ADELE ROMANO

Avviso per gli studenti di SFA

Current Position (since July 2022): Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome

March 2023 National Scientific Qualification as Full Professor in Pharmacology (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale per Professore di I fascia SSD BIO/14 SSC 05/G1)

WORK ADDRESS:
Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”,
Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5 – 00185 Rome, Italy
Tel: +39 06 4991 2505
Fax: +39 06 4991 2480
Email address: adele.romano@uniroma1.it

EDUCATION
-2007: Master in Pharmacy 110/110, School of Pharmacy, University of Naples, “Federico II”, Italy
-2007: Board Certified Pharmacist University of Naples, “Federico II”, Italy
-2011: PhD in Toxicology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
-2007-2010: Pre-doctorate training (3-year-training on neuropsychopharmacology using different animal models of eating disorders, obesity and Alzheimer’s disease). Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer”, Sapienza University of Rome Italy, School of Pharmacy and Medicine.
-2009: Pre-doctorate training. Short-term training as visiting student at the Toxicology Unit of the University of Leicester, UK

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS
2005 Certificate in English knowledge, University of Cambridge, UK
2011 Felasa Licence cat B for experimental procedures on laboratory animals, EBRI Foundation, Rome, Italy
2012 Licence for Surgery course on laboratory rats, Institute of Food Nutrition and Health, Physiology and Behaviour Laboratory, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
2022 Certificate of expert in Innovative Didactic Activity (Percorso Formativo biennale QuID per docenti Sapienza, University of Rome)

ACADEMIC HISTORY
Feb 2011-July 2012 Post-Doc at the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health University Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona Italy. School of Medicine and Surgery
Feb 2012-July 2012 Guest Researcher at the Institute of Veterinary Physiology University of Zurich, Switzerland
Dec 2012- June 2019: 7-year Post-Doc (Assegnista di Ricerca) at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Medicine Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
March 2017: National Scientific Qualification as Associate Professor in Pharmacology (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale per Professore II fascia SSD BIO/14 SSC 05/G1)
July 2019-May 2022: Assistant Professor of Pharmacology (Ricercatore a tempo determinato tipologia B) at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Medicine Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
July 2022-present: Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy and Medicine Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
March 2023: National Scientific Qualification as Full Professor in Pharmacology (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale per Professore di I fascia SSD BIO/14 SSC 05/G1)

MANDATORY MATERNITY LEAVE (L. 1204/1971)
from 27/02/2015 to 28/07/2015 (5 months)
from 28/01/2019 to 28/06/2019 (5 months)

AWARDS AND HONORS
2018 Winner of a Teaching assignments for staff Mobility within the framework of the Erasmus Swiss-European Mobility Programme 2017/2018.
2018 Certificate of merit for being classified among the 10 best project proposals received (out of 400 proposals) for the L'Oréal Italy-UNESCO “For Women in Science” 2017/2018 Edition.
2017 “Alberigo Benedicenti” Award of the University of Florence, Italy to Young Pharmacology Experts (“Cultori della materia”), who have demonstrated the best scientific activity in the field of pharmacology and toxicology studies during the years 2014-2016.
2017 Best poster Award of the Italian Society of Pharmacology during the national meeting of the Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF), Rimini, Italy
2017 Farmaindustria Award of the Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF) for young researchers for their scientific achievements
2017 Travel award of the Italian Society for Neuroscience (SINS) to attend (as invited speaker) the 17th Congress for the SINS, Ischia, Italy
2015 Travel award of the Italian Society for Neuroscience (SINS) to attend (as invited speaker) the 16th Congress for the SINS, Cagliari, Italy
2013 Travel award of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), to attend (as invited speaker) the 21st Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior. New Orleans, LA
2013 Best poster Award of the Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF) during the national meeting of the Italian Society of Pharmacology, Torino, Italy
2012 Travel award of the European Behavioural Pharmacology Society (EBPS), to attend (as invited speaker) the Workshop on “Eating Behaviour and Obesity”, September, 2012 Lecce, Italy
2012 6- months scholarship of the Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF) for selected young researchers to attend international laboratories
2010 Travel award of the Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF), to attend the 16th World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, Copenhagen
2010 Travel award of GDRE-691, to participate to the Summer School of GDRE-691: “Early Programming of Adult Modern Diseases”, Lille France

RESEARCH GRANTS OBTAINED AS PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

2024: Sapienza-Rome Technopole per l’internazionalizzazione della ricerca, Linea di finanziamento 2 “Proof of Concept”, Linea Tematica del Rome Technopole Salute e Bio-Pharma, € 90.000

