Bio

César Alvarez-González MD, PhD

Neurologist | Neuroscientist | Technologist | Entrepreneur

With his experience living and working in different countries, he truly understands the challenges of operating in multicultural and complex environments.


Dear reader*,

Our personal and professional history is closely linked to our brain, a dynamic, adaptable, information-seeking system (David Eagleman, Livewired) shaped by our genetic material and all those stimuli around us.

I would, then, like to introduce the history of my brain that takes the name of César. My brain was biologically conceived and was born in Guadalajara, México. He grew up receiving the stimuli of the city of Tlaquepaque and the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, surrounded by the creativity of the local artisans and listening to the music of mariachi.

Having digested information from the basic education system, he decided to pursue a degree in Medicine at the University of Guadalajara, where he marvelled at the wonders of medicine and neuroscience. How is it possible that the brain can study itself? – he wondered. Afterwards, he decided to enrol in a clinical Neurology program at the Mexican Institute of Social Security Medical and the National Autonomous University of Mexico, seeking to learn about the suffering of fellow brains during times of disease.

While engaging with fellow brains as a clinical neurologist in Guadalajara, his curiosity grew. He then decided to pursue a PhD at University College London. There, he witnessed the incredible world of stem cells and how they can be used as a potential remedy to cure or ameliorate brain diseases. At the same time, he was adapting and absorbing the external life of the cosmopolitan city of London. After the PhD, he did a research clinical fellowship in Neuroimmunology at Queen Mary University of London and the Royal London Hospital. He was fascinated by the immune system and its interaction with the nervous system.

As he is always driven by scientific and clinical curiosity in biomedicine and clinical neurology, my brain and I decided to move to the city of Berlin for a postdoctorate translational project involving early MS patients and B cells. Currently, we are located in Basel, Switzerland. Here, we worked as a senior Clinical Researcher at the Basel University Hospital to provide high-quality reviews on clinical EDSS assessment data consistency on different eCOA platforms in multi-centre or single-centre clinical trials for MS and other neuroimmunological disorders, as well as standardisation and digitised clinical rating scales for recording and quantifying neurological symptoms, including algorithm-based feedback systems. Our recent interest is in applying inter- and transdisciplinary anthro-scientific methods, tools and solutions to brain sciences using complex adaptive systems (CAS) and other scientific fields.

Through this journey, my brain and I have become a creative clinical neurologist, translational neuroscientist, technologist, and an entrepreneur. We have great passion and plenty of experience and knowledge in neurology, translational neuroscience, neuroimmunology, stem cell biology, and health technology. We specialise in clinical neurology, clinical research, translational research, science communication (in English and Spanish), and health technology. Having worked and lived in different countries, we enjoy the challenge of working in multicultural, diverse, and complex environments. We like to teach and mentor other people’s, clinical fellows’ and postgraduate students’ brains.
We love wandering, reading, and doing creative activities.

Dear reader and reader’s brain, thanks for stopping by! Please, reach out and tell us more about your journey here.

*Modified from the source first published here: https://archivosdeneurociencias.org/index.php/ADN/article/view/418

Professional Profile

By taking a cross-disciplinary approach, we can create something new, solve complex problems, and conduct exciting research that breaks down traditional boundaries.

César is a highly-skilled and creative neurologist and neuroscientist leveraging 10+ years of experience with a deep understanding of translational and clinical research. He has extensive experience in clinical neurology, neuroscience, neuroimmunology and health technology.

His approach to translational and clinical research is collaborative and interdisciplinary, working closely with cross-functional groups to develop scientific solutions. He is passionate about improving clinical outcomes and translating scientific discoveries into tangible benefits for society.

He has developed problem-solving and decision-making abilities to approach complex clinical and biomedical problems. He has the ability to effectively work in teams and independently. Besides, he can lead scientific projects and effectively interact and communicate with professional and non-professional audiences.

Having worked and lived in five different countries he understands the complexity of working in multicultural, diverse and complex environments.

Professional and Academic Interests:

Neurology & Neuroscience
  • Clinical neurology.
  • Neuroimmunology and Regenerative Neurology.
  • Neurodegeneration.
  • Neuroscience, science, and technology.
Clinical & TRANSLATIONAL Research
  • Brain Repair and Regenerative Neurology.
  • Immunotherapy.
  • Biomedical, Immunological, Clinical, and Digital Markers.
  • Clinical Research.
DIGITAL NEUROLOGY
  • Digitised clinical rating scales for recording and quantifying neurological symptoms, including algorithm-based feedback systems.
  • eCOA solutions for clinical studies.
  • Digitalisation in Neurology.
TEACHING & TRAINING
  • Professional training for clinical trial physicians.
  • Teaching and mentoring for clinical fellows and medical, master and PhD students.
  • Online training for clinical trial physicians.
Science Communication & Health Technology
  • Science communication to non-specialised audiences, in English and Spanish.
  • Digital medical applications & cloud solutions.
  • Telemedicine.
  • Artificial Intelligence and Algorithms for medical solutions.
  • Mac, Linux, and Windows operative systems.
  • Databases & data science.
  • Web developer: WordPress.
Complexity Sciences, especially applied to Healthcare and biomedical research *

Aims:

  • to generate conceptual frameworks that avoid false dichotomies and simple solutions for clinical and biomedical complexity.
  • to promote thinking and solutions across boundaries to make sense of clinical and biomedical complexity.
  • to develop a narrative approach to patient-reported experiences that combines quantitative and qualitative methods.

