Lucia Ciranna

Prof. Lucia Ciranna

CURRICULUM VITAE

Personal details

Surname: Ciranna

First name: Lucia

Date of birth: 

Marital status: married

Nationality: italian.

University address:

Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Sezione di Fisiologia

Università di Catania

Torre Biologica, Via Santa Sofia 97, 95123, Catania, Italy.

Tel. (+39) 095 4781312

e-mail: ciranna@unict.it

education

Degree in Pharmacy

7^th november 1989, University of Catania

Duration of studies: 5 years (1984-1989). Evaluation mark: 110/110 e lode (highest).

Title of thesis: "Identificazione di recettori per la serotonina nel nucleo di Deiters" (identification of serotonin receptors in Deiters’ nucleus).

 

PhD in Neuroscience

16^th october 1995, Louis Pasteur University of Strasbourg (France)

Duration of research: 4 years. Evaluation mark: "Très onorable avec félicitations du Jury" (highest)

Title of PhD thesis: "Modulation of voltage-dependent calcium currents by serotonin in the intermediate lobe of the pituitary".

Composition of the Jury: Prof. Paul Feltz (Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France); Prof. Annette Dolphin (Royal Free Hospital, School of Medicine, London, U.K.); Prof. Jurgen Hescheler (Institut fur Pharmakologie, Koln, Deutschland); Prof Pascal Bousquet (Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France); Prof Francesca Santangelo (Università di Catania, Italia); Dr. Martin Galvan (Marion Merrel Dow research Institute, Strasbourg, France).

 

 

Post-graduate research experience

 

1989-1990

Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiologiche,Università di Catania

6, Viale Andrea Doria, 95125 Catania, Italy

Supervisor: Prof. Francesca Santangelo

Research subject: effects of serotonin and noradrenaline on neuronal electrical activity in the vestibular nuclei.

 

1990-1994

Laboratoire de Physiologie Générale, Université Louis Pasteur

21, rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France

Position: PhD student

Supervisors:  Prof. Paul Feltz & Dr. Rémy Schlichter

Research subject: effects of serotonin on voltage -dependent calcium (Ca2+) channels and on intracellular free Ca2+ concentration [Ca2+]i in neuroendocrine cells of rat hypophyseal intermediate lobe.

 

1994- 2006:

Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiologiche, Università di Catania

6, viale Andrea Doria, 95125 Catania, ITALY.

Position: Researcher for the Faculty of Pharmacy.

Research subjects:

• effects of serotonin and noradrenaline on the firing activity of neurons of the rat red nucleus; interaction between GABA and NA in the control of neuronal activity in the red nucleus;
• effects of the neuropeptides PACAP and VIP on glutamate-mediated synaptic transmission in the hippocampus.

 

28^th october - 28^th december 1998:

Laboratory of Adaptive Systems, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

N.I.H., Building 36, Room B205, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, U.S.A.

Supervisors: Dr Daniel Alkon e Dr. Bernard Schreurs.

Research subject: brain slice preparation for project Biotech BIO4-98-0517.

 

From 2006 to present:

Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiologiche (since 2011 Dipartimento di Scienze Bio-Mediche)

Università di Catania, 6, viale Andrea Doria, 95125 Catania, ITALY.

Position: Associate Professor of Physiology.

Research subjects: effects of serotonin on glutamate-mediated synaptic transmission and on long-term synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus in wild type and in Fmr1 KO mice, an animal model of Fragile X syndrome; pharmacological evaluation of new compounds acting on AMPA and on NMDA receptors for glutamate.

08/02/2012 : qualification to the function of Professeur des Université (France), section 69 (Neurosciences). Qualification No.: 12169226456.

03/08/2018: qualification to the function of Professore Ordinario, settore 05/D1 Fisiologia (Full Professor of Physiology) , Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale, Ministero dell’Istruzione , dell’Università e della Ricerca (MIUR), Italy.

 

 

research grants

2023-2025 Scientific director of Research Unit in project “Investigating the role of transposable elements in physiological and pathological genetic and molecular mechanisms involved in the development of the nervous system in animal models. Searching for pathways and future therapies for neurological diseases”, project P2022XPAW4 financed by Italian Ministry of University (MUR, call PRIN 2022 PNRR); research unit funding 124.500 euros; total project funding 249.000 euros.

