Ana Virel

Associate Professor and Docent in Histology and Cell Biology.

Lead of infrastructure.

Co-director for SARIF (Small animal research imaging facility).

Research qualifications: Docent

Educational qualifications: Recognised university teacher

Contact

ana.virel@umu.se

+46 90 786 77 93

Works as

Associate professor at Department of Medical and Translational Biology Section: Group Sara af Bjerkén, Group Ana Virel

hus H, Johan Bures väg 12, Biologihuset Umeå universitet, 901 87 Umeå

I am an Associate Professor at the Department of Medical and Translational Biology and I serve as Deputy Director of the Small Animal Imaging Facility (SARIF).

My research focuses on small animal imaging, with a particular emphasis on developing novel diagnostic imaging biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases. My goal is to improve early detection, characterization, and monitoring of disease progression.

I also evaluate potential therapeutic strategies for Parkinson’s disease and related neurodegenerative conditions. By combining advanced imaging technologies with translational research, I aim to contribute to the advancement of preclinical research and its future clinical applications.

Sleep health associations with serum metabolites in healthy adults

Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health, Vol. 48

Sørensen, Charlotte; Dudka, Ilona; Virel, Ana; et al.

Synergetic effect of a DSP4-induced locus coeruleus lesion and systemic LPS exacerbates substantia nigra dopaminergic neuron loss

Scientific Reports, Springer Nature 2025, Vol. 15, (1)

Şimşek, Feryal; Papová, Diana; Henriksson, Emilia; et al.

N-acetylcysteine increases dopamine release and prevents the deleterious effects of 6-OHDA on the expression of VMAT2, α-synuclein, and tyrosine hydroxylase

Neurological Research, Taylor & Francis Group 2024, Vol. 46, (5) : 406-415

El-Habta, Roine; af Bjerkén, Sara; Virel, Ana

Amphetamine-induced dopamine release in rat: Whole-brain spatiotemporal analysis with [¹¹C]raclopride and positron emission tomography

Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, Sage Publications 2024, Vol. 44, (3) : 434-445

Johansson, Jarkko; Ericsson, Madelene; Axelsson, Jan; et al.

N-acetylcysteine decreases dopamine transporter availability in the non-lesioned striatum of the 6-OHDA hemiparkinsonian rat

Neuroscience Letters, Elsevier 2022, Vol. 770

Virel, Ana; Johansson, Jarkko; Axelsson, Jan; et al.

Noradrenaline is crucial for the substantia nigra dopaminergic cell maintenance

Neurochemistry International, Elsevier 2019, Vol. 131

af Bjerkén, Sara; Stenmark Persson, Rasmus; Barkander, Anna; et al.

H-1 NMR profiling of the 6-OHDA parkinsonian rat brain reveals metabolic alterations and signs of recovery after N-acetylcysteine treatment

Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Vol. 98 : 131-139

Virel, Ana; Dudka, Ilona; Laterveer, Rutger; et al.

An altered blood–brain barrier contributes to brain iron accumulation and neuroinflammation in the 6-OHDA rat model of Parkinson's disease

Neuroscience, Elsevier 2017, Vol. 362 : 141-151

Olmedo-Díaz, Sonia; Estévez-Silva, Héctor; Orädd, Greger; et al.

Magnetic resonance imaging as a tool to image neuroinflammation in a rat model of Parkinson's disease: phagocyte influx to the brain is promoted by bilberry-enriched diet

European Journal of Neuroscience, Vol. 42, (10) : 2761-2771

Virel, Ana; Rehnmark, Anna; Orädd, Greger; et al.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to Study Striatal Iron Accumulation in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease

PLOS ONE, Vol. 9, (11) : e112941-

Virel, Ana; Faergemann, Erik; Orädd, Greger; et al.

Neuroinflammation Using MRI: Phagocytes From Blood to Brain With the Help of Bilberries

Cell Transplantation, Vol. 22, (5) : 917-917

Strömberg, Ingrid; Rehnmark, Anna; Orädd, Greger; et al.

Quantification of prothrombin in human plasma amplified by autocatalytic reaction

Analytical Chemistry, American Chemical Society (ACS) 2012, Vol. 84, (5) : 2380-2387

Virel, Ana; Saa, Laura; Pavlov, Valeri

Analytical applications of enzymatic growth of quantum dots

Chemistry - A European Journal, Wiley-VCH Verlagsgesellschaft 2010, Vol. 16, (21) : 6187-6192

Saa, Laura; Virel, Ana; Sanchez-Lopez, Jose; et al.

Ultrasensitive optical detection of hydrogen peroxide by triggered activation of horseradish peroxidase

The Analyst, Royal Society of Chemistry 2010, Vol. 135, (9) : 2291-2295

Virel, Ana; Saa, Laura; Köster, Stephan David; et al.

Characterization of Entamoeba histolytica α-actinin2

Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, Vol. 154 : 82-89

Virel, Ana; Addario, Barbara; Backman, Lars

A comparative and phylogenetic analysis of the α-Actinin rod domain

Molecular biology and evolution, Oxford University Press 2007, Vol. 24, (10) : 2254-2265

Virel, Ana; Backman, Lars

Characterization of entamoeba histolytica alpha-actinin

Molecular and biochemical parasitology (Print), Amsterdam: Elsevier/North-Holland 2006, Vol. 145, (1) : 11-17

Virel, Ana; Backman, Lars

Molecular Evolution and Structure of α-Actinin

Molecular biology and evolution, Oxford University Press 2004, Vol. 21, (6) : 1024-1031

Virel, Ana; Backman, Lars

View publications in DiVA

Research groups

Head of research

Laboratory of Neurodegeneration and Repair

I teach Histology and Cell Biology within the medical-, biomedicine-, and dentistry program. I am responsible for the Morphology module (10 ECTS) within the course Medical biology 1, dentistry program.

Pedagogical merits

Recognized university teacher 2024