Cultural activities

Persistent COVID-19: the long-term sequelae of the disease

Interview with Dr. Sonia Villapol by scientific journalist Verónica Fuentes followed by Q & A.

The COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 can involve sequelae and other medical complications that last weeks to months after initial recovery, which come to be called post-acute 'Long-COVID' or 'COVID long-haulers’. Also, COVID-19 is associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders in hospitalized patients. The neuroinvasion has been demonstrated and the long-term effects are not known with certainty. In this talk, Dr. Villapol will analyze the neurological damages caused by the coronavirus, the consequences and how could be treated through medication or rehabilitation.

The gastrointestinal effects and changes in the intestinal bacteria during the course of COVID-19 will also be analyzed and Dr. Villapol will explain how by modifying our diet we could strengthen the immune system to prevent the severity of COVID-19, by reducing inflammation or neurological disorders such as anxiety or depression derived from an alteration of the microbiome.   Although vaccines are already a reality, it is not an immediate process and the pandemic will be with us for a while longer, so we have to continue strengthening treatments to reduce the number of sequelae or fatalities.    Dr. Villapol´s research interests have been mainly focused on elucidating the mechanisms of neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation or neurogenesis via several models of brain injury (traumatic brain injury or cerebral ischemia), and how inflammatory mediators connect the brain with the periphery.    Villapol lab focus is the pursuit of novel neurorestorative treatments for debilitating brain injuries to open the door to alternative therapies that repair and recovery in the damaged brain through the periphery.   

Sonia Villapol, PhD Assistant Member, Center for Neuroregeneration, Research Institute Assistant Professor, Institute for Academic Medicine Houston Methodist Research Institute Assistant Professor of Neuroscience in Neurological Surgery Weil Cornell Medical College.

Dr. Villapol graduated from the University of Santiago of Compostela, Spain in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. She received her Master´s degree and Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain in 2007. She worked as a postdoctoral fellow at CNRS in the University Pierre and Marie Curie VI and at INSERM in Paris, France (2007-2010); and at National Institute of Health (NIH) and Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine at Uniformed Services University (USUHS) in Bethesda, MD (2010-2014). Following her postdoctoral research work, Dr. Villapol joined the Department of Neuroscience at Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.) as a Research Assistant Professor in May 2014. In July 2018, she started as an Assistant Professor to the Center for Neuroregeneration at Houston Methodist Research Institute.

 Dr. Villapol has received extramural research funding as Principal Investigator from NIH, and she serves as an Associate Editor for Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (Springer Journal), and Review Editor for Frontiers in Neurotrauma. She has published over 40 articles in peer reviewer journals and book chapters.  

Verónica Fuentes Adrián SINC Editor - www.agenciasinc.es Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology Verónica Fuentes Adrián has a degree in Environmental Sciences from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and a master's degree in Journalism and Communication of Science, Technology and Environment from the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Verónica Fuentes Adrián has a degree in Environmental Sciences from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and a master's degree in Journalism and Communication of Science, Technology and Environment from the Universi

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