Jesús Planagumà

Neuroimmunology

The August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS)

Jesús Planagumà

Jesús Planagumà, Ph.D., is a senior research fellow at The August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Hospital Clínic, Barcelona. He received his bachelor degree from University of Barcelona (UB), and a Ph.D. degree with honors from the Universitat Atònoma de Barcelona (UAB).

After a Ph.D. in molecular biology, Dr. Planagumà moved to the Cell Imaging Unit at Biomedicum Helsinki (Finland) (2006-2007), to acquire deep training on multidimensional imaging and confocal microscopy. A year later he started a postdoctoral position at the Molecular Imaging Center from the University of Bergen (Norway) (2007-2011), where his work focused on the design of live cell imaging approach through spinning disk microscopy. Afterwards, he moved back to Barcelona where he was responsible for setting up the imaging platform at the Neuroimmunology Program (IDIBAPS), led by Professor Josep Dalmau, in which Dr. Planagumà has been the head of this platform since 2013. Dr. Planagumà’s current position allows him to integrate research together with his platform management duties. His work is focused on advanced imaging studies of how synaptic receptor dynamics are altered in anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis and related disorders. His research includes the comprehensive characterization of autoimmune disorders targeting brain proteins and understanding how the underlying autoimmune responses alter nervous system function at the molecular and cellular levels. One of his main objectives is to develop strategies to visualize neurological diseases through advance microscopy (confocal and super-resolution microscopy). In fact, he has a well-established collaboration with The Super resolution Light microscopy and Nanoscopy (SLN) group at the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) (currently being a visiting scientist), enabling him to combine his interest in the neuroscience with the state-of-the-art advanced imaging technology.

Publications