Agustina Alaimo

Throughout her scientific career, Dr. Agustina Alaimo has focused on the study of neurodegenerative processes, including manganism, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease, with the aim of understanding their underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms and identifying potential therapeutic strategies. Since 2015, in her role as Research Assistant at CONICET (a full-time research position equivalent to a postdoctoral researcher under supervision), she expanded her research scope to ocular diseases, particularly age-related macular degeneration (AMD), with a strong focus on the retinal pigment epithelium as the primary target tissue. In 2017, she joined a new laboratory under a different supervisor, where she began integrating the design and development of polymeric nanocarriers into her research. These nanosystems were engineered to encapsulate, protect, and enable the controlled release of bioactive compounds of natural origin with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, significantly broadening the translational impact of her work. She developed extensive expertise in the physicochemical characterization of polymeric nanovehicles and their biological evaluation using in vitro cell culture systems and in vivo animal models, with direct applications in experimental ophthalmology and pharmacology. In 2020, Dr. Alaimo was promoted to Adjunct Researcher (Permanent position) at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), marking a key milestone in her scientific career as she transitioned from working under supervision to independently leading her own research line. Since then, she has established and consolidated the research program entitled “Chitosan nanogels as delivery systems for bioactives of biomedical and nutritional relevance for the treatment of ocular conditions.” In this role, she continues to advance interdisciplinary research at the interface of cell biology, nanotechnology, and ophthalmology, while actively training human resources and contributing to the development of innovative therapeutic strategies for ocular and neurodegenerative diseases. In 2026, Dr. Agustina Alaimo was promoted to the position of Independent Researcher at CONICET. CONICET is the National Scientific and Technical Research Council. CONICET is the main government agency that fosters the development of science and technology in Argentina.