TEAM:

 Head:

DAVIDE VITO MORETTI

• Consultant neurologist, PhD in neurophysiology, master in electromyography, chief of the rehabilitation of Alzheimer’s disease Unit. Currently involved in research and care of subjects with Alzheimer's disease and dementia in the Memory Clinic.
• ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0611-1169
• Phone: +39 030 35501
• E-mail: dmoretti@fatebenefratelli.eu

Researchers:

GIOVANNI DRAISCI
Neurophysiology technician.

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES:

• Neurophysiological Characterization of dementia;
• rehabilitation from diseases causing Dementia;
• quantitative EEG analysis in subjects suffering from Dementia;
• neurophysiological markers for the differential diagnosis in subjects with mild cognitive decline.

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS:

Ongoing projects

• PI in Neurophysiological EEG markers of mild cognitive impairment and dementia.
• PI in Study of motor evoked potentials in progranulin negative and positive patients with fronto-temporal dementia.
• PI in Transcranial alternate current stimulation as rehabilitation tool for Alzheimer's disease patients.

TEAM:

 Head:

ANNAMARIA CATTANEO

• Degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. PhD in Molecular Genetics applied to medical sciences (University of Brescia).
• After two years spent at the King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Dr. Cattaneo is currently heading the Biological Psychiatry Unit, where she coordinates several national and international projects. The main purpose of her research activity is aimed at a better understanding of the mechanisms associated with the development of psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders and to identify peripheral biomarkers able to predict the response to pharmacological treatment. Particular interest is dedicated to the role of the inflammatory system, the stress response system and of the gut microbiota.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9963-848X
• Phone: + 39 030 3501599
• E-mail: acattaneo@fatebenefratelli.eu

Researchers:

NADIA CATTANE

• Degree in Medical Biotechnology. PhD in Molecular Genetics applied to medical sciences (University of Brescia).
• Dr. Cattane is involved in several research projects aimed at studying the molecular mechanisms, in particular DNA methylation and miRNA, associated with the vulnerability or resilience to the development of psychiatric disorders (in particular depression and bipolar disorder) and able to predict the response to treatment.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6532-583X

CRISTINA MORA

• Degree in Biology. PhD in Molecular Genetics applied to medical sciences (University of Brescia).
• Dr. Mora is interested in the identification of molecular mechanisms, by using gene expression and miRNA techniques, associated with the effects of lithium treatment in patients with Bipolar Disorder. Last goal is the identification of blood biomarkers that can predict the response to the treatment with Lithium in these patients.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3896-7893

NICOLA LOPIZZO

• Degree in Medical Biotechnology.
• Dr. Lopizzo is investigating (by using gene expression and miRNA-based techniques) the impact of stress early in life on brain neurodevelopmental trajectories. He is also studying the composition of the gut microbiota, by using metagenomic techniques, in the context of both psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4612-9104

STEFANIA PROVASI

• Degree in Biology.
• Dr. Provasi is responsible for evaluating how the presence of a psychopathological state in pregnancy is associated with alterations in the immune system, a stress response system (through analysis of gene and protein expression in saliva and blood) and in the composition of the gut microbiota (using metagenomic techniques) and how these alterations can then influence the child's developmental trajectories.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1138-8103

VALENTINA ZONCA

• Degree in Pharmacy.
• Dr. Zonca is currently a PhD student (in collaboration with King's College of London) and her PhD project is related to the identification (by using gene and protein expression techniques in blood and saliva) peripheral biomarkers associated with the risk of developing depression during adolescence.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6628-5999

MONICA MAZZELLI

• Degree in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies.
• Dr. Mazzelli is investigating the role of inflammation in the mechanisms of response to pharmacological treatment in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression by gene expression techniques. She is also involved in research projects aimed at studying the role of the gut microbiota, using metagenomic techniques, in the pathogenesis of psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4892-7716

ELISA MOMBELLI

• Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology.
• Dr. Mombelli research activities is dedicated to the study of the gut microbiota composition in relation to psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. She is involved in performing metagenomic analyses and in processing samples.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7625-3245

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES:

 The Biological Psychiatry Unit is dedicated to the identification of the molecular mechanisms that are associated with exposure to stressful events early in life (prenatal, post-natal and adolescence) and which can render the subject more vulnerable to develop later in life psychiatric conditions, such as depression or bipolar disorder.

A particular interest is dedicated to the role of the inflammatory and stress response systems and of their interaction with environmental factors and how these biological systems can be involved both in the pathogenesis of psychiatric diseases (also during pregnancy and in the postpartum period), but most importantly how them can influence the response to pharmacological treatments.

Recently, the Biological Psychiatry Unit has also paid particular attention to the gut-brain axis, by assessing the role of the gut microbiota composition in relation to the development of psychiatric and neurodegenerative pathologies.

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS:

Targeting inflammation in depression using minocycline: a patient stratification approach using peripheral inflammatory biomarkers, PET and MRI

• Funded by: Ministry of Health;
• PI: Dr Annamaria Cattaneo;
• Role: Principal Investigator;
• Aim: how the treatment with mynocicline can modulate the blood inflammatory status and ameliorate the depressive symptoms in patients non responder to the current pharmacological treatment.

Gut Microbiota and host epigenome Interplay in Alzheimer's Disease

• Funded by: Alzheimer Association;         
• PI: Dr Annamaria Cattaneo;
• Role: Principal Investigator;
• Aim: Investigate the role of the composition of the gut microbiome and of the peripheral inflammatory status in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer Disease.

Gut microbes, Neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease: determining the immunoregulatory role of gut microbiota on brain and behavior

• Funded by: Network of Centres of Excellence in Neurodegeneration (COEN);
• PI: Dr Annamaria Cattaneo e Dr Cristina Mora;
• Role: Principal Investigator of the Italian research Unit;
• Aim:  Investigate the impact of the composition of the gut microbiome on brain neuroinflammation.

Optimizing response to Li treatment through personalized evaluations of individuals with bipolar I disorder: the R-Link Initiative

• Funded by: H2020;
• PI: Frank Bellivier (Institut National De La Sante Et De La Recherche Medicale, INSERM, Paris, France);
• PI IRCCS: Dr. Annamaria Cattaneo;
• Role: WP LEADER;
• Aim: Identify by performing omics approaches  peripheral blood biomarkers associated with the response to Lithium in patients with Bipolar Disorder.           

 

MAIN RESEARCH NETWORKS/COLLABORATIONS:

PROF. CARMINE M. PARIANTE

• Topic: Stress and Inflammation;
• Institution: Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Lab, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, London.

PROF. MARCO ANDREA RIVA

• Topic: Animal models of prenatal Stress and stress in adolescence;
• Institution: Dept. of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan.

DR. ELISABETH BINDER

• Topic: Epigenetic mechanisms and GXE interaction;
• Institution: Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.

PROF. KATRI RÄIKKÖNEN AND PROF. JARI LAHTI

• Topic: GXE interaction studies in relation to stress early in Life;
• Institution: Institute of behavioral sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.

PROF. INA WEINER

• Topic: animal models of infections during pregnancy or lactation and vulnerability for psychiatric diseases;
• Institution: The Stephen Harper Chair of Translational Neuroscience, School of Psychological Sciences, Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.

PROF. CYNTHIA MARIE-CLAIRE

• Topic: Childhood trauma, bipolar disorders and peripheral biomarkers;
• Institution: Dept. de Psychiatrie et de Médecine. Addictologique, Centres Experts Bipolaire et Dépression Résistante, Paris, France.

PROF. URS MEYER

• Topic: Poly:IC animal models of psychiatric disorders;
• Institution: Institute of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Switzerland.

PROF. JOHN CRYAN

• Topic: Stress and Gut microbiome in animal models;
• Institution: Dept. of Anatomy & Neuroscience, University College Cork, Ireland.

TEAM:

 Head:

MARIA COTELLI

• Neuropsychologist, PhD in Cognitive Science.
• Maria Cotelli is a neuropsychologist with a special interest in language and memory. She is a Neuropsychologist with a longstanding experience in the field of neurodegenerative diseases.
• She has experience in the field of cognitive neuroscience: 1) aphasia; 2) language and memory changes in physiological and pathological aging; 3) non-invasive brain stimulation techniques; 4) brain plasticity; 5) neurorehabilitation of neurological patients with cognitive deficits; 6) social behavior.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3208-3798
• Phone: +39 030 3501457
• E-mail: mcotelli@fatebenefratelli.eu

Researchers:

ROSA MANENTI

• Neuropsychologist, PhD in Neuroscience.
• Senior Researcher Coordinator. She has experience in cognitive neuroscience with a particular interest in neuropsychological assessments, application of brain stimulation methods and neurorehabilitation (clinical investigation to set up rehabilitation programs).
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5955-2323

SANDRA ROSINI

• Neuropsychologist.
• She has experience in the field of neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience: administration of neuropsychological assessments on patients affected by neurodegenerative disease and in neuropsychiatric patients.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8207-960X

ELENA GOBBI

• Internship in Clinical Neuropsychology and Neuroscience.
• She has experience in: 1) neuropsychological assessments in patients with neurodegenerative diseases; 2) application of brain stimulation methods; 3) cognitive rehabilitation protocols through semi-immersive virtual reality dedicated to patients with different form of neurodegenerative diseases.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4976-5031

MARIA RACHELE STOPPELLI

• Neuropsychologist, Second level University Master Degree in Neuropsychology: Assessment, Diagnosis and Rehabilitation.
• She has experience in neuropsychological assessments in physiological and pathological aging.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4415-2271

ILARIA PAGNONI

• Trainee in Psychology.
• Her research interests are neuropsychological assessments and neurorehabilitation in physiological and pathological aging.

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES:

Our research covers a wide range of approaches including cognitive and behavioural neuropsychology and neurorehabilitation. In particular, we study neurocognitive function and its neuronal substrate; the consequences of neurological and psychiatric disorder on language, memory, executive function, emotional processing and theory of mind. Our research has a strong translational focus. To do so, we pursue two lines of research:

1. Develop innovative rehabilitation approaches in neurodegenerative diseases. A series of studies have highlighted the potential applications of non-invasive transcranial stimulation techniques aimed at improving cognitive processes in patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases;
   
   
2. To increase knowledge and develop protocols for the study of the main cognitive functions and their modification in normal subjects and in physiological and pathological ageing. The activity carried out aims to deepen and expand neuropsychological knowledge in the neurodegenerative and psychiatric field.

