On 18 March, the Doctorate in Biomedicine of the Universidad Andrés Bello de Chile (UNAB) began a new academic year with an important inaugural conference in the field of health and research. Dr Núria Casals Farré, director of the UIC Barcelona Doctoral School, was the main guest of this academic event.
With a paper entitled "Feeding the brain: the protective role of ketone bodies in preventing cognitive decline associated with obesity", Dr Casals presented the most recent advances in the relationship between nutrition and neuroscience. She highlighted the potential benefits of ketogenic diets and intermittent fasting in improving learning and memory skills, especially in patients with signs of Alzheimer's or cognitive impairment linked to metabolic syndrome. Despite the positive effects of these dietary strategies, Dr Casals stressed that its implementation can be complicated for many patients due to their demanding nature and possible side effects.
With this in mind, her research team has explored more accessible alternatives, such as oral supplementation with ketone bodies. In a recent study by Dr Rocío Rojas under the co-direction of Dr Rut Fadó and Dr Casals, this supplement was administered to mice for two months. The results were promising, demonstrating a reversal of memory loss and a complete restoration of neural functions at the biochemical and cellular level.
The event was coordinated by Dr Gloria Arriagada, director of the doctoral programme in Biomedicine at UNAB. This collaboration has allowed the Chilean academic community to bring the innovative research carried out at UIC Barcelona.
"This meeting has allowed not only the sharing of first level knowledge in the field of biomedicine, but also the establishment of new academic and research links between UIC Barcelona and Andrés Bello University, especially at the level of doctoral studies. With initiatives such as this, international collaboration is strengthened and the way is paved for future joint projects that can contribute to scientific progress and the improvement of global health," explained Dr Casals.
A week later, on 26 March, Dr Casals was invited to share the same lecture at the Universidad San Sebastián de Chile, as part of the seminar series of the Doctorate in Cell Biology and Biomedicine and the Doctorate in Chronic Diseases. This event marks the beginning of the 2025 academic year of these doctoral programmes.
