Alejandra Bosco, PhD

Languages spoken: English, Spanish, Portuguese

Academic Information

Departments: Neurobiology - Research Associate Professor

Academic Office Information

alejandra.bosco@neuro.utah.edu

Research Interests

  • Retinal Degeneration and Cell Biology
  • Glaucoma
  • Microglia
  • Retinal Ganglion Cells
  • Optic Nerve
  • Neuron-Glia Interaction

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Research Statement

Microglial cells are essential modulators of nervous system development, homeostasis, aging and disease, including acute injury and chronic neurodegeneration. Functionally, microglia instantly sense and react to all forms of alterations with a variety of expression profiles and activation states, with different functions. The functions and impact of specific activation states of microglia are starting to be identified, and microglia are emerging as decisive neuroimmune players with supportive, protective or detrimental roles, depending on context and disease stage.

My research focuses on understanding the functions and roles of microglia and complement signaling during retina and optic nerve neurodegeneration.

Ultimately, we aim at discovering microglia-based therapeutics for glaucoma by modulating innate neuroimmune responses at onset and during the progression of retinal ganglion cell neurodegeneration.

Our work includes basic, mechanistic, and translational research:

• Microglia functions and pathways in the adult retina

• Microglial roles in glaucomatous neurodegeneration

• Neuroprotective therapeutics by microglia modulation in glaucoma

• Animal models of adult-onset glaucoma based on pathways pathogenic in patients

Education History

Doctoral Training National University of La Plata, UNLP
Natural Science 		Ph.D.
Undergraduate National University of La Plata, UNLP
Zoology 		B.Sc.
Undergraduate J.N. Terrero Institute
Biology 		B.Sc.