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS:

The effects of a multimodal approach for the treatment of Primary Progressive Aphasia GR-2018-12365105

• Italian Ministry of Health Bando Ricerca Finalizzata 2018.
• PI: Rosa Manenti, IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, Brescia.
• The main purpose is to investigate whether a computerized individualized language training coupled with tDCS can be used as a neurorehabilitation approach in patients with agrammatic variant of Primary Progressive Aphasia (avPPA).
• http://areapubblica.cbim.it/areapubblica/areaprogetti

Italian Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Network "Sviluppo e implementazione di un Network Italiano di Teleneuroriabilitazione per la continuità assistenziale"

• Italian Ministry of Health.
• PI: Prof. Placido Bramanti IRCCS Centro Neurolesi "Bonino Pulejo".
• The IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, Brescia is Coordinator of WP on dementia.
• This study is aimed at evaluating the efficacy of a multidisciplinary approach by means of VRRS, as compared to traditional one, in patients affected by MCI, PPA e bvFTD.
• https://www.reteneuroscienze.it/en

"Interceptor Project, On the early diagnosis of the prodromal stage of Alzheimer disease. The progression from Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) to dementia: the role of biomarkers in the early interception of patients to whom provide future disease-modifying drugs"

• AIFA and Italian Ministry of Health.
• PI: Prof. Paolo Maria Rossini Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS.
• Neuropsychological Unit of the IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, Brescia is Expert Centre for Neuropsychological Tests.
• The primary aim is to identify a biomarker or a set of biomarkers able to predict with greater accuracy the conversion of diagnosis of MCI to Alzheimer's dementia after 2 or 3 years of follow-up.
• www.agenziafarmaco.gov.it

 

MAIN RESEARCH NETWORKS:

“Italian FTLD Network”

• PI: Barbara Borroni, Clinica Neurologica, University of Brescia; UO Neurologia 2, AO Spedali Civili di Brescia, Italia.
• PI IRCCS Fatebenefratelli: Roberta Ghidoni.
• The Role of Neuropsychological Unit of IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, Brescia is: Neuropsychological evaluation.
• FTLD-Consortium aims to advance knowledge of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (“FTLD”) by supporting scientific and clinical efforts to develop and test therapeutic interventions.
• http://www.ftld.de/html/home

TEAM

 

Head: ALBERTO REDOLFI

Degree in Bioinformatics and Functional Genomics. PhD in Medical Physics and Computational Neuroscience.

He has worked in the IRCCS Fatebenefratelli since 2008, participating in more than 30 national and international projects for the creation of digital infrastructures (grid / cloud / HPC) and for the quantification of imaging (MRI/PET) and other biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases.

Author of over 35 scientific publications listed in PubMed.

Dr. Redolfi is currently heading the Neuroinformatics unit.

He is part of the Executive Committee of the National Virtual Dementia Institute in quality of IT manager.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4145-9059 

PHONE: 0303501502

e-mail: aredolfi@fatebenefratelli.eu

 

 Researchers

DAMIANO ARCHETTI

Graduated in physics.

He has worked in the IRCCS Fatebenefratelli since 2017 as big data scientist. His research activity addresses the definition and validation of Alzheimer’s Disease models from raw multimodal data surces, such as: clinical, neuropsychological, MRI and biological CSF data. 

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0818-7685

 

SILVIA DE FRANCESCO

Biomedical engineer.

She has worked in IRCCS Fatebenefratelli since 2018 as neuroscientist. She is involved in projects about installation and validation of IT platforms (e.g.: HBP, neuGRID, INTERCEPTOR) for the collection and quantification of imaging biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9277-9087

 

CLAUDIO CREMA

PhD. in Electronic engineering.

He has worked at IRCCS Fatebenefratelli since 2020 as data scientist. His research activity is focused on implementation and validation of Deep Learning algorithms (in particular related to Natural Language Processing) for automatic extraction of information from medical records.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2537-9742

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES

In order to fully understand the structure and function of the brain we need an increasingly complex and massive amount of data (i.e. Big-Data).

The Neuroinformatics Unit objectives are reported hereinafter:

• Software development for brain signal analysis
• Cloud platforms development for personalised medicine
• Multimodal institutional databasing
• Pre / Post-processing of data and their QC
• Multimodal modeling

Leveraging on these components the Neuroinformatics Unit is able to favour the multidisciplinarity among the research laboratories of the IRCSS Fatebenefratelli consolidating the holistic and global approach of the institutional research.

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS

 Ongoing projects:

E-DADS - Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease Subtypes

- Funded by the European Commission (EU Joint Programme --- Neurodegenerative Disease Research, 2020-2023)

- PI: Daniel Alexander (UCL) — University College London

- IRCCS Role: WP leader

Description: the project aims to untangle AD heterogeneity by defining data-driven subtypes of the clinical manifestation of the disease based on brain imaging, cognitive markers, fluid biomarkers, and “omics” that are identifiable from predictive risk factors (genetics, co-morbidities, physiological and lifestyle factors) years before disease onset. Disease subtypes will be discovered via Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence approaches. IRCCS Fatebenefratelli leads the WP focused on prototype interface, providing data, clinical competence, and experience in creating the E-DADS prediction models.

-Link: https://e-dads.github.io/

 

EuroPOND - European Progression Of Neurological Disease Initiative

- Funded by the European Commission (H2020)

- PI: Daniel Alexander (UCL) — University College London

- IRCCS Role: WP leader

Description: the project aims to understand the complexity of neurological diseases developing advanced mathematical models (e.g.: discrete, temporal, spatio-temporal models) that describe the evolution of the disease in a single mathematical equation. IRCCS Fatebenefratelli leads the WP focused on dementia, providing data, clinical competence, and experience in validating the developed models.

- Link: http://europond.eu/  

 

INTERCEPTOR

Funded by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Italian Drug Agency (AIFA)

PI: Paolo Maria Rossini – IRCCS Policlinico Gemelli

IRCCS Role: Expert centre

Description: The objective of the Interceptor is to identify subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that will convert to AD. The project "intercepts” these subjects at risk through a systematic use of advanced disease biomarkers (e.g .: PET, hippocampal volume through MRI, EEG, CSF). The Interceptor approach will allow a better definition of the current strategies to tackle the disease and, in the future, a correct usage of drugs that would be able to modify the natural course of Alzheimer's disease.

Link: https://www.interceptorproject.com/ 

 

RIN

Funded by the Ministry of Health (MoH)

PI: Maria Grazia Bruzzone, FINCB — Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta

IRCCS Role: WP leader

Description: The role of neuroimaging and of other instrumental techniques is fundamental in clinical research. Only with large multicentric initiatives we can reach an effective generalization of the results and the acquisition of large data samples ("BIG-DATA") allowing to develop a real personalised medicine.

In particular, the IRCCS is coordinating the NeuGRID platform (https://neugrid2.eu) which allows to archive and effectively exchange the collected data among the partners of the project. In addition, the IRCCS is responsible for connecting the RIN with the Human Brain Project (HBP) for the analysis of the data collected so far with the most advanced Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence techniques.

Link: https://www.reteneuroscienze.it/progetti/neuroimaging/

 

RCR-2020

- Funded by the Ministry of Health (MoH)

- PI: Fabrizio Tagliavini, FINCB — Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta

- IRCCS Role: Task leader

Description: RCR-2020 aims to create the National Virtual Dementia Institute, where excellence and avant-garde in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases of the brain are pursuit. The IVN Dementia is entering into full operations through an intense activity of harmonization of the clinical protocols, preparation of the structures in charge of carrying out instrumental or laboratory examinations, and in the creation of the databases in which the IVN data are collected and permanently shared. In light of this, XNAT and RedCAP platforms will be developed to actively archive the network data. In particular, IRCCS Fatebenefratelli will develop a Natural Language Processing (NLP) tool in order to automatically extract unstructured clinical information and store them in the IVN centralised databases.

Link: https://www.reteneuroscienze.it/en/istituti-nazionali-virtuali/demenze/

 

Main research networks

The Network of the National Virtual Institutes (IVN)

PI: Fabrizio Tagliavini, FINCB — Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta

Objective: Definition and constitution of the National Virtual Dementia Institute.

Role/Description: The IRCCS is present both in the Advisory Board - for the definition and implementation of scientific activities; and in the Executive Committee - to organize and decline the agreed lines of research. The project aims to harmonize the activities of the IRCCS, to rationalize investments and resources, to build vast cohorts of patients, and to interact with the main international networks.

 

GAAIN Network

PI: Arthur Toga and Giovanni Frisoni — USC e UNIGE

Objective: Data federation of Alzheimer’s Disease

Role/Description: The Global Alzheimer’s Association Interactive Network (GAAIN) combines geographically distributed partners that provide clinical, neuropsychological, imaging, and CSF information. All the data are archived on local resources and subsequently mapped on an IT platform that is specifically designed to facilitate the big-data federation. With GAAIN, researchers can explore all the data collected in an aggregate manner, through an intuitive web portal (http://www.gaain.org/), build new cohorts, perform meta-analyses, and connect with GAAIN federated data partners by developing new collaborations. The IRCCS has characterized, indexed, and federated numerous research datasets in GAAIN.

 

The network of the Human Brain Project (HBP)

PI: Philippe Ryvlin - CHUV

Objective: change of the diagnostic paradigm moving from a symptomatologic approach to a data-driven one.

Role/Description: Since 2013, the Human Brain Project (HBP) is working to build a research infrastructure for advance neuroscience. This initiative is one of the two largest scientific projects ever funded by the European Union involving more than 130 partners in all the Europe. The IRCCS is actively involved in the development and testing of the Medical Informatics Platform (MIP) platform (https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/). The purpose of this network is to allow the sharing of medical data (clinical and research) and the use of advanced machine learning tools for the definition of the fingerprint of the brain diseases and, in particular, of dementias.

TEAM:

 Head:

GIOVANNI B. FRISONI

• Clinical neurologist and former Scientific Director of the IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre. Besides the appointment at IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, he is currently Full Professor of Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Geneva, and Head of the Memory Clinic of the Geneva University Hospitals.
• Author of over 500 scientific papers listed in PubMed, he is imaging editor for Neurobiology of Aging, and founding editorial board member of The Lancet Neurology. He has led national and international projects, attracting more than 25M euros in competitive research funds.
• Prof. Frisoni’s work is focused on new scientific discoveries on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) to improve the diagnosis, the drug treatment and medication of patients with dementia.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6419-1753
• Phone: +39 030 3501361
• Email: gfrisoni@fatebenefratelli.eu

Researchers:

VALENTINA NICOLOSI

• Psychologist graduated in clinical psychology. She has been working within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology Alzheimer since 2016.
• She is currently involved in observational studies aiming at developing and validating biomarkers of AD.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8609-3268

DAMIANO ARCHETTI

• Graduated in physics, he has been working in LANE since 2017 as big data scientist. His research activity addresses the definition and validation of data-driven disease models, with peculiar focus on disease models inferred from MRI-derived biomarkers.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0818-7685

LIBERA CAVALIERE

• Graduated in Science of Communication and certified project manager (PMP), she deals with financial and administrative management in national and international research projects and dissemination and exploitation of project results.
• She is also involved in grant proposal preparation event organization and communication materials set up and update.

 

EVITA TOMASONI

• Psychologist graduated in Clinical Psychology, she has been working within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology Alzheimer since 2017, as Psychologist-Researcher.
• She is currently involved in observational and clinical studies for patients with cognitive impairment and in AD prevention studies.

