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Ivette Sandoval, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Neurobiology at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Dr. Sandoval’s expertise includes the application of gene therapy and gene editing techniques to the nervous system. She is a member of the American Society for Gene & Cell Therapy, The American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair, and the Society for Neuroscience.
Dr. Sandoval earned her doctorate degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Translational Science and Molecular Medicine Department at Michigan State University in East Lansing.
Dr. Sandoval’s research interests include the use of gene editing tools and viral vectors to better understand and potentially treat neurodegenerative diseases. She also studies the etiology of Parkinson’s disease—specifically how aging and the alpha-synuclein protein affect epigenetic mechanisms of midbrain dopamine neurons.
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Michigan State University, 2013-2016
- PhD, Baylor College of Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2012
- BS, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Biology, 2001
- American Society for Gene & Cell Therapy
- The American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair
- Society for Neuroscience
- Illumina Sequencing for Michigan State University Researcher’s Award, 2019
- Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, 2016
- John R. Kelsey Jr. Student Speaker Award, Baylor College of Medicine, 2012
- Travel Award, The American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair, 2012
- Travel Award, National Eye Institute, 2011
- Travel Award, American Society for Gene & Cell Therapy, 2011
- C. Joshi Memorial Award, Honorary Mention Poster Presentation, Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry Research Conference, 2010
- Outstanding Poster Award, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Summer Research Conference, 2009
- Minority Access to Research Careers Travel Award, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Summer Research Conference, 2009
- Minority Fellowship, Biotechnology Institute, 2008
- Fellowship to Attend “Fundamental Issues in Vision Research: Molecular and Cell Biological Approaches” at Marine Biological Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, 2008
- C. Joshi Memorial Award, Honorary Mention Oral Presentation, Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry Research Conference, 2007
- C. Joshi Memorial Award, Third Place Poster Presentation, Verna and Marrs McLean, Department of Biochemistry Research Conference, 2006


Ivette Sandoval, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Neurobiology at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Dr. Sandoval’s expertise includes the application of gene therapy and gene editing techniques to the nervous system. She is a member of the American Society for Gene & Cell Therapy, The American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair, and the Society for Neuroscience.
Dr. Sandoval earned her doctorate degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Translational Science and Molecular Medicine Department at Michigan State University in East Lansing.
Dr. Sandoval’s research interests include the use of gene editing tools and viral vectors to better understand and potentially treat neurodegenerative diseases. She also studies the etiology of Parkinson’s disease—specifically how aging and the alpha-synuclein protein affect epigenetic mechanisms of midbrain dopamine neurons.

- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Michigan State University, 2013-2016
- PhD, Baylor College of Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 2012
- BS, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Biology, 2001
- American Society for Gene & Cell Therapy
- The American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair
- Society for Neuroscience
- Illumina Sequencing for Michigan State University Researcher’s Award, 2019
- Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, 2016
- John R. Kelsey Jr. Student Speaker Award, Baylor College of Medicine, 2012
- Travel Award, The American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair, 2012
- Travel Award, National Eye Institute, 2011
- Travel Award, American Society for Gene & Cell Therapy, 2011
- C. Joshi Memorial Award, Honorary Mention Poster Presentation, Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry Research Conference, 2010
- Outstanding Poster Award, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Summer Research Conference, 2009
- Minority Access to Research Careers Travel Award, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Summer Research Conference, 2009
- Minority Fellowship, Biotechnology Institute, 2008
- Fellowship to Attend “Fundamental Issues in Vision Research: Molecular and Cell Biological Approaches” at Marine Biological Laboratories, National Institutes of Health, 2008
- C. Joshi Memorial Award, Honorary Mention Oral Presentation, Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry Research Conference, 2007
- C. Joshi Memorial Award, Third Place Poster Presentation, Verna and Marrs McLean, Department of Biochemistry Research Conference, 2006