2024: Winner of the Visiting Professor Call launched by Sapienza University, € 5.000.
The incoming professor is Fernando Rodriguez de Fonseca from the University of Malaga. His activities at Sapienza will be part of the teaching program for the PhD students in Pharmacology and Toxicology.
2023: Intramural research grant, Sapienza University of Rome, € 24.000.
Title of the research: Targeting autophagy in hypothalamic neuropeptidergic neurons as a possible pharmacological approach to regulate food intake and energy balance
2022: (National Coordinator) MUR National Research Grant (PRIN, Protocollo 2022M92HYF) € 127.185
Title of the research: Modulation of the endocannabinoid system as a possible pharmacological approach for the treatment of pathological consequences of social isolation: beyond cannabinoid receptors
2022: MUR, National Research Grant (PRIN-PNRR, Protocollo P2022JW2BE) € 60.069
Title of the research: Deciphering the role of the cytokine eNAMPT in controlling neuroinflammation in Parkinson Diseases
2022: Intramural research grant, Sapienza University of Rome, € 3.000
Title of the research: Antinflammatory and neuroprotective effects of oleoylethanolamide in a rat model of diet-induced obesity.
2022: Research Grant, Banca d’Italia € 30.000
Title of the research: Regulation of autophagy by N-acylethanolamines as a promising approach for the treatment of inflammatory-based diseases: from neurodegeneration to metabolic disorders
2021: MUR National Research Grant (PRIN, Protocollo 2020SEMP22_002) € 175.157
Title of the research: Regulation of autophagy by N-acylethanolamines as a promising approach for the treatment of inflammatory-based diseases: from neurodegeneration to metabolic disorders.
2018: Intramural research grant, Sapienza University of Rome € 2.000
Title of the research: Effetti dell'oleoiletanolamide sull'attivazione di aree centrali e sul sitema di neurotrasmissione monoaminergico in un modello sperimentale di "Binge Eating Disorder"
2017: Intramural research grant, Sapienza University of Rome € 2.250
Title of the research: Effects of Oleoylethanolamide on mesolimbic dopaminergic transmission in an animal model of binge eating
2016: Intramural research grant, Sapienza University of Rome € 2.000
Title of the research: Effetto del trattamento cronico con oleoiletanolammide sul comportamento alimentare e sul microbiota intestinale in un modello animale di obesità indotta dalla dieta
2015: Intramural research grant, Sapienza University of Rome € 2.000
Title of the research: Effetti dell’oleoiletanolamide in un modello di binge eating: studio del sistema ossitocinergico centrale.
2014: Intramural research grant, Sapienza University of Rome € 3.000
Title of the research: The role of the area postrema in the anorectic effects of oleoylethanolamide: behavioral and neuronal phenotyping.

RESEARCH GRANTS OBTAINED AS INVESTIGATOR

2007-2010: Ricerca e Sviluppo del Farmaco (CHEM-PROFARMA-NET). MIUR FIRB, Piattaforme Reti 2005 € 228.154
Title of the research: Sintesi, caratterizzazione biologica e farmacologica di nuove molecole organiche, biorganiche e naturali ad attività antidegenerativa (neuro o cardiovascolare), immunomodulatrice, antivirale ed anti-infettiva.
2009: Intramural research grant, Sapienza University of Rome € 20.000
Title of the research: Effetti dell'ischemia cerebrale sul sistema endocannabinoide: studio delle alterazioni comportamentali e biochimiche
2012-2015: MIUR: Futuro in Ricerca 2012 € 228.798
Title of the research: Studio dei meccanismi epigenetici coinvolti nei disordini alimentari e nell'obesità per la scoperta di nuovi target farmacologici.
2013: Intramural research grant, Sapienza University of Rome € 25.946
Title of the research: Cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease: can endocannabinoids help?
2016: Intramural research grant, Sapienza University of Rome € 31.600
Title of the research: Cognitive decline, depression and enhanced pain sensitivity as obesity-related comorbidities: possible protective effects of acylethanolamides
2021: Intramural research grant, Sapienza University of Rome € 63.787
Title of the research: TO BRAIN OR NOT TO BRAIN: evaluating the possible direct effects of oleoylethanolamide in the central nervous system.
2022: Intramural research grant, Sapienza University of Rome € 669800
Title of the research: High-throughput multiscale imaging of fixed and live biological samples

SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION
AR is author of 60 papers published in peer reviewed journals included in the most important databases (SCOPUS, WOS, PUBMED), which include papers published in high impact journals (Neuropsychopharmacology, PNAS, Neuroscience  Biobehavioural Reviews, Pharmacological Research) with a total number of 2211 citations and 30 H index (database: SCOPUS). AR is author, also, of more than 60 abstracts presented (also upon invitation) in prestigious national and international scientific meetings. AR is also author of a book chapter on the pharmacology of obesity.
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=56000580300

OTHER SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES:
-2021: Chair of the Scientific Organizing Committee of a Symposium within the meeting of the Italian Society of Pharmacology: “New possible pharmacological targets for the treatment of eating disorders”.
-2021: Organizer of the Symposia proposal within the meeting of the Italian Society for Neuroscience. Symposium title: “The inflamed brain in neurological diseases: moving from hypothesis to treatment”. Organizers symposium: Adele Romano and Irene Paterniti.
-2021: Chair of the Scientific Organizing Committee of a Symposium within the meeting of the Italian Society for Neuroscience “The inflamed brain in neurological diseases: moving from hypothesis to treatment”.
-2015-present: referee of numerous scientific journals, including high impact journals.
-2020-present: member of the Review Editorial Board of the Journal “Frontiers in Pharmacology” (Experimental Pharmacology and Drug Discovery).
-2020-present: member of the scientific group “Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome and Eating disorders” of the Italian Society of Pharmacology
-2021: Guest Editor for the special issue of the “International Journal of Molecular Sciences” titled “Therapeutic Potential of Targeting the Oxytocinergic System”.
-2023: Guest Editor for the special issue of “Physiology and Behavior” journal titled “Endocannabinoid and paracannabinoid signaling in motivation, reward, and addiction: physiological and pharmacological implications”.
- 2023-ongoing Responsible of a cooperation agreement between the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “V. Erspamer” (Sapienza University of Rome) and the SIMPE (Italian Society
of Pediatric doctors, Campania section) with the project titled: “Studio delle proprietà farmacologiche, del meccanismo d’azione, nonché della tossicità di prodotti naturali e/o composti di sintesi a uso terapeutico in età pediatrica”.
-2024: Member of the Scientific Committee and Member of the Organizing Committee of the Convegno Monotematico SIF (Italian Society of Pharmacology) - Behavioral and metabolic aspects of obesity and eating disorders, Camerino (Italy), 6-7 June 2024
-2024: Member of the Scientific Committee and Member of the Organizing Committee of the Satellite International Workshop "Obesity and eating disorders", Camerino (Italy), 7-8 June 2024
-2024-2025: Guest Editor for the special issue of “Pharmacological Research” journal titled “Novel potential pharmacological approaches for the treatment of eating disorders and their comorbidities”. The special issue is ongoing.
-2024-present: Member of the Editorial Board of the Journal “Pharmacological Research”

