معرفی
Alicia D Guemez Gamboa is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. She leads the Guemez-Gamboa Lab, which investigates molecular mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders using human genetics, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), CRISPR editing, and organoid models. Her primary affiliations include the Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment, Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS), and Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics.
Dr. Guemez Gamboa holds a PhD from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (2011) and completed postdoctoral training at UC San Diego (Neurobiology, 2012) and Rockefeller University (Human Genetics and Neuroscience, 2017).
Her research focuses on cellular recognition systems governing neural circuit assembly, with emphasis on autism, epilepsy, and rare genetic disorders like PACS1 syndrome. Work combines patient-derived iPSCs, forebrain organoids, and animal models to decode disease mechanisms and develop therapeutic strategies. Key interests include neuronal migration defects, synaptic dysfunction, and the role of protocadherins in brain connectivity.
Publications demonstrate consistent focus on neurodevelopmental pathology using advanced disease modeling techniques. Recent work (2023-2025) highlights cerebral organoid applications for studying PACS1/PCDH12 syndromes, neuronal migration deficits, and proteomic alterations. Earlier research (2015-2019) established contributions to pontocerebellar hypoplasia genetics, Zika virus neuropathology, and fatty acid transport mechanisms.
Honors include:
- PACS Syndrome Research Foundation Investigator (2019, 2023)
- American Epilepsy Society Young Investigator Award (2019)
- NIH NINDS Mentoring Scholar (2022)
- Feinberg Outstanding Teacher Award (2020, 2021)
She mentors through Northwestern's neuroscience programs and contributes to a $17M NIH grant studying autism/schizophrenia genetics. Lab activities emphasize translating genetic findings into personalized therapeutic approaches for neurodevelopmental conditions.
