Romina Garcia de Leon

Romina Garcia de Leon (Graduate Student)

I’m a new MSc student in the Galea lab and am interested in understanding how hormones, and immune cells impact resiliency to stress, and play a role in pathologies such as depression. Depression affects twice as many females as males, especially in periods marked by high levels of hormone fluctuations such as in the postpartum period. I wish to focus on Postpartum depression (PPD) and whether immune changes impact antidepressant efficacy and neurogenesis/plasticity. Additionally, I want to observe whether these changes impact offspring and their resiliency to stress. My overall goal within my research is to bridge the gap in women’s health research, as it is widely understudied. I received my B.A. in Cognitive science and Neuroscience at Carleton University in 2020 where I examined sex differences in the effects of chronic stress on neuroplasticity. In my free time, you can find me reading character-driven novels (currently hooked on anything by Sally Rooney, Lisa Taddeo, and Elena Ferrante), or sketching on my iPad. I like to stay active with yoga classes and rock climbing.