Bio:

In February 2023, Jeanelle Ariza Torres assumed the role of Manager of the Histology department at the Allen Institute for Brain Science. In this capacity, she leads a dedicated core team, focusing primarily on generating high-quality histological data.

Before undertaking her current position, Jeanelle accrued four years of experience as a Research Scientist at the University of Washington Medicine Biorepository and Integrated Research (BRaIN). During this tenure, she actively contributed to research aimed at understanding normal brain anatomy and function, with a specific emphasis on changes related to injuries and diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), among others. Notably, she assumed a leadership role in neuropathology quantification, playing a pivotal role in creating, standardizing, and implementing digital tools for image analysis efforts. This work was essential for analyzing protein expression in Alzheimer’s Disease, contributing to the Neuropathology image viewer in the SEA-AD atlas project, a collaborative effort with the Allen Institute for Brain Science.

With over two decades of experience, Jeanelle has held positions in various neuroscience laboratories, including the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), the University of California, Davis and the Universidad Militar in Colombia.

Throughout her career, Jeanelle has specialized in brain histology, focusing on neurodevelopment and neuropathology across diverse species, including mice, rats, bats, snakes, crocodiles, catfish, and humans at different developmental stages. She has been instrumental in developing several histological processes, encompassing tissue harvesting, storage, preparation, and embedding in various mounting media. Her expertise extends to designing protocols for histological stains, immunofluorescence, immune-enzymatic reactions, in situ hybridization, and organotypic cell culture. Additionally, she is proficient in utilizing various software platforms for image analysis, facilitating the identification of morphological cells and pathological proteins.

Jeanelle earned her Biology degree from the University Francisco Jose de Caldas in Bogotá, Colombia. Subsequently, she pursued post-bachelor studies in Forensic Anthropology at the University Nacional de Colombia.