Dr. Cheril Tapia Rojas, academic at the School of Biochemistry of the Faculty of Science at Universidad San Sebastian, and principal investigator at the Centro Basal Ciencia & Vida, received the Award for Scientific Excellence granted annually by the Chilean Academy of Sciences, named in honor of Adelina Gutiérrez, Chile's first female PhD in Astrophysics and a pioneer in academia. This recognition highlights the careers of young female researchers (under 40) who have made significant contributions to the natural and exact sciences. In Dr. Tapia's case, the distinction is linked to her research on brain aging, a work focused on how the mechanisms that sustain memory deteriorate with age.

A biochemist from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso with a PhD in Biological Sciences from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Cheril Tapia also directs the Neurobiology of Aging laboratory at the Centro Ciencia & Vida (FCV - USS). She has developed her entire scientific career in Chile, establishing her laboratory early on and leading research projects, in addition to dedicating herself to training new researchers and teaching.

The Adelina Gutiérrez award adds to another achievement obtained by the researcher a few weeks ago: the “Outstanding Young Scientist 2025” Award, granted by the Chilean Society for Cell Biology together with the company GrupoBios , for her career and educational work.

“Receiving, at 39 years old, the recognition from the Society for Cell Biology and now from the Chilean Academy of Sciences, both aimed at highlighting young scientific careers, has a deeply special meaning for me. I interpret it as a sign of confidence not only in the path traveled but also in the potential of a career still in consolidation. I also feel it as a recognition of perseverance, the ability to grow in demanding contexts, and, in many moments, the decision to keep going even when the paths were neither obvious nor easy,” comments Dr. Tapia. She adds that this achievement supports years of sustained work “from early stages of training to the development of an independent scientific career,” valuing the collective effort of mentors, colleagues, and students who have accompanied her journey.

Research on brain aging and memory

From the Neurobiology of Aging Laboratory she directs, Dr. Tapia investigates how the aging process affects the brain at cellular and molecular levels. In particular, her team focuses on the role of mitochondria in hippocampal neurons (a critical region for memory) and how their deterioration with age can contribute to cognitive decline. Her studies seek to understand why synaptic connections become more vulnerable in old age—for example, in the face of the accumulation of certain harmful proteins—and explore strategies to mitigate that damage, a line of research directly related to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

“Memory is not lost in an abstract or inevitable way; rather, it depends on the energetic and structural health of neurons. In particular, mitochondria, often known only as ‘the cell's batteries,’ are key players that define how the brain ages. In our research, we show that when mitochondria fail to maintain their internal quality, especially at the synapses, neuronal communication is compromised and, with it, memory.”

Understanding these processes, she emphasizes, allows us to conceive of brain aging not as an inevitable fate, but as a biological phenomenon with windows of intervention, opening the possibility of designing early and precise strategies to promote healthy cognitive aging focused on preserving the function of synaptic mitochondria.

Commitment and future outlook

“More than a destination, these recognitions represent an impulse to keep moving forward and to pave the way for those who are starting their own journey in science today,” highlights Dr. Tapia, underlining her commitment to continue contributing from academia to the scientific development of Chile.

Among her next challenges is to deepen the translational aspect of her findings: moving from a basic understanding of mechanisms toward intervention strategies that allow, for example, determining when and how to act on mitochondrial function to have a real impact on the course of cognitive aging. Likewise, she seeks to investigate in greater detail the differences between sexes in brain aging, identify critical periods in the aging process, and explore possible neuroprotective therapies based on maintaining mitochondrial health in neurons.

She aims to continue training new generations of scientists with an integrative perspective, connecting fundamental biology, aging, and social challenges. Within this framework, her work also seeks to consolidate a development space where scientific questions are built with rigor, patience, and collective work. “This is just beginning!” concludes Dr. Tapia.