2022 Principal investigator of project “Neurons and astrocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells derived from Fragile X Syndrome patients: a human model to validate animal studies and develop new patient-targeted treatments”, Università di Catania, call CHANCE 2022, funding: euros 10.000.

2018-2021: Principal investigator and PhD supervisor of project: “Serotonin receptors as new pharmacological targets for Fragile X Syndrome”, PhD grant financed by Italian Ministry of Research and Education (MIUR, call PON Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020).

2018-2020: collaboration to the research project: “Identification of the influence of the knockout of the 5-HT7 receptor gene on the structure and functions of mouse DRN neurons”, PI Prof Grzegorz Hess (Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland), funded by the National Science Center, Poland (project no. UMO-2017/27/B/NZ4/01527).

2017-2018: Principal Investigator of research project: “Gs-coupled serotonin receptors as novel pharmacological targets in neurodevelopmental disorders”, Università di Catania, call CHANCE 2017, funding: euros 10.000.

2013-2016: Principal Investigator of research project: “Activation of serotonin type 7 (5-HT₇) receptors as a novel therapeutic strategy in Fragile X Syndrome”, financed by Telethon Foundation (2013, grant n. GGP13145). Total amount of funding: euros 330.000.

2013-2014: Principal Investigator of research project: “Preclinical evaluation of serotonin type 7 (5-HT7) receptor agonists as novel pharmacological tools in Fragile X Syndrome”, financed by FRAXA Research Foundation (call 2013), U.S.A. Total amount of funding: U.S. dollars 66.000.

2014: participation to research project FIR 2014 “Modulazione della trasmissione spinale degli stimoli nocicettivi nella demenza di Alzheimer”, PI Prof. Agata Copani, , Università di Catania.

2008-2010: Principal Investigator of research project PRIN 2007L92XSP financed by the Italian Ministry of Research and Education (MIUR).Title of project: Neurotransmitter-mediated regulation of AMPA receptor function: implications in physiological transmission and pathology. Total amount of funding: euros 127.142.

2003-2004: participation to projet PRIN 2002 (2002051388_007, PI: Prof. Vincenzo Perciavalle, University of Catania), financed by MIUR. Title of project: Noradrenergic modulation of vestibular nuclei responsiveness to GABA and glutamate.

2001-2002: participation to projet PRIN 2000 (MM05082288_005, PI Prof. Federico Cicirata, University of Catania), financed by MIUR. Title of project: Role of noradrenaline in the modulation of cerebellar and vestibular output. 

1998-2000: participation to European projet Biotech BIO4-98-0517 “Physiological functions of PACAP/VIP receptors in the nervous system”. (PI: Dr. Sebastiano Cavallaro, Istituto di Bioimmagini e Fisiopatologia del Sistema Nervoso Centrale, C.N.R. Catania, Italy).

1992: Individual short-term fellowship (3 months) from European Science Foundation (Strasbourg, France).

 

Revision of articles

Journal of Neurochemistry (Blackwell, U.S.A.); Pharmacological Research (Elsevier, The Netherlands), Molecular Brain Research (Elsevier, The Netherlands); Frontiers in Neuropharmacology (Frontiers Journals); International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience (Elsevier); Hippocampus (Wiley); PLOS One (U.S.A.); The Journal of Physiology (London); Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience (Frontiers Journals); Biological Psychiatry (Elsevier); CNS Spectrums (Cambridge Journals); Neurobiology of aging (Elsevier); British Journal of Pharmacology (Elsevier); Frontiers in Neuroscience (Frontiers Journals); Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (Elsevier); Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience (Frontiers Journals); Archiv der Pharmazie (Wiley); Behavioral Brain Research (Elsevier); CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics (Wiley); Front. Synaptic Neurosci (Frontiers Journals); Psychopharmacology (Springer); Molecular Neurobiology (Springer); Neuropharmacology (Elsevier); Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience (Frontiers); Molecular Medicine (Springer); International Journal of Molecular Sciences (MDPI); Translational Neuroscience (De Gruyter); European Journal of Neuroscience (Wiley).

 

Editorial Board membership

International Journal of Neurology Research; Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience; Current Neuropharmacology; Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience.

