AwardOctober 2025
Admitted to University of Palermo-UTMB Dual PhD Program
Accepted into the dual degree PhD program in Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics jointly offered by the University of Palermo and UTMB.
Alfredo Sandoval
MD-PhD Student in Neuroscience
Latest News & Updates
PublicationOctober 2024
Paper Published in Science Translational Medicine
Our paper 'Reduction of Prolonged Excitatory Neuron Swelling After Spinal Cord Injury Improves Locomotor Recovery in Mice' was published in Science Translational Medicine.
PublicationAugust 2025
Paper accepted in Journal of Neuroscience
Our paper 'Sensory Deficits in mice with Lateral Spinal Cord Hemisection Mimic the Brown-Séquard Syndrome' was accepted for publication.
PublicationAugust 14, 2025
Paper accepted in Molecular Therapy Methods & Clinical Development
Our paper 'Adeno-Associated Viral Vector Resource for the RNA-Targeting Cas13d: A Comparison of High Fidelity Variants, DjCas13d and hfCas13d' was accepted for publication.
AwardFebruary 2025
NGP Academic Excellence Award
Received the 3rd Place award from the UTMB Neuroscience Graduate Program.
PublicationDecember 2024
Book Chapter Published in Neuroimmune Pharmacology and Therapeutics
The book chapter 'Regenerative and Repair Strategies for the Central Nervous System' was published in Neuroimmune Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
About Me
I'm an MD-PhD student in the Neuroscience graduate program, where my research focuses on developing genetic, imaging, and computational tools to improve outcomes after spinal cord injury. My interdisciplinary work combines viral vector design, imaging and microscopy methods, and deep learning to better understand neuronal dysfunction and accelerate therapeutic translation.
Research Focus
Spinal Cord Injury • Pose Estimation • Viral Vector Engineering • Deep Learning • Software Tools • Behavioral Analysis
Education
MD - Doctor of Medicine & PhD - Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience
University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)
Developing genetic, imaging, and computational tools for spinal cord injury treatment.
PhD - Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics
University of Palermo (UNIPA)
Dual degree PhD program in collaboration with UTMB focusing on spinal cord injury research.
BS in Neuroscience (with Honors)
University of Texas at Dallas (UTD)
Thesis: "Engineering the Neuronal Genome with CRISPR-Cas".
AAS in Paramedicine
McLennan Community College
Clinical training in emergency medical techniques and acute patient care.
Highlighted Publications
2025·Molecular Therapy Methods & Clinical Development
Adeno-Associated Viral Vector Resource for the RNA-Targeting Cas13d: A Comparison of High Fidelity Variants, DjCas13d and hfCas13d (opens in new tab)
Back, F., Sandoval, A., Vu, L. M., Hong, V. M., Bhaskara, A., Rodriguez, S. R., O'Brien, J. T., Kolber, B. J., Kroener, S., Ploski, J. E.
2024·Science translational medicine 16 (766), eadn7095
Reduction of prolonged excitatory neuron swelling after spinal cord injury improves locomotor recovery in mice (opens in new tab)
Li, Q., Sandoval, A., Moth, J., Shang, J., Liew, J. Y., Dunn, T., Yang, Z., Su, J., Henwood, M., Williams, P., Chen, B.