Ferdinando Rossi

Rita Levi Montalcini Centre for Brain Repair

The Rita Levi Montalcini Centre is an Interdepartmental Institution of the University of Turin, made up  of about twenty research groups (over 100 researchers) active in the field of brain repair. The Department of Neuroscience consists of four sections, three devoted to clinical research (sections of Neurology, Psychiatry, Neurosurgery) and one to basic neuroscience (section of Physiology). The section of Physiology, where the host laboratory is located, comprises several independent groups active in different aspects of neurobiology, including structural plasticity and regeneration, synaptogenesis and synaptic plasticity, biophysics of ionic channels, integrative mechanisms in the somatosensory system. The Rossi laboratory works on cell replacement and axon regeneration in the mammalian CNS, with special focus on cerebellum. The laboratory is also part of another local network, the Neurotransplant Project, which includes several groups in the University of Turin working on cell replacement and neurogenesis.

The Rita Levi Montalcini Center investigates basic mechanisms that may allow cell replacement and circuit rewiring in the CNS, and particularly in the cerebellum. Two main research lines are followed. The first topic of research is cell-environment interactions responsible for specification of stem/progenitor cells, including spontaneous or inducible neurogenic potential of adult CNS tissue. The second research line studies intrinsic neuronal properties for axon growth, regeneration and plasticity, and the relevant regulatory mechanisms.

Ferdinando Rossi    Professor        axon regeneration, transplantation

Annalisa Buffo        Assist. Professor    axon regeneration, transplantation
Daniela Carulli        Assist. Professor    CNS extracelllar matrix
Sara Gianola        Post-doc        Purkinje axon growth/regeneration
Ketty Leto        PhD student        cerebellar development and repair
Alice Bartolini        PhD student        cerebellar development and repair
Ian Martin Williams    PhD Student        cerebellar transplantation

Selected Publications
1.Corvetti L, Rossi F (2005) Degradation of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans induces sprouting of intact Purkinje axons in the cerebellum of the adult rat. J Neurosci 25:7150-7158.
2.Leto K, Carletti B, Williams IM, Magrassi L, Rossi F (2006) Different types of cerebellar GABAergic interneurons originate from a common pool of multipotent progenitor cells. J Neurosci 26:11682-11694.
3. Rossi F, Gianola S, Corvetti L (2007) Regulation of intrinsic neuronal properties for axon growth and regeneration. Prog Neurobiol 8:1-28

Training and transfer of knowledge environment
The students will be enrolled in the Neuroscience PhD programme at the University of Turin, lasting four years. Students carry out their research projects in the supervisor laboratory and participate to common training and teaching activities, including practical courses, theoretical lectures held by faculty members, ad hoc seminars held by external invited speakers. Students will be integrated in research teams, including a senior scientist, postdocs, PhD students and technicians. There are wide possibilities of interaction with other groups in the Center as well as in other laboratories at the University of Turin.
Additional information on the is available at the PhD programme website:

http://dott-neuroscienze.campusnet.unito.it/cgi-bin/home.pl