Gianmarco Di Mauro

I am molecular biologist with several years of research experience both in the private sector and academia. I was born in Italy where I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in biology from the university of Catania and a Master’s degree in Molecular and Cellular biology from the University of Bologna. My Master’s Thesis project was developed in the laboratory of Dr. Angel Barco at the Institute of Neuroscience in Alicante – Spain. My research focused on the biomolecular and genetic study of cellular mechanisms underlying learning and memory. In particular I analysed how electrophysiological properties of neurons can be modulated by pharmacological compounds belonging to the class of Histone De-Acetylase Inhibitors. Furthermore I studied the potential role of the histone de-methylase SMCX in a rare form of mental retardation.
After my Master’s graduation I moved to the UK to work as research assistant in the neuropharmacology department at Eli Lilly & Co. Here I worked on the Creation of a cellular model of Tau protein aggregation focusing on the mechanisms underlying Tau neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s Disease. Furthermore I contributed to the screening of test compounds modulating neuronal mGlu4 receptors as a therapeutic approach for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
After this experience I moved to Italy at the Thelethon institute of genetics and medicine TIGEM where worked for two years on the design and evaluation of a novel therapeutic approach based on the use of nanocarriers to treat brain pathology in Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs).
I then decided to embark in a PhD at the Institute for research in Biomedicine (IRB) in Barcelona to work on the Molecular and Biochemical characterisation of the Drosophila transcriptional complex HP1c. And characterise the putative genomic function of the Human ubiquitin receptor protein Ubiquilin1.