GIULIA QUATTRINI

• Graduated in cognitive neurosciences, she has been working within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology Alzheimer since 2017 as a researcher. She is involved in the context of neuroimaging research in the field of psychiatric (Borderline Personality Disorder) and neurodegenerative diseases (AD).
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3750-710X

MONICA ALMICI

• Psychologist and psychotherapist graduated in clinical psychology, she has been working within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology Alzheimer since 2005, as Psychologist-Researcher.
• She is currently involved in observational studies and clinical trials concerning new investigational drugs for patients with prodromal Alzheimer and dementia.

SARA GIPPONI

• Psychologist graduated in clinical psychology, she has been working at the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology Alzheimer since 2014, as psychologist-researcher.
• She is currently involved in observational studies, preventive interventions for elderly without dementia and clinical trials concerning new investigational drugs for patients with AD or other neurodegenerative diseases.

SAMANTHA GALLUZZI:

• Graduated in Medicine and specialized in Geriatric Medicine. She has worked within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology since 1999, focusing on clinical application of neuroimaging in the diagnosis of cognitive decline and non-pharmacological intervention to improve cognitive and psychological functions in the elderly.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9804-5669

MICHELA RAMPINI

• Psychologist graduated in clinical psychology. She has worked within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology as psychologist-researcher since 2014, and as local coordinator of clinical trials since 2016.
• She is currently involved in clinical trials concerning new investigational drugs for patients with neurodegenerative diseases (AD and FTD) and preventive interventions for elderly without dementia.

MICHELA PIEVANI

• Mathematician with a PhD in Experimental Neurology. She has been working at the Unit of Alzheimer’s Neuroimaging and Epidemiology since 2004. Her research is focused on the investigation of AD and related disorders with neuroimaging tools assessing structural and functional brain connectivity to (i) enhance the understanding of disease mechanisms and (ii) identify novel biomarkers of disease onset and progression.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1794-8987

ALBERTO REDOLFI

• Bioinformatics with a PhD in Computational Neuroscience. He has been collaborating within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology since 2008. He is and has been involved in many national and internationals projects for the implementation of many grid/cloud/HPC ] e-infrastructures for quantifications of imaging biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4145-9059

MOIRA MARIZZONI

• Biologist with a PhD in Neuroscience. She has been collaborating within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology since 2010. Her research is focused on the investigation of AD to identify biological (i.e. microbiota) and imaging biomarkers for earlier diagnosis and for tracking disease progression in human and mouse models.
• ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3749-2988

 

MELISSA ROMANO

• Research assistant. She has been working within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology since 2006. She has been data manager in observational studies and clinical trials.
• Currently she takes care of the management for the ATM (Translational Memory Lab) aiming at early diagnosis of AD.

CRISTINA FESTARI

• Psychologist with a PhD in Biomedical Sciences and Translational Medicine. She has been working within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology since 2013. She is interested in evaluating biomarkers’ clinical impact on diagnosis. Recently, she is involved in non-pharmacological preventative interventions for active ageing.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3597-5097.

VALENTINA SALETTI

• Psychologist graduated in clinical psychology, she has been working within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology Alzheimer since 2018, as psychologist-researcher.
• She is currently involved in prevention trials for people without dementia and in clinical trials concerning new investigational drugs for patients with AD or other neurodegenerative diseases.

ANNA MEGA

• Psychologist Researcher, graduated in Clinical Psychology. She has been working at the Unit Lab of Alzheimer’s Neuroimaging and Epidemiology since 2013. She is part of the genetic counseling and testing team for hereditary forms of AD and FTD and is the contact person for familial forms of AD nationwide. She is also involved in clinical trials.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0161-5379

ILARIA PASSEGGIA

• Psychologist graduated in clinical psychology, she has been working within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology Alzheimer since 2014 as psychologist-researcher.
• She is currently involved in clinical trials for patients with neurodegenerative diseases and in preventive interventions for elderly without dementia.

SILVIA DE FRANCESCO

• Biomedical engineer. She has been collaborating within the Unit of Neuroimaging and Epidemiology since 2018. She is involved in projects about installation and validation of IT platforms for quantification of imaging biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9277-9087

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES:

The lab activities focus on clinical and translational research on Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

The main scientific interest is the identification and use of biomarkers in people with or at risk for cognitive impairment. Acquisitions and innovations in fundamental neurosciences, ICT, and technology are uptaken and translated for use into a clinical setting for better pathophysiological understanding, diagnosis, prognosis, disease tracking, drug therapy, and rehabilitation.

Specific topics of investigation are:

• the clinical use of imaging and fluid biomarkers; in vivo neurobiology of Alzheimer’s disease;
• the clinical use of innovative PET ligands;
• harmonisation of imaging markers for clinical use;
• development of innovative image analysis environments based on advanced ICT technology, the identification of novel pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies in people with dementia and preventive strategies for subjects at risk.

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS:

“AD Network -Development of operational research diagnostic criteria for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in the preclinical/predementia phase and implementation of SOPs for imaging and CSF biomarkers in Memory Clinics. An integrated care pathway for early diagnosis and best management in the National Health Service of five Italian regions" - (NET-2011-02346784)

• Italian Ministry of Health (RF, Bando Ricerca Finalizzata 2011/2012)
• PI: Prof. Fabrizio Tagliavini, FINCB — Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta.
• IRCCS Role: WP leader.
• The project aims to produce recommendations and tools for the collection of core AD bio-markers to be usefully employed in the clinical routine. IRCCS leads the WP aiming at defining a consensus among national Scientific Societies (SINdem, AINR, AIMN, AIP, SIBioC) on an algorithm for the etiological diagnosis in Mild Cognitive Impairment guiding clinicians in the prescription of biomarkers;
• Project funded period: 01/09/2015-31/08/2019

“EuroPOND -European Progression Of Neurological Disease Initiative”

• European Commission (H2020);
• PI: Prof. Daniel Alexander (UCL) — University College London;
• IRCCS Role: WP leader;
• Description: The project aims to provide new avenues for understanding the complexity of neurological diseases by developing computational models and using state-of-the-art data-science techniques. IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre leads the WP focused on dementia, providing data and clinical expertise.
• Web link: http://europond.eu/
• Project funded period: 01/01/2016-31/12/2020

“The dark side of APOEe4: unravelling amyloid-independent effects in AD”

• Funded by the Alzheimer’s Association;
• PI: Dr. Moira Marizzoni;
• IRCCS Role: Coordinator;
• The project aims to understand how the main genetic risk factor (apolipoprotein epsilon 4) together with age and sex influence AD advent and progression by investigating the differences between carriers and non-carries of the APOE-epsilon 4 variant in healthy subjects and patients already diagnosed with AD.
• Project funded period: 1/05/2019-31/10/2020

"Effect of mindfulness on EEG brain activity for cognitive and psychological well-being in the Elderly”

• Funded by the Bial Fundation;
• PI: Dr. S. Galluzzi;
• IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre Role: Coordinator;
• The project aims to evaluate if cognitive and psychological well-being and their neurophysiological correlates (power, network, and source EEG measures) may be modulated by mindfulness training in 60 elderly with and without subjective cognitive decline (SCD).
• Project funded period: 01/01/2019-31/12/2021

"Targeting default mode network dysfunction in persons at risk of Alzheimer's disease with noninvasive techniques.”

• Funded by the Italian Ministry of Health (RF, Bando Ricerca Finalizzata 2018);
• PI: Dr. Michela Pievani;
• IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre Role: Coordinator;
• The project aims to test a non-invasive intervention to modulate the DMN (Default mode network) dysfunction, a well-established feature of AD, in the preclinical stages, i.e. in cognitively healthy elderly carrying a genetic risk factor for AD, the APOE e4 allele.
• Starting in the fourth quarter of 2019.

 

ONGOING TRIALS:

"A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel Group Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of CNP520 in Participants at Risk for the Onset of Clinical Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease (AD).”

• Sponsor: Novartis Farmacéutica S.A.
• Type of Study: Interventional Pharmacological;
• Status: Enrolling;
• EudraCT Number: 2016-002976-28.

“A Multi-center, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, 24 Months Study in Patients With Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment or Very Mild Alzheimer's Disease to Investigate the Safety, Tolerability and Immune Response of Repeated Subcutaneous Injections of ABvac40”

• Sponsor: Araclon Biotech, S.L.
• Type of Study: Interventional Pharmacological;
• Status: Enrolling;
• EudraCT Number: 2016-004352-30.

A Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Relapse Prevention Study of Pimavanserin for the Treatment of Hallucinations and Delusions Associated With Dementia-related Psychosis

• Sponsor: ACADIA Pharmaceuticals;
• Type of Study: Interventional Pharmacological;
• Status: Enrolling;
• EudraCT Number: 2017-002227-13.

“European Prevention of Alzheimer's Dementia (EPAD) Longitudinal Cohort Study (LCS) (EPAD LCS)”

• Sponsor: University of Edinburgh;
• Type of Study: Observational;
• Status: Enrolling;
• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02804789.

 “A Phase 2 Multiple Dose, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of ABBV-8E12 in Subjects with Early Alzheimer's Disease”

• Sponsor: AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG;
• Type of Study: Interventional Pharmacological;
• Status: Ongoing follow-ups. Enrollment: Closed;
• EudraCT Number: 2016-001634-10.

“Incremental diagnostic value of Florbetaben Imaging vs other core biomarkers for Alzheimer Disease in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment. An Investigator-Initiated Sponsored Study”.

• Sponsor: Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève;
• Type of study: Interventional Diagnostic;
• Status: Ongoing follow-ups. Enrollment: Closed;
• EudraCT Number: 2014-005389-31.

 

MAIN RESEARCH NETWORKS:

The Italian Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Network

• Project: Optimization and harmonization of magnetic resonance (MRI) protocols in neuroimaging multi-site studies (Phase 1 and 2);
• PI: Prof. Fabrizio Tagliavini, FINCB — Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta;
• IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre Role: WP leader;
• The network aims to increase diagnostic and prognostic power of imaging biomarkers through: data integration, protocols harmonization and sharing of expertise. IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre is responsible for the implementation of a platform for the exchange and analysis of the collected data on the existing NeuGRID platform (https://neugrid4you.eu/);
• Web link: https://www.reteneuroscienze.it/en/progetti/neuroimaging/

The Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network-DIAN

• PI: Dr Randall Bateman, Washington University School of Medicine;
• IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre Role: Partner;
• The network includes many international centers carrying out clinical trials and basic science studies focused on dominantly inherited Alzheimer’s disease;
• IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre is contributing to the DIAN Expanded Registry, an international research registry for individuals with confirmed or suspected dominantly inherited Alzheimer’s disease (DIAD) in their families and for professionals and researchers involved in clinical care and research on DIAD;
• Web link: http://www.dian-info.org/ 

The European Medical Information Framework-EMIF

• This network derives from an Innovative Medicine Initiative (IMI) project with a consortium of 57 partners. EMIF ran for 5,5 years, ending June 2018. EMIF has improved access to human health data, providing tools and workflows to discover, assess, access and (re)use health data;
• IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre was involved in the activities of the project focused on AD. We are now in the exploitation phase;
• Web link: http://www.emif.eu/

The Human Brain Project-HBP

• Since 2013, the Human Brain Project (HBP) has been working to build a research infrastructure to help advance neuroscience, medicine and computing. The 10-year Project is one of the two largest scientific projects ever funded by the European Union. IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre is involved in the Medical Informatics Platform (MIP), that allows to share medical data, enabling the use of machine-learning tools for brain-related diseases, while preserving patient confidentiality.
• Web link: https://www.humanbrainproject.eu/en/

Microbiota Initiative
The network comprises Italian and European clinical centers interested in studying the relationship among the microbiota, inflammation, and amyloidosis in AD, MCI and in cognitively healthy subjects.