TEACHING ACTIVITY
- Course “Searching for novel pharmacological targets for the treatment of obesity” for PhD student of the PhD Program in Pharmacology and Veterinary Physiology of the University of Zurich, Institute of Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty University of Zurich, Switzerland, 2018.
- Course of in vivo techniques for the evaluation of xenobiotic activity” for PhD students of the course of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy 2019-2022
-Course of “General Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy” for undergraduate students of the Master Course in “Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences” Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine Sapienza University of Rome, Italy Jenuary 2019- December 2022. (12 CFU/96 hours/year)
- Course of “Pharmacologic sciences” for undergraduate students of the Master Course in “Scientific Biomedical Communication”, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine Sapienza University of Rome, Italy October 2020-September 2022. (6CFU/48 hours/year)
- Course of “Pharmacology” for undergraduate students of the Master Course in “Orthoptic and ophtalmologic assistance”, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine Sapienza University of Rome, Italy October 2021- September 2022 (2CFU/ 8 hours/year).
- Course of “Toxicology” for undergraduate students of the Master Course in “Pharmacy”, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine Sapienza University of Rome, October 2022- present (12 CFU/96 hours/year)
- Course of “Pharmacovigilance and Toxicology” for undergraduate students of the Master Course in “Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences” Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine Sapienza University of Rome, Italy October 2022- present (9CFU/72 hours/year)
-Curse of Pharmacology at the Graduate School in Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Sapienza University of Rome, November 2021-present (2CFU/20 hours/year).

MENTORSHIP ACTIVITY
-Mentor of 3 PhD students of the PhD course in Pharmacology and Toxicology (Nisha Zahid, Martina Santoro and Christian Sepe) at Sapienza University of Rome (November 2021-present, November 2022-present, November 2023-present respectively).
-Mentor of 15 master theses in Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences, Scientific Biomedical Communication and Pharmacy at Sapienza University of Rome (2020-present).
-Research supervisor (co-relatore) of master students’ theses (more than 12) in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacy at Sapienza University of Rome (2013-present).
-Responsible of a 1-year post-Doc position (Assegno di Ricerca) for the research: “Evaluation of PPAR-agonists pharmacological treatment on autophagy response in a preclinical model of diet-induced obesity”. (Vahideh Abedi 06/02/2023-present).
- Research supervisor and PI of a research project for mobility abroad of Ph.D students of Sapienza (progetti congiunti). Title of the project “Unrevealing the role of the neuropeptide oxytocin in anorexia nervosa: from preclinical to clinical”. The project is ongoing and the Ph. D student Barbara Eramo is at the laboratory of Dr. Ida Nilsson at Karolinska Institutet (Stockholm- Schweiz).
- Responsible of a 1-year post-Doc position (Assegno di Ricerca) for the research: “Modulation of the endocannabinoid system as a possible pharmacological approach for the treatment of pathological consequences of social isolation: beyond cannabinoid receptors” (Barbara Eramo, ongoing).
OTHER ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES
-2017-present: Member of the Board of Professors (Collegio dei Docenti) of the Ph.D program in Pharmacology and Toxicology, Sapienza University of Rome
- November 2020-Dicember 2023: Nominated secretary of the “Consiglio del Corso di Studi” of the course of Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome.
-January 2022-present: nominated member of the Quality Committee of the course of Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome.
-2024: President of the Committee of the Examinations for habilitation to the profession of Pharmacist, Sapienza University of Rome

THIRD MISSION ACTIVITY
2021: Participant in the Third Mission Project of Sapienza University of Rome titled “Adolescenti e "cervelli diversi": differenze di genere nella vulnerabilità agli effetti delle sostanze d'abuso”.

2023: Participant in the Third Mission Project of Sapienza University of Rome titled “CON-Sapienza - Percorsi di inclusione socio-sanitaria e psicologica per la popolazione migrante”. In the frame of this project, my third mission activity has been centered on the crucial role of the correct use of medicaments in the migrant population. I met a group of migrants at the Association Benerice APS where I faced the theme of the correct use of medicaments. I also presented this activity on the 1st of July during the Migration Festival at the Nuovo Teatro Ateneo (Sapienza University of Rome)

