Paula Perez Pardo

Dr. Paula Perez Pardo is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, specializing in Pharmacology within the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Her research focuses on the microbiota-gut-brain axis in neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She investigates how gut bacteria and their metabolites trigger brain disorders using innovative techniques and collaborates with clinicians, patient organizations, and companies to translate findings into diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

• Education:
  • Molecular Biology (BSc), Autonoma University Madrid
  • Molecular Biology (MSc), Free University Berlin
  • PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University (2017)

Research Interests center on:

• Gut-brain communication mechanisms
• Role of bacterial metabolites (e.g., p-Cresol, butyrate)
• Neuroimmune interactions in ASD and Parkinson's
• Food-based therapies and microbiome modulation
• ADAM protease regulation in neuroinflammation

Her recent publications highlight:

• Mouse strain-specific microbiota responses in autism models
• TLR4 signaling in Parkinson's disease
• Prebiotic diets normalizing immune/behavioral defects
• Machine learning approaches to microbiome signatures
• Pharmacological validation of TDO inhibition

She actively contributes to translational research through collaborations like the GEMMA Consortium and works with international institutions including the Institut de la Recherche Agronomique in Paris.