Christian Barbato

Research Area: Neurobiology

Università “LA SAPIENZA” – Roma
+39 06 49976741 (office)
christian.barbato@cnr.it
Research FocusCurriculumKey PubblicationsPrograms & ResourcesPress Release

Neurobiology and Neuromolecular Medicine

  • Study of the role of RNA-induced Silencing Complex (RISC), small non-coding RNA and RNA-binding proteins in nervous system.
  • Biomarkers in neurological and cancer disease;

Keywords: neurodegenerative disease; microRNAs; RNA-Binding Proteins

Education

(2001) Ph.D. NEUROSCIENCE, Department of Neurosciences Faculty of Medicine ‘Tor Vergata’ University, Rome

(1997-2001) PhD Fellow ‘Neuroscience’ Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Department of
Neuroscience Tor Vergata University, Rome.

(1996) M.D.  Faculty of Medicine and Surgery ‘La Sapienza’ University, Rome.

(1994-1996) Medical Residency, Department of Cellular Biotechnology and Hematology, Section of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, ‘La Sapienza’ University, Rome.

Positions

(2009- present) Full Researcher IBCN/IBBC, Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, National Research Council CNR

(2006-2009) Associate Researcher, Fondazione EBRI ‘Rita Levi-Montalcini’ EuropeanBrain Research Institute, (Rome) -MicroRNAs in the Nervous System Unit-.

(2002-2006) Post-doc, INMM, Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, National Research Council CNR

(2001-2002) Fellowship, Department of Neuroscience Faculty of Medicine and Surgery Tor Vergata University, Rome.

(1998) Research Fellowship ‘Perfezionamento negli studi di Neurobiologia’ della Fondazione Giuseppe Levi,  Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei

Awards and honors

(2004) Award “Fondazione Gino Galletti”, – PREMIO “Fondazione Gino Galletti” per tesi di Specializzazione o di Dottorato di Ricerca in tema di patologie neurodegenerative. Edizione 2004 – Ph.D thesis (Neuroscience/neurodegenerative diseases): “Meccanismi molecolari e cellulari dell’apoptosi neuronale: correlazioni con le malattie neurodegenerative”. 

(2007) Research Prize “Fondazione GiUSEPPE ALAZIO”, Young Researcher (M.D.) engaged in biomedical research (Premio giovani promesse della ricerca medica e biomedica) Project title: ‘‘Studio dei microRNA neuronali nella patogenesi dei tumori cerebrali”

Barbato C, Giacovazzo G, Albiero F, Scardigli R, Scopa C, Ciotti MT, Strimpakos G, Coccurello R, Ruberti F Cognitive decline and modulation of Alzheimer’s disease-related genes after inhibition of microRNA-101 in mouse hippocampal neurons Mol Neurobiol. 2020 ;57(7):3183-3194. doi:10.1007/s12035-020-01957-8 

Masotti A, Baldassarre A, Guzzo MP, Iannuccelli C, Barbato C, Di Franco M. Circulating microRNA Profiles as Liquid Biopsies for the Characterization and Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Mol Neurobiol. 2017;54(9):7129-7136. doi:10.1007/s12035-016-0235-2 

Cogoni C, Ruberti F, Barbato C. MicroRNA landscape in Alzheimer’s disease. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2015;14(2):168-175. doi:10.2174/1871527314666150116123305

Vilardo E, Barbato C, Ciotti M, Cogoni C, Ruberti F. MicroRNA-101 regulates amyloid precursor protein expression in hippocampal neurons. J Biol Chem. 2010;285(24):18344-18351. doi:10.1074/jbc.M110.112664 

Barbato C, Ruberti F, Cogoni C. Searching for MIND: microRNAs in neurodegenerative diseases. J Biomed Biotechnol. 2009;2009:871313. doi:10.1155/2009/871313

Barbato C, Giorgi C, Catalanotto C, Cogoni C. Thinking about RNA? MicroRNAs in the brain. Mamm Genome. 2008;19(7-8):541-551. doi:10.1007/s00335-008-9129-6 

Canu N.; Dus L.; Barbato C.; Ciotti M.T.; Brancolini C.; Rinaldi A.M.; Novak M.; Cattaneo A.; Bradbury A.; Calissano P. Tau cleavage and dephosphorylation in cerebellar granule neurons undergoing apoptosis. J Neurosci. 1998;18(18):7061-7074. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.18-18-07061.1998

