Professor Riccardo Brambilla
Professor, Neuroscience Degree Co-ordinator
School of Biosciences
- BrambillaR@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 29208 76807
- Hadyn Ellis Building, Room Room 3.34B, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ
Overview
Cognitive processing is central for our ability to gain information from the outside world and create factual knowledge, govern our thoughts and emotions, and being able to socialise with others “sapiens” and “non-sapiens” beings. Specific circuitries in the brain are devoted to distinct forms of cognition and understanding how neural connections may be strengthened or weakened in normal and pathological conditions is not only a hot topic in contemporary Neuroscience but also the overarching goal of my research activity. In particular, I am interested in translating knowledge on the molecular and cellular mechanisms governing cognitive function into effective therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders. Currently, the main focus of my laboratory is on intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but, we are also interested in cognitive aspects related to neurodegenerative conditions such as Huntington’s (HD), Parkinson’s (PD), and Alzheimer’s (AD) disease.
Publication
2024
- Leone, R., Zuglian, C., Brambilla, R. and Morella, I. 2024. Understanding copy number variations through their genes: a molecular view on 16p11.2 deletion and duplication syndromes. Frontiers in Pharmacology 15, article number: 1407865. (10.3389/fphar.2024.1407865)
2023
- Morella, I., Negro, M., Dossena, M., Brambilla, R. and D'Antona, G. 2023. Gut-muscle-brain axis: Molecular mechanisms in neurodegenerative disorders and potential therapeutic efficacy of probiotic supplementation coupled with exercise. Neuropharmacology 240, article number: 109718. (10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109718)
- Kretz, P. F. et al. 2023. Dissecting the autism-associated 16p11.2 locus identifies multiple drivers in neuroanatomical phenotypes and unveils a male-specific role for the major vault protein. Genome Biology 24, article number: 261. (10.1186/s13059-023-03092-8)
- Indrigo, M. et al. 2023. Nuclear ERK1/2 signaling potentiation enhances neuroprotection and cognition via Importinα1/KPNA2. EMBO Molecular Medicine 15(11), article number: e15984. (10.15252/emmm.202215984)
- Pisanò, C. A. et al. 2023. Regulator of G-Protein Signalling 4 (RGS4) negatively modulates nociceptin/orphanin FQ opioid receptor signalling: Implication for l-Dopa-induced dyskinesia. British Journal of Pharmacology 180(7), pp. 927-942. (10.1111/bph.15730)
2022
- Morella, I. M., Brambilla, R. and Morè, L. 2022. Emerging roles of brain metabolism in cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric disorders. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 142, article number: 104892. (10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104892)
- Morella, I., Pohořalá, V., Calpe-López, C., Brambilla, R., Spanagel, R. and Bernardi, R. E. 2022. Nicotine self-administration and ERK signaling are altered in RasGRF2 knockout mice. Frontiers in Pharmacology 13, article number: 986566. (10.3389/fphar.2022.986566)
2021
- Gulotta, M. R., Brambilla, R., Perricone, U. and Brancale, A. 2021. A rational design of α-helix-shaped peptides employing the hydrogen-bond surrogate approach: A modulation strategy for Ras-RasGRF1 interaction in neuropsychiatric disorders. Pharmaceuticals 14(11), article number: 1099. (10.3390/ph14111099)
2020
- Morella, I., Hallum, H. and Brambilla, R. 2020. Dopamine D1 and glutamate receptors co-operate with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and TrkB to modulate ERK signaling in adult striatal slices. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 14, article number: 564106. (10.3389/fncel.2020.564106)
- Morè, L., Lauterborn, J. C., Papaleo, F. and Brambilla, R. 2020. Enhancing cognition through pharmacological and environmental interventions: Examples from preclinical models of neurodevelopmental disorders. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 110, pp. 28-45. (10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.003)
2019
- Bernardi, R. E., Olevska, A., Morella, I., Fasano, S., Santos, E., Brambilla, R. and Spanagel, R. 2019. The inhibition of RasGRF2, but not RasGRF1, alters cocaine reward in mice. Journal of Neuroscience 39(32), pp. 6325-6338. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1120-18.2019)
2018
- McWilliams, T. et al. 2018. Phosphorylation of Parkin at Serine65 is essential for its activation in vivo. Open Biology 8, article number: 180108. (10.1098/rsob.180108)
- Ruiz De Diego, I. et al. 2018. Genetic enhancement of Ras-ERK pathway does not aggravate L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in mice but prevents the decrease induced by lovastatin. Scientific Reports 8, article number: 15381. (10.1038/s41598-018-33713-3)
- Pucilowska, J. et al. 2018. Pharmacological inhibition of ERK signaling rescues pathophysiology and behavioral phenotype associated with 16p11.2 chromosomal deletion in mice. Journal of Neuroscience 38(30), pp. 6640-6652. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0515-17.2018)
- Arcuri, L. et al. 2018. Anti-parkinsonian and anti-dyskinetic profiles of two novel potent and selective nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor agonists. British Journal of Pharmacology 175(5), pp. 782-796. (10.1111/bph.14123)
2017
- Iori, V. et al. 2017. Blockade of the IL-1R1/TLR4 pathway mediates disease-modification therapeutic effects in a model of acquired epilepsy. Neurobiology of Disease 99, pp. 12-23. (10.1016/j.nbd.2016.12.007)
