Meet The Researcher

I was born in Spain and came to Australia 12 years ago to pursue a career as a researcher. I have played soccer since I was 9. I love surfing, my morning bike rides and going dancing with friends on the weekends.

I have been involved in MS research for over 8 years. During this time, I have worked closely with people with MS, which made me witness the impact this disorder has in people's lives. Working towards finding new MS treatments and making even a small difference in the lives of those suffering this disease is the biggest inspiration to continue doing this job.

Up until 20 years ago, the treatment options to treat MS were very limited. Over the past 10-15 years, we have seen a significant progress in the development of a variety of new therapies to treat very active forms of MS, preventing the risk of relapse and minimising disease progression, which has allowed people to live fuller lives.

We have learnt that alemtuzumab, a very effective MS therapy, has the potential to cause secondary autoimmunity. My project will study the immune responses to alemtuzumab treatment to better understand how this therapy works in the treatment of MS. I will also study the mechanisms by which this therapy causes adverse reactions and autoimmunity, worsening the quality of life of people with MS.

Alemtuzumab has proven to be one of the most effective therapies for the treatment of very active forms of MS. If we can remove the alemtuzumab-induced autoimmunity and improve its safety profile, we will be able to reassure patients about the effectiveness of this therapy without the fear of developing a secondary autoimmunity.

I enjoy working in a team of brilliant researchers and MS experts who encourage you and push you to be better and do better every day. Some days in the lab can be frustrating when the experiments do not go as expected, which can really challenge your patience. However, this is part of research, and it is important to keep a clear mind and stay focused on your research goals.