Researcher profile

Carlos Matute

I did my PhD on chemical neuroanatomy of the visual pathway. Later on, I continued my training as postdoc at the Brain Research Institute in Zurich where I worked for three years and a half (1983-1986) of the use of tracers to reveal anatomical pathways, and the development of monoclonal antibodies to glutamate and GABA and its use in immunohistochemistry at the light and electron microscopic level. Then, I did a second postdoc (1986-1988) at the University of California, Irvine, studying glutamate receptors and their biochemistry and function. We then observed that gliomas and glial cells express these receptors. After returning to Spain in 1988, I founded the Laboratory of Neurobiology at the University of País Vasco and followed up those initial studies by developing a new research line investigating the characterizing the neurotransmitter receptors present in glia (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia) as well as their functional and pathological relevance. Among other findings, we discovered that oligodendrocytes and myelin are highly vulnerable to glutamate and purinergic agonists, a feature which is relevant to multiple sclerosis and brain ischemia. In addition, our laboratory is focused on the study of the molecular and cellular mechanisms occuring in neurons and glia that contribute to the pathophysiology of Alzheimer disease (AD) and Parkinson (PD). We found that A β 1-42 oligomers kill neurons by activating NMDA receptors, and damage astrocytes via β 1 integrin signaling. More recently, we observed that these oligomers favor oligodendrocyte maturation and myelin repair. Lastly, we found that pathogenic human alpha-synuclein in Lewy bodies from Parkinson´s disease brains is taken up by neurons and astrocytes, and transported intracellularly, being astrocytes resistant to its toxicity. These findings point to a relevant role of astroglia synthitium in PD disease propagation. Our group is a member of CIBERNED since 2007. Research Positions: 1980-1982: Research Student. Department of Anatomy. University of Zaragoza, Spain. 1983-1986: Staff Research Scientist. Brain Research Institute. University of Zurich. 1986-1992: Visiting Scientist. Department of Psychobiology. University of California. Irvine. 1987- 2003: Associate Professor in Anatomy and Neurobiology. Department of Neurosciences. University of País Vasco. Spain. 2003- present: Full Professor in Anatomy and Neurobiology. Department of Neurosciences. University of País Vasco. Spain. 2012-2020: Scientific Director. Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Spain.