* In development, project name: NEUROCREARE

Education and Experience

César is a highly-skilled and creative neurologist and neuroscientist with 10+ years of experience and a deep understanding of translational and clinical research and health information technology.

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Resume

Curren post(s)

  • Independent Clinician-Scientist | neurowanderer.com | Basel, Switzerland | 06/2023 – Present
  • Head of Scientific and Clinical Development | Sefit (Sensory Filtering Training) currently a decentralised startup | Basel, Switzerland | 10/2023 – Present
  • Senior Editor ‘Translational Neuroscience’ at Archivos de Neurociencia (Honorary academic post) | 2022 – Present. ISSN: 1028-5938
  • Founder of the science communication website: NeuroMéxico | 2015 – Present

Profile

  • Passionate for advancing medical and scientific knowledge and health information technology.
  • Excellent communicator and a creative problem-solver.
  • Experienced working in teams and independently.
  • Competent in building and maintaining relationships with key opinion leaders and providing scientific input and guidance to internal and external stakeholders.
  • Able to navigate complex issues and approach complex clinical and biomedical problems and make sound, data-driven decisions.
  • Strong communication skills when presenting complex scientific and medical information to both scientific and non-scientific audiences
  • Teaching and mentoring experience with students and clinical fellows (Spanish and English).

Experience

  • Senior Clinician Scientist & eEDSS Expert at NeuroStatus-AG University Hospital Basel (2021 – 2023).
  • EDSS Expert at Neurostatus AG – University Hospital Basel. Basel, Switzerland (10/2019 – 05/2021, Remote). 
  • Co-Founder and Scientific Consultant at NeuroCreare Ltd (2020 – 2021). Larnaca, Cyprus.
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (2017- 2019), Berlin Germany.
  • Clinical Research Fellow at the Queen Mary University of London / The Royal London Hospital (2016-2017), London, UK.
  • PhD fellow at Anthony Nolan Research Institute (2010 -2015), London, UK.
  • Attending Physician Neurologist at Mexican Institute of Social Security (2007 – 2010), Guadalajara, México.
  • Attending Physician Neurologist at Hospital Arboledas (2007 – 2010), Zapopan, Jal., Méx.
  • Adult Neurology Residency Program | Mexican Institute of Social Security | 03/2004 – 02/2007, Mexico City.
  • Internal Medicine Residency Program| Mexican Institute of Social Security | 03/2003 – 02/2004, Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico.
  • Research Assistant (2002-2003 and 2007-2010) Centre of studies of alcoholism and addictions. Under the supervision of Octavio Campollo Rivas MD, PhD. Epidemiology of addictions in Mexican youths. Universidad de Guadalajara, México. (University of Guadalajara).

Clinical Skills

  • Medical and Neurological examination in neurological disorders with specialisation in Multiple Sclerosis and other neuroimmunological disorders.
  • Disability scales evaluation.
  • Imaging interpretation in clinical context.
  • Para-clinical interpretation in clinical context.
  • Clinical decision making in clinical treatments for neurological and neuroimmunological disorders.
  • Clinical and translational Research.

Education

1. PhD Haematology (2010 – 2015).

  • University College London
  • Anthony Nolan Research Institute, Cancer Institute
  • Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, UCL Institute of Child Health

2. Specialist Training in Neurology (2004 – 2007)

  • National Autonomous University of Mexico
  • Mexican Institute of Social Security: Hospital de Especialidades “Dr. Bernardo Sepúlveda”, Mexico City, Mexico. – Ministry of Public Education. Mexican License: 5179392.

3. Internal Medicine (Internship 2003 – 2004)

  • Autonomous University of Coahuila
  • Mexican Institute of Social Security: Hospital General de Zona No. 16, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico.

4. Medical Doctor (1997-2003)

  • University Center of Medical Sciences
  • University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, México. – Ministry of Public Education. Mexican License: 4274596.

Lab Skills

  • Flow Cytometry.
  • Immunocytochemistry.
  • Fluorescence microscopy.
  • Stem Cell culture.
  • Cell magnetic isolation.
  • Cell banking.
  • RT-PCR.

