Rojo Castillo Leonel Eduardo

Email: 
leonel.rojo@usach.cl

Abstract:

Dr. Leonel Rojo es licenciado en Farmacia y Químico Farmacéutico de la Universidad de Concepción, Doctor en Farmacología por la Universidad de Chile. Realizó entrenamiento a nivel de Postdoctorado en la Universidad de Rutgers en Estados Unidos. Es egresado de Licensing Academy en University of California, Davis. El Dr rojo posee 15 años de experiencia en investigación,  gestión de proyectos relacionados con neurociencias, farmacia y tecnologías de uso médico.Durante su carrera ha sido académico visitante Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Vancouver, Canadá, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY, USA, Brain-Mind Project, Inc., USA, Encephalogistics, Inc, USA y National Institute of Engineering and Technology (INETI) en Lisboa, Portugal. Es colaborador del grupo multidisciplinario de investigación  innovación  liderado por los Doctores Ilya Raskin (EEUU) y Bertold Fridlender (Israel). El Dr. Rojo ha desarrollado una carrera exitosa de investigación en neurociencias y farmacología,  Su trabajo en Chile, Estados Unidos y Europa ha resultado patentes y numerosas publicaciones científicas, en revistas tales como  Journal of Azlheimer’s Disease, Current Alzheimer Research, Frontiers in Psychiatry, Archives of Medical Research y otras revista en nutrición y metabolismo.. El Dr. Rojo actualmente es académico de la Universidad de Santiago de Chile. Co-fundador y miembro del Instituto de Etnofarmacología en la Región de Tarapacá y consultor independiente para empresas de área biomédica y farmacia. Es además miembro destacado de la Red ChileGlobal de la Fundación Imagen de Chile. La experiencia del Dr. Rojo se extiende desde actividades propias del mundo académico hasta la coordinación de equipos multidiciplinarios en empresas públicas y privadas, tanto en Chile como en los Estados Unidos. 

