Michela Sarlo

Michela Sarlo is an Associate Professor at the University of Urbino.

 

She received a MSc in Psychology (1996) and a PhD in Cognitive Sciences (2002) from the University of Padova.

 

Her primary areas of research and teaching include affective neuroscience and psychophysiology of emotion. Specifically, her current research interests are focused on:

  • the role of emotion in complex decision-making processes: neural and peripheral correlates of cognitive-emotional interaction;
  • the processing of threat stimuli in healthy individuals and in specific phobics: the attentional bias and its cortical, autonomic, and behavioral correlates;
  • the role of REM/NREM sleep on wake emotional processing and cognitive performance: the relationship between EEG activity, autonomic changes and behavior.

Paolo Gallo

Paolo Gallo is Senior Scholar in Neurology at the University of Padua and Head of the Multiple Sclerosis Centre of the Veneto Region.

 

He graduated in Medicine and Surgery in 1980 and completed Neurology specialization in 1984 at the University of Padua where he developed skills in neuroimmunology, neuroepidemiology, and inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system, with special focus on multiple sclerosis. Research fellow at the Department of Neurology, Karolinska University of Stockholm, Sweden, in 1983-1985, and at the Neuroimmunology section, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Zurich, in 1987-1988, he further focused his research on the neuroimmunological aspects of inflammatory CNS diseases. He completed the PhD in Neurosciences at the University of Padua in 1990. In 2004 he became Associate Professor in Neurology at the University of Padua and Head of the Multiple Sclerosis Centre of the Veneto Region.

 

During his career, he received several academic awards and funding, published over 200 peer reviewed manuscripts, has a H-Index (Scopus) of 44 and over 6000 citations. He has been an invited speaker at national and international neurology congresses. He has organized international courses and conferences. It serves as a reviewer for the main neurological journals. He is member of several Advisory Board on therapy of Multiple Sclerosis and has been principal investigator in more than 30 international randomized phase I, II and III clinical trials.

 

Major fields of research: non conventional MRI analysis of white and grey matter pathology in inflammatory diseases of the CNS, immunological markers predictive of disease course at MS clinical onset, trans-synaptic degeneration in the optic pathway, role of cerebellar pathology in the cognitive decline in MS, cortical metabolism in early MS phases.

 

At present, He is Senior Scholar of Neurology and Clinical and Experimental Neuroimmunology at the Medical School of Padua, Responsible of the Cerebrospinal Fluid and Neuroimmunology Laboratory of the Neurology Clinic, Department of Neurosciences, Head of the Multiple Sclerosis Centre of the University Hospital, Director of the Degree Course on Neurophysiology Technicians, University of Padua-School of Medicine.

Patrizia Bisiacchi

Paola Bisiacchi is Professor Emeritus at the School of Psychology, University  of Padova.

 

Present position

Full Professor M PSI02 (Psychobiology and Physiological Psychology) School of Psychology, University  of Padova.

Member of the National Committee for Research (CNGR) -MIUR.

Head of the Master degree (second cycle) in Cognitive Neuroscience and Clinical Neuropsychology (CN2), Department of General Psychology, University of Padova.

Director of the Lifespan Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory (LCNL) Department of General Psychology, University of Padova.

 

Major Research interests

  • Use of brain imaging techniques in the life-span to understand the neural systems involved in cognitive functions
  • Develop novel interventions aimed at modulating psychological processes and improving the health and quality of life of patients with neurological disorders
  • Estimation of cortical connectivity in the life-span from high resolution EEG
  • Co-registration of EEG, fNIRS, TMS and tDCS data in the study of executive functions, time perception, and prospective memory in healthy persons and patients.

Francesca Simion

Francesca Simion is Senior Scholar MPSI-04 (Developmental Psychology), University School of Psychology, University of Padova, Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialisation  (DPSS)

 

Professor of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience and Developmental Cognitive Psychology.

Director of the Neonatal Lab, located in UOC Intensive Care Unit and Neonatal Pathology, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health Università di Padova- Azienda Ospedaliera.

Member of the Scientic Committees ERC and ANF.

 

Major Research interests

 The focus of my research is Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, the study of functional brain development over the first years of life. The key questions  concern  the innate predispositions of the human system at birth and how specialized cognitive functions emerge in the brain during development.