Barbato C, Giacovazzo G, Albiero F, Scardigli R, Scopa C, Ciotti MT, Strimpakos G, Coccurello R, Ruberti F Cognitive decline and modulation of Alzheimer’s disease-related genes after inhibition of microRNA-101 in mouse hippocampal neurons Mol Neurobiol. 2020 ;57(7):3183-3194. doi:10.1007/s12035-020-01957-8

Severini C, Barbato C, Di Certo MG, Francesca Gabanella, Carla Petrella, Arianna Di Stadio, Marco de Vincentiis, Antonella Polimeni, Massimo Ralli, Antonio Greco Alzheimer’s disease: new concepts on the role of autoimmunity and of NLRP3 inflammasome in the pathogenesis of the disease Curr Neuropharmacol. 2020; doi:10.2174/1570159X18666200621204546

Roberta Lattanzi , Daniela Maftei , Carla Petrella , Massimo Pieri , Giulia Sancesario, Tommaso Schirinzi , Sergio Bernardini , Christian Barbato , Massimo Ralli , Antonio Greco , Roberta Possenti , Giuseppe Sancesario and Cinzia Severini. Involvement of the Chemokine Prokineticin-2 (PROK2) in Alzheimer’s Disease: From Animal Models to the Human Pathology. Cells 2019;8(11):1430. Published 2019 Nov 13. doi:10.3390/cells8111430

Barbato C. Dicer Silencing by siRNA in Cerebellar Granule Neurons. (2019) J Cytol Histol 10: 539. Volume 10 • Issue 2 • 1000539

Barbato C. A Dicing Machine for Micrornas in Neurons. (2019) J Cytol Histol 10: e122. doi:10.4172/2157-7099.1000e122

Petrella C, Di Certo MG, Barbato C, et al. Neuropeptides in Alzheimer’s Disease: An Update. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2019;16(6):544-558. doi:10.2174/1567205016666190503152555

Masotti A, Baldassarre A, Guzzo MP, Iannuccelli C, Barbato C and Di Franco M. Circulating microRNA Profiles as Liquid Biopsies for the Characterization and Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Mol Neurobiol. 2017;54(9):7129-7136. doi:10.1007/s12035-016-0235-2

Cogoni C, Ruberti F, Barbato C. MicroRNA landscape in Alzheimer’s disease. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2015;14(2):168-175. doi:10.2174/1871527314666150116123305

Vetere G, Barbato C, Pezzola S, Frisone P, Aceti M, Ciotti M, Cogoni C, Ammassari-Teule M, Ruberti F. Selective inhibition of miR-92 in hippocampal neurons alters contextual fear memory. Hippocampus. 2014;24(12):1458-1465. doi:10.1002/hipo.22326

Barbato C, Alzheim(i)R: MicroRNAs in Alzheimer’s Disease . J Cytol Histol 2014, 5:5 DOI: 10.4172/2157-7099.1000e113

Barbato C. Pezzola S. Caggiano C. Antonelli M. Frisone P. Ciotti M.T. Ruberti F.A lentiviral sponge for miR-101 regulates RanBP9 expression and amyloid precursor protein metabolism in hippocampal neurons. Front Cell Neurosci. 2014;8:37. Published 2014 Feb 13. doi:10.3389/fncel.2014.00037

Ruberti F, Barbato C, Cogoni C. Targeting microRNAs in neurons: tools and perspectives. Exp Neurol. 2012;235(2):419-426. doi:10.1016/j.expneurol.2011.10.031

Vilardo E, Barbato C, Ciotti M, Cogoni C, Ruberti F. MicroRNA-101 regulates amyloid precursor protein expression in hippocampal neurons. J Biol Chem. 2010;285(24):18344-18351. doi:10.1074/jbc.M110.112664

Barbato C, Ruberti F. , Pieri M. Vilardo E.,Costanzo M. , Ciotti M.T. , Zona C. Cogoni C. MicroRNA-92 modulates K(+) Cl(-) co-transporter KCC2 expression in cerebellar granule neurons. J Neurochem. 2010;113(3):591-600. doi:10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06560.x

Enrico Maria Batassa; Marco Costanzi; Daniele Saraulli; Raffaella Scardigli; Christian Barbato; Carlo Cogoni; Vincenzo Cestari. RISC activity in hippocampus is essential for contextual memory. Neurosci Lett. 2010;471(3):185-188. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2010.01.038