- Papale, A. et al. 2017. Severe intellectual disability and enhanced gamma-aminobutyric acidergic synaptogenesis in a novel model of rare RASopathies. Biological Psychiatry 81(3), pp. 179-192. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.06.016)
2016
- Papale, A. et al. 2016. Impairment of cocaine-mediated behaviours in mice by clinically relevant Ras-ERK inhibitors. eLife 5, article number: e17111. (10.7554/eLife.17111)
- Melgarejo da Rosa, M., Yuanxiang, P., Brambilla, R., Kreutz, M. R. and Karpova, A. 2016. Synaptic GluN2B/CaMKII-α signaling induces synapto-nuclear transport of ERK and Jacob. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience 9, article number: 66. (10.3389/fnmol.2016.00066)
- Rosas, M. et al. 2016. Role of nucleus accumbens μ opioid receptors in the effects of morphine on ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Psychopharmacology 233(15-16), article number: 2943. (10.1007/s00213-016-4340-8)
2015
- Trusel, M. et al. 2015. Coordinated regulation of synaptic plasticity at striatopallidal and sriatonigral neurons orchestrates motor control. Cell Reports 13(7), pp. 1353-1365. (10.1016/j.celrep.2015.10.009)
- Barco, A., Brambilla, R. and Rosenblum, K. 2015. Editorial. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 124, pp. 1-2. (10.1016/j.nlm.2015.08.001)
- Bastide, M. F. et al. 2015. Pathophysiology of L-dopa-induced motor and non-motor complications in Parkinson's disease. Progress in Neurobiology 132, pp. 96-168. (10.1016/j.pneurobio.2015.07.002)
- Bido, S., Solari, N., Indrigo, M., D'Antoni, A., Brambilla, R., Morari, M. and Fasano, S. 2015. Differential involvement of Ras-GRF1 and Ras-GRF2 in L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology 2(6), pp. 662-678. (10.1002/acn3.202)
- Moncini, S., Bonati, M. T., Morella, I., Ferrari, L., Brambilla, R. and Riva, P. 2015. Differential allelic expression of SOS1 and hyperexpression of the activating SOS1 c.755C variant in a Noonan syndrome family. European Journal of Human Genetics 23(11), pp. 1531-1537. (10.1038/ejhg.2015.20)
- Fossati, G. et al. 2015. Reduced SNAP-25 increases PSD-95 mobility and impairs spine morphogenesis. Cell Death and Differentiation 22, pp. 1425-1436. (10.1038/cdd.2014.227)
- Cerovic, M. et al. 2015. Derangement of Ras-guanine nucleotide-releasing Factor 1 (Ras-GRF1) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) dependent striatal plasticity in L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia. Biological Psychiatry 77(2), pp. 106-115. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.04.002)
2014
- D'Isa, R., Brambilla, R. and Fasano, S. 2014. Behavioral methods for the study of the Ras-ERK pathway in memory formation and consolidation: passive avoidance and novel object recognition tests. In: Trabalzini, L. and Retta, S. F. eds. Ras Signaling: Methods and Protocols., Vol. 1120. Methods in Molecular Biology Humana Press, pp. 131-156., (10.1007/978-1-62703-791-4_9)
- Papale, A. and Brambilla, R. 2014. Lentiviral vectors as research tools in neurobiology: design and production. In: Brambilla, R. ed. Viral Vector Approaches in Neurobiology and Brain Diseases., Vol. 82. Neuromethods Springer, pp. 3-10., (10.1007/978-1-62703-610-8_1)
- Brambilla, R. ed. 2014. Viral vector approaches in neurobiology and brain diseases. Neuromethods Vol. 82. New York: Humana Press. (10.1007/978-1-62703-610-8)
- Brambilla, R. 2014. Preface. In: Brambilla, R. ed. Viral Vector Approaches in Neurobiology and Brain Diseases. Neuromethods Vol. 82. Humana Press, pp. vii-viii.
2013
- Cerovic, M., d'Isa, R., Tonini, R. and Brambilla, R. 2013. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of dopamine-mediated behavioral plasticity in the striatum. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 105, pp. 63-80. (10.1016/j.nlm.2013.06.013)
- Millership, S. et al. 2013. Correction for Millership et al., Increased lipolysis and altered lipid homeostasis protect -synuclein-null mutant mice from diet-induced obesity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 110(13), pp. 5269. (10.1073/pnas.1302920110)
- Solari, N., Bonito-Oliva, A., Fisone, G. and Brambilla, R. 2013. Understanding cognitive deficits in Parkinson's disease: lessons from preclinical animal models. Learning & Memory 20(10), pp. 592-600. (10.1101/lm.032029.113)
2012
- Millership, S. et al. 2012. Increased lipolysis and altered lipid homeostasis protect γ-synuclein–null mutant mice from diet-induced obesity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 109(51), pp. 20943-20948. (10.1073/pnas.1210022110)
- Fisone, G. and Brambilla, R. 2012. Neuronal signaling and behavior. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 6, article number: 72. (10.3389/fnbeh.2012.00072)
- Marti, M. et al. 2012. Nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor agonists attenuate L-DOPA-induced dyskinesias. Journal of Neuroscience 32(46), pp. 16106-16119. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.6408-11.2012)
2011
- Fasano, S. and Brambilla, R. 2011. Ras-ERK signaling in behavior: old questions and new perspectives. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 5(79), pp. 1-6. (10.3389/fnbeh.2011.00079)
- d’Isa, R., Clapcote, S., Voikar, V., Wolfer, D., Giese, K. P., Brambilla, R. and Fasano, S. 2011. Mice lacking Ras-GRF1 show contextual fear conditioning but not spatial memory impairments: convergent evidence from two independently generated mouse mutant lines. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 5(78), pp. 1-11.
