Tatiana Ascencio, MD

• Génétique
• Biologie moléculaire
• LARGE-PD
• Biobank
• Metabolomic

I am a physician, microbiology professor, and researcher from El Salvador. My background bridges clinical medicine and bench science, with extensive wet-lab experience in molecular and cellular microbiology. My core laboratory expertise includes managing mammalian cell cultures and murine models to investigate cellular mechanisms and potential treatments for T. cruzi.

Beyond infectious diseases, I possess technical expertise in high-yield DNA extraction, rigorous quality control, and navigating the international logistics required to prepare and ship biospecimens from El Salvador. As a member of LARGE-PD, I spearheaded the processing and shipment of large-scale cohorts to ensure Central American populations are fairly represented in global neurogenetics data. I am also an active member of the Biobanks group.

As a GP2 trainee in bioinformatics, I am expanding my skill set into data science. I am currently learning to leverage computational pipelines to analyze complex datasets and uncover multi-ethnic, ancestry-informed genetic risk factors for Parkinson’s disease.