Pisa, Tuscany, Italy
I am a fifth-year Medical Student in Pisa. My interests lead me to explore the intricacies of the human mind using all available tools. I am particularly fascinated by human emotions and the disruptions to our inner perception caused by disease, which fuels my desire to help others as a doctor. In addition, I am eager to study neural physiology through research. I am currently exploring the most suitable research tools for this field and enhancing my skills in computational and mathematical methods, complementing the biology I study at university.
• Supervisors: Dr. Mohammed Sarikahya in Dr. Sheena Josselyn's Lab • Aim of the project: the cellular and molecular mechanism through which chronic social stress causes fear memory generalization in mouse model
• Supervisors: Dott. Cristina Spalletti in Prof. Vincenzo Lionetti’s Lab • Aim of the project: proving the cardioprotective and potentially neuroprotective role of beta-glucan based diet in obese, stressed and stroke mice • Acquired Skills: o Mice Motor Tests: Shalert (Cylinder) Test, Grid Walk, o Mice behavioural Tests: Open Field o Parameter measurement: Heart-Ultrasound, EEG, ECG o Mice Rehabilitation Program: Motor Task + Transcranial Alternate Current Stimulation o Brain Slicing at the Cryotome o Confocal Microscopy and Immunohistochemistry of Brain Slices
• Within the Amgen Scholar Program LMU 2024; • Supervisors: Sowmya Narayan in prof. Mathias Schmidt's lab; • Aim of the project: Analysis the sex-dependent responses in mice to developmental stress and treatment with psilocybin; • Acquired dry lab skills: DeepLabCut and DeepOF to analyse mice behaviour; • Acquired wet lab skills: mouse brain slicing and nuclei extraction for RNA sequencing; • The work have been presented in two poster sessions: at the Biocenter in Munich and at the Symposium held in Cambridge
• Supervisors: by Dr. Chiara Milanese in prof. Pier Giorgio Mastroberardino's lab • Aim of the project: Study lactate exchange between tumour and neurons. • Acquired laboratory skills: cell culture, FRET technology, confocal microscopy, software Fiji. • Learnt from shadowing other researchers: RNA/DNA extraction, immunofluorescent staining, Western blot, electrophoresis, and spectroscopy. • Wrote an essay entitled "Tumour and neurons: reciprocal benefits from lactate exchange" and presented it during the annual oral dissertation at Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies.
Shadowed researchers in prof. Vincenzo Lionetti’s lab • Aim of the project: role of exosomes in cardiovascular disease • Acquired Skills: cell culture, electrophoresis, use of confocal microscope Shadowed researchers in prof. Debora Angeloni’s lab • Aim of the project: modification of primary cilium in microgravity • Acquired Skills: cell culture, work in a sterile environment