Teaching Experience

  • Honorary academic Instructor of the Program: “Integration to the Hospital I” (2003– 2004) Escuela de Medicina, Unidad Torreon (Medical School, Torreon Unit.) Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila (Autonomous University of Coahuila)
  • Chief Resident for teaching in the Department of Neurology (2006-2007) Hospital de Especialidades “Dr. Bernardo Sepúlveda” (Speciality Hospital “Dr. Bernardo Sepulveda”).
  • Attended examiner training for the MBBS Part 3D and 4D OSCE On Thursday the 22nd of June 2016 For Barts and the London School of Medicine.
  • Examiner in the MBBS Part 4D OSCE for Barts and the London School of Medicine (2016)

Health Information Technology

  • Statistic: Prism, SPSS, JAMOVI.
  • Mac OS, iOS.
  • Windows, MS Office
  • Linux and Linux Servers
  • Web Development: WordPress
  • Inkscape, Gimp, ImageJ, and Fiji.
  • Flow Cytometry: Flow Jo.
  • Confluence and Jira in an Agile environment.

Languages

  • Spanish (Native).
  • English (Fluent).
  • Greek (Beginner).

Selected Publications

  1. Alvarez-Gonzalez C, Duggleby R, Vagaska B, Querol S, Gomez SG, Ferretti P, Madrigal A. (2013) Cord Blood Lin−CD45− Embryonic-Like Stem Cells Are a Heterogeneous Population That Lack Self-Renewal Capacity. PLoS ONE 8(6): e67968. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0067968.
  2. New SE*, Alvarez-Gonzalez C*, Vagaska B*, Gomez SG, Bulstrode NW, Madrigal A, Ferretti P. A matter of identity — Phenotype and differentiation potential of human somatic stem cells. Stem Cell Res. 2015 Apr 25;15(1):1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.scr.2015.04.003. PMID: 25957945 (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1873506115000458) *Joint first authors, shared contribution.
  3. Alvarez-Gonzalez, C., Adams, A., Mathews, J., Turner, B. P., Giovannoni, G., Baker, D. and Schmierer, K. (2017), Cladribine to treat disease exacerbation after fingolimod discontinuation in progressive multiple sclerosis. Ann Clin Transl Neurol. doi:10.1002/acn3.410.
  4. Mao Z, Alvarez-Gonzalez C, Albor C, Soon D, Turner BP, Mathews J3, Giovannoni G, Baker D, Schmierer K. Cladribine: off-label disease modification for people with multiple sclerosis in resource poor settings? Multiple Sclerosis Journal – Experimental, Translational and Clinical. 2018;4(2):2055217318783767. doi:10.1177/2055217318783767.
  5. Baker D, Herrod SS, Alvarez-Gonzalez C, Giovannoni G, Schmierer K. Interpreting Lymphocyte Reconstitution Data From the Pivotal Phase 3 Trials of AlemtuzumabJAMA Neurol. Published online June 12, 2017. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2017.0676.

Awards

Undergraduate

  • 1997 High School Student Recognition for excellent academic level, University of Guadalajara.

Postgraduate

  • 2010 National Council on Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACyT) – PhD fellowship.
  • 2010 IJJ: “Impulso a Jalisco, Becas Posgrado” Jalisco Institute of Youth. Complementary PhD scholarship
  • 2017- National Council on Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACyT) – Postdoctoral fellowship.
  • 2017-2019 Part of the National System of investigators in Mexico National Council on Science and Technology of Mexico (CONACyT).

Science Communication and Cultural Journalism

  • Founder of the neuroscience website: NeuroMéxico
  • Cesar Alvarez-Gonzalez. Hampstead Heath, a place for you. Boletín Científico Sapiens Research Vol. 2(1)-2012;pp:4-6. ISSN-e:2215-9312. Sapiens Research Group. (http://www.sapiensresearch.org/images/pdf/v2n1/V2N1_Corresponsales.pdf). Cultural Journalism. (Spanish)
  • Madrigal A, Alvarez González C. Hematopoietic stem cells: precedents, current and future perspectives. Boletin UNAM. 2011 Jun 21;:1–6. (http://www.facmed.unam.mx/ci/boletin/bol_06_jun_2011.pdf) Science communication. (Spanish)

Memberships and Journal Peer Reviewer

  • 2010-2014. British Society for Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics (BSHI).
  • 2012-2014. Society for Neuroscience (SFN), London Chapter. Student membership.
  • 2007-2010. Academia Mexicana de Neurología (Mexican Academy of Neurology)
  • 2008- Colegio de Neurólogos de Jalisco AC (Jalisco College of Neurologists)
  • 2013- Peer Reviewer for PLoS ONE, Multiple Sclerosis Journal – Experimental, Translational and Clinical, Multiple Sclerosis Journal, Annals of Medicine, Archivos de Neurociencia.

COMMITMENT

César is committed to highly analytical thinking and performance, ethical integrity, openness, community, and creativity.

When approaching complex problems, it’s important to think across boundaries and avoid false dichotomies in order to find innovative solutions.

With a passion for discovery and a commitment to excellence, let’s embark on this journey together to navigate the human brain’s complexities.