Yuri Bozzi
Yuri Bozzi
e-mail:
website: www.unitn.it
affiliation: National Research Council (CNR)
research area(s): Neuroscience
Course: Biomolecular Sciences
University/Istitution: Università di Trento
POSITION TITLE: Research Scientist, National Research Council (CNR)
EDUCATION/TRAINING INSTITUTION AND LOCATION DEGREE YEAR(s) FIELD OF STUDY
University of Pisa (Italy), Faculty of Biological Sciences
B. Sc. (Italian“Laurea”): 1986-1991 Molecular Neurobiology Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa (Italy)
PhD 1991-1996 Neurobiology

Research and Professional Experience
Since 2009 Head, Laboratory of Molecular Neuropathology of the CNR Institute of Neuroscience,
CIBIO, University of Trento (Italy)
Since 2001 Research Scientist (permanent position), CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Pisa
2000−2001 Post−doctoral fellow, Telethon Foundation, CNR Institute of Neuroscience, Pisa
1999−2000 Post−doctoral fellow, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa
1996−1999 Post−doctoral fellow. IGBMC, Strasbourg, France
1993−1994 Visiting fellow. Consorzio Mario Negri Sud, (Chieti, Italy)

Academic Honors and Awards
2010−2011 Assistant Professor of Physiology and Molecular Neuropathology, University of Trento
2002−2008 Assistant Professor in Molecular Biology, University of Pisa
2004−2005 Assistant Professor in Development of the Nervous System, University of Pisa
2010-2011 Research grant, Italian Ministry of Education, PRIN Program. PI. Amount: 36k €. Title of the project: “Neuroanatomical and behavioural characterization of Engrailed-2 knockout
mice, a model for autism spectrum disorders”.
2010-2011 Research grant, Italian Ministry of Health, “Ricerca Finalizzata” Program. PI. Amount: 230k €. Title of the project: “Role of inflammation in the genesis of late-onset epilepsies: gene expression studies in animal models and mutation analysis in epileptic patients”.
2008−2009 Research grant, Italian National Research Council (CNR) − "Ricerche Spontanee a Tema Libero" (RSTL) Program. PI. Amount: 35k €. Title of the project: Identification of novel genes involved in epileptogenesis through DNA microarrays technology.
2007−2008 Research grant, Parents Against Childhood Epilepsy (PACE, USA). PI. Amount: 50k $.
Project: "Suppression of a seizure focus by infusion of botulinum neurotoxin in mouse
models of temporal lobe epilepsy".
2007 Award from the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) to organize the 4th Conference on Epileptogenesis (Pisa, May 23-26, 2007). Amount: 5k €.
2005−2006 Research grant GGP04086, Telethon Foundation (Italy). Co−PI. Amount: 110k €.
Project: "Antiepileptic effects of botulinum toxins in rodent models of temporal lobe epilepsy".
2004−2005 Research grant R−04−38, Pierfranco and Luisa Mariani Foundation (Italy). PI. Amount: 50k €. Project: "Antiepileptic and neuroprotective effects of intracerebral delivery of Botulinum Toxin E in an animal model of temporal lobe epilepsy".
2000−2002 Research grant 461/bi, Telethon Foundation (Italy). PI. Amount: 55k €. Project: "In vivo and in vitro models to study the genetic program of neuronal death and survival".
Using a multidisciplinary approach, ranging from pharmacological to genetic animal models, to study the molecular bases of autism and epilepsy. Specific projects are:


* Developmental basis of autism and epilepsy. Mutations of genes involved in brain development have been associated to human syndromes characterised by the occurrence of autistic-like disorders and seizures. We study how the altered expression of neural genes during embryonic brain development can impact altered social behaviour and seizure susceptibility during postnatal and adult life. In detail, we study seizure susceptibility in mice carrying a mutation in the homeobox-containing gene Engrailed-2, which is crucially involved in the early specification of selected neuronal populations of the brain.
* Dopamine signaling in epilepsy-induced cell death. Altered dopamine signalling markedly influences seizure susceptibility. Indeed, drugs interfering with dopamine receptors can modify seizure threshold in humans and experimental animals. We showed that deficient signalling through dopamine D2 receptors (D2R) results in increased susceptibility to seizures and seizure-induced neuronal death. Our current studies are aimed at investigating the biochemical pathways downstream of D2R involved in seizure-induced neuronal death.
* Antiepileptic treatment in mouse models of genetic epilepsy. Sodium channel mutations are known to be associated to severe epileptic syndromes of genetic origin in humans. We are studying a mouse model of intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (SCN2A transgenic mice) in order to characterize the neuropathological consequences of seizures and to develop novel therapeutic strategies.
Tripathi P.P., Santorufo G., Brilli E., Borrelli E., Bozzi Y. Kainic acid - induced seizures activate GSK3beta in the hippocampus of D2R-/- mice. NeuroReport 2010. Aug 23;21(12):846-50.

