Carmen Ruiz de Almodóvar

Prof. Dr. Carmen Ruiz de Almodóvar is a Professor and Chair of the newly established Institute for Neurovascular Cell Biology at the University of Bonn. Her research focuses on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying CNS vasculature development and function, as well as neurovascular interactions in health and disease. Using advanced in vivo models, ex vivo cultures, and molecular imaging techniques, her work addresses questions such as CNS vascularization, vascular-cell crosstalk, and disease-related vascular changes. She leads a transdisciplinary team exploring how blood vessels grow in CNS regions and maintain specific properties.

Her research integrates biochemistry, molecular biology, and cutting-edge imaging to study neural-vascular interactions. Notable projects include investigations into the role of the angiopoietin-Tie2 pathway in Purkinje cell development and the impact of neural progenitor-endothelial crosstalk on oligodendrocyte specification. Recent findings highlight the orchestration of VEGF signaling by YAP/TAZ proteins in developmental angiogenesis.

Prof. Ruiz de Almodóvar’s work contributes to the Transdisciplinary Research Area (TRA) on Life and Health at the University of Bonn. Her lab employs mouse models, primary cell cultures, and organotypic slices to dissect neurovascular mechanisms, emphasizing translational relevance to neurological disorders.