Research Groups

Affiliation: University of Milan
Principal Investigator: Maria Pia Abbracchio
Details and Contacts: Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari), via Balzaretti 9; 20133 Milano (MI), Italy; tel: +39(0)250318304/355; email: mariapia.abbracchio[at]unimi.it
Main fields of research: Stem cell biology/pharmacology; Neuroscience
Main disease(s) of interest: Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Migraine, myocardial infarction

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Affiliation: University of Ferrara
Principal Investigator: Elena Adinolfi
Members: Elena Adinolfi, Elena De Marchi, Elisa Orioli
Details and Contacts: Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, Section of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Biology (Dipartimento di Morfologia, Chirurgia  e Medicina Sperimentale, Sezione di Patologia, Oncologia e Biologia Sperimentale), Via Luigi Borsari 46, 44121, Ferrara, Italy; tel: + 39(0)532455445; email: elena.adinolfi[at]unife.it
Main fields of research: Purinergic signalling in cancer, P2X7 receptor isoforms, P2X receptor role in cancer growth and progression. Role of eATP and P2X receptors in inflammation
Main disease(s) of interest: Solid cancers and leukemia (Neuroblastoma, bone cancer, Melanoma, AML, CLL), Inflammatory disorders

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Affiliation: University of Pisa
Principal Investigator: Corrado Blandizzi
Members: Corrado Blandizzi, Luca Antonioli, Daniela Gentile
Details and Contacts: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine (Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale), via Savi 10; 56126 Pisa (PI), Italy; tel: +39(0)502218754; email: corrado.blandizzi[at]med.unipi.it
Main fields of research: enteric neuromotility, inflammation
Main disease(s) of interest: inflammatory bowel diseases

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Affiliation: University of Ferrara
Principal Investigator: Pier Andrea Borea, Katia Varani
Members: Pier Andrea Borea, Katia Varani, Stefania Gessi, Stefania Merighi, Fabrizio Vincenzi
Details and Contacts: Department of Translational Medicine, Pharmacology Section (Dipartimento di Medicina Traslazionale, Sezione di Farmacologia), via Fossato di Mortara 17-19; 44121 Ferrara (FE), Italy; tel: +39(0)532455214/217; email: bpa[at]unife.it, vrk[at]unife.it
Main fields of research: Adenosine receptors
Main disease(s) of interest: Inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, pain

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Affiliation: University of Camerino
Principal Investigator: Loredana Cappellacci
Members: Loredana Cappellacci, Riccardo Petrelli
Details and Contacts: School of Pharmacy (Scuola di Scienze del Farmaco e dei Prodotti della Ricerca), Medicinal Chemistry Unit, via S. Agostino 1; 62032 Camerino (MC), Italy; tel: +39(0)737402228; email: loredana.cappellacci[at]unicam.it
Main fields of research: design and synthesis of P1 ligands
Main disease(s) of interest: neuropathic pain

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Affiliation: University of Naples Federico II
Principal Investigator: Carla Cicala
Members: Carla Cicala, Armando Ialenti, Elisabetta Caiazzo
Details and Contacts: Department of Pharmacy (Dipartimento di Farmacia), University of Naples Federico II, Via Montesano 49, 80131 Naples (NA), Italy; tel: +39(0)81678455; email: carla.cicala[at]unina.it
Main fields of research: Role of adenosine system in inflammation, bronchial asthma, thrombosis
Main disease(s) of interest: Innate and acquired immunity ; bronchial asthma; platelet funcionality and thrombosis

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Affiliation: University of Chieti-Pescara
Principal Investigator: Renata Ciccarelli, Patrizia Di Iorio
Members: Renata Ciccarelli, Patrizia Di Iorio, Patricia Giuliani, Iolanda D'Alimonte, Silvana Buccella, Mariachiara Zuccarini, Valentino Megale, Stefania Natale, Angela Lannutti, Simona Cicchitti, Nicola Petragnani and Francesco Caciagli
Details and Contacts: Department of Experimental and Clinical Sciences (Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e Sperimentali), Via dei Vestini 29, pal. B. 66100 Chieti (CH), Italy; tel: +39(0)8713554015/013; email: r.ciccarelli[at]unich.it pat.diiorio[at]unich.it
Main fields of research: Purine activity on the osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells; role of purinergic system in the EMT and tumor development/progression; multiple effects of guanine-based purines (and adenine-based counterparts) at the rat CNS; characterization of new putative receptors to guanine-based nucleosides and nucleobases; identification and activity of enzymes involved in the purine metabolism released from cells
Main disease(s) of interest: Neurodegenerative disorders; tumor progression and metastasis

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Affiliation: University of Siena
Principal Investigator: Franco Laghi Pasini
Members: Franco Laghi Pasini, Pier Leopoldo Capecchi, Pietro Enea Lazzerini
Details and Contacts: Department of Medical Sciences, Surgery and Neurosciences (Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche e Neuroscienze), Policlinico Santa Maria alle Scotte, Viale Bracci - 53100 Siena (SI), Italy; tel: +39(0)577233316; email: laghi[at]unisi.it
Main fields of research: Purinergic System in fibrogenesis, inflammation, and autoimmune disorders. Cardiac Remodelling
Main disease(s) of interest: Chronic Heart Failure and Heart transplantation, Behcet and autoinflammatory diseases, Systemic Sclerosis and autoimmune disorders