Carrera: 
Química y Farmacia
Línea(s) de investigación: 
Trastornos Neuroendocrinos, Toxicología, Bioactivos Naturales
Jerarquía: 
Profesor Asociado
Grados académicos /educación: 
Licenciado en Farmacia y Doctor en Farmacología
Publicaciones: 
  1. Graf, B , Rojo, LE, J. Delatorre-Herrera, A. Poulev, C. Del Pilar Calfio, and I. Raskin.(2016), Phytoecdysteroids and flavonoid glycosides among Chilean and commercial sources of Chenopodium quinoa: variation and correlation to physicochemical characteristics. J. Sci. Food Agric., published online, 2015
  2. Delatorre-Herrera J, Rojas J, Rojo LE, Graff BL, Leyton R, Strahsburger S, Metabolic response of Chenopodium quinoa Willd: the role of trehalosa under osmotic stress, Frontiers in Plant Sc. 2015 (submitted)
  3. Rojo LE, Gaspar PA, Silva H, Risco L, Arena P, Cubillos-Robles K, Jara B. Metabolic syndrome and obesity among users of second generation antipsychotics: A global challenge for modern psychopharmacology, Pharmacol Res. 2015 Jul 26. pii: S1043-6618(15)00155-3. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2015.07.022. 
  4. Graf, B. L., Rojas-Silva, P., Rojo, L. E., Delatorre-Herrera, J., Baldeón, M. E., and Raskin, I. (2015) Innovations in Health Value and Functional Food Development of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.). Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, e-pub ahead of print 2015.
  5. Kuljiš RO, Colom LV and Rojo LE (2014) Cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia in contrast with Alzheimer’s disease. In: Silva, H. and Gaspar, P. Front Psychiatry. 2013; 4: 119
  6. Benites, J., Bustos, l., Rios, d., Bravo, f., Lopez l, j., Gajardo, s. Rojo L.E., Buc-calderon, p. (2013). Antidepressant and anxiolytic-like effects of essential oil from Acantholippia deserticola Phil in female rats. BLACPMA; 12(4):413-419, jul. 2013 
  7. Roopchand DE, Khun P, Rojo LE, Lila MA, Raskin (2012) Blueberry polyphenol-enriched soybean flour reduces hyperglycemia, body weight gain and serum cholesterol in mice. Pharmacological Research, Vol. 68, No. 1, pp. 59-67, 2013
  8. Cheng DM, Kuhn P, Poulev P, Rojo LE and Raskin I, (2012) In Vivo and In Vitro Antidiabetic Effects of Aqueous Cinnamon Extract and Cinnamon Polyphenol-Enhanced Food Matrix. Food Chemistry, Vol. 135, No. 4, pp. 2994-3002. 
  9. Gaspar PA, Bustamante ML, Rojo LE, Martinez A. (2012) From Glutamatergic dysfunction to cognitive impairment: Boundaries in the therapeutic of the schizophrenia. Curr. Pharm Biotech 2012 Jan 26 
  10. Benites J, Gutierrez E, López J, Rojas M, Rojo LE, Céu MC, Vinardell MP, and Calderon PB, (2012) Evaluation of Analgesic Activities of Tremetone Derivatives Isolated from the Chilean Altiplan Medicine Parastrephia lepidophylla, Nat Prod Ccomm 
  11. M. A. Lila, D. M. Ribnicky, L. E. Rojo, P. Rojas-Silva, A. Oren, R. Havenaar, E. M. Janle, I. Raskin, G. G. Yousef, and M. H. Grace. Complementary approaches to gauge the bioavailability and distribution of ingested berry polyphenolics. J. Agric. Food Chem., Vol. 60, No. 23, pp. 5763-5771, 2012. 
  12. Rojo, LE, Ribnicky D, Logendra S, Poulev A, Kuhn P, Rojas P, Oren A, Mary M, Lila, MA, Raskin I, (2012) Raskin. In vitro and in vivo anti-diabetic effects of anthocyanins from Maqui Berry (Aristotelia chilensis). Food Chemistry, Vol. 131, No. 2, pp. 387-396, 2012. 
  13. Gaspar PA*, Bustamante ML, Rojo LE, Martinez A. From Glutamatergic dysfunction to cognitive impairment: Boundaries in the therapeutic of the schizophrenia. 2012. Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. (3.45)
  14. Rojo LE, Gaspar PA, Maccioni R. Molecular targets in the rational design of AD specific PET tracers: tau or amyloid aggregates? (2011). Current Alzheimer research. 2011 May 23. (4.95)
  15. Rojo LE, Villano CA, Joseph G, Shulaev, V, Lila MA, Raskin I, (2010), Would Healing properties of the oil from Pouteria lucuma, J. Cosmetic Derm. (in press) (Paper disseminated through the media and science web sites) 
  16. Rojo LE, Alzate J, Saavedra I, Davies P, Maccioni R.B. (2009), Selective interaction of lansoprazole and astemizole with tau polymers. Potential new clinical use in AD diagnosis, J Alzheimers Dis. 2010 Jan;19 (2):573- 89.
  17. Fernandez, L. Rojo, R. Kuljis and R.B. Maccioni R.B. (2008), The damage signals hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. J Alzheimers Dis. 14 (3) 329-33 
  18. Lavados M, Guillón M, Mujica MC, Rojo LE, Fuentes P, Maccioni R.B. (2008), Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer patients display different levels of Redox-active CSF Iron, J Alzheimers Dis. 13(2):225-32. 
  19. Neumann KF, Rojo LE, Navarrete LP, Farías G, Reyes P, Maccioni R.B.(2008) Insulin resistance and Alzheimer's disease: molecular links & clinical implications. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2008 (5):438-47 
  20. Benites J, Valderrama JA, Rivera F, Rojo L, Campos N, Pedro M, José Nascimento MS. (2008) Studies on quinones. Part 42: Synthesis of furylquinone and hydroquinones with antiproliferative activity against human tumor cell lines. Bioorg Med Chem.15;16 (2):862-8. 
  21. Benites J, Rojo L, Valderrama JA, Blave I, Taper H and Buc-Calderon P. (2008) Part 1: Anticancer activity of two euryfurylbenzoquinones on TLT, a murine hepatoma cell line. Role of vitamin C in the mechanisms leading to cell death. Eur J Med Chem. 43(9): 1813-7. 
  22. L. Rojo, Sjoberg, M. Hernandez, P. Zambrano, C. and Maccioni R.B. (2006) Roles of cholesterol and lipids in the etiopathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. J. Biomedicine and Biotech. 73976, 1- 17 
  23. Maccioni R.B. Rojo LE, Fernandez JA and Kuljis RO (2009) The Role of Neuroimmunomodulation in Alzheimer’s Disease, Ann N.Y. Acad Sci 1153: 1-7 
  24. Rojo LE, Fernández JA, Maccioni AA, Jimenez JM, Maccioni R.B. (2008) Neuroinflammation: implications for the pathogenesis and molecular diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Arch Med Res. 39(1):1-16. (Most cited article of Arch Med Res in 2008) 
  25. Benites J, Moiteiro C, Miguel G, Rojo L, López J, Venâncio F, Ramalho L, Feio S, Dandlen S, Casanova H, and Torres I (2009) Composition and Biological Activity of the Essential Oil of Peruvian Lantana camara, J. Chil. Chem. Soc., 54, 4, 379-84 7 7 
  26. Rojo L, Benites J, Rodrigues A, Venâncio F, Ramalho L, Teixeira A, Feio S, Costa MC. (2006) Composition and Antimicrobial Screening of the Essential Oil of Acantholippia deserticola (Phil.ex F. Phil.) Moldenke, J. Essent. Oil Res. 18, 1-17 
  27. Benites, J. Lopez, L. E. Rojo, P. Díaz, M. Rojas, R. Fuentes, C. Moiteiro and F. Venancio. Chemical composition of the essential oil of Xenophyllum poposum. Chemistry of Natural Compounds, Vol. 46, No. 6, pp. 988-989, 2011. 
  28. Sekler MA, Jiménez JE, Rojo LE, Pastene E, Fuentes P, Slachevsky A Maccioni R.B.. (2008) Cognitive Impairment Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease: Links with Cholesterol Metabolism and Oxidative Stress, Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat (4)-4-3268 
  29. Rojo LE, Benites, J., Rodrigues, A., Venancio, F., Ramalho, L., Teixeira, A., Feio, S., Costa, M. C. Composition and Antimicrobial Screening of the Essential Oil of Acantholippia deserticola (Phil. ex F. Phil.) Moldenke, J. Essent. Oil Res. No. 18, pp. 1-17, 2006.
Premios y Honores: 
  1. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PHARMACOGNOSY (ASP) Travel AWARD. Grant bestowed on a competitive basis to ASP members to present research results at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Pharmacognosy. (2010)
  2. The New York Chapter of the American Society of Cosm. Chemists First Grand Prize in the category of Poster Presentations, “2010 Technology Transfer New York SCC Meeting” 
  3. NEXOS-CHILE, Travel Grant, Nexos-Chile International Conference, held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA, 2011 
  4. Beca CONICYT  Pre-doctoral. Research program at the University Of Miami School Of Medicine and at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. PI: Peter Davies, Ph.D. (2007) 
  5. BECA MECESUP. Estadía de entrenamiento. Industrial applications bio-analytical Techniques, Chile (2004)
  6. BECA Ibero-American Program CYTED, Training Grant to conduct R&D at Instituto Nacional de Ingeniería y Tecnología Industrial, (INETI) in Lisbon, Portugal. PI: Dra. Maria Do Ceu Costa (2003)
  7. BECA MINEDUC. Estudios de Química y Farmacia Universidad de Concepción, Chile (1995-2001)
Investigaciones : 