LIST OF PUBBLICATIONS
1. Gaetani S, Dipasquale P, Romano A, Righetti L, Cassano T, Piomelli D. and Cuomo V. The endocannabinoid system as a target for novel anxiolytic and antidepressant drugs. International Review of Neurobiology 2009, 85:57-72.
2. Gaetani S, Fu J, Cassano T, Dipasquale P, Romano A, Righetti L, Cianci S, Laconca L, Giannini E, Scaccianoce S, Mairesse J, Cuomo V, and Piomelli D. The fat-induced satiety factor OEA suppresses feeding through central release of oxytocin. Journal of Neuroscience 2010, 30:8096-101.
3. Cassano T, Gaetani S, Macheda T, Laconca L, Romano A, Morgese MG, Cimmino CS, Chiarotti F, Bambico FR, Gobbi G, Cuomo V, and Piomelli D. Evaluation of the emotional phenotype and serotonergic neurotransmission of fatty acid amide hydrolase-deficient mice. Psychopharmacology 2011, 214:465-76.
4. Dipasquale P*, Romano A*, Cianci S, Rigetti L, Gaetani S. Oleoylethanolamide: a new player in energy metabolism control. Role in Food intake. Drug Discovery Today: Disease Mechanisms. 2010, 7: e169–e174. *Equal contribution.
5. Cassano T*, Romano A*, Macheda T, Colangeli R, Petrella A, LaFerla FM, Cuomo V, Gaetani S. Olfactory memory is impaired in a triple transgenic model of Alzheimer disease. Behavioural Brain Research 2011, 224:408-12. *Equal contribution.
6. Cassano T, Serviddio G, Gaetani S, Romano A, Dipasquale P, Cianci S, Bellanti F, Laconca L, Romano AD, Padalino I, LaFerla FM, Nicoletti F, Cuomo V, Vendemiale G. Glutamatergic alterations and mitochondrial impairment in a murine model of Alzheimer disease. Neurobiology of Aging 2012, 33:1121 e1-12.
7. Romano A, Cassano T, Tempesta B, Cianci S, Dipasquale P, Coccurello R, Cuomo V, Gaetani S. The satiety signal oleoylethanolamide stimulates oxytocin neurosecretion from rat hypothalamic neurons. Peptides 2013, 49:21-6.
8. Romano A, Potes C, Tempesta B, Cassano T, Cuomo V, Lutz T, and Gaetani S. Hindbrain noradrenergic input to the hypothalamic PVN mediates the activation of oxytocinergic neurons induced by the satiety factor oleoylethanolamide. American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism 2013, 305(10):E1266-73.
9. Aureli C, Cassano T, Masci A, Francioso A, Martire S, Cocciolo A, Chichiarelli S, Romano A, Gaetani S, Mancini P, Fontana M, d'Erme M, Mosca L. 5-S-Cysteinyldopamine neurotoxicity: influence on the expression of alpha-Synuclein and of ERp57 in cellular and animal models of Parkison’s disease. Journal of Neuroscience Research 2014, 92(3):347-58.
10. Bedse G*, Romano A*, Cianci S, Lavecchia AM, Pace L, Elphick MR, LaFerla FM, Vendemiale G, Grillo C, Altieri F, Cassano T and Gaetani S. Altered expression of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor in the triple transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Alzheimer’s disease 2014, 40 (3):701-12. *Equal contribution
11. Romano A, Coccurello R, Giacovazzo G, Bedse G, Moles A, Gaetani S. Oleoylethanolamide: a novel potential pharmacological alternative to cannabinoid antagonists for the control of appetite. BioMed Research International, 2014, 2014:203425.
12. Romano A*, Karimian Azari E, Tempesta B, Mansouri A, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Ramachandran D, Lutz TA, Bedse G, Langhans W, Gaetani S*. High dietary fat intake influences the activation of specific hindbrain and hypothalamic nuclei by the satiety factor oleoylethanolamide. Physiology and Behaviour, 2014, 136:55-62. * Co-corresponding authors
13. Karimian Azari E, Ramachandran D, Weibel S, Arnold M, Romano A, Gaetani S, Langhans W, Mansouri A. Vagal afferents are not necessary for the satiety effect of the gut lipid messenger oleoylethanolamide (OEA). The American Journal of Physiology Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 2014, 307(2): R167-78.
14. Provensi G, Munari L, Umehara H, Coccurello R, Giacovazzo G, Galeotti N, Nosi D, Gaetani S, Romano A, Moles A, Blandina P and Passani MB. Satiety factor oleoylethanolamide recruits the brain histaminergic system to inhibit food intake. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014, 111(31): 11527-32.
15. Romano A, Pace L, Tempesta B, Lavecchia AM, Macheda T, Bedse G, Petrella A, Vendemiale G, Gaetani S, Cassano T. Depressive-like behaviour is paired to monoaminergic alteration in a murine model of Alzheimer's disease. International journal of Neuropsycopharmacology 2014, 18(4).
16. Bedse G, Colangeli R, Lavecchia AM, Romano A, Altieri F, Cifani C, Cassano T, Gaetani S. Role of the basolateral amygdala in mediating the effects of the fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor URB597 on HPA axis response to stress. European Neurophsycopharmacology, 2014, 24:1511-23.
17. Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Ciccocioppo R, Romano A, Bossert J, Rice K, Ubaldi M, St. Laurent R, Gaetani S, Massi M, Shaham Y, Cifani C. Role of bed nucleus of the stria terminalis corticotrophin-releasing factor receptors in frustration stress-induced binge-like palatable food consumption in female rats with a history of food restriction. Journal of Neuroscience, 2014, 34 :11316-24.
18. D'Addario C, Micioni di Bonaventura MV, Pucci M, Romano A, Gaetani S, Ciccocioppo R, Cifani C, Maccarrone M. Endocannabinoid signaling and food addiction. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2014, 47:203-24.
19. Bedse G, Romano A, Lavecchia AM, Cassano T and Gaetani S. The role of endocannabinoid signaling in the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer disease. Journal of Alzheimer’s disease, 2015, 43(4):1115-36.
20. Bedse G, Romano A, Tempesta B, Lavecchia MA, Pace L, Bellomo A, Duranti A, Micioni di Bonaventura MV, Cifani C, Cassano T, Gaetani S. Inhibition of anandamide hydrolysis enhances noradrenergic and GABAergic transmission in the prefrontal cortex and basolateral amygdala of rats subjected to acute swim stress. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 2015, 93:777-87.
21. Cifani C, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Pucci M, Giusepponi ME, Romano A, Di Francesco A, Maccarrone M, D'Addario C. Regulation of hypothalamic neuropeptides gene expression in diet induced obesity resistant rats: possible targets for obesity prediction? Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2015, 9:187.
22. Romano A, Tempesta B, Provensi G, Passani MB, Gaetani S. Central mechanisms mediating the hypophagic effects of oleoylethanolamide and N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines: different lipid signals? Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2015, 6: 137.
