A5000198686- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Research
- Invertebrate Immune Response Mechanisms
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Spaceflight effects on biology
- Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
- Space Exploration and Technology
- Cholinesterase and Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Signaling Pathways in Disease
- Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms
- Neural dynamics and brain function
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Ubiquitin and proteasome pathways
- Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
- Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Italian Institute of Technology
2019-2024
Massey University
2013-2023
Champalimaud Foundation
2018
Istituto Superiore di Sanità
2012
A growing body of research indicates that pharmacological inhibition histone deacetylases (HDACs) correlates with enhancement long-term memory and current is concentrated on determining the roles individual HDACs play in cognitive function. Here, we investigate role HDAC4 formation Drosophila. We show overexpression adult mushroom body, an important structure for formation, resulted a specific impairment courtship memory, but had no affect short-term memory. Overexpression catalytic mutant...
The Italian Space Agency, in line with its scientific strategies and the National Utilization Plan for International Station (ISS), contracted Thales Alenia Italia to design build a spaceflight payload rodent research on ISS: Mice Drawer System (MDS). payload, be integrated inside Shuttle middeck during transportation Express Rack ISS experiment execution, was designed function autonomously more than 3 months involve crew only maintenance activities. In first mission, three wild type (Wt)...
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, impairing cognitive and motor functions. One pathological hallmarks AD neuronal loss, which not reflected in mouse models AD. Therefore, role death still uncertain. Here, we used a Drosophila model expressing secreted human amyloid-β42 peptide showed that it recapitulates key aspects pathology, including impaired long-term memory. We found apoptosis mediated by cell fitness-driven culling, selectively eliminates neurons from brain...
Abstract Chemosensory receptors play a crucial role in distinguishing the wide range of volatile/soluble molecules by binding them with high accuracy. Chemosensation is main sensory modality organisms lacking long-range mechanisms like vision/hearing. Despite its low number neurons, nematode Caenorhabditis elegans possesses several chemosensory receptors, allowing it to detect about as many odorants mammals. Here, we show that C. displays attraction towards urine samples women breast cancer,...
HDAC4 is a potent memory repressor with overexpression of wild type or nuclear-restricted mutant resulting in deficits. Interestingly, reduction also impairs via an as yet unknown mechanism. Although histone deacetylase family members are important mediators epigenetic mechanisms neurons, predominantly cytoplasmic the brain and there increasing evidence for interactions nonhistone proteins, suggesting has roles beyond transcriptional regulation. To that end, we performed genetic interaction...
Dysregulation of HDAC4 expression and/or nucleocytoplasmic shuttling results in impaired neuronal morphogenesis and long-term memory Drosophila melanogaster. A recent genetic screen for genes that interact the same molecular pathway as identified cytoskeletal adapter Ankyrin2 (Ank2). Here we sought to investigate role Ank2 morphogenesis, learning memory. We found is expressed widely throughout brain where it localizes predominantly axon tracts. Pan-neuronal knockdown mushroom body, a region...
Abstract AWC olfactory neurons are fundamental for chemotaxis toward volatile attractants in Caenorhabditis elegans . Here, it is shown that ON responds not only to chemicals but also mechanical stimuli caused by fluid flow changes a microfluidic device. The dynamics of calcium events correlated with the stimulus amplitude. It further mechanosensitivity has an intrinsic nature rather than synaptic origin, and transient response mediated TAX‐4 cGMP‐gated cation channel, suggesting involvement...
The molecular mechanisms regulating the complex sensory system that underlies olfaction are still not completely understood. compounds formed from interaction of Olfactory Receptors (ORs) with volatile molecules play a crucial role in producing sense olfaction. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate binding between these receptors and small ligands. In this work, we focus our attention on C.elegans, particularly suitable model organism because characterized by nervous composed only 302...
In the emerging field of whole-brain imaging at single-cell resolution, which represents one new frontiers to investigate link between brain activity and behavior, nematode Caenorhabditis elegans offers most characterized models for systems neuroscience. Whole-brain recordings consist 3D time series volumes that need be processed obtain neuronal traces. Current solutions this task are either computationally demanding or limited specific acquisition setups. Here, we propose See Elegans, a...
Event Abstract Back to Pilot study on the effects of early exposure hypergravity behavioural and cerebellar development CD-1 mice Silvia Schwartz1, Nadia Francia2, Sara Tavella3, Maria Egle De Stefano4 Daniela Santucci2* 1 Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Technologia, Italy 2 Centro riferimento per le scienze comportamentali e la salute mentale, Superiore Sanità, 3 Ospedale San Martino (IRCCS), 4 Dipartimento Biologia Biotecnologie Charles Darwin, Sapienza Università Roma, The nervous system...
Abstract Chemosensory receptors play a crucial role in distinguishing the wide range of volatile/soluble molecules by binding them with high accuracy. Chemosensation is particularly developed organisms lacking long-range sensory mechanisms like vision/hearing. Despite its low number neurons, nematode Caenorhabditis elegans possesses several chemosensory receptors, allowing it to detect about as many odorants mammals. Here, we show that C. displays attraction towards urine samples women...
Summary Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, impairing cognitive and motor functions. One pathological hallmarks AD neuronal loss, which not reflected in mouse models AD. Therefore, role death still uncertain. Here, we used a Drosophila model expressing secreted human amyloid-β42 peptide show that it recapitulates key aspects pathology, including impaired long-term memory. We found apoptosis mediated by cell fitness-driven culling, selectively eliminates neurons from...
Abstract Dysregulation of HDAC4 expression and/or subcellular distribution results in impaired neuronal morphogenesis and long-term memory Drosophila melanogaster . A recent genetic screen for genes that interact the same molecular pathway as identified cytoskeletal adapter Ankyrin2 ( Ank2 ). Here we sought to investigate role morphogenesis, learning memory, examine nature interaction with We found is expressed widely throughout brain where it localizes predominantly axon tracts....