 

Revision of grant applications

2004: Health Research Board, Ireland, (PhD Training Sites 2004).

2012: Wellcome Trust/ DBT India Alliance.

2013: Italian Ministry of Education and University (MIUR; projects PRIN2012 and FIRB 2013).

2015: Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (France), call: “Pathophysiology of Psychiatric Diseases”.

2017: Medical Research Council (U.K.), call: MRC-Industry Asset Sharing.

2017: National Science Center (Poland), call: OPUS, NCN panel NZ4

2018: Medical Research Council (U.K.), call: Research Boards Jan 2018 Submissions.

2018: National Science Center (Poland), call OPUS, NCN panel NZ3.

2020: National Science Center (Poland), call: OPUS-18, NCN panel NZ4.

2021: National Science Center (Poland), call: OPUS, Reg. n. 2021/41/B/NZ4/02603, NCN panel NZ4.

2022: Wellcome trust/DBT India Alliance Fellowship application review (IA/I/22/1/506224).

 

Revision of scientific books

2015 to present-: Member of the Jury for the National Prize of Scientific Publication “Premio Nazionale di Divulgazione Scientifica”, Associazione Italiana del Libro.

 

Affiliation to Scientific societies

2009-2018 Society for Neuroscience (SfN); 2013 European Mind and Metabolism Association (EMMA); 2017-present: Italian Society for Neuroscience (SINS); 2005-present: Società Italiana di Fisiologia (SIF).

 

Teaching experience

1^st june – 30^th november 1990: "Maitre de conference invité" in Physiology, Louis Pasteur University of Strasbourg (France);

1999-2004:“Chemical composition of dietary food”, School of Pharmacy of Catania University (Italy);

2000-2001:“Endocrinology”, School of Pharmacy of Catania University (Italy);

2003-2009:“Physiology of Nutrition”, School of Pharmacy of Catania University (Italy).

2009-2018:“Human Physiology”, School of Pharmacy of Catania University.

2018-: “Physiology”, Degree in Speech and Language Therapy, University of Catania.

2018-: “Physiology of Nutrition”, Degree in Biotechnology, University of Catania

2012 -: “Physiology and Biophysics”, School of Medicine of Catania University.

2006-2008: Member of Doctorate Board of the PhD School in Applied Biomedical Sciences (Scienze Biomediche Applicate, University of Catania).

2010-2012: Member of Doctorate Board of the PhD School in Neuroscience, University of Catania.

2018 -: Member of Doctorate Board of the PhD School in Biotechnologies, University of Catania.

2006 -: Mentor and supervisor of graduate students of the School of Pharmacy, University of Catania.

2016 -: Mentor and supervisor of graduate students, Scuola Superiore, University of Catania.

2017: Member of the Jury for a PhD thesis in Biomedicine and Neuroscience, Università di Palermo, Italy.

2017: Member of the Jury for a PhD thesis in Neuroscience, Universitas Miguel Hernandez, Alicante, Spain.

2017: Member of the Jury for a PhD thesis in Neuroscience, Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg (France).

2018-2021: Member of the Advisory Board  (Thesis Follow-up Committee, TFC) for Mr Sebastien Delhaye, PhD student, University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis, Nice (France).

2017-2018: Organization and supervision of lectures: “Synaptic dysfunction in cognitive diseases: pathophysiology mechanisms and new therapeutic perspectives”, Scuola Superiore di Catania, Università degli Studi di Catania (Italy).

2017-: Learning agreement with Prof. Vincenzo Crunelly (University of Cardiff, UK) for research training of undergraduate students of Cardiff University (Professional Training Year, PTY).

2019-2020: Organization and supervision of lectures: “Sports medicine in the third millennium: new trends in nutrition, pharmacology, psychology and cognition, with regard to new legislative rules”, Scuola Superiore di Catania, Università degli Studi di Catania (Italy).

2021-2022: Scientific supervisor of the students Holly Griffiths and Olivia Squire, Professional Training Year, University of Cardiff, U.K., for a 9-months research training period (1^st October 2021- 30^th June 2022) at the University of Catania.

2022- Member of the Teaching Committee, PhD in Biotecnologies, University of Catania.