CURRICULUM

Dr. Cristina Meregalli was born in Vimercate and graduated from Milan Bicocca University in 2008 in Biotechnology in Medicine (110/110) followed by a Postgraduate Research in Neuroscience in 2011. In 2014 she had her first experience as a visiting researcher at Maryland University (Baltimore, 3 months) and the second one in 2016 at Michigan University (Ann Arbor, 5 months). 

She has a fixed-term type (A) researcher in Human Anatomy at the Medicine and Surgery Department at Milan Bicocca University since October 2020.  She has had 38 scientific articles published in peer-reviewed international journals (H-index = 15, > 660 citations), and actively participates as a reviewer for various high-level international scientific journals.  

Some of her most significant pieces include: Peripheral Nerve Society Fellowship (2019), Best presentation poster, AISAL (2018), Young Talents Award of Milan Bicocca University sponsored by the Accademia dei Lincei (Lincean Academy, Rome) (2017) , Disease Models & Mechanisms Travelling Fellowship (2014), AISAL  Travelling Fellowship (2013)

In 2018 she followed a FELASA course in “Laboratory animal science” (category B no. F023/09 # 20/2018 Functions A, C, D (Directive 63/2010/UE and Decree no. 26/2014).

In 2021 she took the National Scientific Qualification in Human Anatomy, group 05/H1, scientific group BIO/16. 

2021 November: Member of the Academic Board – University of Milano-Bicocca

SCOPE OF RESEARCH

• Role of acute and chronic neuroinflammation in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN)
• In vitro and in vivo studies of tubulin post-translational modifications and related microtubule dynamics after treatment with chemotherapy drugs. 
• Study of neuroprotective and analgesic drugs in cellular and animal models of painful CIPN 
• Role and modulation of cannabinoid receptors in chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.
• Research of new biomarkers (e.g. light chain neurofilaments, NfL) in CIPN development
• Diabetic neuropathy 

RESEARCH PROGRAMME

From 2011 to date, her research has concentrated on the study of pathogenic neurotoxicity mechanisms induced by anti-cancer drugs and diabetic neuropathy through the characterisation of molecular pathways of neurotoxicity. 

More recently, after winning a grant from Cariplo Foundation’s Young Biomedical Researchers programme in 2019 with a submission entitled “Understanding the role of tubulin post-translational modification and mitochondrial impairment in bortezomib-induced peripheral neurotoxicity”, her research focussed on the temporal definition of some key events in the onset of peripheral neuropathy following treatment with bortezomib, among which tubulin post-translational modification, microtubule dynamics and the study of axonal mitochondrial trafficking. https://www.mitotubproject.org/

TEACHING ACTIVITY

• 2017-to date: module: Microscopic anatomy in English (Fundamentals of Human morphology), School of Medicine and Surgery (Milan Bicocca University), 30 hours
• 2020-2021: practical macroscopic anatomy as part of the Dentistry degree course (Milan Bicocca University), 24 hours
• 2018-2019: module “Cytology, Histology and Embryology” in English (Fundamentals of Human Morphology), school of Medicine and Surgery (Milan Bicocca University), 20 hours

MOST SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS

1. Cannabinoids: an Effective Treatment for Chemotherapy‑Induced Peripheral Neurotoxicity? Guido Cavaletti, Paola Marmiroli, Cynthia L. Renn, Susan G. Dorsey, Maria Pina Serra, Marina Quartu, Cristina Meregalli 2021 Oct 10 doi 10.1007/s13311-021-01127-1
2. Reversal of Bortezomib-Induced Neurotoxicity by Suvecaltamide, a Selective T-Type Ca-Channel Modulator, in Preclinical Models. Meregalli C, Maricich Y, Cavaletti G, Canta A, Carozzi VA, Chiorazzi A, Newbold E, Marmiroli P, Ceresa C, Diani A, Papapetropoulos S, Lee MS.Cancers (Basel). 2021 Oct 7;13(19):5013. doi: 10.3390/cancers13195013.
3. Neuroinflammatory Process Involved in Different Preclinical Models of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy. Fumagalli G, Monza L, Cavaletti G, Rigolio R, Meregalli C. Front Immunol. 2021 Feb 4;11:626687. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.626687. 
4. Blood molecular biomarkers for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: From preclinical models to clinical practice. Meregalli C, Bonomo R, Cavaletti G, Carozzi VA. Neurosci Lett. 2021 Apr 1;749:135739. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135739. 
5. Human Intravenous Immunoglobulin Alleviates Neuropathic Symptoms in a Rat Model of Paclitaxel-Induced Peripheral Neurotoxicity. Meregalli C*, Monza L*, Chiorazzi A, Scali C, Guarnieri C, Fumagalli G, Alberti P, Pozzi E, Canta A, Ballarini E, Rodriguez-Menendez V, Oggioni N, Cavaletti G, Marmiroli P Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jan 21;22(3):1058. doi: 10.3390/ijms22031058. * equally contributed
6. Pathogenic role of delta 2 tubulin in bortezomib-induced peripheral neuropathy. Pero ME, Meregalli C, Qu X, Shin GJ, Kumar A, Shorey M, Rolls MM, Tanji K, Brannagan TH, Alberti P, Fumagalli G, Monza L, Grueber WB, Cavaletti G, Bartolini F. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Jan 26;118(4):e2012685118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2012685118.
7. Neurofilament light chain: a specific serum biomarker of axonal damage severity in rat models of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neurotoxicity. Meregalli C*, Fumagalli G*, Alberti P, Canta A, Chiorazzi A, Monza L, Pozzi E, Carozzi VA, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Cavaletti G, Marmiroli P. Arch Toxicol. 2020 Apr 24. doi: 10.1007/s00204-020-02755-w. * equally contributed 

COLLABORATIONS

• University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD (Prof. Dorsey, Dr. Renn)
• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (Prof Feldman, Dr. Rumora)
• Columbia University, New York, NY (Prof. Bartolini, Dr. Pero, Dr. Lotti)
• University of Cagliari (Prof. Quartu, Dr. Serra) 
• Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale (Prof Distasi, Dr. Riva)
• Istituto Nazionale Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano (Prof. Lauria)
• Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano (Prof Melcangi, Dr. Giatti)

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4281-4577

Scopus author ID: 26768107400