 

  • Tecnologías diagnóstico en Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas
  • Nuevas Moléculas Naturales en Diabetes y Resistencia a Insulina

 

 

Proyectos: 
  1. 2015-2017, Evaluation of Anthocyanins from Maqui Berry in the prevention of Clozapine-Induced Hepatic Lipid Accumulation, Activation of SREBP1c Target Genes and Obesity, FONDECYT INIC. N° 11140915 
  2. 2014-2017 Radiopharmaceuticals to visualize neurofibrillary tangles in vivo CORFO-14IEAT-28666, Chile, Investigador
  3. 2014-2015 Generación de Capacidades de Transferencia Tecnológica en Corporación de Desarrollo de la Universidad Arturo Prat" 14CHTT-34739, CORFO Chile 
  4. 2011-2013 Biomasa como Fuente de Nuevos Nutracéuticos y Cosméticos, FIC, Gobierno de Tarapacá.Director e Investigador Principal (PI)
  5. 2008-2010 In the search of tau binding molecules with biomedical interest as potential radiotracers FONDECYT, Research Grant:  PI: Ricardo B. Maccioni, PhD; Co-PI: Leonel Rojo 
  6. 2007-2008 International Center for Biomedicine, Chilean Bicentennial Program (PBCT) & CONICYT grant, International Cooperation for Centers of Excellence,PI: Ricardo B. Maccioni; Co-PI: Leonel Rojo 
  7. 2007-2009 Design of software for cognitive stimulation of AD and MCI patients CONICYT Industrial Research Grant. PI: Ricardo Maccioni PhD and Alejandra Sekler MSc, Co-PI: Leonel Rojo
  8. 2007-2008: Development of anxiolytic and antidepressive herbal mixtures of Acantholippia deserticola Phil and Aloysia triphylla DI-UNAP Research Grant, PI: Leonel Rojo 
  9. 2004-2005 Medicinal Plants from Chilean Highlands protect Erythrocytes from AAPH Oxidative Damage DI-UNAP Research Grant (USD 6,000) PI: Leonel Rojo 
  10. 2002-,2005 Synthesis and Antiproliferative of Furylquinones DGI-UNAP Research Grant: Julio Benites, PhD; Co-PI: Leonel Rojo 
  11. 2002-2003 Phytochemistry & Biological Activities of Acantholippia sp. from the Chilean Highlands DGIUNAP Research Grant PI: Leonel Rojo