- Silingardi, D. et al. 2011. ERK pathway activation bidirectionally affects visual recognition memory and synaptic plasticity in the perirhinal cortex. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 5, article number: 84. (10.3389/fnbeh.2011.00084)
2010
- Fasano, S. et al. 2010. Inhibition of Ras-guanine nucleotide-releasing factor 1 (Ras-GRF1) signaling in the striatum reverts motor symptoms associated with L-dopa-induced dyskinesia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107(50), pp. 21824-21829. (10.1073/pnas.1012071107)
- Visigalli, I. et al. 2010. Gene therapy augments the efficacy of hematopoietic cell transplantation and fully corrects mucopolysaccharidosis type I phenotype in the mouse model. Blood 116(24), pp. 5130-5139. (10.1182/blood-2010-04-278234)
- Indrigo, M., Papale, A., Orellana, D. and Brambilla, R. 2010. Lentiviral vectors to study the differential function of ERK1 and ERK2 MAP kinases. In: Seger, R. ed. MAP Kinase Signaling Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology Vol. 2. Springer, pp. 205-220., (10.1007/978-1-60761-795-2_12)
2009
- Fasano, S. et al. 2009. Ras-Guanine Nucleotide-Releasing Factor 1 (Ras-GRF1) controls activation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) signaling in the striatum and long-term behavioral responses to cocaine. Biological Psychiatry 66(8), pp. 758-768. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.03.014)
- Fasano, S., Pittenger, C. and Brambilla, R. 2009. Inhibition of CREB activity in the dorsal portion of the striatum potentiates behavioral responses to drugs of abuse. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 3, article number: 29. (10.3389/neuro.08.029.2009)
- Cunha, C., Angelucci, A., D'Antoni, A., Dobrossy, M. D., Dunnett, S. B., Berardi, N. and Brambilla, R. 2009. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) overexpression in the forebrain results in learning and memory impairments. Neurobiology of Disease 33(3), pp. 358-368. (10.1016/j.nbd.2008.11.004)
- Papale, A., Cerovic, M. and Brambilla, R. 2009. Viral vector approaches to modify gene expression in the brain. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 185(1), pp. 1-14. (10.1016/j.jneumeth.2009.08.013)
2008
- Givogri, M. I. et al. 2008. Multipotential Neural Precursors Transplanted into the Metachromatic Leukodystrophy Brain Fail to Generate Oligodendrocytes but Contribute to Limit Brain Dysfunction. Developmental Neuroscience 30, pp. 340-357. (10.1159/000150127)
- Marchi, M., D'Antoni, A., Formentini, I., Parra, R., Brambilla, R., Ratto, G. M. and Costa, M. 2008. The N-terminal domain of ERK1 accounts for the functional differences with ERK2. PLoS ONE 3(12), article number: e3873. (10.1371/journal.pone.0003873)
2007
- Capotondo, A. et al. 2007. Safety of Arylsulfatase A overexpression for gene therapy of metachromatic leukodystrophy. Human Gene Therapy 18(9), pp. 821-836. (10.1089/hum.2007.048)
2006
- Ferguson, S. M., Fasano, S., Yang, P., Brambilla, R. and Robinson, T. E. 2006. Knockout of ERK1 enhances cocaine-evoked immediate early gene expression and behavioral plasticity. Neuropsychopharmacology, pp. 2660-2668. (10.1038/sj.npp.1301014)
- Biffi, A. et al. 2006. Gene therapy of metachromatic leukodystrophy reverses neurological damage and deficits in mice. The Journal of Clinical Investigation 116(11), pp. 3070-3082. (10.1172/JCI28873)
- Pittenger, C., Fasano, S., Mazzocchi-Jones, D. M., Dunnett, S. B., Kandel, E. R. and Brambilla, R. 2006. Impaired bidirectional synaptic plasticity and procedural memory formation in striatum-specific cAMP response element-binding protein-deficient mice. Journal of Neuroscience 26(10), pp. 2808-2813. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5406-05.2006)
- Vantaggiato, C., Formentini, I., Bondanza, A., Bonini, C., Naldini, L. and Brambilla, R. 2006. ERK1 and ERK2 mitogen-activated protein kinases affect Ras-dependent cell signaling differentially. Journal of Biology 5(5), article number: 14. (10.1186/jbiol38)
- Croci, C. et al. 2006. Cerebellar neurons and glial cells are transducible by lentiviral vectors without decrease of cerebellar functions. Developmental Neuroscience 28(3), pp. 216-222. (10.1159/000091919)
- Givogri, M. I. et al. 2006. Oligodendroglial progenitor cell therapy limits central neurological deficits in mice with metachromatic leukodystrophy. Journal of Neuroscience 26(12), pp. 3109-3199. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4366-05.2006)
2004
- Brambilla, R., Biffi, A., Bordignon, C. and Naldini, L. 2004. Correction of metachromatic leukodystrophy in the mouse model by transplantation of genetically modified hematopoietic stem cells. Journal of Clinical Investigation, pp. 1118-1129. (10.1172/JCI200419205)
2003
- Clapcott, S. J., Peters, J., Orban, P. C., Brambilla, R. and Graham, C. F. 2003. Two ENU-induced mutations in Rasgrf1 and early mouse growth retardation. Mammalian Genome 14(8), pp. 495-505. (10.1007/s00335-002-2258-4)
- Brambilla, R. 2003. Targeting Ras/ERK signaling in the striatum: will it help?. Molecular Psychiatry 8(4), pp. 366-368. (10.1038/sj.mp.4001291)
2002
- Mazzuccchelli, C. et al. 2002. Knockout of ERK1 MAP Kinase enhances synaptic plasticity in the striatum and facilitates striatal-mediated learning and memory. Neuron, pp. 807-820. (10.1016/S0896-6273(02)00716-X)
- Fasano, S. and Brambilla, R. 2002. Cellular mechanisms of striatum-dependent behavioral plasticity and drug addiction. Current Molecular Medicine 2(7), pp. 649-665. (10.2174/1566524023362005)
2001
- Tonini, R. et al. 2001. Involvement of CDC25Mm/Ras-GRF1-dependent signaling in the control of neuronal excitability. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 18(6), pp. 691-701. (10.1006/mcne.2001.1050)
Articles
- Leone, R., Zuglian, C., Brambilla, R. and Morella, I. 2024. Understanding copy number variations through their genes: a molecular view on 16p11.2 deletion and duplication syndromes. Frontiers in Pharmacology 15, article number: 1407865. (10.3389/fphar.2024.1407865)
