EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Neuroscience - February 07, 2001 University of L’Aquila, Italy
Doctoral thesis title: “Neuronal responsiveness to classical visual stimuli and optic flow in the superior parietal lobule of the behaving monkey”
M.S. in Experimental Psychology - July 09,1996 University of Bologna, Italy
Dissertation title: “Effect of early environment on neuron morphology and synaptic organization in the entorhinal cortex of the guinea pig”
SCIENTIFIC WORK EXPERIENCE
2022 – present Associate Professor of Human Physiology - University of Bologna, Italy.
2002 – 2022 Assistant Professor of Human Physiology - University of Bologna, Italy
I currently work on three research lines.
The first line concerns the study of some cellular mechanisms underlying heading perception, eye movements, cognitive functions such as visual attention and the influence of the environment on the development of particular regions of the central nervous system. These studies are performed on non-human primates.
The second line of research is performed on human subjects and is aimed to study the influence of visual stimulation and the role of attentional on posture and locomotion. These researches are performed on both young adults and diabetic people. We study the visuo-motor processing in diabetic people to elucidate and quantify how the neural mechanisms for heading perception are impaired due to peripheral neuropathy.
I also work in the field of exercise physiology studying the cardiovascular changes in response to specific training in both healthy subjects and diabetic people.
I currently coordinate a n EU collaborative project aimed at studying the effect of different physical activity programs for diabetic people (BE-NEW 622371-EPP-1-2020-1-IT-SPO-SCP).
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2001–2003 Postdoctoral Fellow - Center for Molecular and Behavioural Neuroscience (CMBN), Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA. P.I. Prof. Ralph Siegel
1997–2001 Graduate Student - University of L’Aquila and University of Bologna
1994–1997 Undergraduate Student - University of Bologna
Techniques used:
▪ Single- Multi unit and local field potentials recordings
▪ Optical imaging
▪ NIRS
▪ PEMF stimulation
▪ Measurement and analysis of cardiocirculatory responses
▪ Measurement and analysis of gas exchange breath-by-breath
▪ Surface electromyographic registration
▪ Stabilometryc recordings by force plates
▪ Exercise physiology
▪ Oculomotor behaviour
▪ Optical recordings of intrinsic cortical signals
▪ Surgical techniques to prepare the animal for the chronic optical imaging experiment.
▪ Implant of artificial dura
▪ Single unit recordings during visual stimulations and attentional tasks
▪ Training behaving monkeys
▪ Surgical procedures for implant of recording chambers and head holder
▪ Single- Multi unit recordings during visual stimulations and oculomotor tasks
▪ Intracortical injections of fluorescent dyes and reconstruction of labeled neurons
▪ Histological procedures: Nissl staining methods and anatomical reconstructions
▪ Evoked field potential recordings
▪ Histological procedures: Golgi and Nissl staining methods
▪ Anatomical reconstruction of neuron morphometry
▪ Anatomical reconstruction of neuron morphometry
▪ Statistical analysis of behavioural, physiological and psychological data
MAJOR FUNDING
• 2023 Funding from the European community "Counteracting Diabetes USing interdisciplinary Educational programs – DUSE". Europeam program EU4H.
• 2023 Funding from italian program PRIN “Standing posture during optic flow stimulation; the ideal predictor for early screening of microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes?
• 2023 Team member for the Horizon Europe Project "Food systems transformation towards healthy and sustainable dietary behaviour" - PLANEAT (Grant Agreement n. 101061023). Scientific director Prof. Uberto Pagotto
• 2022 CO-PI Almaidea 2022 program “Studio dell'effetto dei campi elettromagnetici pulsati (PEMFs) sul metabolismo energetico in soggetti con obesità”
• 2022 Funding from “Fondazione Del Monte di Bologna e Ravenna” for the project “Effetti della pratica costante dell’esercizio fisico nella prevenzione della disfunzione autonomica in donne in età peri- e post-menopausale affette da prediabete e sindrome metabolica”
• 2021 Funding of the "Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna Foundation" for a research grant on the project: "Physical exercise adapted to prevent autonomic dysfunction in vulnerable subjects suffering from prediabetes and metabolic syndrome"
• 2020 Funding from the European community. Coordinator of the "Erasmus + Sport collaborative partnership program". BE-NEW project n. 622371-EPP-1-2020-1-IT-SPO-SCP
• 2017 Funding from MIUR, basic research activities
• 2012 Funding from the Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences of the University of Bologna for a research grant on the project: "Influence of optic flow on the activation of postural muscles: stabilometric and electromyographic study"
• 2008 Funding of the "Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna Foundation" for research grant on the project: "Study for the experimental evaluation of intraoperative cortical electrical stimulation using Optical Imaging"
• 2005 Funding from MIUR, PRIN 2005
• 2005 funding under the "Marco Polo" program of the University of Bologna to spend a period of 3 months at the laboratory of Prof. Siegel (Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, USA)
• 2002 funding from the "Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543" to attend the "Methods in Computational Neuroscience" course
SCIENTIFIC ASSIGNMENTS
• 2020–to date Academic editor for the journal "Biomed Research International" (I.F. 3,4)
• 2020-2021 Guest Editor for the Special Issue entitled "How Visual and Spatial Orientation Contribute to the Control of Postural Balance in Public Health" for the "International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health" (I.F. 3,39).
