Istituto Di Neuroscienze - CNR

I am a systems neuroscientist driven by one question: how does the brain rewire itself, and how can we guide that plasticity when development goes wrong? My training spans chemistry, optics and neuroscience. Drawing on all three, I combine optical imaging and manipulation with molecular and behavioural approaches to study cortical plasticity in mice, using wide-field and two-photon microscopy as everyday tools.

I received my Bachelor's degree in Chemistry (2005) and my Master's degree in the Chemistry of Biological Molecules (2007) from the University of Florence, followed by a PhD in Atomic and Molecular Photonics at LENS, University of Florence. I am now a Senior Researcher (Primo Ricercatore) at the Institute of Neuroscience of the National Research Council (CNR-IN), affiliated with LENS, where I lead my research group.

My research ranges from basic neuronal mechanisms to brain dysfunction in neurodevelopmental disorders, with a focus on autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We use wide-field fluorescence microscopy with genetically encoded activity reporters to image the entire dorsal cortex at once. This lets us map functional connectivity and the sensory responses of specific neuronal populations. By pinning down how these patterns change in ASD models, we aim to find new biomarkers and develop new therapies. We also use optogenetic and electrical stimulation to promote cortical rewiring and restore sensory processing, and we study how brain state shapes the way the cortex responds to sensory input.