Prof. Karolina Pytka is a Full Professor of Pharmacology at Jagiellonian University Medical College. She earned her Master's degree in Pharmacy and PhD in Pharmacology from Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland. Following her doctoral studies, she pursued postdoctoral research at Strathclyde University, Glasgow, United Kingdom. By utilizing advanced neuropharmacological approaches, her research focuses on discovering and characterizing novel compounds with antidepressant-like, antipsychotic-like, and memory-enhancing properties. Her team investigates the underlying mechanisms of these compounds, particularly their rapid effects on mood and cognition in rodents, contributing valuable insights to the field of neuropsychopharmacology.

Dr. Klaudia Lustyk is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacodynamics at the Jagiellonian University Medical College. She received her Master’s Degree in Pharmacy and a PhD in Pharmacology. After joining Professor Karolina Pytka’s research group, she actively engages in pharmacological studies to uncover the cellular mechanisms behind centrally-acting novel multimodal compounds. Her current research focuses on memory impairments associated with psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Jorge Valero is a neuroscientist with over 20 years of experience, specializing in adult neurogenesis, brain plasticity, and the influence of lifestyle factors on these processes. His current research delves into the role of microglia in neurogenesis, the fusion of bone marrow cells with Purkinje cells, and the development of a personalized medicine platform derived from urine cells. Dr. Jorge Valero’s academic journey began at the University of Salamanca, where he now serves as an Associate Professor. He has significantly advanced neurodegenerative disease research across various European institutions.

Dr. Arnau Busquets-García is a Ramon y Cajal researcher at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute of the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, where he directs the group “Cellular mechanisms in physiological and pathological behavior.” He obtained PhD in Biomedicine, investigating how cannabis and the endocannabinoid system modulate brain functions. Following his PhD, Dr. Arnau Busquets-García pursued a postdoc at the NeuroCentre Magendie in Bordeaux, France, continuing his research on the effects of cannabis in animal models. He has authored over 40 articles and recently received a Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC), along with funding from IBRO and the Spanish Research Agency. Dr. Arnau Busquets-García is actively involved in science dissemination, giving talks at institutes and libraries in Barcelona. His group’s research focuses on the potential therapeutic effects of cannabinoid drugs in Alzheimer’s disease and understanding how the brain forms associations that influence our daily decisions.

Prof. Maria José Diógenes is PharmD, Master in Neurosciences and PhD in Biomedical Sciences, Basic Neurosciences. In 2018 she obtained the Aggregation in Medicine, Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon (FMUL). Prof. Maria José Diógenes is Associate Professor of Pharmacology and General Therapeutics at FMUL, certified pharmacologist by EPHAR and researcher at the Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, where she coordinates a research group focused on strategies to restore the actions of neurotrophic factors in pathological conditions (Epilepsy, Alzheimer´s Disease and Rett syndrome).

Dr. Concepcion Lillo is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León and the Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca at the University of Salamanca. Her research focuses on the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in degenerative disorders of the visual system. In the lab, Concepcion Lillo's team employs cell cultures of human retinal pigment epithelium to create a platform that mimics the pathological signs of retinal diseases. This approach aims to unravel the pathogenic mechanisms involved in age-related macular degeneration and to design and analyze tools and treatments, ultimately leading to personalized medicine approaches. She has extensive experience in electron microscopy techniques and is currently the director of the electron microscopy facility at the University of Salamanca.

Dr. Sara Xapelli is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon. Her research focuses on identifying modulators of neural stem cells (NSCs) to enhance adult neurogenesis and oligodendrogenesis, with the goal of facilitating brain functional repair. Dr. Xapelli's team aims to advance NSCs as therapeutic platforms to combat brain pathologies such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and major depressive disorder. Her innovative work holds promise for significant breakthroughs in brain health and disease treatment.