Overview
Background
Dr. Albornoz is an early career researcher who has training in neuroscience, immunology, and pharmacology. Prior to migrating to Australia, he completed a bachelor's in Biochemistry followed by a master’s degree in Chile, he then gained experience working in Chile as a research assistant in the Millennium Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, focusing on neurodegeneration and the immune response in the context of Multiple Sclerosis. Later, he was awarded a UQ international scholarship to undertake a Ph.D. at the Institute for Molecular Biosciences (IMB), under the supervision of Prof Matt Cooper, his Ph.D. project has assisted in the development of next-generation NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors, and to validate NLRP3 as a druggable therapeutic target for Parkinson’s disease. He completed his Ph.D. in 2019 and continued his post-doctoral research studies under the supervision of Prof Trent Woodruff. A key focus of his current work is testing novel drugs in preclinical models and understanding the role of the peripheral innate immune response in neurodegenerative diseases including motor neuron disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), Huntington's disease, and Parkinson's disease.
Availability
- Dr Eduardo Albornoz Balmaceda is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Masters (Research) of Biochemistry, Universidad Andrés Bello
- Doctor of Philosophy of Neurosciences, The University of Queensland
Works
Search Professor Eduardo Albornoz Balmaceda’s works on UQ eSpace
2023
Journal Article
Senolytic therapy alleviates physiological human brain aging and COVID-19 neuropathology
Aguado, Julio, Amarilla, Alberto A., Taherian Fard, Atefeh, Albornoz, Eduardo A., Tyshkovskiy, Alexander, Schwabenland, Marius, Chaggar, Harman K., Modhiran, Naphak, Gómez-Inclán, Cecilia, Javed, Ibrahim, Baradar, Alireza A., Liang, Benjamin, Peng, Lianli, Dharmaratne, Malindrie, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Padmanabhan, Pranesh, Freney, Morgan E., Parry, Rhys, Sng, Julian D. J., Isaacs, Ariel, Khromykh, Alexander A., Valenzuela Nieto, Guillermo, Rojas-Fernandez, Alejandro, Davis, Thomas P., Prinz, Marco, Bengsch, Bertram, Gladyshev, Vadim N., Woodruff, Trent M., Mar, Jessica C. ... Wolvetang, Ernst J. (2023). Senolytic therapy alleviates physiological human brain aging and COVID-19 neuropathology. Nature Aging, 3 (12), 1561-1575. doi: 10.1038/s43587-023-00519-6
2023
Journal Article
200 Complement drives Parkinson’s disease neuropathology through activation of microglial C5a receptors
Albornoz, Eduardo and Woodruff, Trent (2023). 200 Complement drives Parkinson’s disease neuropathology through activation of microglial C5a receptors. Immunobiology, 228 (5) 152650, 1-1. doi: 10.1016/j.imbio.2023.152650
2023
Journal Article
Response to comment on “Inflammasome inhibition prevents α-synuclein pathology and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in mice”
Albornoz, Eduardo A., Gordon, Richard, Kumar, Vinod, Robertson, Avril A. B., Schroder, Kate and Woodruff, Trent M. (2023). Response to comment on “Inflammasome inhibition prevents α-synuclein pathology and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in mice”. Science Translational Medicine, 15 (696) adh0604, 1-4. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adh0604
2023
Journal Article
SARS-CoV-2 drives NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human microglia through spike protein
Albornoz, Eduardo A., Amarilla, Alberto A., Modhiran, Naphak, Parker, Sandra, Li, Xaria X., Wijesundara, Danushka K., Aguado, Julio, Zamora, Adriana Pliego, McMillan, Christopher L. D., Liang, Benjamin, Peng, Nias Y. G., Sng, Julian D. J., Saima, Fatema Tuj, Fung, Jenny N., Lee, John D., Paramitha, Devina, Parry, Rhys, Avumegah, Michael S., Isaacs, Ariel, Lo, Martin W., Miranda-Chacon, Zaray, Bradshaw, Daniella, Salinas-Rebolledo, Constanza, Rajapakse, Niwanthi W., Wolvetang, Ernst J., Munro, Trent P., Rojas-Fernandez, Alejandro, Young, Paul R., Stacey, Katryn J. ... Woodruff, Trent M. (2023). SARS-CoV-2 drives NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human microglia through spike protein. Molecular Psychiatry, 28 (7), 2878-2893. doi: 10.1038/s41380-022-01831-0
2022
Journal Article
SARS-CoV-2 triggers complement activation through interactions with heparan sulfate
Lo, Martin W., Amarilla, Alberto A., Lee, John D., Albornoz, Eduardo A., Modhiran, Naphak, Clark, Richard J., Ferro, Vito, Chhabra, Mohit, Khromykh, Alexander A., Watterson, Daniel and Woodruff, Trent M. (2022). SARS-CoV-2 triggers complement activation through interactions with heparan sulfate. Clinical and Translational Immunology, 11 (8) e1413, e1413. doi: 10.1002/cti2.1413
