Tomàs Montserrat Ayuso, a researcher in CNAG’s Functional Genomics Team led by Dr Anna Esteve, has been awarded a Joan Oró FI Predoctoral Grant from the Departament de Recerca i Universitats de la Generalitat de Catalunya. The team specialises in the analysis of transcriptomic and epigenomic data using advanced sequencing technologies and integrated multi-omics approaches to investigate disease mechanisms.

 

This grant will support the development of the PhD project "Brain Inflammation in Adrenoleukodystrophy: From Drivers to Treatments", which will run until 31 May 2028 and aims to improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying brain inflammation in this rare genetic disorder and to identify potential therapeutic strategies.

 

Within this framework, the project incorporates the study of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) as a potential regulatory layer involved in neuroinflammation. Three complementary manuscripts developed during the first year of the PhD provide the foundation for this line of research: a genome-wide annotation of conserved HERV protein domains (https://doi.org/10.1093/nargab/lqag013), a systematic analysis of HERV LTR regulatory features and transcription factor binding motifs through the HERVarium resource (https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.02.17.706328), and an investigation of HERV-derived sequences in RNA regulation, RNA-binding protein interactions, and long non-coding RNAs (https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.04.29.721355). These studies generate the annotations, tools, and biological hypotheses required to explore how HERVs may contribute to inflammatory activation and regulatory dysfunction in adrenoleukodystrophy-relevant transcriptomic and epigenomic datasets. 

 
By linking HERV domain conservation, LTR-mediated transcriptional regulation, and RNA-level regulatory mechanisms, the PhD project provides an integrated framework to investigate novel molecular drivers of brain inflammation in adrenoleukodystrophy and to identify disease-associated regulatory mechanisms with potential therapeutic relevance. 

 

The Joan Oró FI programme supports the training of early-career researchers undertaking doctoral studies at research institutions across Catalonia. Through these competitive grants, doctoral candidates are able to pursue ambitious research projects while developing the skills and expertise required for a career in science.

 

This grant is funded through the Joan Oró FI Predoctoral Programme of the Departament de Recerca i Universitats de la Generalitat de Catalunya (grant reference: 2025 FI-1 00642) and is co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).