TEAM: 

Head:

MASSIMO GENNARELLI

• Full Professor of Medical Genetics at the University of Brescia. Recent research activity has been mainly dedicated to the fields of genetics and pharmacogenetics of psychiatric disorders. In particular, the research includes the use of genomic technologies, such as microarray genotyping, next-generation-sequencing and transcriptome profiling, and computational approaches to dissect the genetic architecture of psychiatric diseases and to identify new biomarkers of treatment response.
• ORCID: https://0000-0003-4192-945X
• Phone: +39 030 3501709
• E-mail: gennarelli@fatebenefratelli.eu

Researchers:

EDOARDO GIACOPUZZI

• Ph. D., Bioinformatician.
• Expert in genomic data analysis and bioinformatics. Recent work has focused on genomic studies and NGS data analysis for the identification of DNA variations and mRNA modulations involved in neuro-psychiatric diseases and drug response.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5692-366X

LUISELLA BOCCHIO CHIAVETTO

• Associate Professor of Applied Biology (eCampus University, Novedrate, Como).
• Expert in the study of peripheral biomarkers for psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Recent work has focused mainly on the analysis of miRNA profiles as biomarkers in neuropsychiatric diseases.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9801-603X 

ISABELLA RUSSO

• Researcher, University of Brescia in Applied Biology. Main activity on the molecular mechanism in neurodegenerative disease.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6151-2451

MUHAMMAD SHOAIB

• Master degree in Biomedical Engineering, Ph.D. student in Molecular Medicine.
• Ph.D. project is focused on the study of pharmaco-genetic factors influencing response to anti-depressants (AD), developing computational methods to predict AD response from genetic data.

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES:

Recent research activity has been mainly dedicated to the fields of genetics and pharmacogenetics of psychiatric disorders. Over the years we combined state-of-the-art genomic technologies, such as microarray genotyping, next-generation-sequencing and transcriptome profiling, and computational approaches to dissect the genetic architecture of psychiatric diseases and identify new biomarkers of treatment.

In recent years, I have conducted, with my research group, numerous case-control association studies on candidate genes for susceptibility to Major Psychoses and sporadic form of Alzheimer (AD) disease, in the endeavour to clarify the role of the genes linked to some neurotransmitter systems (glutamate, serotonin, and dopamine), cytokines, and neurotrophic factors. Present projects are mainly focused on pharmacogenetics, using genotyping technology to understand genetic factors influencing anti-depressant drugs response. We are also conducting a clinical trial to evaluate the clinical utility of present pharmacogenetic tests for the treatment of MDD and to develop better prediction algorithms to realize precision medicine in psychiatry.

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS:

Ongoing projects:

Genetics and clinical/biological endophenotypes in psychiatric diseases.

• Ministry of Health, PI Prof. Massimo Gennarelli, Coordinator;
• This project is focused mainly on the characterization of the genetic and molecular basis of the most important psychiatric disorders, as well as on the identification of molecular biomarkers for the implementation of personalized pharmacological therapies.

Genomic and molecular markers and clinical endophenotypes for optimization of diagnosis in dementia patients.

• Ministry of Health, PI Prof. Luisella Bocchio Chiavetto, Coordinator;
• The project aims to integrate “omics” molecular data with the patient characterization for clinical, cognitive, neurophysiological and neuroimaging endophenotypes to dissect the dementia phenotype and prodromal features. Identification of new biomarkers will contribute to the classification of at risk subjects for the development of preventive strategies.

Towards precision medicine in psychiatry: clinical validation of a combinatorial pharmacogenomic approach. RF-2016-02361697

• Ministry of Health, PI Prof. Massimo Gennarelli, Coordinator;
• The main objective of the project is to conduct an independent, controlled prospective trial to evaluate the real effectiveness, safety, efficacy and the costs of combinatorial pharmacogenomic tests applied to MDD treatment. Using a multidisciplinary approach the project will also provide new findings to improve present pharmacogenomic tests. At IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, we will conduct high-throughput genotyping on 120 pharmacogenetic-related SNPs, as well as complete gene resequencing for genes involved in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics of antidepressants.

Neuroplasticity and Alzheimer's disease: an integrated approach to identify biological and neurophysiological markers. RF-2013-02356444

• Ministry of Health, PI Prof. Carlo Miniussi, Operative Unit (PI Prof. Massimo Gennarelli);
• The goal of this proposal is to characterize genetic, molecular and neurophysiological alterations in Alzheimer's disease and to determine their impact on cortical neuroplasticity and connectivity through a translational approach. At IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, we will use RNA-seq and real-time PCR to analyze blood transcriptome profiles in both human subjects and animal models to identify molecular and electrophysiological mechanisms underlying tES-induced changes.

LRRK2 as a novel pharmacological target for treatment of neurogenerative diseases. GR-2016-02362548.

• Ministry of Health, PI Dott.ssa Isabella Russo.

 

Main research networks:

Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC), participant in Schizophrenia working group, PI Michael O’Donovan and James Walters.

The consortium studies the genetic basis of Schizophrenia and related disorders. In this network, our unit provides DNA samples / GWAS data of about 300 patients and 300 healthy controls.

European College of neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), participant in working group “Pharmacogenomics/Transcriptomics”.

• PI Prof. Bernard Baune (University of Muenster, Germany).

Italian Network for Psychosis Research.

• PI Prof. Mario Maj (University of Naples, Italy);
• A multi-centric study investigating endophenotypes associated to psychosis. In this network, our unit provides genetic analyses.

TEAM:

Head: 

GIOVANNI DE GIROLAMO, M.D.

• Psychiatrist, Head of the Unit of Psychiatric Epidemiology and Evaluation (UPEE); he is also Adjunct Professor at the Department of Psychology of the Catholic University in Milan. Between 2008 and 2013 he was Scientific Director of the IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre; from 1988 to 1994 he worked at the WHO Mental Health Division in Geneva, directed by N. Sartorius. He is the author of 320 publications indexed in PubMed as well as numerous books and monographs. He has an H-index of 82 (Scopus, May 2019).
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1611-8324
• Phone: +39 030 3501590
• E-mail: gdegirolamo@fatebenefratelli.eu

Researchers:

VALENTINA CANDINI

• PhD, Clinical Psychologist, Psychotherapist.
• Valentina got her master's degree in Psychology at the University of Bologna in 2007, she is specialised in Cognitive-Constructivist Psychotherapy (SPBC, 2012) and received a PhD in Psychology at the University of Padua in 2018. At the UPEE since 2009 she has been coordinating a programme funded by Regione Lombardia (TR15) on the psychosocial treatment of patients with severe mental disorders and their families; in particular, she has gained a large experience in the work with patients suffering from bipolar disorders.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4062-7847

LAURA IOZZINO

• PhD, Clinical Psychologist.
• Laura received her master's degree in Neuroscience and Neuropsychological Rehabilitation at the University of Padua in 2012, and her PhD in Neuroscience, Psychological and Psychiatric Sciences at the University of Verona in 2018. At the UPEE she coordinates the European project on forensic psychiatry aimed at studying clinical and psychosocial characteristics of mentally ill offenders, the EUropean study on VIOlence Risk and MEntal Disorders (EU-VIORMED).
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3633-8316

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES:

Summary/description of research activities:

The Unit of Psychiatric Epidemiology and Evaluation (UPEE) is conducting epidemiological and clinical psychiatric studies aimed at investigating the socio-demographic, clinical, psychosocial and health characteristics of specific clinical populations. UPEE conducts longitudinal studies to obtain detailed information on the course and outcome of severe mental disorders, as well as risk factors and protective ones. In the area of "health services research", UPEE is studying and analysing quantitative and qualitative characteristics of different types of mental health services, and is actively involved in the coordination of national and international multicentre research projects. Among the areas of most significant scientific interest are psychoses, bipolar disorders, the association between risk of violence and severe mental disorders, youth mental health and physical comorbidities in people with severe mental disorders.

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS:

Ongoing projects:

EU-VIORMED (http://www.eu-viormed.eu)

The “EUropean study on VIOlence Risk and MEntal Disorders” (EU-VIORMED) project is a multicentric research project funded by the European Union involving seven partners (IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, King's College of London, Medical University of Wien, Central Institute of Mental Health of Mannheim, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology of Warsaw, University of Milan-Bicocca) and 5 EU countries (Italy, England, Germany, Austria and Poland). The project is coordinated by the UPEE (P.I. Giovanni de Girolamo). The goal of EU-VIORMED is to identify the factors associated with the risk of violence towards oneself and others in patients with severe mental disorders, to explore the predictive validity of three tools for measuring the risk of violence and to compare areas of "best practices" in order to improve forensic psychiatric care quality in Europe.

PROGETTO DIAPASON (https://www.diapason-study.eu)

The project "Daily time use, physical activity, quality of care and interpersonal relationships in psychiatric residential facilities: an Italian multicentre study" (DiAPAson) is a multicentre research project funded by the Ministry of Health and involves three participants (IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, Coordinator, Dept. of Mental Health [DMH] of Modena and DMH of Pavia) as well as numerous DMH and residential facilities in the all country. The aim of this project is to analyse the use of daily time, the level of physical activity and the quality of interpersonal relationships in patients diagnosed with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders using a multidimensional approach which combines data collected with traditional paper-and-pencil questionnaires or with the Experience Sampling Method (ESM); patients will also receive a monitoring of physical activity with a wearable sensor.

REMOTE ASSESSMENT OF DISEASE AND RELAPSE IN CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDERS (RADAR-CNS) (https://www.radar-cns.org)

The RADAR-CNS project is a European project conducted within the Innovative Medicines Initiative and is led by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience of King's College London (UK); it involves 30 public and private partners. The main objective is the development of a platform for the remote monitoring of three disorders, namely epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and depression.

WORLD MENTAL HEALTH (WMH) SURVEY INITIATIVE (https://www.hcp.med.harvard.edu/wmh)

The "WMH Survey Initiative" is a large international research project (with 30 participating countries: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, People's Republic of China (PRC)-Shenzhen, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, The Netherlands, Ukraine, USA,  and over 160,000 people interviewed) on the prevalence of mental disorders, risk factors and use of services, promoted by the World Health Organization in collaboration with the Harvard University, and is led by Ronald C. Kessler (Harvard Medical School). 

PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL INTERVENTIONS FOR PATIENTS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL DISORDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES

The project entitled "Psychoeducational interventions for patients with severe mental disorders and their families" (TR15) is funded by Regione Lombardia and aims at implementing integrated treatments for patients with severe mental disorders in ordinary mental health services. Thanks to this project, a range of psychoeducational evidence-based group treatments are delivered in ordinary mental health services. The aim is to enhance the usual proposed patterns of mental health care, with a patient-tailored psychological support aimed at increasing patients’ awareness of the disorder, improving their management skills (e.g., increasing protective factors and reducing risk factors) and achieving a substantial reduction in relapses and hospitalizations. Participating centres are the DMH of Brescia and the DMH del Garda (BS).

MONITORING KNOWLEDGE, RISK PERCEPTIONS, PREVENTIVE BEHAVIOURS AND TRUST TO INFORM PANDEMIC OUTBREAK RESPONSE www.studiocovidoms.it

This survey is a part of a multinational study promoted and coordinated by the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO). The survey is still ongoing in over 30 European countries. The IRCCS Fatebenefratelli/UOPEV is the coordinating center for Italy. The main project aim is to collect information about existing knowledge, risk perception, reliable sources of information, attitudes of people towards the initiatives taken to deal with the pandemic from COVID-19 and other variables of interest. The project will involve a representative sample of the Italian adult population (selected by Doxa) (N=10,000), aged between 18 and 70, who will fill out the Italian version of the WHO online questionnaire. This data will allow to analyse specific aspects of the Italian situation about the pandemic, as well as to compare them with those of other European countries, and to improve our knowledge on risk communication, as well as to expand epidemiological and psychosocial data, useful for developing effective interventions and health policy programmes aimed at managing the pandemic.

 

Main research networks involved in recent projects:

MILESTONE - Managing the Link and Strengthening Transition from Child to Adult Mental Health Care

• Theme: Study of the entire organisation of mental health services, in particular about the delicate transition between 14 and 25 years and the whole configuration of services dedicated to this sensitive age group;
• Countries involved: Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, UK;
• Italian sites: Bari, Brescia, Esine, Lecco, Milano, Modena, Monza, Padova, Parma, Roma.

INTERPRET-DD STUDY

• Theme: Multicentric longitudinal observational study; objectives: to identify the prevalence of major depressive disorder and depressive symptomatology in adult patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes; study its occurrence during 15 months of observation; evaluate the impact of appropriate treatments for depression (previously diagnosed or not) on the course and management of diabetes and on the patient's emotional well-being; to study the psychometric properties of two screening tools for depression in the diabetic population;
• International consortium (countries): Argentina, Bangladesh, China, Germany, India, Kenya, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, USA;
• Italian sites: Brescia, Firenze, Milano, Monza, Piancavallo, Verona.

Violence Risk and Mental Disorder (VIORMED)

• Theme: This is a prospective observational cohort, aimed at assessing socio-demographic, clinical, treatment-related and criminological characteristics of patients with severe mental disorders who have committed offenses;
• Recruitment sites: Brescia, Cernusco sul Naviglio (MI), Garbagnate Milanese (MI), Legnano (MI), Monza, San Colombano al Lambro (MI), San Maurizio Canavese (TO).

TEAM:

Head:

CARLO MINIUSSI

• Full professor of Human Neurophysiology, director of the Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC University of Trento and head of the Cognitive Neuroscience section at IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Center, Brescia Italy. He was educated in Padua, and in Verona, where he was awarded a PhD in Neuroscience in 1999. He has been a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University and Professor of Human Physiology, at University of Brescia Medical school.
• Carlo Miniussi is an expert in the study of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. In recent years he directed his efforts to transfer knowledge from basic research to everyday life the in view of transforming this knowledge in protocols that can be used to improve human health and well-being in physiological and pathological aging.
• ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5436-4745
• Phone: (+39) 030 3501594; (+39) 030 3501596; (+39) 030 3501597
• Email: neurofisiologia@fatebenefratelli.eu

Researchers:

MARTA BORTOLETTO

• Education: PhD in Psychobiology.
• Role in the research unit: Researcher.
• Expertise: Effective cortical connectivity in cortical networks of the healthy and pathological brain through TMS-EEG.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8489-8043

DEBORA BRIGNANI

• Education: PhD in Neuroscience.
• Role in the research unit: Researcher.
• Expertise: Behavioural and neural changes in physiological and pathological aging and therapeutic application of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0848-5164

CHIARA BAGATTINI

• Education: PhD in Psychological and Psychiatric Science.
• Role in the research unit: Researcher.
• Expertise: Study of cognitive functions in brain-damaged patients (neuropsychological assessment, EEG, non-invasive brain stimulation).
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9193-3345

AGNESE ZAZIO

• Education: PhD in Psychology, Linguistic and Cognitive Neuroscience.
• Role in the research unit: Researcher.
• Expertise: Neural oscillations, cortical plasticity and reactivity by means of non-invasive recordings and brain stimulation techniques.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1395-9005

CLAUDIA FRACASSI

• Education: Master degree in Psychology.
• Role in the research unit: Research Assistent.
• Expertise: Operational management and scheduling of experimental activities, acquisition and analysis of electrophysiological data, use of neurostimulation methods.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8249-7959

GIACOMO BERTAZZOLI

• Education: Master degree in Cognitive Neuroscience.
• Role in the research unit: PhD Student.
• Expertise: TMS-EEG coregistration to study connectivity in Alzheimer’s disease and improvement of TMS-EEG procedures.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1624-2576

MARCO ESPOSITO

• Education: Master degree in Cognitive Neuroscience.
• Role in the research unit: Trainee.
• Expertise: Application of transcranial electrical stimulation during physiological recording in healthy population.

MARIA CONCETTA PELLICCIARI

• Education: PhD in Psychophysiology.
• Role in the research unit: Adjunct Researcher.
• Expertise: Neurophysiological markers of neurological and psychiatric disease.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2455-8220

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES: 

The neurophysiolgy Lab investigates neural mechanisms underlying behavior and cognitive processes in normal and pathological conditions. We employ non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), and electrophysiological methods (Electroencephalography – EEG; Electromiography - EMG). The main goal of the activities carried out at the Neurophysiolgy Lab is to improve the understanding of brain functioning and to translate the new findings obtained in the laboratory into clinical practice. The current activities focus on two main lines of research:

1. Identifing, by means of tms-eeg combination, diagnostic and prognostic markers of cortical reactivity and connectivity;
2. Investigating the therapeutic potential of rtms in psychiatric and neurological disorders.

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS:

 Ongoing projects:

Neuroplasticity and Alzheimer’s disease: integrated approach to identify biological and neurophysiological markers

• Funding agency: Italian Ministry of Health, Ordinary Projects Grant – Ricerca Finalizzata 2013 (RF-2013-02356444).
• PI: Carlo Miniussi.
• Role in the project: Coordinator.
• The goal of this proposal is to characterize genetic, molecular and neurophysiological alterations in Alzheimer’s disease and to determine their impact on cortical neuroplasticity and connectivity through a translational approach.

Cortico-cortical signal transmission and brain connectivity alterations at prodromal stage and during the progression of Alzheimer’s disease: a multimodal approach of TMS-EEG and advanced MRI

• Funding agency: Italian Ministry of Health, Young Researcher Grant – Ricerca Finalizzata 2016 (GR-2016-02364132).
• PI: Marta Bortoletto.
• Role in the project: Coordinator.
• The aim of this project is to test the relationship of TMS-EEG measures with brain network white matter (WM) integrity and patient cognitive decline, at the initial AD stage and during disease progression.

Novel tailored network-based rTMS treatments in Alzheimer’s disease: an integrated multi-imaging approach

• Funding agency: Italian Ministry of Health, Young Researcher Grant – Ricerca Finalizzata 2016 (GR-2016-02364718).
• PI: Debora Brignani.
• Role in the project: Coordinator.
• The aim of this project is to investigate the efficacy of an rTMS intervention in Alzheimer’s disease patients and to evaluate the neural mechanisms underlying the clinical response to the treatment.

The motor bases of joint actions

• Funding agency: Bial Foundation – Grants for scientific research 2018.
• PI: Marta Bortoletto.
• Role in the project: Coordinator.
• The main aim of this project is to provide evidence that interpersonal coordination of actions and thoughts in joint actions rely on a motor representation rather than on shared intentions.

TEAM:

Head:

ROBERTA GHIDONI

• Pharmaceutical Chemist.
• She is a neuroscientist with a consolidated experience in dementia field and specifically in the study of molecular mechanisms and disease markers of neurodegenerative dementias. Her major translational scientific products are:
  • the establishment of semi-quantitative and quantitative mass spectrometry assays for detection of the whole panel of Abeta peptides in human brain/CSF;
  • the establishment of a blood-based assay for identification of GRN mutation carriers;
  • the identification of molecular markers of early cognitive decline in dementias.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7691-1957
• Phone: +39 030 3501725
• E-mail: rghidoni@fatebenefratelli.eu

Researchers:

LUISA BENUSSI

• Biologist specialized in Clinical Chemistry, senior researcher, has a consolidated experience on dementia molecular disease markers and specifically on genetic markers.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2836-8141

ROSANNA SQUITTI

• Biologist, PhD, senior researcher, has a consolidated experience on the role of trace elements, and specifically of copper, in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5624-1140

ROBERTA ZANARDINI

• Biologist specialized in Clinical Chemistry, main research activity is the study of disease biomarkers for psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative dementia by employing multiparametric assay.
• ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7727-0584

CLAUDIA SARACENO

• Medical Biotechnologist, PhD, main research activity is the study of cellular and molecular mechanism underlying neurodegenerative dementia.
• ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8618-4282

CATIA SCASSELLATI

• Biologist specialized in Clinical Pathology, main research activity is the study of genetic and biochemical disease markers for psychiatric disorders and dementia.
• ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2077-0830

CRISTIAN BONVICINI

• Biologist and PhD, main research is the study of the genetic and molecular bases of the main psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases; he has consolidated experience in the use of NGS technologies and gene expression of "whole genome" transcripts.
• ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1577-2823

MIRIAM CIANI

• Medical Biotechnologist, PhD, main research activity is the study of molecular markers of neurodegenerative dementia applying next generation sequencing technologies and nanoparticle tracking analysis.
• ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6780-1799

SILVIA FOSTINELLI

• Neuropsychologist, main research activity is the study of molecular phenotype-clinical phenotype correlations in neurodegenerative dementias.
• ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0120-880X

GUIDO DOMINGO

• Biologist PhD, has consolidated expertise in mass spectrometry analysis and he main research focus is the identification of disease markers for Alzheimer’s disease.
• ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2617-8873

ANTONIO LONGOBARDI

• Medical Biotechnologist, young researcher, he is applying nanoparticle tracking analysis and next generation sequencing technologies to investigate common mechanism across dementia.
• ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8292-6434

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES:

 The Molecular Markers Lab main research activities are:

1. To dissect molecular mechanisms associated with the progressive loss of GRN and C9orf72, the two most common familial Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) associated genes.
   
