
Experimental Neuroscience
Assistant Professor, SSD Experimental Medicine and Pathophysiology (MEDS-02/A)
School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca
U8 – ASCLEPIO, via Cadore 48 Monza (MB)
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-2730-5974
Dr. Chiara Villa, graduated cum laude in Medical Biotechnology in 2006, obtained her PhD in Molecular Medicine at the Department of Neurological Sciences of the University of Milan in 2009. Since August 2020, she is Assistant Professor in Pathology at the Department of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Milano-Bicocca (Monza, Italy). Her research activity has been focused on the study of the etiopathogenesis of several neurodegenerative and neurological diseases (Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, multiple sclerosis, autism spectrum disorders, epilepsies) by a wide range of cellular and molecular biology techniques. In particular, she is involved in the (i) identification of novel biomarkers and genetic risk factors in key genes on development and progression of such disorders; (ii) search of new genes/mutations by the means of genetic and genomic next-generation sequencing (NGS) analyses and (iii) in vitro evaluate the molecular mechanisms of action in determining functional and structural alterations.
She is currently author of more than 84 research articles in peer-reviewed journals with a personal H-index of 26 and serves as editorial board member of several International journals. She won some travel grants to attend National and International conferences as well as the 3rd prize for Young Talents Award established by the University of Milano-Bicocca with the sponsorship of the National Academy of Lincei in 2016.
SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS
• Pathogenic mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative and neurological diseases
• Genetic bases of neurodegenerative and neurological disorders
• Identification of novel biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders
• Investigating the role of cellular senescence in the onset and/or progression of neurodegenerative disorders in order to identify new therapeutic approaches