Neurologist. Senior Researcher at National Centre for Rare Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanita’, Rome.
Research Area – Role of excitatory aminoacids on neuronal transmission and excitotoxicity, with particular interest on changes of intracellular calcium homeostasis. Neurodegeneration and mechanisms involved in muscular cells pathology. Functional changes in composition of lipid rafts in plasma membrane of neuronal cells. Effects of plasma membrane cholesterol changes on inhibition of synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity in hippocampus in experimental models “in vitro”. Role of lipid rafts in neurolopathogical aspects of Niemann-Pick type C disease. Effects of microgravity on human muscle and bone cells. Study of the neurotoxic effects of calcitonin oligomers.