• 2020–to date Topic editor for the journal "Healthcare" (I.F. 2.64) from 2020
• 2013-to date Reviewer for various international journals: Scientific Reports (I.F. 4,5), PeerJ (I.F. 2,98), PlosOne (I.F. 3,2), Eye and Brain (I.F. 3,8), Brain Sciences (I.F. 3,39), Vision (I.F. N/A), International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (I.F. 3,39), Applied Sciences (I.F. 2,67), Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (I.F. 3,37), Advances in Research (I.F. N/A), Journal of Sport Sciences (I.F. 3,8), Frontiers in Neuroscience (I.F. 4,67).
• 2013-to date Reviewer for MIUR research projects FIRB, SIR, Blue Sky, Sardinia Region
• 2014-to date Evaluator of PhD thesis, La Sapienza University, Rome
• 2021 Member of the organizing committee of the 14th meeting of young researchers in Physiology, "Annual Meeting of Young Researchers in Physiology" (YRP2021), 29-31 July 2021, Bertinoro University Residential Center (FC).
• 2019 Member of the organizing committee of the international congress of FEPS-SIF 2019 Joint meeting of the Federation of European Physiological Societies and the Italian Physiological Society
• 2018-to date Co-tutor of a PhD student, dr. Aurelio Trofè. Title of the research project “Effects and benefits of pulsed electromagnetic stimulation on muscle tissue”, Doctorate in Science and Culture of Wellness and Lifestyles, XXXIV cycle, University of Bologna.
• 2014-2017 Tutor of PhD student, dr.ssa Monica Perazzolo. Title of the research project "The control of posture and locomotion in diabetics with neuropathy", Doctorate in Pharmacological and Toxicological Sciences, Development and Human Movement XXX cycle, University of Bologna.
• 2012-2013 Tutor of research fellow, dr. Alessandro Piras. Project title: "Influence of optic flow on the activation of postural muscles: stabilometric and electromyographic study", University of Bologna.
• 2011-2014 Tutor of PhD student, Dr. Michela Persiani. Title of the research project "Influence of optic flow on the activation of postural muscles: stabilometric and electromyographic study", Doctorate in Pharmacological and Toxicological Sciences, Development and Human Movement XXVII cycle, University of Bologna.
• 2009-2010 Tutor of research fellow, Dr. Chiara Carrozzini. Project title: “Study of current diffusion parameters during cortical electrical stimulation by Optical Imaging”.
• 2002-2010 Member of the teaching staff of the Research Doctorate in "Basic sciences of motor activities, Disciplines of motor and sports activities, Human development and movement sciences - Project 1 Disciplines of motor and sports activities" from the academic year 2002 / 03 to the 2009/10 academic year
• 2008 Member of the examining commission for tenure track, SSD BIO/09, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, La Sapienza University, Rome
• 2008 Member of the examining commission for open-ended electronic laboratory technician, Department of Human and General Physiology, University of Bologna
SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATIONS
Society for Neuroscience from 2001
Italian Society of Physiology from 2005
COLLABORATION
• Prof. Uberto Pagotto, University of Bologna
• Prof. Neil Reeves, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
• Prof. Peter L. Strick, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
• Prof. Edmundo Loza Olave, Universidad de la Rioja, Spagna
• Prof. Raul Juarez vela, Universidad de la Rioja, Spagna
• Prof. Vassiliki Derri, Democritus University of Thrace, Grecia
• Prof. Angelo Cappello, University of Bologna
• Associazione sportiva UISP Bologna
• Associazione sportiva Sport Union of Slovenia, Slovenia
• Associazione sportiva Sport for All Suceava, Romania
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
• From 2021 to date "Exercise for diabetes: physiology, education and physical activity programs" course – University of Bologna
• 2019 "Exercise Physiology for Health and Fitness" course – University of Bologna
• From 2017 to date "Human Physiology" course in the Postgraduate Medical School of Ophthalmology – University of Bologna
• From 2017 to date "Neurophysiology" course – University of Bologna
• From 2003 to date "Human physiology" course – University of Bologna
• From 2003 to date Practice of electrocardiography
• From 2003 to date Practice of spirometry
• From 2003 to date Practice of functional evaluation of cardiovascular parameters
• 2005: Visiting professor of Erasmus program at University of Granada, Spain.
• 2008: Visiting professor of Erasmus program at University of La Rioja, Spain.
COORDINATOR OF ERASMUS EXCHANGE PROGRAMS
• 2004 – 2013: Coordinator of the Erasmus exchange between the University of Bologna and the University of La Rioja, Logrono, Spain.
• 2013 to date: Coordinator of the Erasmus exchange between the University of Bologna and the University of Alicante, Spain.
• 2018 to date: Coordinator of the Erasmus exchange between the University of Bologna and the University of Almeria, Spain.
• 2021 to date: Coordinator of the Erasmus exchange between the University of Bologna and the University of Bilbao, Spain.
FURTHER TRAINING
• 14-22 January 2015: Training and updating in the field of use of animals for scientific and educational purposes. SPISA Via Belmeloro, 10 – University of Bologna
• October 2005 – February 2006: “Research visit” in the Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
• August 4-31, 2002: Methods in Computational Neuroscience Course, Marine Biological laboratories, Woods Hole, MA USA
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Mother tongue: Italian
Other language: English C1 level - CAE Cambrigde English (UK).