23. Giudetti A, Romano A, Lavecchia M, Gaetani S.The role of brain cholesterol and its oxidized products in Alzheimer's disease. Current Alzheimer Research, 2016, 13:198-205.
24. Pucci M, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Giusepponi ME, Romano A, Filaferro M, Maccarrone M, Ciccocioppo R, Cifani C, D’Addario C. Epigenetic regulation of nociceptin/orphanin FQ and corticotropin-releasing factor system genes in frustration stress-induced binge-like palatable food consumption. Addiction Biology, 2016, 21:1168-1185.
25. Romano A, Tempesta B, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Gaetani S. From autism to eating disorders and more: the role of oxytocin in neuropsychiatric disorders. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2016, 9:497.
26. Gaetani S, Romano A, Provensi G, Ricca V, Lutz T, Passani MB. Eating disorders: from bench to bedside and back. Journal of Neurochemistry. 2016, 139(5):691-699.
27. Romano A, Koczwara JB, Gallelli CA, Vergara D, Bonaventura MV, Gaetani S, Giudetti AM. Fats for thoughts: An update on brain fatty acid metabolism. The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology. 2017, 84:40-45.
28. Romano A, Serviddio G, Calcagnini S, Villani R, Giudetti AM, Cassano T, Gaetani S. Linking lipid peroxidation and neuropsychiatric disorders: focus on 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal. Free Radical Biology & Medicine 2017, 111:281-293.
29. Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Lutz TA, Romano A, Pucci M, Geary N, Asarian L, Cifani C. Estrogenic suppression of binge-like eating elicited by cyclic food restriction and frustrative nonreward stress in female rats. International Journal of eating disorders, 2017, 50(6):624-635.
30. Cassano T, Calcagnini S, Pace L, De Marco F, Romano A, Gaetani S. Cannabinoid receptor 2 signaling in neurodegenerative disorders: from pathogenesis to a promising therapeutic target. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2017, 11:30.
31. Bellanti F, Iannelli G, Blonda M, Tamborra R, Villani R, Romano A, Mazzoccoli G, Vinciguerra M, Vendemiale G, Cassano T, Serviddio G. Alterations of clock gene RNA expression in brain regions of the triple transgenic model of Alzheimer Disease. Journal of Alzheimer’s disease, 2017, 017;59(2):615-631.
32. Romano A, Gallelli CA, Koczwara JB, Braegger FE, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Cifani C, Lutz TA, Vitalone A, Falchi M, Cassano T, Gaetani S. Role of the area postrema in the hypophagic effects of oleoylethanolamide. Pharmacological Research, 2017, 122:20-34.
33. Roberto Coccurello*, Romano A*, Giacovazzo G, Tempesta B, Fiore M, Giudetti AM, Marrocco I, Altieri F, Moles A, Gaetani S. Increased intake of energy-dense diet and negative energy balance in a mouse model of chronic psychosocial defeat. European Journal of Nutrition, 2018, 57(4):1485- 1498. *equal contribution
34. Bronzuoli MR, Facchinetti R, Steardo L Jr, Romano A, Stecca C, Passarella S, Steardo L, Cassano T, Scuderi C. Palmitoylethanolamide dampens reactive astrogliosis and improves neuronal trophic support in a triple transgenic model of Alzheimer’s disease: in vitro and in vivo evidence. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2018, 4720532.
35. Giudetti AM, Testini M, Vergara D, Priore P, Damiano F, Gallelli CA, Romano A, Villani R, Cassano T, Siculella L, Gnoni GV, Moles A, Coccurello R, Gaetani S. Chronic psychosocial defeat differently affects lipid metabolism in liver and white adipose tissue and induces hepatic oxidative stress in mice fed a high-fat diet. The FASEB Journal 2018, in press. doi: 10.1096/fj.201801130R.
36. Gallelli CA, Calcagnini S, Romano A, Koczwara JB, de Ceglia ML, Dante D, Villani R, Giudetti AM, Cassano T, Gaetani S. Modulation of the Oxidative Stress and Lipid Peroxidation by Endocannabinoids and Their Lipid Analogues. Antioxidants (Basel), 2018, 7 (7). doi: 10.3390/antiox7070093.
37. Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Pucci M, Giusepponi ME, Romano A, Lambertucci C, Volpini R, Micioni Di Bonaventura E, Gaetani S, Maccarrone M, D'Addario C, Cifani C. Regulation of adenosine A(2A) receptor gene expression in a model of binge eating in the amygdaloid complex of female rats. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2019 Jun 4:269881119845798. doi: 10.1177/0269881119845798.
38. Cassano T, Magini A, Giovagnoli S, Polchi A, Calcagnini S, Pace L, Lavecchia MA, Scuderi C, Bronzuoli MR, Ruggeri L, Gentileschi MP, Romano A, Gaetani S, De Marco F, Emiliani C, Dolcetta D. Early intrathecal infusion of everolimus restores cognitive function and mood in a murine model of Alzheimer's disease. Experimental Neurology 2019 Jan; 311:88-105. doi: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2018.09.011.
39. Cassano T, Calcagnini S, Carbone A, Bukke VN, Orkisz S, Villani R, Romano A, Avolio C, Gaetani S. Pharmacological Treatment of Depression in Alzheimer's Disease: A Challenging Task. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2019 Sep 27;10:1067. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01067. eCollection 2019.
40. Cifani C, Avagliano C, Micioni Di Bonaventura E, Giusepponi ME, De Caro C, Cristiano C, La Rana G, Botticelli L, Romano A, Calignano A, Gaetani S, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Russo R. Modulation of Pain Sensitivity by Chronic Consumption of Highly Palatable Food Followed by Abstinence: Emerging Role of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2020 Mar 16;11:266. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00266. eCollection 2020.
41. Romano A, Friuli M, Cifani C, Gaetani S. Oxytocin in the neural control of eating: At the crossroad between homeostatic and non-homeostatic signals. Neuropharmacology. 2020 Apr 4;171:108082. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108082.
42. Romano A*, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV*, Gallelli CA, Koczwara JB, Smeets D, Giusepponi ME, De Ceglia M, Friuli M, Micioni Di Bonaventura E, Scuderi C, Vitalone A, Tramutola A, Altieri F, Lutz TA, Giudetti AM, Cassano T, Cifani C, Gaetani S. Oleoylethanolamide decreases frustration stress-induced binge-like eating in female rats: a novel potential treatment for binge eating disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020 Apr 30. doi: 10.1038/s41386-020-0686-z. *Equal contribution