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Affiliation: University of Pisa
Principal Investigator: Claudia Martini
Members: Maria Letizia Trincavelli, Eleonora Da Pozzo, Barbara Costa, Simona Daniele, Elisa Zappelli, Chiara Giacomelli, Letizia Natali
Details and Contacts: Department of Pharmacy (Dipartimento di Farmacia), Via Bonanno, 6. 56126 Pisa, Italy; tel: +39(0)502219522-509; fax: +39(0)502219609; email: claudia.martini[at]unipi.it
Main fields of research: Intracellular signalling pathways and receptor regulatory mechanisms in the control of cell death-survival and differentiation: biochemistry studies in vitro
Main disease(s) of interest: Brain diseases (cancer, neurodegeneration, neuro-inflammation); bone diseases; endothelium diseases

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Affiliation: University of Cagliari
Principal Investigator: Micaela Morelli
Details and Contacts: Department of Biomedical Sciences (Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche), Via Ospedale 72  09124 Cagliari (CA), Italy; tel: +39(0)706758663; email: morelli[at]unica.it
Main fields of research: CNS, adenosine A2A R, caffeine, neurotoxicity of drug of abuse
Main disease(s) of interest: Parkinson' disease

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Affiliation: University of Salerno
Principal Investigator: Silvana Morello
Details and Contacts: Department of Pharmacy (Dipartimento di Farmacia), Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, Fisciano, Salerno; Tel.: +39(0)89969454; email: smorello[at]unisa.it
Main fields of research: Adenosine System in Inflammation, Tumor development/progression and metastasis
Main disease(s) of interest: Cancer, Inflammatory diseases

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Affiliation: University of Firenze
Principal Investigator: Felicita Pedata
Members: Felicita Pedata, Anna Maria Pugliese, Alessia Melani, Elisabetta Coppi, Ilaria Dettori
Details and Contacts: Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health - NEUROFARBA (Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Area del Farmaco e Salute del Bambino - NEUROFARBA), Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139 Firenze (FI), Italy; tel: +39(0)554271262; email: felicita.pedata[at]unifi.it
Main fields of research: Basic mechanisms of purinergic transmission in the central nervous system, on molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration and on pharmacological strategies aimed at inducing cell recovery. In particular the role of purines (adenosine and ATP) in different brain and spinal cord neurodegenerative conditions and in cell growth and differentiation is studied. In the purinergic field,  particular emphasis was devoted to the role of adenosine A2A, A3 and ATP P2X7 receptors
Main disease(s) of interest: Neurodegenerative diseases: cerebral ischemia, Huntington's disease, spinal cord injury, demyelinating pathologies

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Affiliation: Istituto Superiore di Sanità
Principal Investigator: Patrizia Popoli
Members: Patrizia Popoli, Maria Teresa Tebano, Maria Rosaria Domenici, Rosa Luisa Potenza, Alberto Martire, Antonella Ferrante, Rita Pepponi, Monica Armida, Antonella Pèzzola, Valentina Chiodi
Details and Contacts: Department of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation - Section of Central Nervous System Pharmacology (Dipartimento del Farmaco - Reparto di Farmacologia del Sistema Nervoso Centrale), Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Roma (RM), Italy; tel: +39(0)649902482; email: patrizia.popoli[at]iss.it
Main fields of research: Purinergic transmission in the Central Nervous System (CNS). Influence of P1 receptor (mainly A2A) activation or blockade in CNS diseases
Main disease(s) of interest: Neurodegenerative diseases:Huntington's disease (HD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

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Affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - CNR
Principal Investigator: Claudia Verderio
Details and Contacts: CNR Institute of Neuroscience (CNR Istituto di Neuroscienze), via Vanvitelli 32, 20129 Milano (MI), Italy; tel: +39(0)250317098; email: c.verderio[at]in.cnr.it
Main fields of research: ATP in cell to cell communication in the brain; ATP-induced microvescicle release
Main disease(s) of interest: Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease

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Affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - CNR
Principal Investigator: Cinzia Volonté
Details and Contacts: CNR Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology - Cellular Neurobiology Unit at Santa Lucia Foundation (Istituto di Biologia Cellulare e Neurobiologia - Unità di Neurobiologia Cellulare della Fondazione Santa Lucia), Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Roma (RM), Italy; tel: +39(0)6501703084; email: cinzia.volonte[at]cnr.it
Main fields of research: Neurodegeneration/Neuroinflammation
Main disease(s) of interest: ALS, MS

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Affiliation: University of Camerino
Principal Investigator: Rosaria Volpini
Members: Rosaria Volpini, Gabriella Marucci, Michela Buccioni, Diego Dal Ben, Catia Lambertucci, Andrea Spinaci, Beatrice Francucci
Details and Contacts: School of Pharmacy (Scuola di Scienze del Farmaco e dei Prodotti della Ricerca), Medicinal Chemistry Unit, via S. Agostino 1; 62032 Camerino (MC), Italy; tel: +39(0)737402278; email: rosaria.volpini[at]unicam.it
Main fields of research: design, synthesis, and biological characterization of ligands for P1 and P2 receptors
Main disease(s) of interest: neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases

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