  • In the Neonatal Lab the perceptual and cognitive capabilities of the human system at birth are investigated by the use of behavioural testing methods
  • In the Infant eye tracker Lab researchs are carried out on the origin and development of the social brain. The focus are the attentional mechanimsm of the human system toward social stimuli in early infancy
  • In the EEG lab, through imaging (high density ERP),the neural bases of orienting toward social stimuli in early infancy are studied.

 

Research Gate

Gabriele Deidda

Gabriele Deidda is currently Lecturer in Biomedical Science at the Queen Mary University of London (Malta).

 

Dr Deidda obtained his Bachelor degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Palermo (Italy) in 2007, and his Master degree in Neurobiology at the University of Pisa (Italy) in 2009 with a thesis on the role of insuline-like growth factor (IGF-1) in the development of the visual system, under the supervision of Prof. Nicoletta Berardi. He obtained his PhD in Neuroscience at the Italian Institute of Technology in 2014 (Genoa, Italy) working in Dr Laura Cancedda’s Lab. During his PhD studies, Dr Deidda studied the role of GABAergic transmission during neurodevelopment, maldevelopment and plasticity using in vitro electrophysiological techniques and anatomical techniques including in utero electroporation and immunohistochemistry. Main findings of his PhD studies include i) a role for depolarizing GABA in the regulation of critical period plasticity in the visual system, and ii) an altered GABA polarity in the adult age accounting for cognitive deficits in an animal model of Down syndrome.

 

After his PhD and supported by an EMBO Fellowship, Dr Deidda moved first at Cardiff University (UK) and at the University Pierre and Marie Curie (Paris, France), and thereafter at the University of Malta (Malta) to investigate by means of in vitro patch clamp recordings the role of serotonergic (via 5-HT2C and 5-HT2A receptors) and cannabinoid systems in the modulation of aberrant thalamic extrasynaptic GABA current in animal models of absence epilepsy.

 

Research Interests

Neurodevelopment and plasticity; neurodevelopmental disorders; stroke; electrophysiology; thalamo-cortical networks; visual system; GABA.

 

Honors and Awards:

2017 – “Italy Made Me” Research Award, Italian Embassy, London, UK.

2016 – Excellent Paper in Neuroscience Award (EPNA), Riga, Latvia.

2016 – Long-Term EMBO Fellowship (UK).

2015 – Welcome Trust Fellowship (UK).

2015 – InEuropeShortStayGrant, IBRO.

2015 – Mention of honor, “Aldo Fasolo Neuroscience Award”, University of Turin, Italy.

2011 – Best poster award at the Molecular Mechanisms in Neuroscience meeting, Rome, Italy.

 

Publications:

Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0721-4971

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dAOBAVwAAAAJ&hl=en

Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55332049100

Marco Solmi

Marco Solmi is Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa, Canada.

 

He graduated in Medicine and Surgery in 2008, completed the residency “cum laude” in 2014, and visited as Research Scholar the Olin Neuropsychiatric Research Center, directed by prof. Godfrey Pearlson, Yale University, writing his residency thesis on evidence of altered brain function during an eating task in patients with obesity. He completed a Ph.D. in neurosciences at University of Padua in 2017, defending as final dissertation a thesis on multimodal (environmental, behavioral, genetic and neuroimaging) approach to study the gene by environment interaction in patients with eating disorders. From 2014 to 2017 he worked at Abano Hospital, Padua, Italy in the nutritional rehabilitation unit, administering a cognitive-behavioral treatment to patients affected by severe or complicated obesity, or eating disorders. From 2015 to 2017 he worked as a psychiatrist in NHS Mental Health Department, Monselice, Padua, Italy, treating patients with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, severe personality disorders, and eating disorders, in inpatient, outpatient and emergency units. From 2017 he is working with a Researcher position at University of Padua, and as a Psychiatrist at University Hospital of Padua.

He passed STEP 1 and 2 United States Medical License Examination, and has license to practice in Swiss Confederation.

 

As a researcher he is involved in the research project BIO.Ve.D.A. in regional eating disorder center, Padua, aiming at creating a biobank from patients affected by eating disorders, and participated in other research projects involving patients with schizophrenia. He is currently involved in recruitment and clinical, genetic and neuroimaging data collection of patients with eating disorders. Also, he is running several projects in the area of emta-research covering different fields os mental and physical health.

 

From 2015, he has spoken at national and international conferences, won national and international awards, and published more than 100 peer reviewed papers in international journals.

 

At the end of 2017 his H-index was 13 in Scopus, 18 in Google Scholar.

ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4877-7233

Scopus Author ID: 6507233742

Date of Birth 15/04/1983

Email: marco.solmi83@gmail.com

Daniela Palomba

Daniela Palomba, MD, is Professor Emeritus of Clinical Psychology, Department of General Psychology,  University of Padova.

 

Principal Appointments:

2013-17: Deputy Head Department of General Psychology, University of Padova.

2012-present: Member Venetian Regional Committee on Mental Health.

2012-16: President of the Master level Course Clinical Psychology, University of Padova.

2008-11(VIII): Deputy-Dean, (IX-XII) Dean, Faculty of Psychology, University of Padova.

2009-13: Member of the Scientific Committee, Department of General Psychology, Padova.

2008-2016: Board of the Doctorate Program in Psychological Sciences.

2007-08: Director of the Master in Traumatology and Emergency Psychology, University of Padova.

2006-08: President of the University Scientific Committee (Section Psychology), University of Padova.

2003-05: Member of the University Scientific Committee (Section Psychology), University of Padova; 2004-07: Committee Evaluation of Research (CIVR).

2000-present: Director of the  Psychophysiology Service, Laboratories for Applied and Clinical Psychological Research, University of Padova.

 

Main research interests:

  • Psychophysiology of emotion and anxiety disorders (affiliation to the NIMH-Center for the Study of Emotion and Attention, University of Florida, USA). Autonomic and central nervous system (ERPs) correlates of unpleasant affective dispositions, including the freezing or fainting response (e.g. vaso-vagal syncope, blood-phobia).
  • Anxiety and stress responses associated with primary and white-coat hypertension (member of HARVESt, Hypertension and Ambulatory Recording VEnetia Study). Autonomic (HRV) and central (EEG-bands) correlates of depressive symptoms and their association with cardiovascular disorders (affiliation to CIRMANMEC, Center for Research Models on Neuropsychic Disorders in Clinical Medicine, University of Padova).
  • Biofeedback e Neurofeedback. Biofeedback-assisted rehabilitation of autonomic dysfunctions associated with mood, anxiety and stress disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorders (grant ANMIL, Italian Association for Victims of work-related accidents); EEG-Neurofeedback for depression, emotional regulation, attention deficits and impulsive symptoms (affiliation to CNC, Center of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Padova).

 

Useful links:

http://scholar.google.it/citations?user=sOG1gm4AAAAJ&hl=it

http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Daniela_Palomba

Daniela Pietrobon

Daniela Pietrobon is Senior Scholar of Physiology, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences,  University of Padova.

 

Education and training

1979, University of Padova, Laurea in Chemistry, Magna cum Laude.
1979-1982, Research Fellow, Institute of General Pathology, University of Padova: Energy transduction in mitochondria.
1984-1985, Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept of Membrane Research, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel: Non-equilibrium thermodynamics of oxidative phosphorylation and kinetic modelling of mitochondrial H+ pumps.
1987-1990, Postdoctoral Fellow, Dept of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Harvard Medical School, U.S.A.: Biophysics of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels.

 

Employment and Research experience

1983-1991, CNR Researcher, Institute of General Pathology, University of Padova: Energy transduction in mitochondria.
1991-1993, CNR Director of Research, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Univ. of Padova: Biophysics and physiology of neuronal Ca2+ channels.
1993-2000 Associate Professor of General Physiology (Faculty of Sciences), Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, Univ. of Padova: Biophysics and physiology of neuronal Ca2+ channels.
2000-, Professor of Physiology, Dept. of Biomedical Sciences,  Univ. of Padova: Calcium channelopathies of the central nervous system; migraine pathophysiology.

 

Honors, Professional Memberships and Committees

1985, Luigi Galvani Prize of the Bioelectrochemical Society.
1996-2000 Member of Council of the Italian Society of Pure and Applied Biophysics.
1996-2002 Member of Council of IUPAB (Int. Union of Pure and Applied Biophysics).
2000-2003, Coordinator of the PhD Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Pathology, Univ. of Padova.
2001, National Prize “President of the Republic” in Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences awarded by the Accademia dei Lincei.
2005-2015, Coordinator of the PhD Program in Neurobiology, PhD School of Biosciences, Univ of Padova.
2011-  Member of the Venetian Institute of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Alessandro Martini

Alessandro Martini is Honorary Professor of Otorhinolaryngology, Padova University School of Medicine.

 

Previous Chief of ENT and  of Padova Hospital Neurosciences and Sense Organs Department; previous Director Universitary Neurocience Dept. and Bioacoustic Laboratory, University of Padova.

