INTERVIEW

Can you describe your educational and professional background?

I completed my studies in Palermo and gained international experience through the Erasmus period. I have a background in Molecular and Health Biology with hands-on experience in neurobiology. During my research training—carried out as part of my Master’s thesis during an Erasmus exchange period—I worked on intracerebral hemorrhage, developing a robust in vitro model based on primary cortical neuron cultures to study mechanisms of neuronal damage. Through this experience, I strengthened my practical laboratory skills, including primary cell culture, immunocytochemistry, Western blotting, caspase-3 activation assays, and microscopy.

What prompted you to apply as a doctoral candidate within the Doctoral Network?

My main motivation is wanting to do research, to continue learning every day, and to discover the mysteries that lie behind the sphere of neurodegenerative diseases, in such a way that I can be able hopefully in the future to make a difference for many people.

What does your research consist on?

My project aims to study how electrical and nanomechanical stimulation can synergistically influence the neuronal differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Using functionalized nanometric platforms, the goal is to guide PSCs toward mature neuronal phenotypes through the controlled application of electrical and topographical stimuli. In the first phase, I will analyze how the combined stimulation affects cell adhesion, lineage commitment, and neuronal differentiation in 2D cultures of human PSCs, with particular attention to midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Subsequently, the most efficient protocols will be applied to 3D models of brain organoids derived from PSCs, evaluating how stimulation parameters modulate maturation, tissue complexity, and emerging functional activity. A complementary objective is to optimize stimulation parameters (frequency, amplitude, and topography) in nanostructured scaffolds to promote synaptic connectivity and neuronal functionality within organoids. In addition, the project will validate the use of magnetic nanosensors to monitor electrical activity during the differentiation process, providing an innovative tool for the dynamic study of developing neuronal networks. This multidisciplinary approach, combining neurobiology, nanotechnology, and tissue engineering, could offer new perspectives on the molecular and biophysical mechanisms that regulate neurogenesis.

More information on NeuroNanotech

This Programme is supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks. Grant agreement ID: 101169352.