EDUCATION:
1987 - Pharmacy Degree, University of Ferrara, Italy.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
PRESENT POSITIONS
Full Professor of Pharmacology, Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Italy.
Adjunct Faculty Position, Psychiatric Department, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore (MD, USA).
Deputy Director of the Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara.
Vice-Chairs of the Value Chain “Pharmaceutical and Omic Sciences (POSERR)”, “Clust-ER Health” (Clust-ER Industrie della Salute e del Benessere), Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy (https://health.clust-er.it/en/value-chain-2/).
Senior Research Member, IRET Foundation, Ozzano Emilia, Italy (https://iret-foundation.org/).
Member of the Scientific Committee of Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA -- Tecnopolo), University of Ferrara (https://ltta.tecnopoloferrara.it/animal_facility.php?lang=ENG).
Chair of “Organismo Preposto al Benessere Animale (OPBA)” [Animal Welfare Body (AWB)], University of Ferrara.
PREVIOUS POSITIONS AND EMPLOYMENT
2002-Dec 2018: Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Italy.
2011- Researcher affiliated to the Laboratory for Technology of Advanced Therapy - Biotechnology applied to medicine, “Tecnopolo” University of Ferrara, Italy.
2008-10 Member of the work group on Translational Medicine, BioPharmanet Laboratory, Regione Emilia-Romagna, Italy.
2001-2002: Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Pharmacology University of Ferrara, Italy.
August 1994 – Feb 1995: Visiting Scientist, Department of Neurosciences (Chair, Prof. Kjell Fuxe), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden).
1994-2001 Research Contract, Clinical Pharmacology Unit, S. Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
1991 - 2002 “Research associate (Tecnico laureato, D4)”, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Pharmacology University of Ferrara, Italy.
1989 Graduated Student, University of Ferrara, Italy.
1988 Glaxo Fellowship, University of Ferrara, Italy.
TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFER:
Company Partner of TransMed Research s.r.l. (TMR), an innovative GLP-compliant contract research organization specialized in neuroscience, wound healing and reparative medicine (https://transmed-research.com/).
Vice-Chairs of the Value Chain “Pharmaceutical and Omic Sciences (POSERR)”, “Clust-ER Health” (Clust-ER Industrie della Salute e del Benessere), Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy. It is an association made up of large companies, SMEs, laboratories of the High Technology Network, research centers, health facilities and training institutions that share skills, ideas and resources to support the competitiveness of the Health Industries and Wellness of Emilia-Romagna (https://health.clust-er.it/en/).
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
1995 – present: Italian Society of Pharmacology.
2004 – present: International Cannabinoid Research Society.
2008 – present: International Society for Neurochemistry.
2015 – present: European Society of Neurochemistry.
2015 – present: Society for Neuroscience (SfN)
2019 – present: Mediterranean Neurosciences Society
HONORS
1988-89 Glaxo Fellowship, University of Ferrara, Italy.
1994-1995 Research Fellow, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
PUBLICATIONS:
Authors of about 170 scientific publications. The bibliometric indicators are as follows:
H index = 41 –Total citations = 5523 (Scopus Author; Jan 14, 2021).
Complete List of Published Work in My Bibliography:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1BalmeZjz-qQm/bibliography/public/
AUTHOR IDENTIFIERS:
ORCID: 0000-0003-2390-6414
SCOPUS AUTHOR ID: 7005398851
Researcher ID: F-9915-2015
EDITORIAL ACTIVITY
Associate Editor of “Pharmacological Reports”, Springer.
Review Editor of Frontiers in Neuroscience.
Review Editor of Frontiers in Pharmacology.
Academic Editor of “Psychiatry Journal”, Hindawi.
Editorial Board Member of “Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry”, Bentham Science.
Editorial Board Member of Current Protein & Peptide Science, Bentham Science.
GRANT APPLICATION REVIEWER
Member of the Scientific Review Board of Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (2017-2021).
Reviewer for the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).