Coremans V, Ahmed T, Balschun D, D'Hooge R, DeVriese A, Cremer J, Antonucci F, Moons M,
Baekelandt V, Reumers V, Cremer H, Eisch A, Lagace D, Janssens T, Bozzi Y, Caleo M, Conway EM. Impaired neurogenesis, learning and memory and low seizure threshold associated with loss of neural precursor cell survivin. BMC Neurosci. 2010 Jan 5;11:2.

Tripathi PP, Sgadò P, Corsini GU, Simeone A, Bozzi Y. De velopmental basis of seizure susceptibility: a focus on dopaminergic and serotonergic systems. Curr. Trends in Neurology 2009, vol 3, 93-101.

Bozzi Y, Tripathi PP, Simeone A. Developmental basis of epilepsy and seizure susceptibility: role of Otx genes. In: Perinatal and brain damage, from pathogenesis to neuroprotection. Ramenghi, Evrard and Mercuri, eds. 2009 John Libbey Eurotext.

Tripathi PP, Sgadò P, Scali M, Viaggi C, Casarosa S, Simon H, Vaglini F, Corsini GU, Bozzi Y. Increased susceptibility to kainic acid-induced seizures in Engrailed-2 knockout mice. Neuroscience. 2009 Mar 17;159(2):842-9.

Antonucci F, Bozzi Y, Caleo M. Intrahippocampal infusion of botulinum neurotoxin E (BoNT/E) reduces spontaneous recurrent seizures in a mouse model of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2009 Apr;50(4):963-6.

Brilli E, Scali M, Casarosa S, Kohler M, Bozzi Y. Seizures increase importin-beta1 expression in NG2+ cells in the rat hippocampus. J Neurosci Res. 2009 Feb 15;87(3):636-43.

Tripathi PP, Di Giovannantonio LG, Viegi A, Wurst W, Simeone A, Bozzi Y. Serotonin hyperinnervation abolishes seizure susceptibility in Otx2 conditional mutant mice. J Neurosci. 2008 Sep 10;28(37):9271-6.

Bozzi Y, Vezzani A, Simonato M, de Curtis M, Avanzini G, Caleo M. Fourth conference on epileptogenesis, May 23-26, 2007, Pisa, Italy. Epilepsia. 2008 May;49(5):929-34.

Antonucci F, Di Garbo A, Novelli E, Manno I, Sartucci F, Bozzi Y*, Caleo M*. Botulinum neurotoxin E (BoNT/E) reduces CA1 neuron loss and granule cell dispersion, with no effects on chronic seizures, in a mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy. Exp Neurol. 2008 Apr;210(2):388-401 (*equal contribution as senior authors).

Pozzi D, Condliffe S, Bozzi Y, Chikhladze M, Grumelli C, Proux-Gillardeaux V, Takahashi M,
Franceschetti S, Verderio C, Matteoli M. Activity-dependent phosphorylation of Ser187 is required for SNAP-25-negative modulation of neuronal voltage-gated calcium channels. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Jan 8;105(1):323-8.

Errico F, Nistic R, Palma G, Federici M, Affuso A, Brilli E, Topo E, Centonze D, Bernardi G, Bozzi Y, D'Aniello A, Di Lauro R, Mercuri NB, Usiello A. Increased levels of d-aspartate in the hippocampus enhance LTP but do not facilitate cognitive flexibility. Mol Cell Neurosci. 2008 Feb;37(2):236-46.

Manno I, Antonucci F, Caleo M, Bozzi Y. BoNT/E prevents seizure-induced activation of caspase 3 in the rat hippocampus. Neuroreport. 2007 Mar 5;18(4):373-6.

Castellano S, Casarosa S, Sweatt AJ, Hutson SM, Bozzi Y. Expression of cytosolic branched chain aminotransferase (BCATc) mRNA in the developing mouse brain. Gene Expr Patterns. 2007 4:485-90.
Castellano S, Macchi F, Scali M, Huang JZ, Bozzi Y. Cytosolic branched chain aminotransferase (BCATc) mRNA is up-regulated in restricted brain areas of BDNF transgenic mice. Brain Res. 2006 1108:12-8.

Bozzi Y, Costantin L, Antonucci F, Caleo M. Action of botulinum neurotoxins in the central nervous system: antiepileptic effects. Neurotox Res. 2006 Apr;9(2-3):197-203.
Bozzi Y, Borrelli E. Dopamine in neurotoxicity and neuroprotection: what do D2 receptors have to dowith it? Trends Neurosci. 2006 Mar;29(3):167-74.


No projects are available to students for the current accademic year.