Keywords: Neurotrophins, cholinergic neurons, brain insulin resistance
In our lab, we use brain slice cultures as a powerful 3D model system to investigate mechanisms of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. This model preserves the complex architecture and cellular diversity of the brain, allowing us to study neuron-glia interactions in a physiologically relevant context (Humpel, 2025; Cho et al., 2020). To dissect the fundamental pathways involved in brain injury and disease, our approach integrates pharmacological manipulation and/or tracker and sensor incubation, multiple immunofluorescent staining, high resolution confocal imaging and super resolution by expansion microscopy. Additionally, we employ this platform for drug screening, enabling the identification of candidate compounds that modulate neuroinflammatory responses or promote neuroprotection. This versatile approach bridges basic neuroscience research with translational applications in drug discovery and neuromodulation therapies, significantly contributing to the 3Rs principles aimed at the reduction of laboratory animals. We are currently developing an ex vivo hSpike-based neuroinflammatory model in partnership with TorVergata University (ImmunoHub Platform, Italian Ministry of Health) to explore innovative therapeutic strategies, including the application of nanobody technologies to target cognitive impairment upon NeuroCovid infection (Sobrino-Relano, 2023; Li, 2023).
Also, we have initiated a collaboration with the Innosol start-up to optimise focused ultrasound parameters on brain slices, as a first step to achieve non-invasive neuromodulation and brain drug delivery in vivo.
We are involved in institutional science communication through social platforms to the general public, high school students’ educational series (PCTO). More, we contributed to public engagement through scientific workshop/seminars, in partnership with the Palazzo Massimo (Roman National Museums) and Museo Etrusco. The primary objectives are to democratize scientific knowledge, increase public confidence in science, and collaborate in developing research agendas that meet the requirements of the scientific community and the general public.
EDUCATION
2000 Degree (INMM-CNR/ La Sapienza University of Rome) “The NGF system in spinal cord injury and Multiple Sclerosis”
2003 Summer Studentship (Brain Research Center, Cambridge, UK) “Spinal cord neurodegeneration in the P301S Transgenic mice”
2005 PhD (INMM-CNR/TorVergata University of Rome) “NGF-driven adult neurogenesis in animal models of Multiple Sclerosis”
2006-2010 Post-doc (European Molecular Biology Laboratory-Mouse Biology Unit of Rome) “Novel Cre-LoxP mouse models of AD-like neurodegeneration”
EDITORIAL ACTIVITY
Editorial Board Member (2019-), Frontiers Neuroscience_Neurodegeneration.
Guest Editor (2023), Frontiers in Neuroscience/Frontiers in Pharmacology, Special issue: “Neurotrophins Biodelivery to CNS: Innovative Approaches for Disease-Modifying therapy”.
Review Editor, “Frontiers in Neurology” and “Frontiers in Psychiatry”.
Review Editor (2023-), Frontiers in Endocrinology of Aging,
Topical advisory panel (2021-), Biomolecules.
Editorial Board Member (2016-), Neural Regeneration Research.
Grant Reviewer, National Science Centre, Poland Founding Scheme, National Scientific Foundation (http://www.ncn.gov.pl).
Invited Peer Reviewer: Scientific Reports, Alzheimer’s Research and Dementia, Theranostics, Frontiers in Neuroscience, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Neural Regeneration Research, Journal of Cellular Physiology, International Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Immunology Research.
PHARMA collaboration/consulting
Orion Pharma (Finland) /Chiesi Pharmaceuticals (Italy) / Dompè, Italy
RESEARCH NETWORKS
C4Neuro (2024-), NeuroNET, (2019-), Nutrheff (2021-), Consiglio di Corso di Studio unificato in Biologia, “Università del Molise” (2021-).
SCIENCE COMMUNICATION/EDUCATION
2022-today: Member of the IBBC Team for public dissemination on social media
2022-today: Founding member and coordinator of the IBBC Team for science divulgation “Science&Society”
2024-today: Member of the IBBC Team “Communication and Press”
HONOURS/AWARDS
2017 Fellowship H2020-ICT-2016-2017, “Magnetic Diagnostic Assay for Neurodegenerative Disease”
2006 AIRC Fellowship,“Italian Association for Cancer Research”
2004-2005 FISM Senior Fellowship, “Italian Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis”
2002-2004 FISM Junior Fellowship,“Italian Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis”
2003 Research Prizes, “Istituto toniolo di studi Superiori” (Catholic University of Rome)
ADVANCED COURSES
2005 Course of Statistics “Biomedical Statistics”, TorVergata University
2006 Metamorph Course, “Advanced Image analysis”, EMBL
2008 Course of English “Effective Writing, English” by Epoc-Career and Training Solutions (UK) for EMBL Training
2009 Course of Statistics “Part I and Part II: Elements of Statistical Methodology”, EMBL Training
2009 Course “Advanced presentation skills”, by John Williams and associates (UK) for EMBL Training
2010 ScientificTraining, workshop “Leica laser capture Microdissection”, EMBL
2010 Courses of Imaging analysis “Digital Imaging, ALFM1” and “Digital Imaging, ALFM2”, EMBL Training
2019 FELASA Accredited Course “Laboratory animals Training”, S. Lucia Foundation-IBBC
2019 Course of Bioinformatics “Introduction to Python”, EMBL-Rome Bioinformatics Services
Piccioni G, Maisto N, d’Ettorre A, Strimpakos G, Nisticò R, Triaca V#*, Mango D#*. Switch to phagocytic microglia by CSFR1 inhibition drives amyloid-beta clearance from glutamatergic terminals rescuing LTP in acute hippocampal slices. Transl Psychiatry. 2024 Aug 23;14(1):338. #shared last; *corresponding
Barbato G, Nisticò R, Triaca V*. Exploiting Focused Ultrasound to Aid Intranasal Drug Delivery for Brain Therapy. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Apr 14;13:786475. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.786475. *corresponding
Triaca V*, Fico E, Sposato V, Caioli S, Ciotti MT, Zona C, Mercanti D, La Mendola D, Satriano C, Rizzarelli E, Tirassa P, Calissano P. hNGF Peptides Elicit the NGF-TrkA Signalling Pathway in Cholinergic Neurons and Retain Full Neurotrophic Activity in the DRG Assay. Biomolecules. 2020 Feb 1;10(2). *corresponding
Triaca V*, Fico E, Rosso P, Ralli M, Corsi A, Severini C, Crevenna A, Agostinelli E, Rullo E, Riminucci M, Colizza A, Polimeni A, Greco A, Tirassa P. Pilot Investigation on p75ICD Expression in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel). 2022 May 25;14(11):2622. *corresponding
Triaca V*, Sposato V, Bolasco G, Ciotti MT, Pelicci P, Bruni AC, Cupidi C, Maletta R, Feligioni M, Nisticò R, Canu N, Calissano. NGF controls APP cleavage by downregulating APP phosphorylation at Thr668: relevance for Alzheimer’s disease. P. Aging Cell. 2016 Aug;15(4):661-72. *corresponding
Sposato V, Canu N, Fico E, Fusco S, Bolasco G, Ciotti MT, Spinelli M, Mercanti D, Grassi C, Triaca V* & Calissano P. Correction to: The Medial Septum Is Insulin Resistant in the AD Presymptomatic Phase: Rescue by Nerve Growth Factor-Driven IRS1 Activation. Mol Neurobiol. 2019 Apr;56(4):3068. * corresponding
Lista S, González-Domínguez R, López-Ortiz S, González-Domínguez Á, Menéndez H, Martín-Hernández J, Lucia A, Emanuele E, Centonze D, Imbimbo BP, Triaca V, Lionetto L, Simmaco M, Cuperlovic-Culf M, Mill J, Li L, Mapstone M, Santos-Lozano A, Nisticò R. Integrative metabolomics science in Alzheimer’s disease: Relevance and future perspectives. Ageing Res Rev. 2023 Aug;89:101987.
Lista S, González-Domínguez R, López-Ortiz S, González-Domínguez Á, Menéndez H, Martín-Hernández J, Lucia A, Emanuele E, Centonze D, Imbimbo BP, Triaca V, Lionetto L, Simmaco M, Cuperlovic-Culf M, Mill J, Li L, Mapstone M, Santos-Lozano A, Nisticò R. Integrative metabolomics science in Alzheimer’s disease: Relevance and future perspectives. Ageing Res Rev. 2023 Aug;89:101987.
RESEARCH GROUP
Asia d’Ettore, PhD student (CNR/Sapienza)
Nunzia Maisto, PhD (TorVergata Univ)
Alumni
2023 A Astrologo (Pharmacy, Univ Tovergata
2023 M Zurlo (Biology, Unimol)
2022 G. Piccioni (Pharmacy, La Sapienza Univ)
2022 MA Makoudjou, Industrial PhD, TorVergata Univ/IBBC
2019 M Madhifar, Undergraduate training “Pharmacology”, TorVergata University
2018 M Forni, Undergraduate training, La Sapienza University/EBRI
2016 E Fico, Degree, La Sapienza University/EBRI
2016 V Sposato, PhD “Neuroscience”, TorVergata University/EBRI
Responsabilità Scientifica, Convenzione IBBC-UNiTOV (2024-)- Progetto in collaborazione nel contesto della Piattaforma nazionale Immuno-HUB “.
Responsabilità Scientifica, Accordo di collaborazione CNR-Industry (2022-). Responsabile scientifico dell’Accordo CNR/Inno-Sol SRL, Start-up Innovativa. Topic: “Ex vivo neurostimulation by Focused Ultrasound on tissue slices”.
Responsabilità, tasks di progetto (2020-2022). Orion Pharma (Orion Corporation, Espoo, Finlandia) Funded Project “Limit Nociceptive Reflex”, Acronymous: LINX. Studies on LINX and TrkA interaction in pain and inflammation.
Responsabilità di task di progetto (2022-). Chiesi Farmaceutici spa, sotto Accordo Reciproco di Confidenzialità.
CNR Partner (2019-2020). Grandi Progetti di Ateneo, Univ. La Sapienza “Characterization of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: molecular profiling of p75 neurotrophic receptor in cancer stem cells and circulating tumour cells to predict tumour aggressiveness and treatment response”, Prof. Greco.