Reviewer for the National Science Center (Poland).
MAIN ACTIVE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATIONS
Prof. Kjell Fuxe, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Dr. Malgorzata Filip, Laboratory of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland.
Prof. Robert Schwarcz, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA.
Prof. Ana Pocivavsek, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, USA.
Dr. F. Ciruela, Unitat of Pharmacology, Facultat of Medicine, Departament of Pathology of the Experimental Therapeutics, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
MAIN EXPIRED GRANTS/RESEARCH FUNDS (last five years)
Research funds from GET-CT Laboratory (Sanremo, Italy) for research projects aimed at defining the role of GET73 and some of its analogues on the hippocampal aminoacidergic transmission (2012-2014; 2014-2016; 2016-2018; Role: PI).
Grant from the “Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation”: “Therapeutic potential of palmitoylethanolamide in a transgenic animal model of Alzheimer’s disease: focus on neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction” (Role: PI - 2015-2016).
Grant from the “Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation”: “Therapeutic potential of palmitoylethanolamide: a preclinical and clinical study (Role: PI - 2017-2019).
Regione Emilia-Romagna –POSF-FER Project – Step by Step – Integrated approach for the patient with neurological lesions (Role: Research Unit PI; 2016-2018).
Pilot Research Grant by the NIMH Conte Center for Translational Science at the University of Maryland, MD, USA. “Double-hit” Effects in Rats Treated Prenatally with THC (Role: Participant; 2017).
MAIN ONGOING GRANT(S)
Pilot Research Grant by the NIMH Conte Center for Translational Science at the University of Maryland, MD, USA. Enduring adverse effects of adolescent cannabis abuse involve kynurenic acid: relevance for the etiology and treatment of cognitive dysfunctions (Role: Participant; 2019-2021).
Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden - Swedish Research Council “Effects of cocaine on A2AR-D2R heteroreceptor complexes. A microdialysis study” (Role: Research Unit PI; 2020 - 2022).
1987 - Pharmacy Degree, University of Ferrara, Italy.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
PRESENT POSITIONS
Full Professor of Pharmacology, Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Italy.
Adjunct Faculty Position, Psychiatric Department, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore (MD, USA).
Deputy Director of the Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara.
Vice-Chairs of the Value Chain “Pharmaceutical and Omic Sciences (POSERR)”, “Clust-ER Health” (Clust-ER Industrie della Salute e del Benessere), Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy (https://health.clust-er.it/en/value-chain-2/).
Senior Research Member, IRET Foundation, Ozzano Emilia, Italy (https://iret-foundation.org/).
Member of the Scientific Committee of Laboratory for Technologies of Advanced Therapies (LTTA -- Tecnopolo), University of Ferrara (https://ltta.tecnopoloferrara.it/animal_facility.php?lang=ENG).
Chair of “Organismo Preposto al Benessere Animale (OPBA)” [Animal Welfare Body (AWB)], University of Ferrara.
PREVIOUS POSITIONS AND EMPLOYMENT
2002-Dec 2018: Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Italy.
2011- Researcher affiliated to the Laboratory for Technology of Advanced Therapy - Biotechnology applied to medicine, “Tecnopolo” University of Ferrara, Italy.
2008-10 Member of the work group on Translational Medicine, BioPharmanet Laboratory, Regione Emilia-Romagna, Italy.
2001-2002: Assistant Professor, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Pharmacology University of Ferrara, Italy.
August 1994 – Feb 1995: Visiting Scientist, Department of Neurosciences (Chair, Prof. Kjell Fuxe), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm (Sweden).
1994-2001 Research Contract, Clinical Pharmacology Unit, S. Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
1991 - 2002 “Research associate (Tecnico laureato, D4)”, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Section of Pharmacology University of Ferrara, Italy.
1989 Graduated Student, University of Ferrara, Italy.
1988 Glaxo Fellowship, University of Ferrara, Italy.
TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFER:
Company Partner of TransMed Research s.r.l. (TMR), an innovative GLP-compliant contract research organization specialized in neuroscience, wound healing and reparative medicine (https://transmed-research.com/).
