Laura Musazzi

I graduated in Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies in 2004, and obtained my PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2008, at the University of Milano (IT). I worked as a Postdoctoral Associate in the Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, headed by Prof. Popoli, from 2009 to 2011. In 2010, I won a European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) research grant for young scientists and spent 12 months at the Aarhus University (DK), learning basic morphological and stereological approaches. I then returned to Italy and, from 2015 to 2018, I have been Assistant Professor in Pharmacology at the University of Milan. In 2020, I entered as a tenured Associate Professor in the University of Milano-Bicocca (Department of Medicine and Surgery) and opened my research lab.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Since the very beginning, my research activity has been focused on Neuropsychopharmacology. 

My work in rodents contributed to understanding the neuroanatomical and molecular underpinnings of the glutamatergic hypothesis of depression.

My main research interests are: 

1. Investigation of the action of behavioral stress at synaptic level
2. Regulation of synaptic function, neuroplasticity, and gene expression with regard to acute/chronic stress, pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders
3. Study of the mechanism of action of psychotropic drugs. 

Special attention is given to the identification of new targets for diagnosis or treatment that may improve efficacy and alleviate adverse effects.  

I strongly believe in science as a team play and that combining research and teaching will help novel generations of scientists to grow up in a stimulating and up to date scientific knowledge.

 Potential research activities during the PhD program

Multimodal imaging approaches for characterizing the molecular features of aging and neurodegenerative motor disorders

Suggested topics for PhD projects

Psilocybin mushrooms and other psychedelics are being studied to treat mental health conditions. Indeed, recent findings suggest hallucinogenic substances may reduce psychological distress, social anxiety, and depression. The research project will use preclinical models of psychopathologies to evaluate the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and study their mechanism of action.

The project will be performed in collaboration with Chiara Verpelli (CNR Neuroscience) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2949-9725.