- Morella, I., Negro, M., Dossena, M., Brambilla, R. and D'Antona, G. 2023. Gut-muscle-brain axis: Molecular mechanisms in neurodegenerative disorders and potential therapeutic efficacy of probiotic supplementation coupled with exercise. Neuropharmacology 240, article number: 109718. (10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109718)
- Kretz, P. F. et al. 2023. Dissecting the autism-associated 16p11.2 locus identifies multiple drivers in neuroanatomical phenotypes and unveils a male-specific role for the major vault protein. Genome Biology 24, article number: 261. (10.1186/s13059-023-03092-8)
- Indrigo, M. et al. 2023. Nuclear ERK1/2 signaling potentiation enhances neuroprotection and cognition via Importinα1/KPNA2. EMBO Molecular Medicine 15(11), article number: e15984. (10.15252/emmm.202215984)
- Pisanò, C. A. et al. 2023. Regulator of G-Protein Signalling 4 (RGS4) negatively modulates nociceptin/orphanin FQ opioid receptor signalling: Implication for l-Dopa-induced dyskinesia. British Journal of Pharmacology 180(7), pp. 927-942. (10.1111/bph.15730)
- Morella, I. M., Brambilla, R. and Morè, L. 2022. Emerging roles of brain metabolism in cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric disorders. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 142, article number: 104892. (10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104892)
- Morella, I., Pohořalá, V., Calpe-López, C., Brambilla, R., Spanagel, R. and Bernardi, R. E. 2022. Nicotine self-administration and ERK signaling are altered in RasGRF2 knockout mice. Frontiers in Pharmacology 13, article number: 986566. (10.3389/fphar.2022.986566)
- Gulotta, M. R., Brambilla, R., Perricone, U. and Brancale, A. 2021. A rational design of α-helix-shaped peptides employing the hydrogen-bond surrogate approach: A modulation strategy for Ras-RasGRF1 interaction in neuropsychiatric disorders. Pharmaceuticals 14(11), article number: 1099. (10.3390/ph14111099)
- Morella, I., Hallum, H. and Brambilla, R. 2020. Dopamine D1 and glutamate receptors co-operate with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and TrkB to modulate ERK signaling in adult striatal slices. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience 14, article number: 564106. (10.3389/fncel.2020.564106)
- Morè, L., Lauterborn, J. C., Papaleo, F. and Brambilla, R. 2020. Enhancing cognition through pharmacological and environmental interventions: Examples from preclinical models of neurodevelopmental disorders. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 110, pp. 28-45. (10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.003)
- Bernardi, R. E., Olevska, A., Morella, I., Fasano, S., Santos, E., Brambilla, R. and Spanagel, R. 2019. The inhibition of RasGRF2, but not RasGRF1, alters cocaine reward in mice. Journal of Neuroscience 39(32), pp. 6325-6338. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1120-18.2019)
- McWilliams, T. et al. 2018. Phosphorylation of Parkin at Serine65 is essential for its activation in vivo. Open Biology 8, article number: 180108. (10.1098/rsob.180108)
- Ruiz De Diego, I. et al. 2018. Genetic enhancement of Ras-ERK pathway does not aggravate L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in mice but prevents the decrease induced by lovastatin. Scientific Reports 8, article number: 15381. (10.1038/s41598-018-33713-3)
- Pucilowska, J. et al. 2018. Pharmacological inhibition of ERK signaling rescues pathophysiology and behavioral phenotype associated with 16p11.2 chromosomal deletion in mice. Journal of Neuroscience 38(30), pp. 6640-6652. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0515-17.2018)
- Arcuri, L. et al. 2018. Anti-parkinsonian and anti-dyskinetic profiles of two novel potent and selective nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor agonists. British Journal of Pharmacology 175(5), pp. 782-796. (10.1111/bph.14123)
- Iori, V. et al. 2017. Blockade of the IL-1R1/TLR4 pathway mediates disease-modification therapeutic effects in a model of acquired epilepsy. Neurobiology of Disease 99, pp. 12-23. (10.1016/j.nbd.2016.12.007)
- Papale, A. et al. 2017. Severe intellectual disability and enhanced gamma-aminobutyric acidergic synaptogenesis in a novel model of rare RASopathies. Biological Psychiatry 81(3), pp. 179-192. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.06.016)
- Papale, A. et al. 2016. Impairment of cocaine-mediated behaviours in mice by clinically relevant Ras-ERK inhibitors. eLife 5, article number: e17111. (10.7554/eLife.17111)
- Melgarejo da Rosa, M., Yuanxiang, P., Brambilla, R., Kreutz, M. R. and Karpova, A. 2016. Synaptic GluN2B/CaMKII-α signaling induces synapto-nuclear transport of ERK and Jacob. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience 9, article number: 66. (10.3389/fnmol.2016.00066)
- Rosas, M. et al. 2016. Role of nucleus accumbens μ opioid receptors in the effects of morphine on ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Psychopharmacology 233(15-16), article number: 2943. (10.1007/s00213-016-4340-8)
- Trusel, M. et al. 2015. Coordinated regulation of synaptic plasticity at striatopallidal and sriatonigral neurons orchestrates motor control. Cell Reports 13(7), pp. 1353-1365. (10.1016/j.celrep.2015.10.009)
- Barco, A., Brambilla, R. and Rosenblum, K. 2015. Editorial. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 124, pp. 1-2. (10.1016/j.nlm.2015.08.001)
- Bastide, M. F. et al. 2015. Pathophysiology of L-dopa-induced motor and non-motor complications in Parkinson's disease. Progress in Neurobiology 132, pp. 96-168. (10.1016/j.pneurobio.2015.07.002)
- Bido, S., Solari, N., Indrigo, M., D'Antoni, A., Brambilla, R., Morari, M. and Fasano, S. 2015. Differential involvement of Ras-GRF1 and Ras-GRF2 in L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology 2(6), pp. 662-678. (10.1002/acn3.202)
- Moncini, S., Bonati, M. T., Morella, I., Ferrari, L., Brambilla, R. and Riva, P. 2015. Differential allelic expression of SOS1 and hyperexpression of the activating SOS1 c.755C variant in a Noonan syndrome family. European Journal of Human Genetics 23(11), pp. 1531-1537. (10.1038/ejhg.2015.20)
- Fossati, G. et al. 2015. Reduced SNAP-25 increases PSD-95 mobility and impairs spine morphogenesis. Cell Death and Differentiation 22, pp. 1425-1436. (10.1038/cdd.2014.227)