2022
Journal Article
Nucleocapsid specific diagnostics for the detection of divergent SARS-CoV-2 variants
Isaacs, Ariel, Amarilla, Alberto A., Aguado, Julio, Modhiran, Naphak, Albornoz, Eduardo A., Baradar, Alireza A., McMillan, Christopher L. D., Choo, Jovin J. Y., Idris, Adi, Supramaniam, Aroon, McMillan, Nigel A. J., Muller, David A., Young, Paul R., Woodruff, Trent M., Wolvetang, Ernst J., Chappell, Keith J. and Watterson, Daniel (2022). Nucleocapsid specific diagnostics for the detection of divergent SARS-CoV-2 variants. Frontiers in Immunology, 13 926262, 926262. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.926262
2020
Journal Article
The microglial NLRP3 inflammasome is activated by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis proteins
Deora, Vandana, Lee, John D., Albornoz, Eduardo A., McAlary, Luke, Jagaraj, Cyril J., Robertson, Avril A. B., Atkin, Julie D, Cooper, Matthew A., Schroder, Kate, Yerbury, Justin J., Gordon, Richard and Woodruff, Trent M. (2020). The microglial NLRP3 inflammasome is activated by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis proteins. Glia, 68 (2) glia.23728, 407-421. doi: 10.1002/glia.23728
2019
Other Outputs
Pharmacological targeting of the inflammasome: towards novel therapeutics for Parkinson’s disease
Albornoz Balmaceda, Eduardo (2019). Pharmacological targeting of the inflammasome: towards novel therapeutics for Parkinson’s disease. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2019.702
Featured
2018
Journal Article
Inflammasome inhibition prevents α-synuclein pathology and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in mice
Gordon, Richard, Albornoz, Eduardo A., Christie, Daniel C., Langley, Monica R., Kumar, Vinod, Mantovani, Susanna, Robertson, Avril A. B., Butler, Mark S., Rowe, Dominic B., O'Neill, Luke A., Kanthasamy, Anumantha G., Schroder, Kate, Cooper, Matthew A. and Woodruff, Trent M. (2018). Inflammasome inhibition prevents α-synuclein pathology and dopaminergic neurodegeneration in mice. Science Translational Medicine, 10 (465) aah4066, eaah4066. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aah4066
2018
Journal Article
Gestational hypothyroxinemia affects its offspring with a reduced suppressive capacity impairing the outcome of the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
Haensgen, Henny, Albornoz, Eduardo, Opazo, María C., Bugueño, Katherinne, Jara Fernández, Evelyn Liliana, Binzberger, Rebecca, Rivero-Castillo, Tomás, Venegas Salas, Luis F., Simon, Felipe, Cabello-Verrugio, Claudio, Elorza, Alvaro A., Kalergis, Alexis M., Bueno, Susan M. and Riedel, Claudia A. (2018). Gestational hypothyroxinemia affects its offspring with a reduced suppressive capacity impairing the outcome of the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Frontiers in Immunology, 9 (JUN) 1257. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01257
2018
Journal Article
Gestational hypothyroxinemia imprints a switch in the capacity of astrocytes and microglial cells of the offspring to react in inflammation
Opazo, María C., González, Pablo A., Flores, Betsi D., Venegas, Luis F., Albornoz, Eduardo A., Cisternas, Pablo, Bohmwald, Karen, Nieto, Pamela A., Bueno, Susan M., Kalergis, Alexis M. and Riedel, Claudia A. (2018). Gestational hypothyroxinemia imprints a switch in the capacity of astrocytes and microglial cells of the offspring to react in inflammation. Molecular Neurobiology, 55 (5), 4373-4387. doi: 10.1007/s12035-017-0627-y
2018
Journal Article
Chronic helminth infection perturbs the gut-brain axis, promotes neuropathology and alters behaviour
Giacomin, Paul R., Kraeuter, Ann Katrin, Albornoz, Eduardo A., Jin, Shuting, Bengtsson, Mia, Gordon, Richard, Woodruff, Trent M., Urich, Tim, Sarnyai, Zoltán and Soares Magalhães, Ricardo J. (2018). Chronic helminth infection perturbs the gut-brain axis, promotes neuropathology and alters behaviour. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 218 (9), 1511-1516. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiy092
2018
Conference Publication
C5aR1 is required for a-synuclein mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation
Gordon, Richard, Albornoz, Eduardo, Kanthasamy, Anumantha and Woodruff, Trent (2018). C5aR1 is required for a-synuclein mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation. 27th International Complement Workshop (ICW), Santa Fe, NM, United States, Sep 16-20, 2018. Kidlington, Oxford, United Kingdom: Pergamon Press. doi: 10.1016/j.molimm.2018.06.247
2018
Book Chapter
Inflammasomes in CNS diseases