Vice-Chairs of the Value Chain “Pharmaceutical and Omic Sciences (POSERR)”, “Clust-ER Health” (Clust-ER Industrie della Salute e del Benessere), Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy. It is an association made up of large companies, SMEs, laboratories of the High Technology Network, research centers, health facilities and training institutions that share skills, ideas and resources to support the competitiveness of the Health Industries and Wellness of Emilia-Romagna (https://health.clust-er.it/en/).
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
1995 – present: Italian Society of Pharmacology.
2004 – present: International Cannabinoid Research Society.
2008 – present: International Society for Neurochemistry.
2015 – present: European Society of Neurochemistry.
2015 – present: Society for Neuroscience (SfN)
2019 – present: Mediterranean Neurosciences Society
HONORS
1988-89 Glaxo Fellowship, University of Ferrara, Italy.
1994-1995 Research Fellow, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
PUBLICATIONS:
Authors of about 170 scientific publications. The bibliometric indicators are as follows:
H index = 41 –Total citations = 5523 (Scopus Author; Jan 14, 2021).
Complete List of Published Work in My Bibliography:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1BalmeZjz-qQm/bibliography/public/
AUTHOR IDENTIFIERS:
ORCID: 0000-0003-2390-6414
SCOPUS AUTHOR ID: 7005398851
Researcher ID: F-9915-2015
EDITORIAL ACTIVITY
Associate Editor of “Pharmacological Reports”, Springer.
Review Editor of Frontiers in Neuroscience.
Review Editor of Frontiers in Pharmacology.
Academic Editor of “Psychiatry Journal”, Hindawi.
Editorial Board Member of “Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry”, Bentham Science.
Editorial Board Member of Current Protein & Peptide Science, Bentham Science.
GRANT APPLICATION REVIEWER
Member of the Scientific Review Board of Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (2017-2021).
Reviewer for the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).
Reviewer for the National Science Center (Poland).
MAIN ACTIVE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COLLABORATIONS
Prof. Kjell Fuxe, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Dr. Malgorzata Filip, Laboratory of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland.
Prof. Robert Schwarcz, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA.
Prof. Ana Pocivavsek, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, USA.
Dr. F. Ciruela, Unitat of Pharmacology, Facultat of Medicine, Departament of Pathology of the Experimental Therapeutics, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
MAIN EXPIRED GRANTS/RESEARCH FUNDS (last five years)
Research funds from GET-CT Laboratory (Sanremo, Italy) for research projects aimed at defining the role of GET73 and some of its analogues on the hippocampal aminoacidergic transmission (2012-2014; 2014-2016; 2016-2018; Role: PI).
Grant from the “Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation”: “Therapeutic potential of palmitoylethanolamide in a transgenic animal model of Alzheimer’s disease: focus on neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction” (Role: PI - 2015-2016).
Grant from the “Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation”: “Therapeutic potential of palmitoylethanolamide: a preclinical and clinical study (Role: PI - 2017-2019).
Regione Emilia-Romagna –POSF-FER Project – Step by Step – Integrated approach for the patient with neurological lesions (Role: Research Unit PI; 2016-2018).
Pilot Research Grant by the NIMH Conte Center for Translational Science at the University of Maryland, MD, USA. “Double-hit” Effects in Rats Treated Prenatally with THC (Role: Participant; 2017).
MAIN ONGOING GRANT(S)
Pilot Research Grant by the NIMH Conte Center for Translational Science at the University of Maryland, MD, USA. Enduring adverse effects of adolescent cannabis abuse involve kynurenic acid: relevance for the etiology and treatment of cognitive dysfunctions (Role: Participant; 2019-2021).
Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden - Swedish Research Council “Effects of cocaine on A2AR-D2R heteroreceptor complexes. A microdialysis study” (Role: Research Unit PI; 2020 - 2022).
