Gruppo guidato da Luca Bonfanti e Paolo Peretto
Sara Bonzano
Contacts
Tel +39 011 6706632
e-mail: sara.bonzano@unito.it
Curriculum Vitae
Born in Valenza (AL) on 22.03.1987. Italian.
Education
2016. PhD in Neuroscience (Univ. Turin). Thesis title: “Expression and function of the transcription factor COUP-TFI in the neurogenic regions of the adult mouse brain”
2011. MSc in Molecular and Cellular Biology (Univ. Turin). Thesis title: “Olfactory enrichment influences dopaminergic phenotype in the olfactory bulb of adult mice” Final mark: 110/110 cum laude and right for publication.
2009. BS in Biological Sciences (Univ.Turin). Thesis title: Thesis title: “Analysis of the expression of BDNF following olfactory enrichment in the olfactory bulb of adult mice”. Final mark: 109/110.
Current position
Postdoctoral fellows
Previous positions
Jan 2018 - Dec 2019. Fondazione Umberto Veronesi postdoctoral fellow (FUV Grants 2018 and 2019), Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi (NICO), University of Turin, Italy. PI: Silvia De Marchis.
March 2016 - Dec 2017. Postdoctoral fellow (Fondation Fyssen), Institut de Biologie Valrose (iBV), Inserm, CNRS, Univ. Côte d'Azur, Nice, France. PI: Michèle Studer.
Sept - Dec 2014: Ministero Affari Esteri (MAE) grant for 3-month-long mobility, Institut de Biologie Valrose (iBV), Inserm, CNRS, Univ. Côte d'Azur, Nice, France. PI: Michèle Studer.
Jan 2012 - Dec 2015: PhD student, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Italy. PI: Silvia De Marchis.
March 2009 - July 2011: Internship as undergraduate student, Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Italy. PI: Silvia De Marchis.
Main research interest and expertise
My current research focuses on mechanisms underlying adult constitutive neurogenesis in physiological conditions, in particular within the hippocampus, a key brain region for learning and memory. Through gain-/loss-of-function approaches coupled to genetic fate mapping we identify a novel key player (i.e. COUP-TFI/Nr2f1) in driving neurogenesis in the young adut mouse hippocampus. As the hippocampus experiences a loss of neurogenesis early in the mature mouse brain, I am now interested in understanding the underlying cellular/molecular early changes, and how overcome aging in adult hippocampal NSC function. To do so, I am exploiting mouse genetics to manipulate COUP-TFI/Nr2f1 and focussing on its role in regulating mitochondria function/dynamics.
In these ten years of lab experience, I gained deep expertise in surgical procedures on mice in vivo, such as stereotaxic injection of viral vectors/recombinant proteins into the adult brain, perfusion and brain tissue collection from embryonic, postnatal and adult mouse models. I also acquired extensive ability in histological/chemical procedures as well as in using bright-field, epifluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy. In the last year, I am becoming familiar with in vivo 2-photon imaging to address COUP-TFI function in adult NSC lineage in vivo. Moreover, I acquired basic abilities in molecular biology (RNA isolation, qPCR, plasmid cloning and purification, WB, ELISA), brain tissue dissociation and cell sorting, in utero electroporation, and olfactory behavioral tasks (e.g. olfactory deprivation/enrichment, odor detection threshold, and odorant recognition).
Role in research
Responsible of research on adult neural stem cells, neurogenesis and astrogliogenesis within the mouse hippocampus in physiological conditions, with a particular interest on aging.
News
Disabilità intellettiva: a Sara Bonzano la borsa post-doc dell’Accademia dei Lincei per studiarne le cause
La dott.ssa Sara Bonzano, post doc del gruppo di ricerca NICO di Neurogenesi adulta guidato dai proff. Luca Bonfanti e Paolo Peretto, potrà svolgere lo studio nel corso del 2022 grazie alla borsa post-dottorato assegnata dal Centro Linceo Interdisciplinare «Beniamino Segre» nell’ambito della Biomedicina.
Grant Fondazione Veronesi 2019: Sara Bonzano del NICO tra i 198 vincitori
La nostra ricercatrice Sara Bonzano vince per il secondo anno di seguito il grant di Fondazione Umberto Veronesi. Tra le 198 borse di ricerca annuali assegnate per il 2019, Sara ha vinto una delle 21 destinate all'area neuroscienze. La Cerimonia di premiazione si è svolta il 21 marzo all'Università di Milano.
Neurone o astrocita? Scoperto il gene che guida le staminali adulte nella scelta del loro destino.
Il gene COUP-TFI controlla che le staminali producano la giusta quantità di nuovi neuroni o astrociti. Un eccesso dei secondi è la conseguenza di processi infiammatori associati a patologie tra cui l’Alzheimer. La scoperta del team guidato da Silvia De Marchis, del nostro gruppo di Neurogenesi adulta.
Grant Fondazione Veronesi: 2 ricercatrici del NICO tra i 188 vincitori
Sara Bonzano e Giulia Nato sono tra le 148 donne vincitrici su un totale di 188 borse di ricerca assegnate da Fondazione Umberto Veronesi per il 2018. Ecco i progetti delle nostre ricercatrici premiate il 21 marzo a Milano, alla cerimonia di consegna dei grant.