Isobel French | Cognitive Neuroscience | Best Researcher Award

Posted on by Best Paper Award

Ms. Isobel French | Cognitive Neuroscience | Best Researcher Award

Postgraduate researcher at National Central University, Taiwan

Ms. Isobel French is a Ph.D. candidate in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, majoring in Cognitive Neuroscience at the National Central University and Academia Sinica, Taiwan. She holds a Master’s in Medical Science from the University of Malaya and a Bachelor’s in Biomedical Science from Management and Science University, Malaysia. Her research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying Parkinson’s Disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, utilizing EEG and advanced analytical methods to develop early biomarkers for clinical diagnostics.

Publication Profile

Scopus

Orcid

Educational Details

  • BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science, Management and Science University (MSU), Malaysia; CGPA: 3.26 (May 2008 – Jul 2012).
  • Master’s in Medical Science (Distinction), University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia; CGPA: 3.75 (Nov 2015 – Dec 2017, awarded Feb 2019).
  • Ph.D. Candidate in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience (major in Cognitive Neuroscience), Visual Cognitive Laboratory, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University & Academia Sinica, Taiwan (Sep 2020 – expected Jun 2025).

Professional Experience

Ms. Isobel French is a Ph.D. candidate and researcher at the Visual Cognitive Laboratory, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University and Academia Sinica, Taiwan. She is involved in interdisciplinary research focusing on cognitive neuroscience, neurodegenerative diseases, and advanced EEG analysis techniques. She has received training and internships under the guidance of academic professionals and neurosurgeons across Malaysia and Taiwan. Her work aims to bridge neuroscience and clinical applications, especially in neurodegenerative disease diagnosis and progression assessment.

Research Interest

  • Cognitive neuroscience
  • Neurodegenerative disorders (Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease)
  • Brain imaging techniques (EEG, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Tractography)
  • Nonlinear analytical methods (Holo-Hilbert Spectral Analysis)
  • Biomarkers for neurological diseases

Author Metric:

  • Publications in peer-reviewed journals: 6
  • Research focus: Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Collaborations with international research teams
  • Published in high-impact journals including Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, Movement Disorders, and NeuroImage: Reports

Top Noted Publication

  • French, I.T., & Muthusamy, K.A. (2016). A review of sleep and its disorders in patients with Parkinson’s disease in relation to various brain structures. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 8, Article 114. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2016.00114

  • French, I.T., & Muthusamy, K.A. (2018). A review of the pedunculopontine nucleus in Parkinson’s disease. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 10, Article 99. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2018.00099

  • Chang, K.H., French, I.T., Liang, W.K., Lo, Y.S., Wang, Y.R., Cheng, M.L., & Juan, C.H. (2022). Evaluating the different stages of Parkinson’s disease using electroencephalography with Holo-Hilbert spectral analysis. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 14, 832637. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.832637

  • Chu, K.T., Lei, W.C., Wu, M.H., Fuh, J.L., Wang, S.J., French, I.T., & Juan, C.H. (2023). A holo-spectral EEG analysis provides early detection of cognitive decline and predicts the progression to Alzheimer’s disease. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1163472

  • Lee, C.H., Juan, C.H., Chen, H.H., Hong, J.P., Liao, T.W., French, I.T., & Chang, K.H. (2024). Long‐range temporal correlations in electroencephalography for Parkinson’s disease progression. Movement Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.30052

Conclusion

Ms. Isobel French is a highly suitable candidate for the Best Researcher Award, particularly in Cognitive Neuroscience and Neurodegenerative Disease Research. Her cutting-edge work in EEG biomarkers and disease progression analysis places her at the forefront of this critical research area. While she would benefit from increased leadership roles and grant achievements, her research quality, technical innovation, and translational potential make her a compelling nominee.

 

 

Cristina Garcia Caceres | Neuroscience | Most Reader’s Article Award

Posted on by Best Paper Award

Prof Dr. Cristina Garcia Caceres, Neuroscience, Most Reader’s Article Award

Doctorate at Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Germany

Summary:

Prof. Dr. Cristina Garcia Caceres is a distinguished researcher in the field of neuroendocrinology and systems metabolism. Her extensive contributions have earned her recognition and numerous awards. Currently serving as a W2 Professor of Neuroendocrinology of Systems Metabolism at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) and the Helmholtz Munich – German Research Center for Environmental Health since 2021, she holds various leadership roles.

Professional Profile:

👩‍🎓Education & Qualification:

2012: Doctoral thesis in Biology (magna cum laude), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.

2008: Master of Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.

2006: Bachelor of Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.

Professional Experience:

Prof. Dr. Cristina Garcia Caceres holds significant positions in the field of neuroendocrinology and systems metabolism. 

Since 2021: W2 Professor of Neuroendocrinology of Systems Metabolism

  • Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)
  • Helmholtz Munich – German Research Center for Environmental Health

Since 2018: Associate Director

  • Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Diabetes Center
  • Helmholtz Munich, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany

Since 2018: Co-leadership and Coordinator

  • Brain Academy at the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD)
  • Associate Investigator of Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (Synergy)

Since 2015: Head of the Astrocyte-Neuron Networks Unit

  • Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Helmholtz Diabetes Center
  • Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany

In her previous role from 2012 to 2015, Prof. Dr. Garcia Caceres served as a Postdoctoral Scientist at the Institute for Diabetes and Obesity, Technische Universität München & Helmholtz Diabetes Center at Helmholtz Zentrum München. During this time, she contributed to research and furthered her expertise in the field.

