News
Feb 14
Open call for the position of Scientific Director
ACHUCARRO is searching for candidates with a strong research background to join our centre
Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience (ACHUCARRO) is research institute in the field of neuroscience located in the Scientific Park of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) near Bilbao. The centre is part of the Basque Excellence Research Centres' network supported by the Basque Government to develop excellent science in strategic areas of research for the Basque Country and Europe. ACHUCARRO works in frontier and translational research in the field of biology of the neuron-glia interactions. The Board of Trustees of ACHUCARRO is willing to receive applications for the position of Scientific Director of this research organisation.
Jan 14
Life after (neuronal) death
A study led by the researchers of our centre shows that microglia is a sensor of newborn neuron death and maintains the equilibrium between life and death
Neuronal death, commonly associated with brain aging and disease, also affects young neurons. During brain development, newborn neurons undergo programmed cell death, a sort of cellular suicide called apoptosis. To avoid becoming a cemetery, the brain has a highly effective patrol of cellular watchers that rapidly eliminate the corpses, the microglia, through a process named "phagocytosis".
However, phagocytosis is not merely a passive removal of debris, as shown by a recent study led by Jorge Valero and Amanda Sierra, from ACHUCARRO, IKERBASQUE and and the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). On the contrary, dead neuron phagocytosis is an active process that directly affects the health and the function of the surrounding neurons.