GRK II: PhD Students (2020-2023)
Eugenia Vivi
Neuron-glia interaction in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) “Understanding the plasticity of glia-neuron interactions in emotional dysfunction”
I graduated in the Pharmacy Master’s degree at the University of Modena and Reggio-Emilia, Italy. During my undergraduate studies, I had the great opportunity to work on my Master’s thesis research in an interdisciplinary project at the intersection of neuroscience and osteoscience at the University of Ulm, Germany. It was an enriching opportunity, which cemented my desire to pursue a future career in research. Accordingly, I would like to engage my interest in exploring the field of neurological disorders focusing on the discovery of new therapeutic targets.
As part of the GRK emotion program, my PhD research project is aiming at unravelling the astrocyte role in the onset of neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly in respect to major depressive disorder (MDD). In this framework, we are interested in deciphering how dysfunctional changes in astrocytes might influence the glia-neuron interactions and vice versa. Understanding the glia-neuron interaction, and in what way astrocytes affect synapses, might help to optimize current approaches or to develop alternative therapies for the treatment of socio-emotional disorders.
Luisa Demarchi
The neurobiology behind bond disruptions: When a mother loses her child
I achieved my B.Sc. degree in Biology from the University of Turin (Italy). I continued my master studies in Medical Biotechnologies at the same University and my ongoing interest in the field of neurobiology led me to the composition of my master’s thesis “A study of the effects of early maternal environment and different genetic and pharmacological manipulations on behavior and brain expression of perineuronal nets in adult mice” at the Neuroscience Institute of the Cavalieri Ottolenghi Foundation (Orbassano-Turin).
In the GRK, the aim of my project is the investigation of the behavioral and neural mechanisms in the mother's brain following separation from the pups. The project will continue in a translational animal model, i.e. monogamous and biparental prairie vole. The ultimate goal is the understanding of the neurobiological basis underlying the emotional changes resulting from losing the young or the partner and the better understanding of the evolutionary and neurobiological origin for the capacity to form social bonds.
Laura Boi
After my undergraduate studies in Industrial Biotechnology at the University of Cagliari, I graduated with a Master's degree in Neuropsychobiology at the same university. During my master internship I had the chance to study neuroendocrinology in the laboratory of Alessandra Concas, which led