43. Anna Maria Giudetti, Maria Vittoria Micioni, Di Bonaventura, Alessandra Ferramosca, Serena Longo, Emanuela Micioni Di Bonaventura, Marzia Friuli, Adele Romano, Silvana Gaetani, Carlo Cifani. Brief daily access to cafeteria-style diet impairs hepatic metabolism even in the absence of excessive body weight gain in rats. The FASEB Journal. 2020 Jul;34(7):9358-9371. doi:10.1096/fj.201902757R.
44. Luca Botticelli, Emanuela Micioni Di Bonaventura, Fabio Del Bello, Gianfabio Giorgioni, Alessandro Piergentili, Adele Romano, Wilma Quaglia, Carlo Cifani, Maria Vittoria Micioni Di Bonaventura. Underlying Susceptibility to Eating Disorders and Drug Abuse: Genetic and Pharmacological Aspects of Dopamine D4 Receptors. Nutrients. 2020 Jul 30;12(8):2288. doi: 10.3390/nu12082288.
45. Romano A, Friuli M, Del Coco L, Longo S, Vergara D, Del Boccio P, Valentinuzzi S, Cicalini I, Fanizzi FP, Gaetani S, Giudetti AM. Chronic Oleoylethanolamide Treatment Decreases Hepatic Triacylglycerol Level in Rat Liver by a PPARγ/SREBP-Mediated Suppression of Fatty Acid and Triacylglycerol Synthesis. Nutrients. 2021 Jan 27;13(2):394. doi: 10.3390/nu13020394.
46. Rani B, Santangelo A, Romano A, Koczwara JB, Friuli M, Provensi G, Blandina P, Casarrubea M, Gaetani S, Passani MB, Costa A. Brain histamine and oleoylethanolamide restore behavioral deficits induced by chronic social defeat stress in mice. Neurobiology of Stress. 2021 Mar 17;14:100317. doi: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100317.
47. Conte E, Romano A, De Bellis M, de Ceglia M, Rosaria Carratù M, Gaetani S, Maqoud F, Tricarico D, Camerino C. Oxtr/TRPV1 expression and acclimation of skeletal muscle to cold-stress in male mice. Journal of Endocrinology. 2021 May;249(2):135-148. doi: 10.1530/JOE-20-0346.
48. Giudetti AM, Vergara D, Longo S, Friuli M, Eramo B, Tacconi S, Fidaleo M, Dini L, Romano A*, Gaetani S*. Oleoylethanolamide Reduces Hepatic Oxidative Stress and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in High-Fat Diet-Fed Rats. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Aug 14;10(8):1289. doi: 10.3390/antiox10081289. *Equal contribution
49. Baldi E, Costa A, Rani B, Passani MB, Blandina P, Romano A, Provensi G. Oxytocin and Fear Memory Extinction: Possible Implications for the Therapy of Fear Disorders? International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021 Sep 16;22(18):10000. doi: 10.3390/ijms221810000.
50. Friuli M, Eramo B, Valenza M, Scuderi C, Provensi G, Romano A*. Targeting the Oxytocinergic System: A Possible Pharmacological Strategy for the Treatment of Inflammation Occurring in Different Chronic Diseases. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021 Sep 23;22(19):10250. doi: 10.3390/ijms221910250. *Corresponding author
51. Di Giacomo S, Percaccio E, Gullì M, Romano A, Vitalone A, Mazzanti G, Gaetani S, Di Sotto A. Recent Advances in the Neuroprotective Properties of Ferulic Acid in Alzheimer's Disease: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2022 Sep 8;14(18):3709. doi: 10.3390/nu14183709.
52. Micioni Di Bonaventura E, Botticelli L, Del Bello F, Giorgioni G, Piergentili A, Quaglia W, Romano A, Gaetani S, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Cifani C. Investigating the role of the central melanocortin system in stress and stress-related disorders. Pharmacol Res. 2022 Nov;185:106521. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106521.
53. Romano A, Provensi G. Therapeutic Potential of Targeting the Oxytocinergic System. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Oct 31;23(21):13295. doi: 10.3390/ijms232113295.
54. de Ceglia M, Micioni Di Bonaventura MV, Romano A, Friuli M, Micioni Di Bonaventura E, Gavito AL, Botticelli L, Gaetani S, de Fonseca FR, Cifani C. Anxiety associated with palatable food withdrawal is reversed by the selective FAAH inhibitor PF-3845: A regional analysis of the contribution of endocannabinoid signaling machinery. Int J Eat Disord. 2023 Feb 25. doi: 10.1002/eat.23917
55. Cassano T, Giamogante F, Calcagnini S, Romano A, Lavecchia AM, Inglese F, Paglia G, Bukke VN, Romano AD, Friuli M, Altieri F, Gaetani S. PDIA3 Expression Is Altered in the Limbic Brain Regions of Triple-Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Feb 3;24(3):3005. doi: 10.3390/ijms24033005.
56. Romano A*, Friuli M, Eramo B, Gallelli CA, Koczwara JB, Azari EK, Paquot A, Arnold M, Langhans W, Muccioli GG, Lutz TA and Gaetani S (2023) “To brain or not to brain”: evaluating the possible direct effects of the satiety factor oleoylethanolamide in the central nervous system. Front. Endocrinol. 14:1158287. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1158287. *Corresponding author.
57. Tacconi S, Longo S, Guerra F, Moliterni C, Friuli M, Romano A, Gaetani S, Paradiso V.M., Difonzo G, Caponio F, Lofrumento D, Vergara D, Bucci C, Dini L, Giudetti A.M. (2023). An aqueous olive leaf extract (OLE) ameliorates parameters of oxidative stress associated with lipid accumulation and induces lipophagy in human hepatic cells. Food & Function. DOI: 10.1039/d3fo00817g
58. Bove M, Palmieri MA, Santoro M, Agosti LP, Gaetani S, Romano A, Dimonte S, Costantino G, Sikora V, Tucci P, Schiavone S, Morgese MG, Trabace L. (2024). Amygdalar neurotransmission alterations in the BTBR mice model of idiopathic autism. Transl Psychiatry.14(1):193. doi: 10.1038/s41398-024-02905-z.
59. Friuli M, Sepe C, Panza E, Travelli C, Paterniti I, Romano A (2024). Autophagy and inflammation an intricate affair in the management of obesity and metabolic disorders: evidence for novel pharmacological strategies? Frontiers in Pharmacology, 15:1407336. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1407336.
60. Cucinotta L, Mannino D, Filippone A, Romano A, Esposito E, Paterniti I (2024). The role of autophagy in Parkinson's disease: a gender difference overview. Frontiers Pharmacology 15:1408152. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1408152.
61. de Ceglia M.*, Romano A.*, Micioni Di Bonaventura M.V., Gavito A.L., Botticelli L., Micioni Di Bonaventura E., Friuli M., Cifani C., Rodriguez de Fonseca F., Gaetani S. Cafeteria diet abstinence induces depressive behavior and disrupts endocannabinoid signaling in dopaminergic areas: a preclinical study. Accepted for publication in Current Neuropharmacology, waiting for the proof. *Equal contribution
CONTRIBUTION TO TEXT BOOKS