- Cerovic, M. et al. 2015. Derangement of Ras-guanine nucleotide-releasing Factor 1 (Ras-GRF1) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) dependent striatal plasticity in L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia. Biological Psychiatry 77(2), pp. 106-115. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.04.002)
- Cerovic, M., d'Isa, R., Tonini, R. and Brambilla, R. 2013. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of dopamine-mediated behavioral plasticity in the striatum. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 105, pp. 63-80. (10.1016/j.nlm.2013.06.013)
- Millership, S. et al. 2013. Correction for Millership et al., Increased lipolysis and altered lipid homeostasis protect -synuclein-null mutant mice from diet-induced obesity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 110(13), pp. 5269. (10.1073/pnas.1302920110)
- Solari, N., Bonito-Oliva, A., Fisone, G. and Brambilla, R. 2013. Understanding cognitive deficits in Parkinson's disease: lessons from preclinical animal models. Learning & Memory 20(10), pp. 592-600. (10.1101/lm.032029.113)
- Millership, S. et al. 2012. Increased lipolysis and altered lipid homeostasis protect γ-synuclein–null mutant mice from diet-induced obesity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 109(51), pp. 20943-20948. (10.1073/pnas.1210022110)
- Fisone, G. and Brambilla, R. 2012. Neuronal signaling and behavior. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 6, article number: 72. (10.3389/fnbeh.2012.00072)
- Marti, M. et al. 2012. Nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor agonists attenuate L-DOPA-induced dyskinesias. Journal of Neuroscience 32(46), pp. 16106-16119. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.6408-11.2012)
- Fasano, S. and Brambilla, R. 2011. Ras-ERK signaling in behavior: old questions and new perspectives. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 5(79), pp. 1-6. (10.3389/fnbeh.2011.00079)
- d’Isa, R., Clapcote, S., Voikar, V., Wolfer, D., Giese, K. P., Brambilla, R. and Fasano, S. 2011. Mice lacking Ras-GRF1 show contextual fear conditioning but not spatial memory impairments: convergent evidence from two independently generated mouse mutant lines. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 5(78), pp. 1-11.
- Silingardi, D. et al. 2011. ERK pathway activation bidirectionally affects visual recognition memory and synaptic plasticity in the perirhinal cortex. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 5, article number: 84. (10.3389/fnbeh.2011.00084)
- Fasano, S. et al. 2010. Inhibition of Ras-guanine nucleotide-releasing factor 1 (Ras-GRF1) signaling in the striatum reverts motor symptoms associated with L-dopa-induced dyskinesia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107(50), pp. 21824-21829. (10.1073/pnas.1012071107)
- Visigalli, I. et al. 2010. Gene therapy augments the efficacy of hematopoietic cell transplantation and fully corrects mucopolysaccharidosis type I phenotype in the mouse model. Blood 116(24), pp. 5130-5139. (10.1182/blood-2010-04-278234)
- Fasano, S. et al. 2009. Ras-Guanine Nucleotide-Releasing Factor 1 (Ras-GRF1) controls activation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) signaling in the striatum and long-term behavioral responses to cocaine. Biological Psychiatry 66(8), pp. 758-768. (10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.03.014)
- Fasano, S., Pittenger, C. and Brambilla, R. 2009. Inhibition of CREB activity in the dorsal portion of the striatum potentiates behavioral responses to drugs of abuse. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 3, article number: 29. (10.3389/neuro.08.029.2009)
- Cunha, C., Angelucci, A., D'Antoni, A., Dobrossy, M. D., Dunnett, S. B., Berardi, N. and Brambilla, R. 2009. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) overexpression in the forebrain results in learning and memory impairments. Neurobiology of Disease 33(3), pp. 358-368. (10.1016/j.nbd.2008.11.004)
- Papale, A., Cerovic, M. and Brambilla, R. 2009. Viral vector approaches to modify gene expression in the brain. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 185(1), pp. 1-14. (10.1016/j.jneumeth.2009.08.013)
- Givogri, M. I. et al. 2008. Multipotential Neural Precursors Transplanted into the Metachromatic Leukodystrophy Brain Fail to Generate Oligodendrocytes but Contribute to Limit Brain Dysfunction. Developmental Neuroscience 30, pp. 340-357. (10.1159/000150127)
- Marchi, M., D'Antoni, A., Formentini, I., Parra, R., Brambilla, R., Ratto, G. M. and Costa, M. 2008. The N-terminal domain of ERK1 accounts for the functional differences with ERK2. PLoS ONE 3(12), article number: e3873. (10.1371/journal.pone.0003873)
- Capotondo, A. et al. 2007. Safety of Arylsulfatase A overexpression for gene therapy of metachromatic leukodystrophy. Human Gene Therapy 18(9), pp. 821-836. (10.1089/hum.2007.048)
- Ferguson, S. M., Fasano, S., Yang, P., Brambilla, R. and Robinson, T. E. 2006. Knockout of ERK1 enhances cocaine-evoked immediate early gene expression and behavioral plasticity. Neuropsychopharmacology, pp. 2660-2668. (10.1038/sj.npp.1301014)
- Biffi, A. et al. 2006. Gene therapy of metachromatic leukodystrophy reverses neurological damage and deficits in mice. The Journal of Clinical Investigation 116(11), pp. 3070-3082. (10.1172/JCI28873)
- Pittenger, C., Fasano, S., Mazzocchi-Jones, D. M., Dunnett, S. B., Kandel, E. R. and Brambilla, R. 2006. Impaired bidirectional synaptic plasticity and procedural memory formation in striatum-specific cAMP response element-binding protein-deficient mice. Journal of Neuroscience 26(10), pp. 2808-2813. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5406-05.2006)
- Vantaggiato, C., Formentini, I., Bondanza, A., Bonini, C., Naldini, L. and Brambilla, R. 2006. ERK1 and ERK2 mitogen-activated protein kinases affect Ras-dependent cell signaling differentially. Journal of Biology 5(5), article number: 14. (10.1186/jbiol38)
- Croci, C. et al. 2006. Cerebellar neurons and glial cells are transducible by lentiviral vectors without decrease of cerebellar functions. Developmental Neuroscience 28(3), pp. 216-222. (10.1159/000091919)
