Sara Bonzano

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.