Ruberti F, Barbato C, Cogoni C. Post-transcriptional regulation of amyloid precursor protein by microRNAs and RNA binding proteins. Commun Integr Biol. 2010;3(6):499-503. doi:10.4161/cib.3.6.13172

Barbato C, Ruberti F, Cogoni C. Searching for MIND: microRNAs in neurodegenerative diseases. J Biomed Biotechnol. 2009;2009:871313. doi:10.1155/2009/871313

Barbato C, Arisi I, Frizzo ME, Brandi R, Da Sacco L, Masotti A. Computational challenges in miRNA target predictions: to be or not to be a true target?. J Biomed Biotechnol. 2009;2009:803069. doi:10.1155/2009/803069

Barbato C, Giorgi C, Catalanotto C, Cogoni C. Thinking about RNA? MicroRNAs in the brain. Mamm Genome. 2008;19(7-8):541-551. doi:10.1007/s00335-008-9129-6

Buontempo S; Barbato C; Bruno T; Corbi N; Ciotti MT; Floridi A; Fanciulli M; Passananti C.Che-1 enhances cyclin-dependent kinase 5 expression and interacts with the active kinase-complex. Neuroreport. 2008;19(5):531-535. doi:10.1097/WNR.0b013e3282f85c1b

Barbato C, Ciotti MT, Serafino A, Calissano P, Cogoni C. Dicer expression and localization in post-mitotic neurons. Brain Res. 2007;1175:17-27. doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2007.07.088

Pieri, C. Severini, G.Amadoro, I. Carunchio, C. Barbato, MT. Ciotti, and C. Zona AMPA receptors are modulated by tachykinins in rat cerebellum neurons. J Neurophysiol. 2005;94(4):2484-2490. doi:10.1152/jn.00436.2005

Christian Barbato, Nadia Canu ; Nicola Zambrano ; Annalucia Serafino ; Giuseppina Minopoli ; Teresa Ciotti ; Giuseppina Amadoro ; Tommaso Russo ; Pietro Calissano Interaction of Tau with Fe65 links tau to APP. Neurobiol Dis. 2005;18(2):399-408. doi:10.1016/j.nbd.2004.10.011

Barbato C, Ciotti MT, Serafino A, Severini C, Calissano P. Tachykinin neuropeptides in cerebellar granule neurons: an immunocytochemical study. Eur J Histochem. 2005;49(1):87-92. doi:10.4081/931

Amadoro G., Serafino A, Barbato C., Ciotti M.T., Sacco A., Calissano P., Canu N.Role of N-terminal tau domain integrity on the survival of cerebellar granule neurons. Cell Death Differ. 2004;11(2):217-230. doi:10.1038/sj.cdd.4401314

Barbato C, Corbi N, Canu N, Fanciulli M, Serafino A, Ciotti M, Libri V, Bruno T, Amadoro G, De Angelis R, Calissano P, Passananti C. Rb binding protein Che-1 interacts with Tau in cerebellar granule neurons. Modulation during neuronal apoptosis. Mol Cell Neurosci. 2003;24(4):1038-1050. doi:10.1016/j.mcn.2003.08.002

Severini C, Ciotti MT, Mercanti D, Barbato C, Calissano P. A tachykinin-like factor increases glutamate toxicity in rat cerebellar granule cells. Neuropharmacology. 2003;44(1):117-124. doi:10.1016/s0028-3908(02)00274-5

Bruno T. , De Angelis R. , De Nicola F. , Barbato C. , Di Padova M. , Corbi N. , Libri V. , Benassi B. , Mattei E. , Chersi A. , Soddu S. , Floridi A. , Passananti C.  and Fanciulli M. Che-1 affects cell growth by interfering with the recruitment of HDAC1 by Rb. Cancer Cell. 2002;2(5):387-399. doi:10.1016/s1535-6108(02)00182-4

Canu N, Barbato C, Ciotti MT, Serafino A, Dus L, Calissano P. Proteasome involvement and accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins in cerebellar granule neurons undergoing apoptosis. J Neurosci. 2000;20(2):589-599. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.20-02-00589.2000