- Givogri, M. I. et al. 2006. Oligodendroglial progenitor cell therapy limits central neurological deficits in mice with metachromatic leukodystrophy. Journal of Neuroscience 26(12), pp. 3109-3199. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4366-05.2006)
- Brambilla, R., Biffi, A., Bordignon, C. and Naldini, L. 2004. Correction of metachromatic leukodystrophy in the mouse model by transplantation of genetically modified hematopoietic stem cells. Journal of Clinical Investigation, pp. 1118-1129. (10.1172/JCI200419205)
- Clapcott, S. J., Peters, J., Orban, P. C., Brambilla, R. and Graham, C. F. 2003. Two ENU-induced mutations in Rasgrf1 and early mouse growth retardation. Mammalian Genome 14(8), pp. 495-505. (10.1007/s00335-002-2258-4)
- Brambilla, R. 2003. Targeting Ras/ERK signaling in the striatum: will it help?. Molecular Psychiatry 8(4), pp. 366-368. (10.1038/sj.mp.4001291)
- Mazzuccchelli, C. et al. 2002. Knockout of ERK1 MAP Kinase enhances synaptic plasticity in the striatum and facilitates striatal-mediated learning and memory. Neuron, pp. 807-820. (10.1016/S0896-6273(02)00716-X)
- Fasano, S. and Brambilla, R. 2002. Cellular mechanisms of striatum-dependent behavioral plasticity and drug addiction. Current Molecular Medicine 2(7), pp. 649-665. (10.2174/1566524023362005)
- Tonini, R. et al. 2001. Involvement of CDC25Mm/Ras-GRF1-dependent signaling in the control of neuronal excitability. Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience 18(6), pp. 691-701. (10.1006/mcne.2001.1050)
Book sections
- D'Isa, R., Brambilla, R. and Fasano, S. 2014. Behavioral methods for the study of the Ras-ERK pathway in memory formation and consolidation: passive avoidance and novel object recognition tests. In: Trabalzini, L. and Retta, S. F. eds. Ras Signaling: Methods and Protocols., Vol. 1120. Methods in Molecular Biology Humana Press, pp. 131-156., (10.1007/978-1-62703-791-4_9)
- Papale, A. and Brambilla, R. 2014. Lentiviral vectors as research tools in neurobiology: design and production. In: Brambilla, R. ed. Viral Vector Approaches in Neurobiology and Brain Diseases., Vol. 82. Neuromethods Springer, pp. 3-10., (10.1007/978-1-62703-610-8_1)
- Brambilla, R. 2014. Preface. In: Brambilla, R. ed. Viral Vector Approaches in Neurobiology and Brain Diseases. Neuromethods Vol. 82. Humana Press, pp. vii-viii.
- Indrigo, M., Papale, A., Orellana, D. and Brambilla, R. 2010. Lentiviral vectors to study the differential function of ERK1 and ERK2 MAP kinases. In: Seger, R. ed. MAP Kinase Signaling Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology Vol. 2. Springer, pp. 205-220., (10.1007/978-1-60761-795-2_12)
Books
- Brambilla, R. ed. 2014. Viral vector approaches in neurobiology and brain diseases. Neuromethods Vol. 82. New York: Humana Press. (10.1007/978-1-62703-610-8)
Research
I have always been fascinated by molecules and in particular by their function in the nervous system. The whole field of neuropsychopharmacology deals with “drugs” that bind specific target molecules in brain cells and by doing so affect behaviour. In the last few decades, novel powerful genetic technologies have been introduced in the field of neuroscience allowing to modify the expression of specific genes and proteins in a tissue and cell specific manner, thus providing unprecedented novel tools to study the brain. I pioneered the use of “gene knockout” and “viral mediated transgenesis” in the field of learning and memory and cognitive disorders. More recently, my laboratory has designed and validated a number cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) that have the capability to enter the brain and disrupt protein-protein interactions, formidable pharmacological and reversible tools not only to investigate the molecular mechanisms of cognitive deficits but also to set the basis for innovative therapies in patients.
Role of Ras-ERK signalling in memory
Learning and memory processes require that the immediate synaptic information generated by neurotransmitter release is integrated at the cellular and network levels. An essential set of intracellular mechanisms leading to long-term, protein synthesis dependent memories, involved protein kinase cascades. ERK is a major intracellular pathway both controlling cytoplasmic events such as local protein translation and gene expression/chromatin remodelling in the nucleus. The ERK cascade is activated by the Ras family of small GTPases, which before the 1990s were believed to be exclusively involved in cell proliferation and cell survival. In 1992, as a PhD student, I contributed to the cloning of Ras-GRF1, the first ever identified guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Ras, which is essential to activate these small GTPases in response to external stimuli. To our surprise, Ras-GRF1 is exclusively expressed in post-mitotic neurons of the central nervous system, suggesting a specific role of Ras-ERK signalling in adult brain functions. In 1997, as a postdoc at the EMBL in Heidelberg, I generated the Ras-GRF1 KO mouse strain that was the first published genetic model demonstrating a direct involvement of the Ras-ERK signaling cascade in behavioural plasticity (Brambilla et al, Nature, 1997, cited so far 379 times). Subsequently, as a PI in Milan, I published another important paper demonstrating that ERK1 kinase is a negative regulator of global ERK signaling (Mazzucchelli et al, 2002, Neuron, cited so far 367 times). That paper led us to suggest that the ERK1/ERK2 protein ratio is a major predictive indicator of behavioural and synaptic plasticity changes, particularly in the striatum. The model has been subsequently validated in vitro by my laboratory and has received a number of in vivo confirmations (Vantaggiato et al, 2006, J Biol, cited so far 168 times), supporting the notion that in the absence of ERK1, the remaining ERK2 kinase is facilitated in its nuclear translocation (Marchi et al, PLOSone 2008). Importantly, this model is very essential to explain the phenotypes observed both in 16p11.2 deletion and duplication mouse models, where ERK1 gene is present in one or three copies, respectively. Also, the model has led the development of a novel pharmacological tool, an ERK selective positive modulator.
