Neuropathologist and basic neuroscientist, working since 2009 at the CIEN Foundation (Research Institute for Neurological Diseases), attached to the Carlos III Health Institute, as Head of Neuropathology and Scientific Director of the CIEN Tissue Bank. Academic education at the Complutense University of Madrid (MD), residency of Pathology at the Gregorio Marañón University Hospital in Madrid, and a fellowship in Pathology and Immunohistochemistry at Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK. PhD in Sciences with a dissertation on the comparative pathology of Alzheimer’s and argyrophilic grain tauopathies. Previously to the current position, extensive work as Head of Pathology and Research Director at a University Hospital in Madrid (Fundación Hospital Alcorcón), taking part during this period (1997-2009) and therafter in the development of four brain banks in different cities (Madrid, Murcia, Salamanca and Córdoba). During the “mad cow” crisis (2000-2009), in charge of the neuropathological diagnosis of prion diseases in several regions of Spain, including Madrid, and member of several governmental committees dealing with prion disease surveillance and biosafety issues. Responsible of the neuropathological diagnosis of 4 of the 5 cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease identified in Spain. Member of several research ethical committees including the Ethical Advisory Board of the Human Brain Project (European Union) (2014 – 2018), and of the Steering Committee of the Spanish National Biobank Network (2014 – 2020), and current President of the Spanish Neuropathology Club. Several media and scientific awards for the promotion of brain donation and for research in Alzheimer’s disease (Spanish Society of Neurology Award, 2017). Research interests focused on diagnostic and molecular neuropathology of neurodegenerative diseases, biospecimen science and biobanking, and ethical issues related to tissue donation for research. Since 2014, principal investigator of the core research program at the Alzheimer’s Center Queen Sofía Foundation, in Madrid, based on a cohort of over 550 institutionalized patients with moderate to advanced dementia with periodic follow-up, biochemistry, MR and brain donation. Ongoing research projects (IP of local subproject): collaborative research within the Spanish National Biobank Network, on clinical-neuropathological and genetic correlations in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP-DEGESCO project) and on microbial pathogenesis of AD (RETOS). Research member of CIBERNED, the Spanish Consortium for research in neurodegenerative diseases. In recent years, active part in the research program that lead to the discovery of the presence of brain fungal colonization in several neurodegenerative diseases and in breakthrough research in adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Organization of the Ist and 2nd Symposium on Brain Banks

(Salamanca, Spain, 2018 and 2023), and of the Iberian Neuropathological Working Group (2019). He is author or co-author of 178 original scientific papers, h-index 59 (Google Scholar), and 7 book chapters.