Canu N.; Dus L.; Barbato C.; Ciotti M.T.; Brancolini C.; Rinaldi A.M.; Novak M.; Cattaneo A.; Bradbury A.; Calissano P. Tau cleavage and dephosphorylation in cerebellar granule neurons undergoing apoptosis. J Neurosci. 1998;18(18):7061-7074. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.18-18-07061.1998

Quondam M, Barbato C, Pickford A, Helmer-Citterich M, Macino G. Homology modeling of Neurospora crassa geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase: structural interpretation of mutant phenotypes. Protein Eng. 1997;10(9):1047-1055. doi:10.1093/protein/10.9.1047

Barbato C, Calissano M, Pickford A, Romano N, Sandmann G, Macino G. Mild RIP-an alternative method for in vivo mutagenesis of the albino-3 gene in Neurospora crassa. Mol Gen Genet. 1996;252(4):353-361. doi:10.1007/BF02172999

book chapters

Ruberti F and Barbato C. (2016) MicroRNA Biology and Function in the Nervous System (2016) Pages 3-18, in “Mapping Nervous System Diseases via MicroRNAs” (2016) (eds. Barbato C and Ruberti F) by CRC Press. Reference – 262 Pages – 17 B/W Illustrations ISBN 9781482263527- cat # K24373. Series: Frontiers in Neurotherapeutics.

Barbato C and Ruberti F, (2012) “MicroRNA Regulation of Neuronal Differentiation and Plasticity”, in Regulatory RNAs, B. Mallick (eds.), DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-22517-8_2, pg 175-195, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Ruberti F, Pezzola S and Barbato C (2011) “Advances in MicroRNAs and Alzheimer’s Disease Research”. In: Alzheimer’s Disease Pathogenesis-Core Concepts, Shifting Paradigms and Therapeutic Targets, Suzanne De La Monte (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-307-690-4, pg 273-294, InTech. DOI 10.5772/17635

Current Grant Support:

1) Flagship Project NanoMax (Progetto Bandiera) 2012-2016 (SP4-WP9)

  1. Title ‘Serum miRNAs in Alzheimer’s disease’
  2. Grant: €19.650,00
  3. Role: Principal Investigator

2) PNR-CNR Aging Program (MIUR-CNR) 2012-2018 (WP1.9 -L1)

  1. Title ‘Studio dei microRNA nella patogenesi e progressione della malattia di Alzheimer”
  2. Grant: €123.000,00
  3. Role: Co-Investigator

 

Past Grant Support (selection):

1) Programma Neuroscienze Compagnia di Sanpaolo 2009-2011 (n°3886 SD)

  1. Title ‘MIND: MicroRNA In Neurodegenerative Diseases’
  2. Grant: €120.000,00
  3. Role: Principal Investigator

2) Regione Lazio 2009-2011

  1. Title ‘Studies on molecular basis of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease’
  2. Grant: €75.000,00
  3. Role: Co-Investigator

3) MIUR 2009 Bando ex art.4 legge 6/2000

  1. Title ‘100 neuroni in laboratorio’
  2. Grant: €3.000,00
  3. Role: Principal Investigator

 

-12/10/2004, RAI3, Ballarò: puntata dedicata al tema Ricerca&Sviluppo, con intervista al cervello in gabbia Christian Barbato.

https://www.palazzoesposizioni.it/evento/evento-729-it-it

-24/10/2004, Il Messaggero: articolo “Io da chimico a disegnatore di fumetti…”, di A. Sersale, con stralci dalle storie dei cervelli in gabbia G. Di Gregorio, C. Barbato, R. Doglione, R. Bugianesi, e una intervista al segretario ADI A. Palombini (articolo).

-18/09/2004, Il Sole 24 Ore, p. 11: articolo “Ricerca, l’attesa dei “Cervelli in Gabbia“, di Marzio Bartoloni, con stralci dalle storie di C. Barbato, F. Monforti, G. Piccinini, A. Torcini e una intervista a F. Saccà (comitato editoriale cervelli in gabbia). Nella stessa pagina altri articoli e interviste sul tema (articolo pag. 1 e pag. 2).

https://www.palazzoesposizioni.it/evento/evento-729-it-it

 

Journal of Cytology & Histology

https://www.hilarispublisher.com/editor/christian-barbato-1782

Mapping of Nervous System Diseases via MicroRNAs 1st Edition, Kindle Edition