CIPF Consuelo Guerri researcher receives award Sor Isabel de Villena.

-the award recognizes scientific and human work of this researcher

-scientific directs the laboratory of Cellular Pathology of the IPPC, dedicated to the study of the effects of alcohol on the brain

Spain, April 2012.- scientific research center of Prince PhilipConsuelo Guerri, received the Sor Isabel de Villena 2012, an award in recognition to the scientific and human work ” of this researcher. The award ceremony took place at the Church of the convent of the Trinidad of Valencia, in a ceremony in which Professor Don Santiago Grisolía was in charge of the presentation of the award-winning.

The Court has emphasized the merits of scientific in defence of the dignity of women in the public sphere; and has recognized the generosity, dignity and ethics ” of the researcher, head of the laboratory of Cellular Pathology of CIPF.

This scientific work focuses on various lines of research focused on the study of the molecular and cellular bases of ethanol, and the effects of alcohol on the adult brain use and development. It also investigates the mechanisms that cause neuronal death, neurodegeneration, mechanisms of alcoholic liver disease, the Fetal alcoholic syndrome and the damage caused by the consumption of alcohol among adolescents.

The Memorial Award of the prize Sor Isabel de Villena 2012 reproduces the mural of the Church of the convent of the Trinidad of Valencia, who is representing Sor Isabel de Villena, delivering the Vita Christi to the nuns of the convent. Its author is Enric Mestre, academic of number of the Royal Academy of fine arts of San Carlos in Valencia, of the International Academy of ceramics and award of the plastic arts of the 2009 Generalitat.

The study of the effects of alcohol on the adult brain and developing

The laboratory of Cellular Pathology of CIPF focuses on the brain as one of the main targets of the actions of ethanol. With various developed work, laboratory aims to develop strategies that can prevent or restore damage that induces the ethanol in the brain, as well as the identification of new targets with therapeutic potential to reverse the consequences of acute or chronic alcohol intake.

The scientific work developed by the award-winning researcher has presented results as the identification in animal models of some of the mechanisms that cause the appearance of the Fetal alcoholic syndrome in offspring of females who have consumed alcohol during pregnancy.

With regard to the mechanisms involved in the effects of ethanol on the development of the brain, the laboratory has also shown that even moderate consumption of alcohol during the first period or throughout pregnancy can cause failures in the correct formation of the brain and brain connections. These harmful effects give rise to behavioral, such as hyperactivity and deficit alterations in attention and learning. In this way, damage during pregnancy are irreparable and irreversible, as a result of the exposure of the neuronal tissue to ethanol during the first months of the brain development of the fetus. In fact has shown that the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy, even moderate, is one of the leading causes of preventable, especially of the nervous system defects.

As an example of other research findings of the lab led by DRA. Guerri, the team of scientists has shown that ethanol induces inflammatory processes in the adult brain and the brain (astrocytes and microglia) glial cells. This fact entails an increase of cytokines and inflammatory mediators that can cause inflammatory damage.

Among other findings of interest, the relationship between drinking alcohol intermittently and neuronal death during adolescence has shown (as for example in the pattern of consumption on weekends). This intake is associated with neuronal death and the emergence of difficulties in cognitive processes and learning of adolescents.

A brilliant professional career

Ph.d. in biological sciences from the Universitat de València, Consuelo Guerri has extensive experience in the study of the mechanisms involved in neurotoxicity caused by alcohol consumption both chronic and intermittently.

After a period of training at the Institute of cytological research, continues his career in Kansas (United States), where he practiced as a research associate in the Department of biochemistry of the school of Medicine of the University of Kansas, and then as Professor associate of research of the Department of Pharmacology of the University. From 1978 to 2004 he led the unit of pathology cell of the Foundation Valencian research biomedical (FVIB), and since 2005 directs the laboratory of Cellular Pathology of the Research Centre Prince Felipe.

Guerri is the author of 140 papers in international journals and different chapters of books. He is member of the Board of different scientific societies related to the field of study, Member of scientific committees of congresses; and it is part of the editorial board of many international scientific journals, as well as national and international committees and various advisory boards. His professional career has been recognized with awards and distinctions awarded by various scientific societies of prestige.