   
2. To study the link between neurotrophic factors, exosomes and autophagy in neurodegenerative dementias (AD, FTD, LBD).
   
   
3. To find innovative body fluids biomarkers for AD diagnosis in predementia phase and recognition of atypical forms. Specifically we are:
   1. applying ESI-LC MS methods for detection of abeta isoforms (N-terminally truncated and post-translationally modified forms - including pyroglutamate forms) in human cerebrospinal fluid and in human brain tissue ;
   2. using Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA) to study exosomes and protein aggregates concentration and size distribution;
   3. investigating the role played by biometals in cognitive decline.
      
      
4. To identify genetic determinants/risks factors of sporadic and familial AD, FTD, LBD by employing next generation sequencing approaches.
   
   
5. To standardize CSF biomarker measurements between both research and clinical laboratories: the Alzheimer's Association Quality Control program for CSF biomarkers.

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS:

Main Ongoing Funded Projects

"Loss of neurotrophic factors in neurodegenerative DEmentias: Back to the crossroads of proteins" (LODE)

• ERANET-JPND-2017 "Multinational research projects for Pathway Analysis across Neurodegenerative Diseases".
• PI: Roberta Ghidoni - IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, Brescia Italy.
• Project-funded period: March 2018 – February 2021 (3 years).
• Neurodegenerative dementias are characterized by a continuous loss of neurons that are not replaced. Why neurons die in disease-affected brain regions is still a matter of discussion. This project explores a key common pathological mechanism across the three major neurodegenerative diseases leading to dementia: Alzheimer’s disease, Frontotemporal dementia, and Lewy body dementia. Specifically, our project aims at deciphering the link between neurotrophic factors and exosomes in neurodegenerative dementias.
• Web link - https://www.neurodegenerationresearch.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/JPND-Project-Fact-Sheet_2017_LODE.pdf

 

"Interplay between endocytic-exosome and autophagy pathways in neurodegeneration in the ADRDs AD, FTD and LBD”

• ERANET-JPND NIH cooperation-2018.
• PI: Roberta Ghidoni - IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, Brescia Italy.
• and Steven Finkbeiner, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
• Project-funded period: November 2018 – May 2021 (30 months).
• Description: This application is for supplemental funding for the recently funded grants entitled “Loss of neurotrophic factors in neurodegenerative Dementias: Back to the crossroads of proteins (LODE) (JPND LODE Consortium, PI R. Ghidoni) and  “Dysfunction of the Autophagy-Lysosomal Pathway as a Common Mechanism of Neurodegeneration,” (P.I. S. Finkbeiner) aimed to identify common mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases. Our collaborative studies will expand Gladstone’s and JPND LODE investigations into identifying the role of defects in the endocytic-exosome and autophagy pathways in Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-related disorders (ADRDs).                   

"Dissecting molecular mechanisms triggered by progressive loss of progranulin and C9orf72 in frontotemporal dementia: novel therapeutic targets?" RF-2016-02361492

• Italian Ministry of Health – RF 2016 Theory-enhancing.
• PI: Roberta Ghidoni - IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, Brescia Italy.
• Project-funded period: March 2019 – 2022 (3 years).
• GRN and C9orf72 expression is reduced in a substantial number of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) patients and a correlation between progressive loss of GRN/C9orf72 and clinical phenotype has been reported. Cutting edge molecular research suggests that Immune dysregulation, neurotoxic microglia activation, lysosomal/exosomal dysfunctions are pathological events derived by loss of functional proteins in GRN/C9orf72-associated FTD. We hypothesize a connection between "progressive loss of expression-specific molecular mechanism-clinical phenotype". Here, we aim to dissect molecular mechanisms associated with a progressive GRN/C9orf72 loss.

“Extenzin-based therapy for MCI subjects”

• Alzheimer Association, Part the Cloud: Translational Research Funding for Alzheimer's Disease.
• PI  Stefano Sensi, University of Chieti; and Rosanna Squitti (co-PI), IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, Brescia, Italy.
• Project-funded period: February 2019- February 2022.
• The main objective is to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of Extenzin on cognitive outcomes of MCI subjects and the progression of cognitive deficits.

“Optimizing response to Li treatment through personalized evaluation of individuals with bipolar I disorder: the R-LiNK initiative”

• European Union - Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme.
• PI: Frank Bellivier (Institut National De La Sante Et De La Recherche Medicale, INSERM, Paris, France)- Site PI: Anna Cattaneo, Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Fatebenefratelli Brescia, Italy.
• The Molecular Markers Laboratory (Luisa Benussi). is contributing to blood metabolomics studies by performing mass spectrometry analyses.
• Project duration: January 2018 – January 2023.
• The main objective of the project is to optimize the lithium response of bipolar I disorder (BDI) cases using a set of multi-modal biomarkers (blood “omics”, anatomic/structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI, and 7Li-MRI derived-markers).
• Web link: https://rlink.eu.com/

Development of operational research diagnostic criteria for diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in the preclinical/predementia phase and implementation of SOPs for imaging and CSF biomarkers in Memory Clinics. An integrated care pathway for early diagnosis and best management in the National Health Service of five Italian regions. WP1. Title: Current and innovative body fluids biomarkers for AD diagnosis in predementia phase and recognition of atypical forms - NET-2011-02346784-1

• Italian Ministry of Health - NET 2011
• P.I.: Fabrizio Tagliavini, IRCCS C. Besta, Milan, Italy.
• Roberta Ghidoni, IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre Brescia, Italy: co-investigator (WP1).
• Projected funded period: September 2015- August 2019.
• Our aim is to find Innovative body fluids biomarkers for AD diagnosis in predementia phase and recognition of atypical forms.

 “Cognitive frailty and oxygen-ozone therapy: integrated approach to identify biological and neuropsychological markers” RF-2016-02363298

• Italian Ministry of Health - Bando Ricerca Finalizzata 2016 .
• PI: Cristina Geroldi, Alzheimer Unit, and Cristian Bonvicini, IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre, Brescia -Italy.
• The Molecular Markers Laboratory (Roberta Zanardini) is contributing to proteomics-biochemical studies by employing multiparametric assays and mass spectrometry.
• The main objectives of the project are to characterize clinical and neuropsychological-cognitive impairment profiles in elderly frail subjects at baseline and after oxygen-ozone treatment and to identify in vivo peripheral biomarkers associated to treatment response through transcriptomic and proteomic analyses.

 

Research Networks:

“The Alzheimer's Association Quality Control program for CSF biomarkers”

• The QC program was launched in November 2009. At present more than 80 laboratories are participating. The aim of the QC program is to standardize CSF biomarker measurements between both research and clinical laboratories. This will increase the analytical precision and improve the longitudinal stability for biomarker measurements. The program will allow direct comparisons of biomarker levels between laboratories and, thus, between publications.
• The Molecular Markers Lab (Roberta Zanardini and Roberta Ghidoni) is contributing to the QC program for CSF biomarkers (Abeta 1-42, tau, p-tau and NFL dosage).
• Web link https://neurophys.gu.se/english/departments/psychiatry_and_neurochemistry/Neurochemical_pathophysiology_and_diagnostics/TheAlzAssQCProgram

“International FTD-GWAS Consortium (IFGC)”

• PI: John Hardy, co-PI Raffaele Ferrari, Department of Molecular Neuroscience, UCL, London.
• The main objective is to generate genomics data to further extend our understanding of FTD and to increase sample size for large scale genetic studies (association, rare variants, NGS).
• The Molecular Markers Laboratory (Site PI: Luisa Benussi) contributes to genetic screening for causative genes and patient’s DNA selection.
• Web Link: https://ifgcsite.wordpress.com/

“European Early-Onset Dementia Consortium (EU-EOD Consortium)”

• The EU EOD consortium was founded in 2011 by the P.I. (Christine Van Broeckhoven and Julie van der Zee) to promote and facilitate translational genetic and clinical research of early-onset dementia (EOD) at the European level. The aim of the consortium is to capitalize on the genetic power of EOD patients combined with the novel –omics technologies that have become available. The consortium unites partners from dementia expert centers covering the fields of neurology, neuropathological, clinical research (biomarkers, neuroimaging) and treatment trials, medical genetics and molecular genetics
• The Molecular Markers Lab is part of EU EOD Consortium.
• Web link  https://www.uantwerpen.be/en/staff/julie-vanderzee/research/

“A European DNA bank for deciphering the missing heritability of Alzheimer’s disease (EADB)”,

• PI: Jean-Charles Lambert, Inserm Research Director, Institut Pasteur de Lille.
• The main objective is to capture the missing heritability of AD by generating GWAS-based population data via the creation of a European Alzheimer’s Disease DNA BioBank.
• The Molecular Markers Laboratory (Luisa Benussi) contributes as non-funded partner.
• Web link https://www.era-learn.eu/network-information/networks/jpco-fund/jpcofund-a-call-for-european-research-projects-on-neurodegenerative-diseases-risk-and-protective-factors-longitudinal-cohort-approaches-and-advanced-experimental-models/european-dna-bank-to-decipher-the-alzheimer-disease-missing-heritability

“Italian FTLD Network”

• PI: Barbara Borroni, Clinica Neurologica, University of Brescia; UO Neurologia 2, AO Spedali Civili di Brescia, Italy.
• Site PI IRCCS Fatebenefratelli: Roberta Ghidoni.
• Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) covers a whole spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders which principally affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. The Italian FTLD-network consists of 11 centers (including both IRCCS and Universities). One of this consortium's central goals is to develop and evaluate parameters which will help clinicians to diagnose FTLD at an early stage and follow its progression, with the overall aim of eventually developing effective objective targets for therapeutic strategies.
• Web link http://www.ftld.de/html/network/italy

 “The GENetic Frontotemporal Dementia Initiative (GENFI”)

• The Genetic Frontotemporal dementia Initiative (GENFI) is a group of research centres across Europe and Canada with expertise in familial FTD, and is co-ordinated by Dr Jonathan Rohrer at University College London. The aim of the study is to understand more about genetic FTD, particularly in those who have mutations in the progranulin (GRN), microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) and chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9ORF72) genes. The key objectives of GENFI are therefore to develop markers which help identify the disease at its earliest stage as well as markers that allow the progression of the disease to be tracked. The Molecular Markers lab (Roberta Ghidoni: Biomarker Core; Luisa Benussi: Genetic Core) contributed to the molecular characterization of patients and families enrolled at IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre in the GENFI 1 study.
• Web link http://genfi.org.uk/

TEAM:

 

Head:

CORINNA PORTERI

• Degree in philosophy (University of Milan); PhD in bioethics (Catholic University of Rome). Fellow in the Program on STS at the Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge MA in 2010.
• Academic visitor at the Ethox Centre - University of Oxford, UK (2008, 2011) and at the KIE – Georgetown University, Washington DC (2015). Lecture of social ethics at St Augustine University of Tanzania, Mwanza (2012); Senior key person in the Yenepoya University-Fogarty International Center Research Ethics Master for India (2018-2022).
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7916-0530
• Phone: +39 030 3501552
• Email: cporteri@fatebenefratelli.eu

Secretary of Ethics Committee:

GIULIA IENCO

• Degree in philosophy (University of  Padova)

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES:

• To coordinate the activities of the Ethics Committee IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre that acts both as a research EC and as a clinical EC, and serves all the Saint Jonh of God health centres in the North of Italy.
  