Selected Publications

  1. Anderson SR, Roberts JM, Ghena N, Irvin EA, Schwakopf J, Cooperstein IB, Bosco A, Vetter ML (2022). Neuronal apoptosis drives remodeling states of microglia and shifts in survival pathway dependence. Elife, 11.
  2. Oliveira-Valena VM, Bosco A, Vetter ML, Silveira MS (2020). On the Generation and Regeneration of Retinal Ganglion Cells. Front Cell Dev Biol, 8, 581136.
  3. Sarah R Anderson, Jacqueline M Roberts, Jianmin Zhang, Michael R Steele, Cesar O Romero, Alejandra Bosco, Monica L Vetter (2019). Developmental apoptosis promotes a disease-related gene signature and independence from CSF1R signaling in retinal microglia. Cell Rep, 27(7), 2002-13.
  4. Anderson SR, Roberts JM, Zhang J, Steele MR, Romero CO, Bosco A, Vetter ML (2018). Developmental Apoptosis Promotes a Disease-Related Gene Signature and Independence from CSF1R Signaling in Retinal Microglia. Cell Rep (27(7), pp. 2002-2013.e5). United States.
  5. Bosco A, Anderson SR, Breen KT, Romero CO, Steele MR, Chiodo VA, Boye SL, Hauswirth WW, Tomlinson S, Vetter ML (2018). Complement C3-Targeted Gene Therapy Restricts Onset and Progression of Neurodegeneration in Chronic Mouse Glaucoma. Mol Ther (26(10), pp. 2379-2396). United States.
  6. Alejandra Bosco, Sarah R Anderson, Kevin T Breen, Cesar O Romero, Michael R Steele, Vince A Chiodo, Sanford L Boye, William W Hauswirth, Stephen Tomlinson, Monica L Vetter (2018). Complement C3-targeted gene therapy restricts onset and progression of neurodegeneration in chronic mouse glaucoma. Mol Ther, 26(10), 2379-99, Cover Image.
  7. Melina P Bordone, Maria F Gonzlez Fleitas, Laura A Pasquini, Alejandra Bosco, Pablo H Sande, Ruth E Rosenstein, Damian Dorfman (2017). Involvement of microglia in early axoglial alterations of the optic nerve induced by experimental glaucoma. J Neurochem, 142(2), 323-37, Cover Image.
  8. Bordone MP, Gonzlez Fleitas MF, Pasquini LA, Bosco A, Sande PH, Rosenstein RE, Dorfman D (2017). Involvement of microglia in early axoglial alterations of the optic nerve induced by experimental glaucoma. J Neurochem (142(2), pp. 323-337). England.
  9. Pete A Williams, Nick M Marsh-Armstrong, Gareth R Howell, LaskerIRRF Initiative on Astrocytes and Glaucomatous Neurodegeneration Participants (04/01/2017). Neuroinflammation in glaucoma: A new opportunity. Exp Eye Res, 157, 20-27.
  10. Kevin T Breen, Sarah R Anderson, Michael R Steele, Cesar O Romero, David J Calkins, Alejandra Bosco, Monica L Vetter (2016). Loss of fractalkine signaling exacerbates axon transport dysfunction in a chronic model of glaucoma. Front Neurosci, 10(526).
  11. Breen KT, Anderson SR, Steele MR, Calkins DJ, Bosco A, Vetter ML (2016). Loss of Fractalkine Signaling Exacerbates Axon Transport Dysfunction in a Chronic Model of Glaucoma. Front Neurosci, 10, 526.
  12. Alejandra Bosco, Kevin T Breen, Sarah R Anderson, Michael R Steele, David J Calkins, Monica L Vetter (2016). Glial coverage in the optic nerve expands in proportion to optic axon loss in chronic mouse glaucoma. Exp Eye Res, 150(Sep), 34-43.
  13. Bosco A, Breen KT, Anderson SR, Steele MR, Calkins DJ, Vetter ML (2016). Glial coverage in the optic nerve expands in proportion to optic axon loss in chronic mouse glaucoma. Exp Eye Res (150, pp. 34-43). England.
  14. Alejandra Bosco, Cesar O Romero, Balamurali K Ambati, Monica L Vetter (2015). In vivo dynamics of retinal microglial activation during neurodegeneration: confocal ophthalmoscopic imaging and cell morphometry in mouse glaucoma. J Vis Exp, 99(e52731), 1-14.
  15. Bosco A, Romero CO, Ambati BK, Vetter ML (2015). In vivo dynamics of retinal microglial activation during neurodegeneration: confocal ophthalmoscopic imaging and cell morphometry in mouse glaucoma. [J Vis Exp]. United States.
  16. Alejandra Bosco, Cesar O Romero, Kevin T Breen, Alexis A Chagovetz, Michael R Steele, Balamurali K Ambati, Monica L Vetter (2015). Neurodegeneration severity can be predicted from early microglia alterations monitored in vivo in a mouse model of chronic glaucoma. The Company of Biologists Ltd, 8(5), 443-55, Cover Image.
  17. Alejandra Bosco, Samuel D Crish, Michael R Steele, Cesar O Romero, Denise M Inman, Philip J Horner, David J Calkins, Monica L Vetter (2012). Early reduction of microglia activation by irradiation in a model of chronic glaucoma. PLoS One, 7(8), e43602.
  18. Alejandra Bosco, Michael R Steele, Monica L Vetter (2011). Early microglia activation in a mouse model of chronic glaucoma. J Comp Neurol, 519(4), 599-620, Cover Image.
  19. Bosco A, Steele MR, Vetter ML (2011). Early microglia activation in a mouse model of chronic glaucoma. J Comp Neurol (519(4), pp. 599-620). United States.
  20. Alejandra Bosco, Denise M Inman, Michael R Steele, Guangming Wu, Ileana Soto, Nicholas Marsh-Armstrong, Walter C Hubbard, David J Calkins, Philip J Horner, Monica L Vetter (2008). Reduced retina microglial activation and improved optic nerve integrity with minocycline treatment in the DBA/2J mouse model of glaucoma. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 49(4), 1437-46.

Global Impact

Education History

Type School Degree
Doctoral Training National University of La Plata, UNLP
Natural Science		 Ph.D.
Undergraduate J.N. Terrero Institute
Biology		 B.Sc.
Undergraduate National University of La Plata, UNLP
Zoology		 B.Sc.