Dr Maria Pallarès Masmitjà is a postdoctoral researcher in the Gene and Cell Therapy group at the Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR) in Barcelona, where she works on genetic and cellular therapeutics. Her research focuses on gene-based strategies for rare neuromuscular conditions, contributing to projects that investigate inhibition of fibrosis and genetic correction methods in congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A and other gene therapy programmes with clinical potential.