Education and training
1986
Degree in Biological Sciences (110/110 cum laude), University of Milan.
1988
Qualification as biologist (University of Milan).
1991
Residency in Experimental Endocrinology (70/70 cum laude), University of Milan.
Employment and research experience
Research interests
Other experience and Professional Memberships
Since 2000: member of the Italian Society of Cell Biology; since 2012: Member, SFN Society for Neuroscience.
The scientific interest of Graziella Cappelletti is focused on cell biology of the cytoskeleton and its pivotal role in
health and disease. Moving from purified proteins to cell cultures and mice models, she is currently studying the
microtubule system, its organization and dynamics, in gene- and toxin-based models of Parkinson's disease. The
molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration are investigated through multiple approaches ranging from
in vitro assays to biochemistry and microscopy analyses in cultured neurons and brain sections by means of
over-expression, silencing or incubation with recombinant proteins. In addition, live cell imaging and video-
microscopy are currently used to look at microtubule dynamics and microtubule- dependant processes that are
crucial to maintain neuronal functions, including vesicles recycling and axonal transport. She obtained funding
from MIUR (FIRB and PRIN) and “Fondazione Grigioni” for Parkinson’s disease. She is engaged in several
national and international collaborations allowing her to address research projects through multidisciplinary
approaches. Her scientific production includes one patent.
* Role of the microtubule system, its organization and dynamics, in gene- and toxin-based models of
Parkinson's disease. The experimental approaches are multiple and ranging from in vitro assays to
biochemistry and microscopy analyses in cultured neurons and brain sections. Human samples have been
investigated including skin fibroblast, neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and post-
mortem brains. In addition, microtubule-dependent functions as vesicles recycling and axonal transport are
analysed by live cell imaging and video-microscopy.
* Discovery and characterization of molecules that interact with tubulin, including proteins (centaurin,
synuclein, parkin), peptides (identified following molecular modelling) and natural products. A
complementary set of assays allows investigating their impact on assembly kinetics and dynamic instability
of tubulin, and, in addition, on the organization and ultrastructure of assembled microtubules, both in vitro
and in cultured cells
* Studies on molecular mechanisms involved in neuronal differentiation focusing on tubulin posttranslational
modifications. In detail, the nitration of tubulin has been identified and deeply investigated in cultured
neurons.
* Role of Histone Deacetylases (HDAC) in teratogenesis. The effect of known and potential HDAC inhibitors
is first checked by in vitro assays and then their impact investigated in detail on mouse embryo
development.
* Studies of the effects evoked by xenobiotics on the cytoskeleton. In detail, the state of actin
polymerization and synthesis in human alveolar cells exposed to the oxidant agent paraquat have been
analysed in order to get an insight into the role of dynamic changes in actin cytoskeleton in cellular response
to oxidative stress.
health and disease. Moving from purified proteins to cell cultures and mice models, she is currently studying the
microtubule system, its organization and dynamics, in gene- and toxin-based models of Parkinson's disease. The
molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration are investigated through multiple approaches ranging from
in vitro assays to biochemistry and microscopy analyses in cultured neurons and brain sections by means of
over-expression, silencing or incubation with recombinant proteins. In addition, live cell imaging and video-
microscopy are currently used to look at microtubule dynamics and microtubule- dependant processes that are
crucial to maintain neuronal functions, including vesicles recycling and axonal transport. She obtained funding
from MIUR (FIRB and PRIN) and “Fondazione Grigioni” for Parkinson’s disease. She is engaged in several
national and international collaborations allowing her to address research projects through multidisciplinary
approaches. Her scientific production includes one patent.
* Role of the microtubule system, its organization and dynamics, in gene- and toxin-based models of
Parkinson's disease. The experimental approaches are multiple and ranging from in vitro assays to
biochemistry and microscopy analyses in cultured neurons and brain sections. Human samples have been
investigated including skin fibroblast, neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and post-
mortem brains. In addition, microtubule-dependent functions as vesicles recycling and axonal transport are
analysed by live cell imaging and video-microscopy.
* Discovery and characterization of molecules that interact with tubulin, including proteins (centaurin,
synuclein, parkin), peptides (identified following molecular modelling) and natural products. A
complementary set of assays allows investigating their impact on assembly kinetics and dynamic instability
of tubulin, and, in addition, on the organization and ultrastructure of assembled microtubules, both in vitro
and in cultured cells
* Studies on molecular mechanisms involved in neuronal differentiation focusing on tubulin posttranslational
modifications. In detail, the nitration of tubulin has been identified and deeply investigated in cultured
neurons.
* Role of Histone Deacetylases (HDAC) in teratogenesis. The effect of known and potential HDAC inhibitors
is first checked by in vitro assays and then their impact investigated in detail on mouse embryo
development.
* Studies of the effects evoked by xenobiotics on the cytoskeleton. In detail, the state of actin
polymerization and synthesis in human alveolar cells exposed to the oxidant agent paraquat have been
analysed in order to get an insight into the role of dynamic changes in actin cytoskeleton in cellular response
to oxidative stress.
Reviewer for Brain Research, Neuroscience Letters, European Journal of Pharmacology, Plos ONE, BBA
Molecular Basis of Disease, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, United States-Israel Binational Science
Foundation.
Molecular Basis of Disease, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, United States-Israel Binational Science
Foundation.
