About
Xochitl Diaz is a visiting scientist from the International Laboratory of Genomic Science Research in Mexico. She recently graduated with honours from the Genomic Sciences program at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She conducted her undergraduate thesis research under the supervision of Associate Professor Miguel Renteria at QIMR Berghofer. Her thesis work investigated neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and severe COVID-19 infection, identifying shared regulatory pathways that may explain the observed increased risk of developing AD following COVID-19 infection, particularly in vulnerable populations. This research underscores the critical role of environmental factors, such as viral infections, as potential disease triggers that can exacerbate or accelerate chronic conditions.
Xochitl's is interested in further exploring neurodegeneration and other complex chronic diseases, utilising single-cell multi-omics technologies and population-scale analyses. She is also deeply interested in the contribution of environmental factors to disease etiology. She believes integrating everyday digital tools into healthcare is crucial for advancing preventive medicine and personalised treatment strategies.
Research Skills
- Single-cell
- Multi-omics
- Bioinformatics
- Population Genetics
- Statistical analysis
Area of Interest
- Population scale single-cell models
- Preventive and digital healthcare
- Epigenetics