health and care. Flexible, 2–5 years, all disciplines.

NIHR Postdoctoral Award funds researchers with a PhD or submitted thesis to develop careers improving health and care. Flexible, 2–5 years, all disciplines. Apply by 16th December

www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/funding/nihr...

YouTube video by BRAIN Journals Blood-brain barrier phenotyping shows prefrontal cortex most vulnerable to ageing in mice

Happy to share the video Isabel Bravo-Ferrer and Katrine Gaasdal-Bech made to summarize the findings of our manuscript in Brain Communications (academic.oup.com/braincomms/a...) Age-dependent regional differences in features of the brain vasculature, including endfeet 💙!

youtu.be/mwgh_H1mcLI?...

✨ Preorders are OPEN ✨

My amazing wife just finished her very first children’s book, and I couldn’t be prouder 💛

📚 Preorder until Sept 7
📦 Shipped w/ tracking
🔗 www.etsy.com/shop/ElodieWho

She’s poured her heart into this — every preorder, share, & boost means the world 🙌

Astrocyte specification in the mouse septum is shaped by both developmental origin and local signals - Nature Neuroscience The relative contribution of intrinsic and extrinsic factors to astrocyte heterogeneity is unknown. Using heterotropic transplantation of septal astrocytes with distinct lineage origins, we show that ...

Astrocyte specification in the mouse septum is shaped by both developmental origin and local signals

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Professor at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, in the field of neurocircuitry - Montréal, Quebec (CA) job with Université de Montréal | 12843808 Professor at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, in the field of neurocircuitry involved in the production of complex behaviors

🚨Another PI job opening in the Neuroscience dept. at @umontreal.ca ! 🚨

www.nature.com/naturecareer...

PhD and Postdoc Positions (m/f/d) in Human Cognitive Neuroscience of Dynamic Cognition – M/EEG, brain stimulation Job Offer from August 11, 2025

We’re hiring! 🥳fully funded PhD and postdoc positions in human cognitive neuroscience @mpicybernetics.bsky.social

M/EEG and brain stimulation methods to study timing/ prediction/ attention/ oscillations
tinyurl.com/5dku4du9

@timingresforum.bsky.social @gtc-tuebingen.bsky.social

please repost 🙏

Astrocyte specification in the mouse septum is shaped by both developmental origin and local signals - Nature Neuroscience The relative contribution of intrinsic and extrinsic factors to astrocyte heterogeneity is unknown. Using heterotropic transplantation of septal astrocytes with distinct lineage origins, we show that ...

Cool astrocyte paper!

Illustrated flyer with a dark brown background featuring a hand holding a stylized pink brain. Large text at the top reads: “08/02, 2–5pm Black In Neuro”. At the bottom, it says: “Boston Social. Location shared following registration”. A QR code appears in the bottom left corner with the text: “Register here!”

#BINBoston is back! 🧠🎉

Join us Sat, Aug 2 from 2–5 PM for a community social with local scholars & professionals. All are welcome — students, faculty, & more!

📍Register for details: tinyurl.com/BINBoston2025
#BlackInNeuro #NeuroTwitter #Networking

We’re celebrating trailblazers across 4 key domains of neuroscience. These awards spotlight researchers who’ve driven major advances in their field, shaped future directions & inspired others.

🧾Who inspires you in these fields?

Nominate today!
🔗 docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

EMBO Lab Leadership @embolableadership.bsky.social is #hiring a Finance Coordinator & Executive Assistant – Apply now: www.embolableadership.org/jobs/

The new Department of Functional Genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine is looking for scientists at any level. 👉 mpi-muenster.mpg.de/780013/profil

People Partner - UK DRI When you join the UK DRI, you'll be working with a vibrant and challenge led team of researchers, technical specialists and professional support.

We have a new part-time role open in our People & Culture team for a People Partner. Projects will include schools outreach and women's PhD mentoring.

📍 Nationwide / hybrid role
🗓️ Deadline: 6 June

Find out more 👉 careers.ukdri.ac.uk/jobs/5922960...