  
• To support the researchers in writing and managing research projects that guarantee and promote the rights and well-being of the participating subjects, with specific regard to vulnerable populations.
  
  
• To study the bioethical issues of research and cure involving subjects with cognitive impairment and psychiatric disorders in a context of increased knowledge and opportunities for intervention, including biobanking research, the use of new technologies, and the use of biomarkers for early diagnosis.

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS: 

Ongoing projects:

Ethical issues in research on dementia and psychiatric disorders.

• Funding agency: Ministry of Health – Ricerca corrente.
• PI: Corinna Porteri.
• Main objective: To study the bioethical issues of biomedical research involving subjects with cognitive impairment and psychiatric disorders, including research on human biological materials and the use of biomarkers for the diagnosis of prodromal Alzheimer disease, and suggest possible solutions with the aim to increase the quality of research protocols and settings, and to foster a critical and responsible governance of science.

 

Main research networks:

Working group on Bioethics and Palliative Care of the Italian Neurology Society (SIN)
Aim: To inform and train on issues of bioethics and palliative care in neurology; to promote consensus documents and research activities; to spread good practices in the neurological settings, and encourage citizen empowerment.
Link: http://www.neuro.it/web/eventi/NEURO/gruppi.cfm

Working group on the Ethical, Legal and Social Issues (ELSI) of BBMRI Italia
Aim: To study the ethical, legal and social issues of biobanking governance - with a focus on informed consent, research protocols evaluation, access and sharing of biological materials and data - with the aim of promoting good practices.
Link: https://www.bbmri.it/elsi

 

Working group of Alzheimer Europe on Ethics in dementia research
Aim: To explore the ethical issues which may arise in the process of involving people with dementia in research; to identify and address issues related to the involvement of people with dementia as research participants as well as in the context of Public and Patient Involvement.
Link: https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/Alzheimer-Europe/Our-work/Current-projects

TEAM:

Head:

ORAZIO ZANETTI

• Surgeon, Geriatrician.
• Head of IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre Alzheimer’s Unit since 1999. PI in many pharmacological clinical trials for Dementia. Member of di “Società Italiana di Geriatria e Gerontologia” (Italian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology) and “Associazione Italiana di Psicogeriatria” (Italian Association of Psychogeriatrics), referee for many scientific journals and author of many papers. Professor of Geriatrics at Università di Brescia, Medicine faculty (Brescia University).
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5408-0048
• Phone: +39 030 3501358
• E-mail: ozanetti@fatebenefratelli.eu

Researchers:

MARA DELAI

Psychologist. Researcher, rater in pharmacological and osservational trials.

FRANCESCA LOMBARDI

Psychologist, psychoterapist. Researcher, study coordinator and rater in pharmacological trials.

VALENTINA GIUBILEO, Psychologist. Researcher, study coordinator and rater in pharmacological trials.

ILEANA MADELLA

• Psychologist. Researcher, study coordinator and rater in pharmacological trials.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7699-6826

DANIEL MICHAEL PORTOLANI

• Psychologist, psychoterapist. Researcher, rater and study coordinator in pharmacological and osservational trials.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8528-1483

MIHAELA MUNTEANU

Research nurse. Cross study nurse for clinical trials conducted at the IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre.

IRENE PEZZALI

Biomedical laboratory technician. Cross laboratory technician for clinical trials conducted at the IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre.

GIOVANNI SGRO’

Biomedical laboratory technician. Cross laboratory technician for clinical trials conducted at the IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre.

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES:

This service works across-the-board. Its scope is to control the flow of patients accessing the Institute’s clinical trials. Its activities are as follows: to monitor the flow of outpatient visits for cognitive and memory impairment, and the flow of trials enrolling at the Institute, in particular pharmacological ones; to give patients and caregivers information about the chance to access clinical trials; to conduct observational and pharmacological clinical trials itself. This service also helps other research units in filling Sponsor-commissioned feasibility forms and offers trained staff to conduct clinical trials.

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS:

Ongoing projects:

Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study to Assess the Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of BIIB092 in Subjects With Mild Cognitive Impairment Due to Alzheimer's Disease or With Mild Alzheimer's Disease - 251AD201

• PI IRCCS: Prof. Orazio Zanetti.
• Role: partner.
• Funding agency: Biogen Idec Research Limited.
• Aim: To evaluate the safety and tolerability of BIIB092 in participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) or with mild AD. To evaluate the efficacy of multiple doses of BIIB092 in slowing cognitive and functional impairment in participants with MCI due to AD or with mild AD.

“Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Two Year Study to Evaluate the Effect of Subcutaneous RO4909832 on Cognition and Function in Prodromal Alzheimer's Disease with Option for an Additional Two Years of Treatment” – WN 25203

• PI IRCCS: Prof. Orazio Zanetti.
• Role: partner.
• Funding agency: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Svizzera.
• Aim: This multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group study will evaluate the effect of gantenerumab (RO4909832) on cognition and functioning and the safety and pharmacokinetics in participants with prodromal Alzheimer's Disease.

A Phase III, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group, Multicenter, Efficacy and Safety Study of Gantenerumab in Patients With Mild Alzheimer's Disease; Part II: Open-Label Extension For Participating Patients – WN28745

• PI IRCCS: Prof. Orazio Zanetti.
• Role: partner.
• Funding agency: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Svizzera.
• Aim: Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of gantenerumab in participants with mild Alzheimer disease. Part 2 is an open-label extension (OLE).

A Phase III, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group, Efficacy, and Safety Study of Gantenerumab in Patients With Early (Prodromal to Mild) Alzheimer's Disease – WN29922

• PI IRCCS: Prof. Orazio Zanetti.
• Role: partner.
• Funding agency: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Svizzera.
• Aim: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of gantenerumab versus placebo in participants with early (prodromal to mild) AD.

A Phase III, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group, Efficacy and Safety Study of Crenezumab in Patients With Prodromal to Mild Alzheimer's Disease – BN29553

• PI IRCCS: Prof. Orazio Zanetti.
• Role: partner.
• Funding agency: F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Svizzera.
• Aim: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of crenezumab versus placebo in participants with prodromal to mild AD.

A Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, 24 Month Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of E2609 in Subjects With Early Alzheimer's Disease – E2609-G000-302

• PI IRCCS: Prof. Orazio Zanetti.
• Role: partner.
• Funding agency: EISAI Co., LTD.
• Aim: This 24-month treatment, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, Phase 3 study in participants with Early Alzheimer's Disease (EAD) including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer's Disease (AD)/Prodromal AD and the early stages of mild AD will be conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of elenbecestat.

A Phase 3, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-design Study to Assess the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of AVP-786 (Deudextromethorphan Hydrobromide [d6-DM]/Quinidine Sulfate [Q]) for the Treatment of Agitation in Patients With Dementia of the Alzheimer's Type

• PI IRCCS: Prof. Orazio Zanetti.
• Role: partner.
• Funding agency: Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
• Aim: This study will be conducted to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of AVP-786 compared to placebo, for the treatment of agitation in participants with dementia of the Alzheimer's type.

INTERCEPTOR - “On the early diagnosis of the prodromal stage of Alzheimer disease. The Progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia: the role of biomarkers in the early interception of patients to whom provide future disease-modifying drugs."

• PI IRCCS: Prof. Orazio Zanetti.
• Role: partner.
• Funding agency: AIFA.
• Aim: The study is an observational, longitudinal cohort one, in which the baseline clinical and biomarkers characteristics of the enrolled MCI subjects at baseline will be compared for those classified as "AD converters" after 3.0 years of follow-up with respect to those "non-converters", in order to identify predicting biomarkers for this conversion.

 

Observational project:

The Brescia nexus: SOCIal infrastructure and cognitive ABiLitiEs in an ageing population - SOCIABLE

• PI IRCCS: Prof. Orazio Zanetti.
• Role: partner.
• Funding agency: Fondazione Cariplo.
• Aim: To study the effect of the social infrastructure on the elder’s cognition in Brescia by looking at the characteristics of social networks and neighborhood social capital that can help preserve cognitive abilities or eventually improve the cognitive reserve of the elderly and the mechanisms through which these social factors may give rise to formal/informal community welfare services that help to manage cognitive diseases.
• https://sociable.unibs.it/

TEAM: 

Head:

LUISA BENUSSI

• Biologist specialized in Clinical Chemistry, is the head of the IRCCS Fatebenefratelli Biobank  Biobank (BioBank FBF) since 2014. Senior researcher at the IRCCS Fatebenefratelli, she has a consolidated experience on dementia molecular disease markers and specifically on genetic markers and genotype-phenotype correlation studies.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2836-8141
• Phone: +39 030 3501725
• E-mail: lbenussi@fatebenefratelli.eu 

Personnel:

ROLAND NICSANU

• Medical Laboratory Technician, is dedicated to samples processing, data collection and database managing.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6621-8729

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES:

Main activities of the Biobank service are:

1. processing and storage of biological samples to be deposited in the “IRCCS Fatebenefratelli Biobank (BioBank Fatebenefratelli)”
2. managing of BioBank dataset;
3. storage of the documentation concerning the biological samples collected in the BioBank Fatebenefratelli;
4. monitoring of the income and outcome of biological samples
5. networking with national and international biobanks.

Currently the collected material includes samples of DNA, RNA, plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluid and primary fibroblasts cultures. The biological material (more than 20.000 samples) was collected from more than 12.000 patients affected by the major neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, Frontotemporal dementia, mild cognitive impairment, major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder) and control subjects (subjects with no psychiatric or cognitive disorders).

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS:

Ongoing projects:

“Optimizing response to Li treatment through personalized evaluation of individuals with bipolar I disorder: the R-LiNK initiative”

• European Union - Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme.
• PI: Frank Bellivier (Institut National De La Sante Et De La Recherche Medicale, INSERM, Paris, France)- Site PI: Anna Cattaneo, Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre Brescia, Italy.
• The BioBank Fatebenefratelli (Luisa Benussi) is one of the two biobank sites for the storage of the samples collected within the project.
• Project duration: January 2018 – January 2023.
• The main objective of the project is to optimize the lithium response of bipolar I disorder (BDI) cases using a set of multi-modal biomarkers (blood “omics”, anatomic/structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI, and 7Li-MRI derived-markers).
• Web link: https://rlink.eu.com/

 

Main research networks:

Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure -European Research Infrastructure Consortium (BBMRI-ERIC).