Albornoz, Eduardo A., Woodruff, Trent M. and Gordon, Richard (2018). Inflammasomes in CNS diseases. Inflammasomes: clinical and therapeutic implications. (pp. 41-60) edited by Mario D. Cordero and Elisabet Alcocer-Gómez. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-89390-7_3
2017
Journal Article
The ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate does not inhibit synuclein mediated inflammasome activation in microglia
Deora, Vandana, Albornoz, Eduardo A., Zhu, Kevin, Woodruff, Trent M. and Gordon, Richard (2017). The ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate does not inhibit synuclein mediated inflammasome activation in microglia. Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology, 12 (4), 1-7. doi: 10.1007/s11481-017-9754-5
2017
Conference Publication
Gestational hypothyroxinemia increases the immune response of the progeny that suffers experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
Opazo, Maria Cecilia, Bugueño, Katherinne, Jara, Evelyn, Haensgen, Henny, Albornoz, Eduardo, Gomez, Felipe, Binzberger, Rebecca, Toledo, Paola, Blanco, Noelia, Simon, Felipe, Elorza, Alvaro, Kalergis, Alexis, Bueno, Susan and Riedel, Claudia (2017). Gestational hypothyroxinemia increases the immune response of the progeny that suffers experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Immunology 2017™ Meeting, Washington, DC United States, 12-16 May 2017. Rockville, MD United States: American Association of Immunologists. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.198.supp.207.8
2017
Conference Publication
Gut microbiome changes induced by experimental trichuris muris infection are associated with decreased cognitive function in mice
Magalhaes, Ricardo J. Soares, Giacomin, Paul, Sarnyay, Zoltan, Kraeuter, Ann, Urich, Tim, Bengtsson, Mia, Jin, Shuting, Albornoz, Eduardo A., Gordon, Richard and Woodruff, Trent (2017). Gut microbiome changes induced by experimental trichuris muris infection are associated with decreased cognitive function in mice. 65th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Tropical-Medicine-and-Hygiene (ASTMH), Atlanta, GA, United States, 13-16 November 2016. Deerfield, United States: American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
2016
Conference Publication
Complement C5a activates microglial NLRP3 inflammasomes and drives neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease through C5aR1
Gordon, Richard, Albornoz, Eduardo A., Kumar, Vinod, Zhou, Kiane, Garin-Michaud, Ashoka, Mantavani, Susanna, Kanthasamy, Anumantha G. and Woodruff, Trent M. (2016). Complement C5a activates microglial NLRP3 inflammasomes and drives neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease through C5aR1. The XXVI International Complement Workshop (ICW), Kanazawa, Japan, 4-8 September 2016. Muenchen, Germany: Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.imbio.2016.06.146
2015
Journal Article
Gestational hypothyroidism increases the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in adult offspring (vol 23, pg 1627, 2013)
Albornoz, E. A., Carreno, L. J., Cortes, C. M., Gonzalez, P. A., Cisternas, P. A., Cautivo, K. M., Catalan, T. P., Opazo, M. C., Eugenin, E. A., Berman, J. W., Bueno, S. M., Kalergis, A. M. and Riedel, C. A. (2015). Gestational hypothyroidism increases the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in adult offspring (vol 23, pg 1627, 2013). Thyroid, 25 (9), 1068-1068. doi: 10.1089/thy.2012.0401.cxn
2015
Journal Article
Excess iodide induces an acute inhibition of the sodium/iodide symporter in thyroid male rat cells by increasing reactive oxygen species
Arriagada, Alejandro A., Albornoz, Eduardo, Cecilia Opazo, Ma., Becerra, Alvaro, Vidal, Gonzalo, Fardella, Carlos, Michea, Luis, Carrasco, Nancy, Simon, Felipe, Elorza, Alvaro A., Bueno, Susan M., Kalergis, Alexis M. and Riedel, Claudia A. (2015). Excess iodide induces an acute inhibition of the sodium/iodide symporter in thyroid male rat cells by increasing reactive oxygen species. Endocrinology, 156 (4), 1540-1551. doi: 10.1210/en.2014-1371
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Eduardo Albornoz Balmaceda is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Therapeutic blockade of neuroinflammation for the treatment of Huntington's disease
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr John Lee, Professor Trent Woodruff
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Eduardo Albornoz Balmaceda directly for media enquiries about:
- C5aR
- Complement system
- Drug discovery
- Immunology
- Infectious disease and brain
- Inflammasomes
- Long COVID
- Microglia
- Neuroimmunology
- Neuroinflammation
- Neuroscience
- NLRP3
- Parkinson's disease
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