Molecular basis of neurodegenerative pathologies

Our group is devoted at applying advanced microscopy techniques and imaging approaches based on fluorescence to tackle the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. We are currently focused on three main objectives:
1. Studying the molecular basis of Alzheimer’s disease, in particular the influence of cholesterol and neuronal activity on the processing of the amyloid precursor protein.
2. Investigating the release from nanoparticles and diffusion of drugs by means of single molecule tracking within the context of nose to brain delivery of biopharmaceutics to treat neurodegenerative diseases.
3. Translating basic research methods to the clinical diagnosis of infantile metabolic neurodegenerative diseases, such as GM1 Gangliosidosis.

People Involved

Martino Calamai, Group Leader
Claudia Capitini
Alessandra Franceschini
Caterina Credi
Ludovico Silvestri
Riccardo Cicchi
Francesco Pavone

Current funding on this research line

  • 2020 Research unit responsible within the project H2020 MSCA ITN 2020 “Nose-to-Brain Delivery of Biopharmaceuticals: A design-based approach for efficient drug delivery systems” (EU project 956977 - Home Bio2Brain) Unit funding: 261.499,68 €

  • 2020 Research unit responsible within the project BANDO RICERCA SALUTE REGIONE TOSCANA 2018 “Late onset Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) in the differential diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases: development of new diagnostic procedures and focus on potential pharmacological chaperones (PCs)” Detail Project and Funding CNR–INO Unit funding: 100.000,00 €

Past funding

  • 2017 Participant to a project selected for ENTE CASSA DI RISPARMIO 2016 “Una nuova microscopia di forza per svelare i meccanismi di differenziazione delle cellule staminali umane” Total funding: 55.000,00 €
  • 2016 Research unit responsible within the project H2020 NMBP-2016-2017 “Nose to Brain Delivery of NG-101 via the Olfactory Region for the Regenerative Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis Using Novel Multi-functional Biomaterials Combined with a Medical Device” (N2B-Patch GA No. 721098) Unit funding: 227.500,00 €
  • 2016 Participant to the project selected for ENTE CASSA DI RISPARMIO 2015 “Caratterizzazione delle cascate di segnalazione e di trascrizione indotte dall’interazione membrane-amiloide” Total funding: 50.000,00 €
  • 2014 Research unit responsible within the project from the Italian Ministry of Health selected for Giovani ricercatori 2012-2013 funding “Automated digital scanning and diagnosis of tissues using multimodal non-linear optical microscopy” (GR-2011-02349626) Unit funding: 96.500,00 €
  • 2011 Research unit responsible within a project selected for FIRB Futuro in Ricerca 2010 funding (RBFR109EOS_004) “Dalle conoscenze di base riguardanti la dinamica dell’autoaggregazione della Beta2 microglobulina alla scoperta di nuovi inibitori dell’amiloidogenesi” Unit funding: 221.500,00 €
  • 2011 Participant to the project selected for PRIN 2009 funding (2009KN2FBM_002) “Determinanti molecolari alla base delle alterazioni funzionali di cardomiociti nella cardiomiopatia amilotica familiare” Unit funding: 46.731,00 €
  • 2010 Marie Curie IEF fellowship (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF-254791) “Dissecting Alzheimer’s disease at a single molecule level” Total funding: 164.458,60 €