The BioBank Fatebenefratelli is part of the European infrastructure BBMRI-ERIC since the 26/08/2016 and of the Italian national node, which was established with a joint effort by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of University & Research. BBMRI-IT has two main goals: to provide new common services for the community of the Italian biobanks and to contribute to the pan-European research infrastructure BBMRI-ERIC.

Web link:

• http://bbmri-eric.eu/
• http://www.bbmri.it/home

TEAM:

Head:

CLARISSA FERRARI

• PhD. in Statistical Methodology for the Scientific Research, University of Bologna; MD in Statistics, University of Rome La Sapienza. Main interests focus on applied statistics (experimental designs, complex structure predictive models, multivariate techniques for classification –machine learning-) for psychometrics, neuroimaging, neurophysiology, biological and epidemiological psychiatry.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4101-6872
• Phone: +39 030 3501722
• E-mail: cferrari@fatebenefratelli.eu

Researchers:

AMBRA MACIS

• M.D. in Statistics, University of Rome La Sapienza; she contributes to the service activities for: statistical data analyses, project plan definition, writing scientific papers.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0281-8570

MATTEO CARRARA (bioinformatician)

• PhD. in Complex systems for life sciences, University of Turin; M.D. in Cell/cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Turin; he contributes to the service activities for omic data mining and analyses, writing genetic scientific papers.
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8559-8296

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES:

Service of Statistics supports all the research units of the IRCCS Saint John of God Clinical Research Centre. Its activity mainly deals with three macro areas of intervention:

1. Statistical and bioinformatic data analyses (inferential and predictive analyses, models and methods for psychometrics, neuropsychology and neuroimaging; omic data analysis through common and original –ad-hoc developed- tools/pipelines);
   
   
2. Consulting for national and international scientific projects (experimental design planning, sample size definition, genetic -big data- managing, scheduling of analysis processes);
3. Ad hoc consulting for advanced statistical and bioinformatic methods (review of statistical and bioinformatic sections of scientific papers).

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS:

Ongoing projects:

The Service of Statistics provides consulting for national and international projects of IRCCS Principal investigators. The Service is directly involved as head of Statistical and Data managing of Work Packages of some projects (e.g. WP7 of EU-VIORMED, PI: G. de Girolamo, http://www.eu-viormed.eu/workpackages/)

 

Main research networks:

Unplanned collaboration networks with institution and research partners:

• IRCCS Santa Lucia, neurophysiology area, Dr. Giacomo Koch, Dr. Maria Concetta Pellicciari;
• University of Brescia, Department of Neurological Sciences, Prof. Barbara Borroni;
• University of Brescia, Department of Clinical and experimental sciences, Prof. Alberto Ghilardi.

TEAM:

Head:

MAURA CASSAMALI

• Qualified Librarian. In Scientific Library, since September 2001.
• The Library is located in Institute, in the Research building.
• Phone: +39 030 3501537
• Fax: +39 030 3501592
• E-mail: mcassamali@fatebenefratelli.eu

 

RESEARCH/MAIN ACTIVITIES:

The aim of the Scientific Library is to meet the researchers, physicians, postgraduate students information needs in all areas associated with the rehabilitation of Alzheimer’s disease and mental disorders.

The Library offers the following services and resources:

• reference service;
• participation in collective catalogues;
• support for bibliographic research and supplier of bibliographical material with a daily service of document delivery;
• on-line consultation of all major scientific journals and database, accessible from all accredited pc within the Institute;
• collection Scientific Production and scientific research impact (Impact Factor, H-Index etc.).

 

PROJECTS & NETWORKS:

Main research networks:

The Scientific Library is part of the following important interlibrary loan networks.

Bibliosan (Sistema Bibliotecario degli Enti di Ricerca Biomedici Italiani)

Project and service, supported by the Ministry of Health, that aims to create a national online serving linking libraries and documentation services and that permits the interchange of documents and sharing resources among the IRCCS Centers.
www.bibliosan.it

Sbbl (Sistema Bibliotecario Biomedico Lombardo)
Project and service, sponsored by Lombardy Region, that allows free access to an advanced portal offering biomedical literature database, full text databases and a collective catalogue of research and clinical institution in Lombardy Region.
www.sbbl.it

 

Other document delivery (d/d) networks:

Acnp (Archivio Nazionale dei Periodici)

A collective catalogue.
https://acnpsearch.unibo.it/

Nilde (Network Inter-Library Document Exchange)
A web-based software for the service of Document Supply and Inter-Library Loan.
https://nildeworld.bo.cnr.it/it

 

Journals and Database:

• A-to-Z  catalogue.
  
  
• Database EBSCO: CINAHL Plus with Full Text Research tool of nursing & allied health literature.
  
  
• BioMedCentral - Open Access Journals.
  
  
• BMJ BestPractice e Martindale - Get fast access to clinical answers (EBM).
  
  
• Cochrane Library - Systematic reviews and other synthesized research evidence.
  
  
• Medline - The U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) database.
  
  
• Medline su PubMed - Free Medline.
  
  
• ScienceDirect - Multidisciplinary Database.
  
  
• SCOPUS - Important Database for H-Index.
  
  
• Embase - Source for biomedical literature from peer reviewed journals and conference abstracts.

CLARIVATE ANALYTICS Database:

• Essential Science Indicators (ESI) - Performance statistics and trends extrapolated from counts of articles published in scholarly journals and the citations to those articles.
  
  
• InCites - Bibliometric analysis. (Username and password in Library).
  
  
• Journal Citation Reports (JCR) - Important Database for Impact Factor.
  
  
• Web of Science (WOS) - Important Database for H-Index.

PROQUEST multidisciplinary database:

• British Nursing Index with Full Text - Database for the support of practice, education, research, and development for nurses, midwives, health visitors.
  
  
• Psychology Database - Psychology theory and practice.
  
  
• Biological Science Database - Database supported by a specialized A&I file.
  
  
• Health Research Premium Collection - Database provides access to the latest medical information essential for medical students and researchers.
  
  
• International Pharmaceutical Abstract - Drug evaluations, pharmaceutics, toxicity articles.
  
  
• Nursing & Allied Health Source - Nursing Nursing and allied health journals.

 

PIVOT Database:

PIVOT - A database that helps to find targeted funding for research activities.

SCIVAL Experts:
Scival Experts - Platform implemented by the Ministry of Health that indexes the Italian IRCCS and allows finding the profiles of researchers with their scientific publications

E-books:
E-books Springer

Gestore di Bibliografie:
Refworks - Reference management software
Other "free": Mendeley, Zotero, CiteULike.

Social network professionali
Social network "free":

• ResearcherID
• ResearchGate
• ORCID

JOURNAL: Current Subscriptions

Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
(Bibliosan) Online 2000-
Acta Neuropsychiatrica
(Bibliosan) Online 2002-
Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders
(Library) Online 2000-
American Journal of Neuroradiology,
(Library) Online 1999- Print 2003-
American Journal of Psychiatry
(Library) Online 1997-
Print 1996 - (donation)
Annals of Neurology
(Library) Online 2003- Print 1997-
Archives of General Psychiatry
(Library) Print 1997-2006
(Bibliosan) Online 1998-
Archives of Neurology
(Library Print) 1997-2006
(Bibliosan) Online 1998-
Bipolar Disorders
(Bibliosan) Online 1999- Print 2005-
Blood Pressure Monitoring
(SBBL) Online 2001-2016
BMJ
(Library) Print 2005
(Bibliosan) Online 1994-
Brain
(Library) Online 1997- Print 2003-2011;
Brain Stimulation
(Bibliosan) Online 2008-
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
(Bibliosan) Online 1996-
British Journal of Psychiatry
(Library) 2000-
Print 1986 (donation)
Cerebral Cortex
(Library) Online 1997- Print 2003-2011;
Circulation
(SBBL) Online 2002-2016
Clinical Genetics
(Bibliosan) Online 1998-
Clinical Neuropharmacology
(SBBL) Online 2003-2016
Clinical Neurophysiology
(Library donation) Print 2004-
Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology
(SBBL) Online 2003-2016
Current Opinion in Neurology
(Library) Online 1998-
Current Opinion in Psychiatry
(SBBL) Online 2002-2016
Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders
(Library) Print 2003-2012; Online 1998-
(Bibliosan) annate 1998-2008
Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale
(Library) Online 2006- Print 1995-
European Journal of Neurology
(Bibliosan) Online 1998-
European Psychiatry
(Library) Online 2002- Print 1997-
Hypertension
(SBBL) Online 2002-2016
Human Brain Mapping
(Library) 2003-
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
(Library) 2003-
International Journal of Mental Health Nursing
(Bibliosan) Online 2002-
International Journal of Rehabilitation Research
(SBBL) Online 2002-2016
JAMA
(Library print) 2003-2006
(Bibliosan) 1998-
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities
(Bibliosan) Online 2000-
Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology
(SBBL) Online 2002-2016
Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
(SBBL) Online 2002-2016
Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography
(SBBL) Online 2002-2016
Journal of Hypertension
(SBBL) Online 2002-2016
Journal of Intellectual Disabilities
(Bibliosan) Online 2007-
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research
(Bibliosan) Online 1996-
Journal of Neurochemistry
(Bibliosan) Online 1994-
Journal Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology
(Bibliosan) Online 1996-
JNNP
(Library print) 2003-2006
(Bibliosan)Online 1997-
Journal of Neuroscience
(Library) Online 1991- Print 2005-2011;
Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
(SBBL) Online 2001-2016
Journal of Physiology
(Bibliosan) Online 1997-
Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
(Bibliosan) Online 1997-
Journal of Psychiatric Practice
(SBBL) Online 2002-2016
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
(Bibliosan) Online 2001-
Lancet
(Library) Online 1998- Print 2004-
Lancet Neurology
(Library) Online 2002- Print 2003-
Lancet Psychiatry
(Library) Online 2014-
*** Nature Publishing Group
(ONLINE since 2004-):
Nature
Nature Reviews Neurology
Nature Genetics
Nature Neuroscience
Molecular Psychiatry
***
Neurobiology of Aging
(Library) Online Jul 2003- Print 2003-
Neuroimage
(Library) Online Aug 2003- Print 2003-
Neurologist
(SBBL) Online 2002-2016
Neurology
(Library print) 1997-2002
(Library) Online 1995-
Neuroreport
(SBBL) Online 2002-2016
New England Journal of Medicine
(Bibliosan) 1993-

*** Pensiero Scientifico Editore (riviste e collana)
(BIBLIOSAN) Online
***
Pharmacogenetics and Genomics
(SBBL) Online 2005-2016
Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
(Bibliosan) Online 1998-
Psychiatric Genetics
(Library) Online 2001-
Psychiatric Services
(Library) Print 1998-2005
Psychogeriatrics
(Bibliosan) Online 2003-
Psychological Medicine
(Library) 2000-
Psychosomatic Medicine
(SBBL) Online 2002-2016
Research in Developmental Disabilities
(Library) Online 2005- Print 2005-
Rivista di psichiatria
(Library) Online 2008-
Print 1995-
Science
(Library) 1998-
Stroke
(SBBL) 2003-2016