Romano A., Gallelli C.A., Gaetani S (2019). Terapia farmacologica dell’obesità. In: Manuale di Farmacoterapia. Edited by: Edizioni Idelson Gnocchi 1908. ISBN 978-88-79476874.
INVITED LECTURES AT INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES

1. EBPS Workshop on “Eating Behaviour and Obesity”, Lecce, September 2012. The satiety signal Oleoylethanolamide stimulates Oxytocin release from hypothalamic neurons. A. Romano, T. Cassano, P. Dipasquale, T. Lutz, S. Gaetani.

2. XXI Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior, New Orleans LA, July 2013. Hindbrain noradrenergic input to paraventricular hypothalamus mediate the activation of oxytocinergic neurons induced by the satiety factor oleoylethanolamide. A. Romano, C. Potes, B. Tempesta, V. Cuomo, T. Lutz and S. Gaetani.

3. XVI Annual Meeting of the Italian Society of Neuroscience (SINS), Cagliari, Italy October 2015. “Role of oleoylethanolamide in the “gut-to-brain axis”: possible implications for the treatment of obesity and eating disorders”. Adele Romano.

4. 37th National Congress of the Italian Society of Pharmacology Napoli, October 2015. “High dietary fat intake influences the central effects of the satiety factor oleoylethanolamide: possible implications for obesity management” A. Romano, S. Gaetani.

5. 8th Swiss Winter Conference on Ingestive Behavior, Saint Morritz February, March 2017. “Role of oleoylethanolamide in the “gut-to-brain axis”: possible implications for the treatment of obesity and eating disorders” Adele Romano, Cristina Anna Gallelli, Justina Barbara Koczwara, Maria Vittoria Micioni di Bonaventura, Mariaelena Giusepponi, Carlo Cifani, Thomas Lutz and Silvana Gaetani

6. XVII Annual Meeting of the Italian Society of Neuroscience (SINS), Ischia, Italy October 2017. “Role of the satiety signal oleoylethanolamide in frustration stress-induced binge-like palatable food consumption in female rats with a history of food restriction” Adele Romano, Maria Vittoria Micioni di Bonaventura, Cristina Anna Gallelli, Justina Barbara Koczwara, Mariaelena Giusepponi, Carlo Cifani and Silvana Gaetani

7. 9th Swiss Winter Conference on Ingestive Behavior, Saint Morritz, February 2018.
“Effects of the satiety signal oleoylethanolamide on binge-like food consumption in female rats” Adele Romano, Maria Vittoria Micioni di Bonaventura, Cristina Anna Gallelli, Justina Barbara Koczwara, Mariaelena Giusepponi, Tommaso Cassano, Carlo Cifani and Silvana Gaetani.