International Research Experience:

01/2011-04/2011: Research fellow at the Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden.

06/2009-10/2009: Research fellow at the Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University, CT, US.

Cristina Garcia Caceres has demonstrated a strong academic background, culminating in a Doctoral thesis recognized with the “Thesis Extraordinary Award.” Her international research experiences at renowned institutions such as Göteborg University in Sweden and Yale University in the US reflect her commitment to advancing scientific knowledge in the field of Biology and Neuroendocrinology.

International Prizes and Awards:

Prof. Dr. Cristina Garcia Caceres has been honored with numerous prestigious awards for her exceptional contributions to the fields of obesity research and endocrinology. These accolades recognize her outstanding achievements and impact on the scientific community. Some of the key awards include the ESCI Young Investigator Award – Basic Research in 2023, acknowledging her significant contributions to basic research in the field, and the 2022 Obesity Research Award from the Deutschen Adipositas-Gesellschaft (DAG)/Germany, recognizing her remarkable accomplishments in obesity research. In 2021, she received the Helmholtz Association Professorship Award for the establishment of a W2 professorship.

Her exceptional research endeavors were further acknowledged with the prestigious ERC Starting Grant (ERC-ST2017) in 2017, awarded by the European Research Council, showcasing her commitment to exceptional research. The ERA-NET NEURON Award for Excellent Paper in Neuroscience (EPNA) in 2017 highlighted her outstanding contribution to neuroscience research with the paper “Garcia-Caceres et al., Cell. 2016.”

Her scholarly pursuits were also supported by the Keystone Symposia Scholarship in 2016, enabling her participation in the Obesity and Adipose Tissue Biology Meeting in Banff/Alberta, Canada. Additionally, the Best Poster Award at the Nutrient and Metabolite Sensing Conference in 2015, presented by Novo Nordisk Fonden, Denmark, recognized the excellence of her work.

Furthermore, her outstanding abstract at the 96th Annual Meeting & Expo of The Endocrine Society (ENDO) in Chicago, IL, USA, earned her the Outstanding Abstract Award in 2014. The Thesis Extraordinary Award in 2012 by the Faculty of Medicine at the University Autonoma de Madrid, Spain, further acknowledged her exceptional contribution to her thesis.

These prestigious awards collectively underscore Prof. Dr. Cristina Garcia Caceres’s remarkable impact on the field of endocrinology and her significant research contributions.

Research Areas:

Astrocytic Insulin Signaling:

  • Investigating how insulin signaling in astrocytes influences brain glucose uptake and its connection to nutrient availability.

Melanocortin System and Obesity:

  • Exploring the synaptic input organization of the melanocortin system and its predictive role in diet-induced hypothalamic reactive gliosis and obesity.

Leptin Signaling in Astrocytes:

  • Studying the role of leptin signaling in astrocytes and its regulation of hypothalamic neuronal circuits and feeding behavior.

Estrogen Delivery and Metabolic Syndrome:

  • Researching targeted estrogen delivery as a potential intervention to reverse metabolic syndrome.

Hormones, Diet, and Microglial Activity:

  • Investigating the impact of hormones and diet on hypothalamic microglial activity, independent of changes in body weight.

Publication Top Noted:

Title: Astrocytic insulin signaling couples brain glucose uptake with nutrient availability

  • Authors: C García-Cáceres, C Quarta, L Varela, Y Gao, T Gruber, B Legutko, et al.
  • Journal: Cell
  • Volume: 166 (4)
  • Pages: 867-880
  • Citations: 444

Title: Synaptic input organization of the melanocortin system predicts diet-induced hypothalamic reactive gliosis and obesity

  • Authors: TL Horvath, B Sarman, C García-Cáceres, PJ Enriori, P Sotonyi, et al.
  • Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
  • Volume: 107 (33)
  • Pages: 14875-14880
  • Citations: 423

Title: Leptin signaling in astrocytes regulates hypothalamic neuronal circuits and feeding

  • Authors: JG Kim, S Suyama, M Koch, S Jin, P Argente-Arizon, J Argente, ZW Liu, et al.
  • Journal: Nature Neuroscience
  • Volume: 17 (7)
  • Pages: 908-910
  • Citations: 320

Title: Targeted estrogen delivery reverses the metabolic syndrome

  • Authors: B Finan, B Yang, N Ottaway, K Stemmer, TD Müller, CX Yi, K Habegger, et al.
  • Journal: Nature Medicine
  • Volume: 18 (12)
  • Pages: 1847-1856
  • Citations: 278

Title: Hormones and diet, but not body weight, control hypothalamic microglial activity

  • Authors: Y Gao, N Ottaway, SC Schriever, B Legutko, C García‐Cáceres, et al.
  • Journal: Glia
  • Volume: 62 (1)
  • Pages: 17-25
  • Citations: 244