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Daniela Ayala

Daniela Ayala
Daniela Ayala

Biography

Undergraduate
San Diego State University

Undergraduate Degree
B.S., Biology

Lab
Srinivasan Lab

Research Interests
Neuroscience, mitochondria, neurodegeneration, Parkinson's disease

Abstracts and Presentations

  • Ayala, D.A., Weigand, A.J., Salmon, D.P., Bondi, M.W., Edmonds, E.C. (April, 2018). Bilingual Advantage in Older Adults: Proficiency in Two Languages is Associated with Executive Function Performance. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Western Psychological Association, Portland, OR.
  • Ayala, D.A., Liu, V., Gang, X., Borjigin, J. (July, 2018). Improving Cardiovascular Aging: Presence of High Frequency Signals in Adults with Cardiovascular Disease. Poster and oral presentation at the University of Michigan’s Summer Research Opportunity Program Symposium, Ann Arbor, MI.
  • Ayala, D.A., Edmonds, E.C. (November, 2018). Cortical Atrophy in Cluster Derived Mild Cognitive Impairment. Oral presentation at the Advancing Diversity in Aging Research Summit, Boston, MA.
  • Ayala, D.A., Kaufmann, C.N., Edmonds, E.C., Bondi, M.W. (July, 2019). Sleep Apnea and Cognitive Performance in Older Adults: Results from the 2016 Wave of the Health and Retirement Study. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, Los Angeles, CA.;
  • Ayala, D.A., Kaufmann, C.N., Edmonds, E.C., Bondi, M.W. (February, 2020). Sleep Apnea and Cognitive Performance in Older Adults: What is the Role of Vascular Risk Factors on Cognitive Deficits? Poster presented at the annual meeting of the International Neuropsychology Society, Denver, CO.

Publications

  • Edmonds, E. C., Weigand, A. J., Hatton, S. N., Marshall, A. J., Thomas, K. R., Ayala, D.A., Bondi, M. W., & McDonald, C. R. Patterns of longitudinal cortical atrophy over three years in empirically-derived MCI subtypes. Neurology.

Graduate

  • Ayala, D.A., Srinivasan R. (March, 2021). Mitochondrial Ablation in Astrocytes: What Happens to Dopaminergic Neurons? Oral presentation for the Texas A&M Graduate Student Organization Flash Talks, College Station, TX.

What excites you about joining Texas A&M School of Medicine for your PhD studies?
I am excited to explore the multidisciplinary aspect of this program, and the possible future collaborations with great researchers and students in this institution. I am also very eager to learn from other’s perspectives, further my experience in research, and become a part of a diverse scientific community.

If you could meet any scientist throughout history, who would you want to meet and why?
I would have been thrilled to meet Dr. Samuel Gruber, an expert in the field of marine biology with an emphasis on topics regarding sharks. Dr. Gruber founded and directed the Biological Field Station in Bimini. As an avid shark and marine wildlife enthusiast, I would have loved to have the opportunity to discuss how he used that platform to help other scientists perform their research and provide educational opportunities to the public to promote the conservation of marine wildlife and ecosystems.

Tell us something you are passionate about apart from research.
I am very passionate about community service, animals, and the environment. I have been involved for several years in the Girl Guides/Scouts association, volunteered in a small zoo, and worked in a veterinary clinic in my hometown of Tijuana, Mexico. Being involved in these activities has allowed me to participate in events relevant to my passions and to continue to help others in need. I believe there is still a lot we can do to help each other and the place we live in.