 

Major Research Interests

  • Genetic causes of deafness and on malformation pathology of ear, cochlear implants and implantable prothesis. Principal Investigator in many Italian and European research projects  (HEAR, GenDeaf, RegenEar).
  • In the Laboratory of Bioacoustics is carried out a research on molecular and in vitro cellular on neuronaland resulting organ of Corti cell lines, in order to analyze the causes of hearing disorders and correlated therapies.
  • The research team has already had experience in studies of cell regeneration in the inner ear, and since long time have already been studying the mechanisms that modulate the ototoxic damage and protection from it, using a tissue neurosensorial progenitor cells supplied from House Ear Institute in Los Angeles.
  • The principal areas of interest are the following: Ototoxicity and ear protection. In  our laboratory we will  perform toxicity and protection tests on both hair cells that neuronal population involved in transduction of auditory signal.
  • Regenerative medicine. The center has been involved, as the only Italian partner, in the study and experimentation about the possible regenerative activity of the organ of Corti in an Italian- English project. Currently it also collaborate with the research group of Dr. M Rivolta (Centre for Stem Cell Biology, Department of Biomedical Science, The University of Sheffieldper, UK) for the engineering of human stem cells.

 

Link ResearchGate

Angelo Bisazza

Angelo Bisazza is Professor Emeritus of Psychobiology at the University of Padova and member of the Accademia Galileiana.

 

His early research focused on inter- and intra-specific diversity in reproductive strategies in teleost fishes with emphasis on evolution of male ornaments through female mate choice. In early nineties, he described the presence of functional brain asymmetries in fish and amphibians and later he investigated the genetic and environmental factors influencing the direction and strength of brain asymmetries in fish as well as the selective advantages and the disadvantages of cerebral lateralisation.

 

In recent years his research addressed the evolution of cognitive abilities in vertebrates, investigating in particular the mechanisms underlying numerical abilities in teleost fishes.

 

Link to Google scholar

Carlo Semenza

Carlo Semenza is Professor Emeritus at the Dept. of Neuroscience, University  of Padova.

 

He graduated in Medicine, 17-7-1974, Diploma in Psychiatry, 26-7-1978 , University  of Padova.

 

Former Positions:

Full Professor, University  of Padova (since 2008);

Full Professor of Neuropsychology University of Trieste, Italy (1995-2008).
Head of the Dept. of Psychology University of Trieste (1997-2000);
Head of Clinical Psychology School Trieste (1997-2000-2002);
Associate Professor University of Padova (1980-1995).

 

Research Fellow, Boston VA Hospital, 1977-1978, 1981, 1983.

 

Visiting Professor/Teaching: University  of Melbourne (1988), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (1991), Boston University, (1991), Victoria University (1997), University of Athens, 2010, 2012, 2013, Basque Center for Cognition, Brain and Language, San Sebastian (2013).

 

Founder-organiser European Workshop on Cognitive Neuropsychology, Bressanone, Italy, 1983-present.

 

NATO Study Visit Grants: 1983, (Boston VA, Univ Oregon, Univ Montreal), NATO Twinning Grant , 1987, 1990, (UCLondon), 1994 (UCLondon, USC Los Angeles).
UE MC Grants for the Study of Mathematical Cognition 1991-1993, 2000-2003, 2004-2008.

 

Publications on Nature, Brain, Language and Cognitive Processes, Cognitive Neuropsychology, Neuropsychologia, Journal of Cognitive Neurosciences, Neurocase, Cortex, Brain and Language, Brain and Cognition, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, Neuropsychoanalysis, Journal of Neurolinguistics, Journal of Memory and Language, Memory and Cognition, Memory, Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, Neuroscience Letters, Behavioral and Brain Sciences, Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, The Mental Lexicon, Journal of Neurosurgery, Perceptual and Motor Skills, Acta Psychologica, Journal of the Neurological Science, Perception, NeuroImage, etc. and internationally published book chapters.

 

In the Board of Editors of Brain and Language, Mathematical Cognition, Journal of Neurolinguistics, Neuropsicologia Latina, Neuropsychoanalysis, Mental Lexicon, Neuropsychologia, Frontiers on Language Sciences.

 

Affiliations:

  • International Neuropsychology Symposium, Academy of Aphasia (member Board of Governors), World Federation of Neurology, Società Italiana Neuropsicologia.
  • Member of the Academia Europæa ( https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Semenza_Carlo ) since 2020.