Juan Pablo Palavicini, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Personal Statement:
The Palavicini Lab, established in September 2024, is located at the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies. We conduct basic and applied biomedical research and specialize in neurodegeneration, the biology of aging, and metabolism. Our lab is dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge and discovering new breakthroughs in the fields of aging, Alzheimer’s disease, and lipid metabolism. We are passionate about what we do and strive to make a positive impact on society. Our team is made up of highly skilled and motivated researchers who work together to achieve our goals.
Education
2005-2011 Doctorate of Science (PhD), University of Puerto Rico
2004-2005 Master of Science (MS), University of Costa Rica
2000-2004 Bachelor of Science (BS), Costa Rican Institute of Technology
Research
The overarching goal of the Palavicini lab is to better understand at a molecular level how specific genes, particularly those related to lipid metabolism, and environmental factors influence aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
The lab performs mechanistic pre-clinical studies on animal models using multi-faceted approaches to generate multi-omics, histological, imaging, physiological, and behavioral outcomes in a rigorous manner, following robust, well-powered, reproducible, and unbiased experimental designs.
Validating the clinical relevance of basic discoveries in human samples is a critical component of the laboratory, as ultimately, we aim to develop translational strategies to combat age-related metabolic dysfunction and cognitive decline. To this end, we partner with ongoing clinical trials to assess the effects that specific treatments against aging and/or Alzheimer’s disease may have on lipid metabolism.
Awards & Accomplishments
2025 Rising UT STARs Award. Science and Technology Acquisition and Retention Program, University of Texas System.
2024 Keystone Symposia Early Career Investigator Travel Award (ECITA). Neuroimmune Interactions: Nervous System and Immune Cell Heterogeneity in Health and Disease. Santa Fe, NM, June 3-6.
2024 Early Career Faculty Travel Award. Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (OAIC) 2024 National Annual Meeting, Arlington, VA, April 25-26.
2024 “Rising star” Travel Scholarship. American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and National Institute on Aging (NIA) R13 Bench-to-Bedside Conference Series Stress Tests and Biomarkers of Resilience, Bethesda, MD.
2023 GSA 2023 Biological Sciences Minority Investigator Travel Award. Gerontological Society of America. Tampa, FL.
2022-2024 Glenn and AFAR Junior Faculty Award. Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and American Federation for Aging Research. Project: “Mechanisms and consequences of dramatic ceramide losses in long-lived growth hormone deficient mice”.
2021-2024 RL5 Scholar in Clinical and Translational Science and Gerontology. San Antonio Claude D. Pepper Center. Project: “Effects of mTOR inhibition on central and peripheral ceramide metabolism in old marmosets and cognitively impaired human subjects”.
2015-2017 Mentor-Based Postdoctoral Fellowship Award. American Diabetes Association. Project: “Mechanistic study of sulfatide deficiency in diabetes and its relationship with dementia”.
2014 Young Investigator’s Educational Enhancement (YIEE) Travel Award (American Society for Neurochemistry, ASN). 45th Annual ASN Meeting, 2014. Long Beach, CA
2014 Fishman Fund Award, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. La Jolla, CA
2014 Founders Prize, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. La Jolla, CA
2011-2013 Graduate Research Training Fellowship, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR
2011 RNA Society Travel Award, Annual Meeting of the RNA Society, Seattle, WA
2010 Gordon Research Conference Travel Award, GRC on RNA Editing, Galveston, TX
2009 Neuroscience Training Program Travel Award (Institute of Neurobiology, UPR), GRC on RNA Editing, Ventura, CA
2009 Department of Biology Travel Award (University of Puerto Rico), Annual Meeting of the RNA Society, Madison, Wisconsin
2000-2003 Honor Scholarship (Academic Merit), Costa Rican Institute of Technology, Cartago, CR
Affiliations
Dr. Palavicini is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology and the Sam and Ann Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio.