MARIA TERESA FIORENZA

EMPLOYMENT
1999-2005 Research Associate (SSD, BIO13), University "La Sapienza" of Rome;
2005-2023 Associate Professor (SSD, BIO13), University "La Sapienza" of Rome;
2023-present Full Professor (SSD BIOS10/A).

EDUCATION
- October 1989: Laurea degree in Biological Sciences (magna cum laude), University "La Sapienza" of Rome.
- October 1995: PhD in Biotechnology, University of L'Aquila.

TRAINING
- January 1988 - October 1992: pre-laurea student and PhD student, Prof. F. Mangia's laboratory, Department of Histology and Medical Embryology, University "La Sapienza" of Rome.
- January - March 1990: short stage, Dr. J. J. Eppig, Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, USA. - January 1992 - July 1994: PhD student, Dr. V. Zimarino, Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Copenhagen University, DK.
- July 1994 - October 1998: pre-and postdoctoral fellow, Prof. F. Mangia's laboratory, Department of Hystology and Medical Embryology, University "La Sapienza" of Rome.
- January 1998 - October 1999: Postdoctoral fellow, Dr. H. Westphal, Laboratory of Mammalian Genes and Development, National Institute of Child Health and Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
- October 1999 - present: Department of Psychology, Division of Neuroscience, University "La Sapienza" of Rome.
-September-October 2000: Visiting scientist, Laboratory of Mammalian Genes and Development, National Institute of Child Health and Development, NIH, Bethesda, USA

HONORS
- 1992 Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA), two-year fellowship.
- 1995 Pasteur Institute - Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, two-year fellowship.
- 1998 Italian National Research Council (CNR), Laboratory of Mammalian Genes and Development, National Institute of Child Health and Development, NIH, Bethesda, USA, one-year fellowship, one-year fellowship,
- 1999 Fogarty International, Laboratory of Mammalian Genes and Development, National Institute of Child Health and Development, NIH, Bethesda, USA, one-year fellowship.

PERSONAL STATEMENT
During my scientific career, I have acquired a solid expertise in molecular and cellular biology, gene expression analysis, and basic and advanced biochemistry, working as a pre- and postdoctoral fellow in various laboratories in Europe and the US.
My extensive training enabled me to develop independent thinking skills and to establish novel research activities in my own laboratory. Studies of the molecular mechanisms controlling neural development became the predominant focus of my research roughly 10 years ago. To address these issues, I developed several methodological tools, including primary cultures of neural cells and ex vivo brain slices. The main issues addressed in my laboratory involved the use of genetic mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease and Niemann-Pick C (NPC) disease. Regarding the latter, my expertise in the mouse cerebellum led me to focus on the peculiar cerebellar anomalies in this disease. The findings of this activity have shown that cholesterol dyshomeostasis causes subtle abnormalities in developing neurons and glial cells that largely anticipate the overt expression of neurodegeneration.

OTHER EXPERIENCE & PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
- Member of: Society for Neuroscience; European Cell Death Organization; Federation of European Neurosciences; Italian Society for Biology and Genetics; Italian Society for Neuroscience.
- Review Editor, Frontiers in Neuroscience since November 2012.
- Academic Editor, PLOS ONE since October 2019.
- Associate Editor, Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, since October 2019.
- Ad-hoc reviewer for: Developmental Biology, Journal of Cellular Physiology, Molecular and
Cellular Neuroscience, Journal of Cell Science, Neuroscience, PLOS ONE, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, Neurochemical Research, Scientific Reports, BMC Medicine, Cell Cycle, Human Reproduction, Gene, Neuroscience Research, International Journal of Molecular Science.
- Grant application reviewer for the following Institutions/Fundations: 1) “Vaincre les Maladies Lysosomales”, a French non-profit organization for lysosomal diseases; 2) “LifeArc Philanthropic”, a British medical research charity; 3) European Science Foundation (ESF); 4) NWO Talent program - Vidi 2022 SA; 5) Italian MUR (FIRB and SIR proposals);
- Reviewer for H2020-MSCA-IF-2022;
- November 2025 – present, European Science Foundation (ESF), Expert Reviewer.

ONGOING COLLABORATIONS
- Prof. Sergio Oddi, European Center for Brain Research (CERC)/Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy;
- Dr. Aditya Kulkarni, Oraxion Therapeutics, Bangalore, India, http://www.oraxiontx.com, inventor and provider of the -CD prodrugs.
- Prof. Robert P Erickson, Dept. of Pediatrics, University of Arizona School of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, 85724-5073, USA.
- Dr. Andrea Dardis, Regional Centre for Rare Diseases, Hospital of Udine, Italy.
- Prof. Lawrence I Grossman, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
- Dr. Antonella Ferrante, National Center for Drug Research and Evaluation (FARVA),
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS Roma.

FUNDING INFORMATION [grants as PI-principal investigator]
- 2022 Sapienza Progetti Grandi, “The interplay between cholesterol/sphingolipid dyshomeostasis and Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway in Niemann Pick C (NPC) disease”, RG1221816B9646F5 (PI); E 73890,00
- 2020 Sapienza H2020, “Hypoxic ischemic brain injury pathophysiology: a deeper understanding of hypoxia-resilient neurons and microvasculature modulation for post-cardiac arrest recovery (HIBImod)” (PI); E 40000,00
- 2020 Fondazione TELETHON, Telethon n. GSP20006_Covid050, “Inactivation of the Niemann Pick C1 protein as a strategy to inhibit SARSCoV2 infection” (PI); E 49980,00
- 2019 Ara Parseghian Medical Foundation, “Investigating Niemann Pick C pathophysiology in mouse models” (PI); USD 10000,00 (PI);
- 2017 Oraxion Therapeutics donation, “Characterizing the efficacy of a b-cyclodextrin prodrug in Niemann Pick C mouse models (PI); E 20000,00
- 2016 - Sapienza “Visiting Professor” - Host, Robert Porter Erickson (PI); E 5000,00
- 2016 – Sapienza “Investigating abnormal cerebellum morphogenesis in Niemann-Pick C 1 disease and the potential of novel therapeutic approaches” (PI); E 11000,00
- 2013 – Fondazione TELETHON, “Enligthening molecular mechanisms of abnormal cerebellum development in mouse models of human Niemann-Pick C 1 disease: the efficacy of hydroxyproplyl-beta-cyclodextrin in correcting the phenotype” (PI); E 111700,00
- 2012 - Sapienza “Visiting Professor” - Robert Porter Erickson; Euro 8100,00 (PI);
- 2012 - EC FP7 “DevelAge - Pathways common to brain development and ageing”; Euro 110000,00 (Co-PI);
- 2010 - Sapienza “How many roles for TSC22D4 protein in cerebellum granule neurons of the mouse: isoforms' subcellular localization and functional interactions”; Euro 5000,00 (PI);
- 2008 - Sapienza “Caratterizzazione del ruolo funzionale del gene Thg-1pit nella regolazione del bilancio tra proliferazione/differenziamento e apoptosi nei granuli cerebellari del topo”; Euro 6000,00 (PI)
- 2008 - Sapienza “Un approccio molecolare ed elettrofisiologico allo studio dello sviluppo dei circuiti della corteccia cerebellare”; Euro 5000,00 (PI);
- 2008 - Istituto Pasteur - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti “Molecular regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis in early embryo blastomeres and granule neuron precursors of the mouse”; Euro 45000,00 (co-PI), Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti in Rome, Italy.