8. National congress of the Italian Society of Pharmacology, Firenze, November 2019 “Satiety factor oleoylethanolamide prevents binge-like palatable food consumption induced by stress in female rats with a history of food restriction” A. Romano, M. V. Micioni Di Bonaventura, C. A. Gallelli, J. B. Koczwara, M. E. Giusepponi, T. Cassano, C. Cifani, S. Gaetani.

9. National congress of the Italian Society of Pharmacology, Digital Edition, March 2021 Effects of oleoylethanolamide in a rat model of diet-induced obesity: from the modulation of microbiota to neuroprotective properties. A. Romano

10. International conference on neurology and psychiatric disorders, theme: "Amelioration in innovations with the advancement in neurology and psychiatric disorders" June 2022 digital congress. Oleoylethanolamide decreases frustration stress-induced binge-like eating in female rats: a novel potential treatment for binge eating disorder. A. Romano, Maria Vittoria Micioni Di Bonaventura, Carlo Cifani, Silvana Gaetani.

11. National congress of the Italian Society of Pharmacology, Rome November 2022. “The oxytocinergic system as a possible target for the treatment of obesity and aberrant eating patterns”. Adele Romano.

12. 13th Swiss Winter Conference on Ingestive Behavior, Saint Morritz February, February 2023.
“To brain or not to brain”: evaluating the possible direct effects of the satiety factor oleoylethanolamide in the central nervous system. Adele Romano.

13. 14th Swiss Winter Conference on Ingestive Behavior, Saint Morritz February, February 2024.
Oleoylethanolamide differentially regulates skeletal and cardiac muscle metabolism in a rat model of early-onset obesity. A Romano, B Eramo, M Friuli, N Zahid, F Vari, E Stanca, M Damato, S Tacconi, L Siculella, C Sepe, D Vergara, AM Giudetti and S Gaetani.

More than 70 oral and poster presentations at national and international conferences

Revision Panels
2023-2024 GRANT REFEREE for The Research Foundation Flanders (FWO) for Medium-sized research infrastructure to the Flemish Research Community

Press/Media release on the scientific achievement
Press release by Sapienza University of Rome, “A New Ally for Binge Eating Disorder”
(https://www.uniroma1.it/en/notizia/new-ally-binge-eating-disorder); Secolo d’Italia “Ecco il farmaco anti-abbuffata, blocca la fame compulsiva, combatte l’obesità: un orgoglio tutto italiano” (https://www.secoloditalia.it/2020/05/ecco-il-farmaco-anti-abbuffata-bloc...); Sir Agenzia d’informazione “Salute: Università Sapienza Roma e Camerino, scoperta molecola che contrasta il disturbo da alimentazione incontrollata” (https://www.agensir.it/quotidiano/2020/5/12/salute-universita-sapienza-r...); Mela Rossa “Binge eating disorder: una molecola potrebbe tenere sotto controllo questo disturbo alimentare” (https://www.melarossa.it/salute/patologie/binge-eating-disorder-identifi...); Nutri e Previeni “Disturbi alimentari: per prevenire il binge eating forse una molecola” (http://www.nutrieprevieni.it/disturbi-alimentari-per-prevenire-il-binge-...); Il fatto alimentare “Disturbi alimentari: una possibile nuova arma contro il binge eating. Lo studio dei ricercatori italiani” (https://ilfattoalimentare.it/binge-eating-possibile-farmaco.html); Quotidiano Sanità “Una molecola contro le abbuffate. L’hanno scoperta i team di ricerca della Sapienza e Camerino; (http://www.quotidianosanita.it/scienza-e-farmaci/articolo.php?articolo_i...); Repubblica “Il cibo è piacere, non ossessione: una molecola ci salverà dalle abbuffate” (https://rep.repubblica.it/pwa/weekend/2020/05/21/news/il_mangiare_e_un_p... la_ci_salvera_dalle_abbuffate-257134407/); Leggo “Abbuffate da stress, individuata la molecola in grado di bloccarle: lo studio dei ricercatori della Sapienza e di Camerino” (https://www.leggo.it/sanita/abbuffate_da_stress_molecola_bloccarle_studi...); Il Mattino “Abbuffate da stress, individuata la molecola in grado di bloccarle: lo studio dei ricercatori della Sapienza e di Camerino” (https://www.ilmattino.it/primopiano/sanita/abbuffate_da_stress_molecola_... _camerino-5229973.html); Quotidiano di Puglia “Abbuffate, adesso basta Una molecola ci salverà” (https://www.quotidianodipuglia.it/attualita/abbuffate_adesso_basta_una_m...); Fidest “Contrastare il disturbo dell’alimentazione incontrollata” (https://fidest.wordpress.com/2020/05/16/contrastareil-disturbo-dellalime...); ohga! "Alimentazione compulsiva e incontrollabile: un molecola può aiutare a contrastarla" (https://www.ohga.it/alimentazione-compulsiva-e-incontrollabile-un-moleco...)