-R. Brambilla, et al, and R. Klein. A role for the Ras signaling pathway in synaptic transmission and long-term memory. Nature (1997) 390, 281-286.
-C. Mazzucchelli, et al, and R. Brambilla. Knockout of ERK1 MAP kinase enhances synaptic plasticity in the striatum and facilitates striatal-mediated learning and memory. Neuron (2002) 34, 807-820.
-C. Vantaggiato , I. et al, and R. Brambilla. ERK1 and ERK2 mitogen-activated protein kinases affect Ras-dependent cell signaling differentially. J. Biol. (now BMC Biology)(2006), 5:14.
-M. Marchi, A. D’Antoni, I. Formentini, R. Parra, R. Brambilla, G. M. Ratto and M. Costa. The N-terminal non catalytic domain of ERK1 MAP kinase is responsible for the functional differences with ERK2. PLOS ONE. 2008;3(12):e3873. Epub 2008 Dec 4
Ras-ERK signalling in striatal-dependent plasticity disorders
In the last decade my lab has contributed to expand our knowledge of the role of Ras-ERK signalling in behavioural plasticity. More specifically, I have published a number of important papers involving this pathway in striatal dependent synaptic plasticity and in the responses to drugs of abuse (Fasano et al, 2009; Papale et al, 2016, E-Life). In addition, I have shown that ERK signalling is an important mediator the abnormal involuntary movements caused by L-DOPA, the gold standard therapy for Parkinson’s Disease (Fasano et al, 2010, PNAS; Cerovic et al, 2015 Biol Psych).
-S. Fasano, et al, and R. Brambilla. Ras-Guanine Nucleotide-Releasing Factor 1 (Ras-GRF1) Controls Activation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) Signaling in the Striatum and Long-Term Behavioral Responses to Cocaine. Biol Psychiatry, 66:758 –768 (2009). Doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.03.014
-Fasano, S., et al, and Brambilla R. Inhibition of Ras-GRF1 in the striatum reverts motor symptoms associated to L-DOPA induced Dyskinesia. PNAS 107, 21824–21829 (2010). Doi:10.1073/pnas.1012071107
-Cerovic M, et al, Brambilla R. Derangement of Ras-Guanine Nucleotide-Releasing Factor 1 (Ras-GRF1) and Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) Dependent Striatal Plasticity in L-DOPA-Induced Dyskinesia. Biol Psych (2015). 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.04.002.
-Papale A*, et al, Brambilla R#, and Fasano S. Impairment of cocaine-mediated behaviors by clinically relevant Ras-ERK inhibitors. eLife 2016;5:e17111. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.17111. # co-corresponding author
Cell signalling in Intellectual Disability and neurodegenerative disorders: search for effective treatments
In recent year my laboratory has been involved in a number of projects with the aim of testing novel therapeutic approaches for cognitive disorders in which ERK signaling is deregulated. In a work published in 2017, we demonstrated that in a mouse model of a severe form of Rasopathies, the K-Ras G12V model, aberrant GABAergic synaptogenesis mediated by ERK signalling can be rescued by administration during postnatal development of cell penetrating peptides we devised to attenuate ERK signalling (Papale et al, 2016; Papale et al, 2017). With a similar approach, we also showed in a mouse model of 16p11.2 deletion, that both brain anatomical and behavioural deficits can be rescued (Pucilowska et al, 2018). This last publication support part of the work in the present grant application. More recently, our work using the novel ERK positive modulator indicated that both neurodegeneration and cognitive impairments in mouse models of Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s Disease can be prevented by stimulating this signalling pathway. In the recently awarded MRC Programme Grant, we are planning to use a similar approach to treat a mouse model of 16p11.2 duplication, in which our preliminary data indicate a significant reduction of ERK activity in the brain (Indrigo et al, 2017; Indrigo et al, 2018).
-Papale A, et al, and Brambilla R. Severe intellectual disability and enhanced GABAergic synaptogenesis in a novel model of rare RASopathies. Biol Psych (2017). doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.06.016.
-J. Pucilowska, et al, R. Brambilla and G.E. Landreth. Pharmacological inhibition of the ERK Signaling Pathway Rescues Cellular and Behavioural impairments associated with 16p11.2 Chromosomal Deletion in Mice. J Neurosci. 2018 Jun 22. pii: 0515-17. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0515-17.2018.
-Indrigo I, et al, and Riccardo Brambilla# and Stefania Fasano. Modulation of ERK1/MAPK3 potentiates ERK nuclear signalling, facilitates neuronal cell survival and improves memory in mouse models of neurodegenerative disorders. bioRxiv (2018). doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/496141. # co-corresponding author
- M. Indrigo, A. Papale, S. Fasano and R. Brambilla. Neuroprotective peptide (GB1719520.7, November 27, 2017)(PCT/GB2018/053384, November 23, 2018)
Teaching
In the last few years at Cardiff University, I have been involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching while in previous years in Milan I supervised 11 Ph.D. students and more than 20 master students. As Professor of Neuroscience and Neuropsychopharmacology, I regularly lecture on diverse topics, from basic pharmacology of drugs affecting the brain, to cellular mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Biography
I am Professor of Neuroscience at Cardiff University, and Principal Investigator at the Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI). I have been working in the field of signal transduction since 1987 and in molecular neuroscience since 1993. In Heidelberg, as post-doctoral fellow in the laboratory of Ruediger Klein at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), I learned mouse genetics techniques such as gene targeting and successfully applied them to the neurobiology of learning and memory. During the last 22 years as a PI I have continued to work on the role of synaptic signalling in behavioural plasticity and neuropsychiatric disorders. The main focus of my lab is to investigate the cell signalling mechanisms of behavioural dysfunction and test innovative therapeutic approaches not only in mouse models of basal ganglia disorders (drug addiction, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease), but also of neurodevelopmental conditions such as intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In order to achieve this goal, I have pioneered the use of viral vector technologies to manipulate gene expression in vivo in the brain, to rescue behavioural impairments. More recently, I have also developed novel pharmacological approaches through the use of cell penetrating peptides (CPPs), as efficient means to modulate protein-protein interactions. The validation of CPPs modulating ERK signalling has led to several publications demonstrating that this approach is effective in treating mouse models of cocaine-dependent behaviour, ID, ASD and neurodegenerative disorders. As a complementary approach, my lab is also repurposing clinically relevant brain penetrating drugs, and such studies have recently led to the identification of an ERK pathway inhibitor, PD325901, as a potentially valid compound for ERK-dependent brain disorders. Currently, I am PI of a recent major award (1.5m GBP) from the Medical Research Council to develop biomarkers, human iPSCs and novel therapies for 16p11.2 deletion and duplication CNVs, further expanding my research goal into translational neuroscience.
