Rate My Professor Macarena Pavez

Dr Macarena Pavez is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, at the University of Otago. Her research investigates neuronal biology, with a focus on axon maintenance, intracellular trafficking routes in axons, and the roles of specific proteins in neurological processes. Previously affiliated with the School of Medicine at the University of Tasmania, she has contributed to studies on cellular responses and molecular mechanisms in neurons. At Otago, she collaborates on projects exploring cytoskeletal elements and genetic tools for neuronal research.

Dr Pavez has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications. Notable works include 'A functional role for septin-2 in the maintenance of the axon initial segment and in human cognitive development' published in Brain in 2025, where she examined septin-2's contributions to axonal stability and cognitive function. She was co-first author on 'The role of Pcdh10 in neurological disease and cancer' in the Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology in 2023, addressing Pcdh10's involvement in neurological disorders and oncology. Additional publications feature 'No association between pyrite content and lung cell responses to coal mine dust' in Scientific Reports in 2021 and 'Comparison of CRISPR-Cas-based knockdown of endogenous mRNA in sensory neurons' on bioRxiv in 2026. She has presented research at conferences, including 'Uncovering new trafficking routes in axons' at the Australasian Winter Conference on Brain Research in 2022. Dr Pavez has co-supervised honours students, such as Grace Suhono on a project exploring a brain protein's effects, and Zin Khant Aung. Her work appears in departmental recognitions and lab activities, including use of advanced imaging equipment like the Andor Dragonfly Spinning Disk Confocal. She participated in the Neurological Foundation's Flashes of Brilliance with a neuroscience-themed entry selected by staff.