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Contacts

Staff Structures

LAURA CIVIERO

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Position

Professoressa Associata

Address

VIA U. BASSI, 58/B - PADOVA

Telephone

0498276233

Notices

Publications



1: Giusti V, Kaur G, Giusto E, Civiero L. Brain clearance of protein aggregates: a close-up on astrocytes. Mol Neurodegener. 2024 Jan 16;19(1):5. doi: 10.1186/s13024-024-00703-1. PMID: 38229094

2: Iovino L, Giusti V, Pischedda F, Giusto E, Plotegher N, Marte A, Battisti I, Di Iacovo A, Marku A, Piccoli G, Bandopadhyay R, Perego C, Bonifacino T, Bonanno G, Roseti C, Bossi E, Arrigoni G, Bubacco L, Greggio E, Hilfiker S, Civiero L. Trafficking of the glutamate transporter is impaired in LRRK2-related Parkinson's disease. Acta Neuropathol. 2022 Jul;144(1):81-106. doi: 10.1007/s00401-022-02437-0. Epub 2022 May 21. PMID: 35596783

3: Streubel-Gallasch L, Giusti V, Sandre M, Tessari I, Plotegher N, Giusto E, Masato A, Iovino L, Battisti I, Arrigoni G, Shimshek D, Greggio E, Tremblay ME, Bubacco L, Erlandsson A, Civiero L. Parkinson's Disease-Associated LRRK2 Interferes with Astrocyte-Mediated Alpha-Synuclein Clearance. Mol Neurobiol. 2021 Jul;58(7):3119-3140. doi: 10.1007/s12035-021-02327-8. Epub 2021 Feb 24. PMID: 33629273

4: Iovino L, Tremblay ME, Civiero L. Glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in Parkinson's disease: The role of glial cells. J Pharmacol Sci. 2020 Nov;144(3):151-164. doi: 10.1016/j.jphs.2020.07.011. Epub 2020 Aug 1. PMID: 32807662

5: Iovino L, VanderZwaag J, Kaur G, Khakpour M, Giusti V, Donadon M, Chiavegato A, Tenorio-Lopes L, Greggio E, Tremblay ME, Civiero L. Investigation of microglial diversity in a LRRK2 G2019S mouse model of Parkinson's disease. Neurobiol Dis. 2024 Jun 1;195:106481. doi: 10.1016/j.nbd.2024.106481. Epub 2024 Mar 26. PMID: 38527708

6: Serpe C, Monaco L, Relucenti M, Iovino L, Familiari P, Scavizzi F, Raspa M, Familiari G, Civiero L, D'Agnano I, Limatola C, Catalano M. Microglia-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Reduce Glioma Growth by Modifying Tumor Cell Metabolism and Enhancing Glutamate Clearance through miR-124. Cells. 2021 Aug 12;10(8):2066. doi: 10.3390/cells10082066. PMID: 34440835

7: Tremblay ME, Cookson MR, Civiero L. Glial phagocytic clearance in Parkinson's disease. Mol Neurodegener. 2019 Apr 5;14(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s13024-019-0314-8. PMID: 30953527

Research Area

We study astrocytes and their interactions with other brain cells, particularly neurons and microglia. These cells play a crucial role in maintaining brain homeostasis and responding to various neurological disorders. Investigating how astrocytes contribute to disease offers promising avenues for developing new medical treatments.

Astrocytes are increasingly recognized as key modulators in a range of brain pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases. Our recent research shows that astrocytes exhibit impaired ability to clear neurotoxic molecules in models of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer’s disease. We are currently exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying astrocyte-mediated phagocytic clearance using unbiased, high-throughput approaches.To characterize dysfunctional glial cell phenotypes, we employ a variety of models, including in vitro systems (murine glial cells and iPSC-derived astrocytes), ex vivo (organotypic brain slices), and in vivo models (mouse and zebrafish). Our goal is to identify novel glial biomarkers of disease and to screen potential therapeutic drugs.

Thesis proposals

Project 1: Identification of glia biomarkers in brain diseases
Project 2: Unraveling the molecular mechanisms of glia-mediated phagocytic clearance
Project 3: Targeting glia reactivity in a model of neurodegeneration