MSCA Fellow: Claudia Cecchetto

A Global Fellowship between Italy and Japan to provide a strong impact on basic neuroscience: Claudia is studying the propagation of sensory information within the barrel cortex and her work ethic is a great example of worldwide research and information exchange.

Claudia Cecchetto is a biophysicist specialised in in vivo electrophysiological recordings from the rodent primary somatosensory cortex. She obtained her PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Padua in 2016, where she then worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow.

In 2017 she was awarded a Canon Foundation Research Fellowship and in 2018 she received an MSCA Global Fellowship.

Can you explain your project to us? What are the objectives of your research?

The GRACE project (high-resolution imaging of the barrel cortex through VSD and LFP recordings) aims to develop an innovative and advanced dual approach to study the barrel cortex in mice, combining Voltage Sensitive Dye (VSD) imaging and high-resolution electrical recordings. The research will be carried out between Japan and Italy: at OIST (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology) in Okinawa, Japan, during the initial outgoing phase, and at the Department of Biomedical Sciences (DSB) of the University of Padua during the return phase. The research results will have a strong impact on basic neuroscience, providing novel insights into the propagation of sensory information within the barrel cortex.

Why did you choose to apply for an MSCA-IF? What do you think an MSCA-IF represents in a researcher’s career?

I chose to apply for an MSCA-IF Global Fellowship in order to have the opportunity to spend a period conducting research at OIST, in Japan, and then to transfer my newly acquired skills and knowledge to the lab where I had previously carried out my PhD work, in Padua, under the supervision of Professor Stefano Vassanelli.

Why did you choose to apply with the University of Padua as Host Institution and what tips would you share with a researcher who is thinking of applying for an MSCA-IF?

Padua is a great environment in which to conduct research, and I think that funding opportunities such as MSCA are essential for improving the quality and level of scientific projects.
I strongly recommend that future researchers wishing to apply for an MSCA-IF take part in the MSCA MaRaThoN; it is a good opportunity to meet experts and experienced MSC evaluators and to make use of their tips and advice when writing your project proposal.