Research themes
Integrins
Leukocyte and RGD integrins as novel and yet unexplored therapeutic targets within central and peripheral inflammation and tumors; pharmacological characterization of innovative integrin ligands and analysis of their effects on inflammation, tumorigenesis and nociception in suitable experimental models.
Opioids
Pharmacological characterization of novel opioid receptor ligands and analysis of opioid agonists/antagonists/allosteric modulators-mediated effects to develop innovative therapeutics for pain, addiction, psychiatric disorders; molecular pathway analysis of opioid analgesics- and innovative opiods-mediated effects within Quantitative Systems Pharmacology approaches.
Neuron-glia cross-talk within neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration
Effects induced by proinflammatory and neurotoxic agents on signal transduction, modulation of gene expression, transcription factor REST involvement within neuron-glia cross-talk; identification/validation of novel pharmacological targets via RNAi-based techniques to develop innovative treatments for neuroinflammation/neurodegeneration. Study of the anti-inflammatory effect of bacterial toxins (CNF1) on animal models of neuroinflammation and on CSF of patients with cognitive deficits - Alzheimer's disease.
Animal models of neonatal stress
Use of antisense oligonucleotides directed against Proopiomelanocortin in the prevention of neonatal stress aimed at preventing dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the consequent metabolic syndrome in adulthood.
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