Papale A, Morella IM, et al, Brambilla R#, and Fasano S. Impairment of cocaine-mediated behaviors by clinically relevant Ras-ERK inhibitors. eLife 2016;5:e17111. DOI: 10.7554/eLife.17111. # co-corresponding author
Papale A, et al, and Brambilla R. Severe intellectual disability and enhanced GABAergic synaptogenesis in a novel model of rare RASopathies. Biol Psych (2017). doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2016.06.016.
Pucilowska J, et al, Brambilla R and Landreth GE. Pharmacological inhibition of the ERK Signaling Pathway Rescues Cellular and Behavioural impairments associated with 16p11.2 Chromosomal Deletion in Mice. J Neurosci. 2018 Jun 22. pii: 0515-17. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0515-17.2018.
Indrigo M, et al, Brambilla R# and Fasano S. Modulation of ERK1/MAPK3 potentiates ERK nuclear signalling, facilitates neuronal cell survival and improves memory in mouse models of neurodegenerative disorders. bioRxiv (2018). doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/496141. # co-corresponding author
Morè L, Lauterborn JC, Papaleo F and Brambilla R. Enhancing Cognition through Pharmacological and Environmental Interventions: Examples from Preclinical Models of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (Invited Review). Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2019 Apr 10. pii: S0149-7634(18)30292-6. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.003.
Bibliometric Figures
I have so far published 70 peer-reviewed papers, with a mean citation per publication of 71, 22% of papers cited > 100 times, and H index=34 (Source: Scopus).
Web references:
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3569-5706
https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=7005207779
Education
University of Milan (Milan, Italy) BSc 1988
University of Milan (Milan, Italy) PhD 1992
European Molecular Biology Laboratory (Heidelberg, Germany) Post-Doc 1992-1997
Academic Career and Research Experience
February 1988: Degree in Biological Sciences (110/110 cum laude), University of Milan, Italy. Title of the experimental thesis: "Dissociation of the ligand and dephosphorylation of the receptor for Platelet Derived Growth Factor". Supervisor: Prof. Emmapaola Sturani.
May 1992: Final examination and awarding of Ph.D in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Milan, Italy. Title of the Ph.D. thesis: "Molecular cloning of a putative regulator of mammalian Ras proteins, functionally and structurally homologous to the CDC25 gene product of Saccharomyces cerevisiae". Supervisor: Prof. Emmapaola Sturani.
January 1992- June 1993: Postdoctoral fellow in Giulio Draetta's Laboratory at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany.
July 1993- December 1997: Postdoctoral fellow in Ruediger Klein’s Laboratory at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany
January 1998- December 2002: Junior Group Leader and FIRC fellow at the San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy.
2003-2015: Senior Group Leader, Research Unit Head (Molecular Genetics of Behaviour), San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy.
2004-2015: Reader in Neuroscience, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
2013-2016: Visiting Scientist, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milano, Italy.
2017: Visiting Professor, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
2017: Visiting Professor, University of Cagliari, Italy
June 2015-present: Professor of Neuroscience and Neuropsychopharmacology, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, UK.
Honours and awards
1988: Fellowship, PhD Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Milano
1992: Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst fellowship award
1993: European Community Training and Mobility of Researchers Program fellowship award
1994: Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) fellowship award
1996: European Community Biotechnology Program award
1998- 2002: Italian Federation for Cancer Research (FIRC) scholarship
1998: HFSP short-term fellowship
1999: Human Frontier Science Program 10th Anniversary Award
2001: European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) short-term fellowship
Since 1997: Member of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN)
Since 2002: Member of the Italian Society of Neuroscience (SINS)
Committees and reviewing
2014-present: Member of the Consolidator Grant Panel LS5 “Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders” of the European Research Council (ERC)
2002-present: Member of the Molecular and Cellular Cognition Society (MCCS, Founding Council Fellow)
2006-2012: Founding President of the European MCCS (EMCCS)
1998-present: Reviewer for Granting Agencies including the NEST Programme and the FP6/FP7 of the European Commission, the French, Spanish, Flemish and Dutch Ministries of Research, the British MRC, the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation, The Israel Science Foundation, Parkinson’s UK
2008-2009: President and Member of AERES (Agence d'Evalutation de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Superieur, France) Panels (Neuroscience)
2011-2014: Panel Member of ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche, France) (Neuroscience and Physiopathology)
2012-present: Member of the Executive Committee of the European MCCS (EMCCS)
1998 - present: Reviewer of Neuroscience Journals including Neuron, Journal of Neuroscience, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, Brain Research, TINS, Neurobiology of Disease, Biological Psychiatry, Journal of Neuroscience Methods, Journal of Neurochemistry, Neuroscience, PlosONE, Learning and Memory, Human Molecular Genetics.
2007-2010: Review Editor of Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
2010-present: Associated Editor, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
2011-present: Member of Editorial Board of Synapse