Dr. Giuliana Fossati got her PhD in in Medical Biotechnology applied to Medical Sciences in 2014 from the University of Milan where she conducted her research in Prof. Matteoli’s lab. Her scientific journey began with a focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic dysfunctions in neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases, aiming to identify new therapeutic targets. She investigated mechanisms involved in the differentiation of the postsynaptic compartment. In particular, she defined the role of the proteins Eps8 and SNAP25 in spine formation and plasticity and unveiled the contribution of the innate immunity protein PTX3 to the recruitment of AMPA receptors to nascent synapses.

Then she joined Prof. Dayer’s lab at University of Geneva, Switzerland, to study the modulation of fear processing by layer 1 5HT3AR interneurons. In 2019, she returned to Prof. Matteoli’s lab with a fellowship from Fondazione Veronesi to further investigate the role of PTX3 in both healthy and pathological brain conditions.

Currently, Dr. Fossati is a senior postdoctoral researcher leading a Cariplo Giovani grant and a Finalizzata Giovani Ricercatori grant to study the impact of prenatal immune challenging on brain development with a particular emphasis on the role of astrocytes in this process.