Ricardo Marquez Gomez

Ricardo Marquez Gomez is a Professor of Neuroscience at the Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, where he leads research on Parkinson's disease mechanisms and therapeutic development. He is affiliated with the Wade-Martins Group and St Cross College at Oxford, and his work spans multiple departments through interdisciplinary collaborations.

Dr. Marquez Gomez studied Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology in Mexico, focusing on GPCRs heterodimers in the striatum using classical biochemical approaches. In 2019, he joined the University of Oxford as a Newton International Fellow funded by the Royal Society to study histamine regulation of cortico-striatal development. He became a member of the Department of Pharmacology in 2021, working with the Wade-Martins Group on a collaborative project with Astra Zeneca to test drug candidates for Parkinson's disease.

His research focuses on developing human neuronal microcircuits on-a-dish using hiPSCs to model Parkinson's disease. His laboratory integrates 3D bioprinting and microfluidics technologies in collaboration with Chemistry and Engineering departments to recreate the cortical-striatal-dopamine circuit affected in Parkinson's. His work investigates G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which represent approximately 50% of current drug targets, and their role in modulating neuronal transmission in human contexts. His early career focused on histamine receptor biology, particularly H3 receptors in the striatum and basal ganglia.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong progression from basic receptor pharmacology to sophisticated Parkinson's disease modeling. His work increasingly focuses on the GBA-N370S mutation using patient-derived cells, examining early deficits in microcircuits, striatal hyperexcitability, and neurite outgrowth impairments. His research bridges molecular neuroscience, cellular modeling, and translational applications, with consistent emphasis on developing human-relevant models for neurodegenerative disease.

• Newton International Fellowship from the Royal Society

Dr. Marquez Gomez's research is supported through collaborations with Astra Zeneca, resulting in drug candidates moving into pre-clinical trials. He leads an interdisciplinary team utilizing high-throughput screening, CRISPRi technology, and calcium release experiments in iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons. His work has been referenced in Wikipedia, picked up by news outlets, and shared extensively on academic platforms.

Dr. Marquez Gomez is part of the Wade-Martins Group at the Department of Pharmacology and collaborates extensively with researchers in Chemistry and Engineering departments at Oxford. His lab develops 3D bioprinting and microfluidics approaches for creating functional neuronal circuits that recapitulate disease-affected circuitry, representing a significant advancement in Parkinson's disease research beyond traditional cell culture and animal models.