Position Title
Associate Professor, Department of Biosciences - Università degli Studi di Milano
Patents:
Patent Number(s): WO2009074271-A1 (publ. Date 18 June 2009); WO2009074271-A8 (publ. Date 15 October 2009);
IT1383652-B (publ. Date 22 December 2010). Derwent
Primary Accession No.: 2009-K60915
CAPPELLETTI G; FRANCESCATO P; MANITTO P M; PIERACCINI S; SALADINO G; SIRONI M; SPERANZA G
“Novel peptide with tubulin-derived sequences capable of interfering with its polymerization process, useful in
preparation of medicament for treating e.g. proliferative disease, inflammatory disease and neurodegenerative
disease”
Patent Assignee(s): UNIV MILANO (UYMI-Non-standard); UNIV MILANO (UYMI-Non-standard)
Awards and Honors:
Invited speaker:
International Meeting “Molecular Neurodegeneration –News and Views in Molecular Neuroscience in Health and
Disease”, July 20 – 22, 2015, Delmenhorst, Germany.
Title of the talk: “Looking at microtubule dysfunction in toxin- and gene-based models of Parkinson’s disease”.
2nd Bi-National Meeting of Israelian Society for Neuroscience and Italian Society for Neuroscienze (ISFN/SINS),
December 14-17, 2013 ad Eilat (Israel);
Title of the talk: “Microtubule dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease: where does the end begin”.
Neurological Institute “C. Besta”, Milan. October 12, 2012. Host: Dr.ssa B. Garavaglia. Title of the talk:
“Microtubule dysfunction in toxin- and gene-based models of Parkinson’s disease”.
Neuroscience Institute, CNR, Milan. June 29, 2012. Host: Dr.ssa C. Gotti
Title of the talk: “Microtubule dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease: culprit or by-product?”
Parkinson’s Institute, ICP, Milan. May 18, 2010. Host: Dr. S. Goldwurm.
Title of the talk: “Microtubule dysfunction in experimental model of Parkinson’s disease".
Selected Oral Presentations:
Gordon Research Conference, “Parkinson’s disease. Emerging research in the etiology and pathogenesis of a
complex disease”. June 28-July 3, 2015, New London, NH, USA;
Title of the talk: “Parkinson’s disease linked proteins modulate microtubule function: is it the missing piece in the
pathogenic pathway?”.
Biochemical Society Conference 2014 “PINK1-Parkin signalling in Parkinson’s disease and beyond”. December
2, 2014. London, United Kingdom.
Title of the talk: “Parkin-mediated regulation of axonal transport: the role of microtubules”.
SfN (Society for Neuroscience) NEUROSCIENCE 2014, November 15-19, 2014. Washington, (DC) USA.
Title of the talk: “Looking at microtubule dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease: from Parkin knockout mice to human
iPSCs”.
Reviewer Activity:
Manuscript Reviewer for:
BBA Molecular Basis of Disease, Brain Research, Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Neuroscience Letters,
European Journal of Pharmacology, PLoS ONE, Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience
Grant reviewer for: MIUR, United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation
Trainee Supervision:
2014-present, Francesca Cantele, PhD student in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Università degli Studi di
Milano.
2012-2015, Carmelita De Gregorio, PhD student in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Università degli Studi di
Milano.
2011-2014, Francesca Casagrande, PhD student in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Università
2011-2015, Daniele Cartelli, Postdoc fellow, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
degli Studi di Milano.
2007-2010, Daniele Cartelli, PhD student in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Università degli Studi di Milano.
April 2015 - present: Associate Professor (SSD BIO/06 - Comparative Anatomy and Cytology) at the Department of
Biosciences, Università degli Studi di Milano
September 2005 - present: Assistant professor of Comparative Anatomy and Cytology Assistant, tenured position, and
Research group leader, University of Milan, Italy.
January 2014: National habilitation to associate professorship (Comparative Anatomy and Cytology).
2001 - 2005: Research Associate (Comparative Anatomy and Cytology), tenured position, University of Milan, Italy.
June 2000, February-March 2001: Visiting scientist at the “Advanced Light Microscopy Facility”, Department of Cell
Biology, EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany. (hosts:Dr. E. Karsenti and Dr. T. Surrey)
1990 - 2001: Associate researcher, tenured position, at the Department of Biology, University of Milan, Italy.
1990 - 1993: Maternity leave.
1989 - 1990: Postgraduate fellow, at the Department of Biology, University of Milan, (Mentor: Prof. M. Camatini).
1987-89: Fellowship at Neurological Institute "C.Besta" of Milan.
1986: Post-graduation training at Neurological Institute "C.Besta" of Milan (Laboratory of Neuropharmacology).
Biology, EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany. (hosts:Dr. E. Karsenti and Dr. T. Surrey)
1990 - 2001: Associate researcher, tenured position, at the Department of Biology, University of Milan, Italy.
1990 - 1993: Maternity leave.
1989 - 1990: Postgraduate fellow, at the Department of Biology, University of Milan, (Mentor: Prof. M. Camatini).
1987-89: Fellowship at Neurological Institute "C.Besta" of Milan.
1986: Post-graduation training at Neurological Institute "C.Besta" of Milan (Laboratory of Neuropharmacology).
Graziella Cappelletti’s Curriculum Vitae
