2001: Master’s in Experimental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome (Italy) , 2002-2005: PhD in Psychobiology and Psychopharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome (Italy) , 2003: Advanced Course, European Pain School, University of Siena , 2006: Advanced Course, Physiological Imaging CNR, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy , 2010:Advanced Course, Statistics in Animal Experiments, Fondazione S. Lucia, AISAL, EBRIAdvanced Course, Patents as Tool of Strategic Management in Intellectual Property, Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico , 2014: Advanced Course, Science of Animals Lab, CNR, IRCCS S. Lucia Foundation, Tor Vergata University of Rome , 2018:Advanced Course, Use of “R” Software for Statistics in Biomedicine Research, S. Lucia Foundation, CNRCNR Training Course, ERC Grants in Horizon 2020 , 2019: CNR, APRE Training Course, Writing Workshop on Successful Proposals in Horizon 2020 Program.
Research Experience
01/2023 – Present: Senior Researcher, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CNR, Rome, Italy , 11/2019 – 12/2022: Researcher, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, CNR, Rome, Italy , 02/2008 – 11/2019: Researcher, Cell Biology and Neurobiology Institute, CNR, Rome, Italy , 08/2007 – 01/2008: Post-doc, Neuroscience Institute, CNR, Rome, Italy , 06/2007 – 08/2007: Short-term Fellowship, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland , 01/2007 – 06/2007: Post-doc, Neuroscience Institute, CNR, Rome, Italy , 01/2006 – 12/2006: Fellowship, Neuroscience Institute, CNR, Rome, Italy.
Honors and Awards
2007: Travel grant, SINS Verona , 2008: Young Ideas Change Italy – Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Ministry of Youth (POGAS) , 2015: SIMPAR Award “Young Against Pain” Winner, Best Scientific Image – IMMAGINARIO SCIENTIFICO – Exposition Trieste Next , 2023: “Le Ragunanze” First Award for Best Artwork “The Rorschach Butterfly”.
Scientific Dissemination
2011:Festival della Cultura di Viterbo Caffeina, “The Women in Science: The C-Side”“Liberamente, Assaggi di Neuroscienze”, “Art and/or Science? Photo-reportage of a Trip Across the Nervous System” , 2019: Popular Science Article, Charles River Blog Eureka, “Neuroinflammation in Spinal Cord Injury: A Necessary Evil” , 2023:Creator and Editor of the Science and Digital Art website www.thelifesart.comOrganizer and Speaker, “100×100 CNR” Event.
Invited Speaker
2007: CNR Neuroscience Conference, “Botulinum Neurotoxins: An Innovative Approach for Pain Therapy” , 2010: CNR Science of Life Dept., “Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A Counteracts Neuropathic Pain” , 2013: SINS Congress, “Autophagy in the Peripheral Nervous System” , 2019: Innovagorà, “New Therapeutic Use of Botulinum Neurotoxin in Spinal Cord Injury” , 2021:IASP Congress, “Autophagy: A New Puzzle Piece in Chronic Pain Mechanisms”European Glial Meeting, “Schwann Cells Autophagy: Fast and Immediate Clearance of Aggresomes” , 2021-2023: Numerous other scientific conferences and workshops.
Teaching Activity
2007 – Present: Various courses and invited lessons, including CNR – Neuroscience Institute, Sapienza University of Rome, University of Tor Vergata , 2008 – Present: Supervision of PhD students, Master’s thesis students, and postdoctoral fellows , 2024: Springer Nature, Associate Editor for Molecular Neurobiology , 2023 – Present: Research Topic Editor, Frontiers in Neurology , 2020 – Present: Guest Editor, International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
Reviewer:
More than 40 papers for journals including Autophagy, Cell Death and Diseases, Cell Reports, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Military Medical Research, British Journal of Pharmacology, Toxins, Pain, Frontiers.
Membership
Italian Society of Neuroscience (SINS) , International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) , Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) , European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD) , International Neurotoxins Association (INA).
Institutional Roles
President or Member of Examining Boards for various positions , Member of Examining Board of Biology and Physiology, Università di Tor Vergata , Member of the Institute Council Board (CNR – IBBC).
On-going Research Support
2022 – 2024: CNR – DBA.AD005.225 / NutrAge FOE 2021 DM MUR n. 844/2021 IBBC 6 – Principal Investigator, WP7 Leader Nutrage Project.
Completed Research Support
2021-2022: SCI-BTXA From Science to the Compound, Last Steps Toward the Clinical Phase of the Botulinum Neurotoxin in the Spinal Cord Lesion Therapy. Principal Investigator , 2019-2021: Novel Pharmacological Approaches Study on Motor Function Recovery in Animals’ Models of Spinal Cord Injury. Principal Investigator , 2014 – 2019: YOUNG RESEARCHER 2011– Italian Ministry of Health – Principal Investigator , 2014: IASP – Early Career Research Grant Program – Principal Investigator , 2011: YOUNG RESEARCHER 2008– Italian Ministry of Health – Participant , 2008: PRIN 20088NJR3B_002 – Ministry of Education and Research – Participant.