Johana Tello Velasquez is a neurobiologist with expertise in the culture and profiling of primary neuronal and glial cells. She completed her PhD in neuroscience at Griffith University where she developed a screening process to identify natural compounds that enhance olfactory glia as a therapeutic for Spinal Cord Injuries. Before making the transition to neuroscience she studied Marine Biology as an undergraduate in Colombia, a part of science that she is still passionate about. Looking to expand her knowledge in neuroimmunology, she moved to Ireland in 2019. In the last couple of years, she had worked on several projects including the screening of potential cannabinoids as based therapy for neuro-inflammation conditions using patient immune cells (Trinity College) and the study of biological changes in blood vessels observed in COVID-19 patients (RCSI). The overarching goal of her research is to apply the knowledge generated from querying neural biology toward producing better therapies to repair the nervous system. Her current research involves working at the interface of discovery and translational research to develop a robust in-vitro platform for the study of neurological conditions.