Dr. Daniela Tropea
Associate Professor, Psychiatry
Associate Professor, Trinity Inst. of Neurosciences (TCIN)
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
1. K. Zade, C. Campbell, S. Bach, H. Fernandez and D. Tropea, Rett syndrome in Ireland: a demographic study., Orphanet Journal of rare diseases, 2024
Daniela Tropea, Sex-dependent impact of a therapeutic approach of Rett syndrome, European College of Neruopsychopharmacology, Milan, Italy, 23 September 2024, 2024
2. M. Kennedy , L. Glass , D.G. Glaze , S. Kaminsky , A. K. Percy , J. L. Neul , N. E. Jones , D. Tropea , J. P. Horrigan , P. Nues , K. M. Bishop and J. M. Youakim, Development of trofinetide for the treatment of Rett syndrome: from bench to bedside, Frontiers in Pharmachology, 2024
Daniela Tropea, Trofinetide treatment for Rett Syndrome: lessons to learn, MED- Cell Press, 2024, pMEDJ_MED-D-24-00571
M. DuMont, A. Agostinis, K. Singh, E. Swan, Y. Buttle, D. Tropea, Sex representation in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders"preclinical and clinical studies, Neurobiology of Disease, 2023
D.Tropea, A. Scimemi, A. Barerjee, Biology of Brain Disorders: "Cellular substrates for disrupted synaptic function and experience-dependent plasticity, Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 2022
Enrico Cherubini, Daniela Tropea, Arianna Maffei, Insights in cellular neurophysiology:2021, 2022
7. S. Shovlin, C. Delepine, L. Swanson, S. Bach, M. Sahin, M. Sur, W.E. Kaufmann, D. Tropea, Molecular signatures of response to mecasermin in children with Rett Syndrome, Frontiers in Neuroscience, 2022
8. S. Bach, S. Shovlin, M. Moriarty, B. Bardoni, D. Tropea, Rett syndrome and Fragile X: different aetiology with common molecular dysfunctions, Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 2021
3. R. Coomey, R. Stowell, A. Majewska, D. Tropea , The Role of Microglia in Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Their Therapeutics, Current Topics in Medical Chemistry, 20, (4), 2020, p272 - 276
Daniela Tropea, Snow Bach, Aiden Corvin, Methyl-Cpg-Binding Protein 2 Mediates Overlapping Mechanisms Across Brain Disorders, American College of Neuropshychopharmacology Annual meeting, on-line, edited by Neuropsychopharmacology , 2020
2. C. Keogh, G. Pini, I. Gemo, W. Kaufmann, D. Tropea , Functional network mapping reveals state-dependent response to IGF-1 treatment in Rett Syndrome, Brain Sciennces, 10, (5), 2020, p515 - 520
1. S. Bach, N. M. Ryan, P. Guasoni, A. Corvin, D. Tropea, Methyl-CpG2-binding protein 2 mediates overlapping mechanisms across brain disorders, Scientific Reports, 10, (1), 2020
Sanfeliu, A. and Hokamp, K. and Gill, M. and Tropea, D., Transcriptomic analysis of Mecp2 mutant mice reveals differentially expressed genes and altered mechanisms in both blood and brain, Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, (278), 2019
Daniela Tropea, IGF1 and derivatives in the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders, European College of Neuropharmachology annual meeting, September, 2019, ECNP
Daniela Tropea, Conor Keogh, Cortical Network Activity Predicts IGF-1 Treatment Response in Rett Syndrome, Neuropsychopharmacology, 2019
Sanfeliu, A. and Kaufmann, W.E. and Gill, M. and Guasoni, P. and Tropea, D., Transcriptomic Studies in Mouse Models of Rett Syndrome: A Review, Neuroscience, 413, 2019, p183-205
Tropea, D. and Hardingham, N. and Millar, K. and Fox, K., Mechanisms underlying the role of DISC1 in synaptic plasticity, Journal of Physiology, 596, (14), 2018, p2747-2771
1. C. Keogh, G. Pini, A. H. Dyer, S. Bigoni, P. DiMarco, I. Gemo,, R. Reilly, D. Tropea, Clinical and Genetic Rett Syndrome Variants are Defined by Stable Electrophysiological Profiles, BMC Pediatrics, 18, (1), 2018, p333 - 348
Keogh, C. and Pini, G. and Dyer, A.H. and Bigoni, S. and Dimarco, P. and Gemo, I. and Reilly, R. and Tropea, D., Clinical and genetic Rett syndrome variants are defined by stable electrophysiological profiles 11 Medical and Health Sciences 1109 Neurosciences, BMC Pediatrics, 18, (1), 2018
S.Shovlin & D. Tropea, Transcriptome level analysis in Rett syndrome using human samples from different tissues, Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, 13, (1), 2018, p113 - 128
Daniela Tropea, Role of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 in the brain, Growth Hormone and IGF conference, Seattle, USA, 14 September , 2018
Tropea, D. and Harkin, A., Editorial: Biology of brain disorders, Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 11, (366), 2017
Daniela Tropea, DISC1 in Activity-dependent plasticity, Neuroplasticity and synaptic function inneuropsychiatric disorders, Cardiff, UK, 27 - 28 April , 2017
Wrigley S, Arafa D, Tropea D, Insulin-like growth factor 1: At the crossroads of brain development and aging, Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 11, 2017, p00014-
Daniela Tropea, Understanding the biology of brain disorders with brain plasticity, weekly talks, Carnegie Mellon University, March, 2017
Ajetunmobi A, McAllister D, Jain n, Brazil O, Corvin A, Volkov Y, Tropea D, Prina-Mello A., Characterization of SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell growth over glass and SU-8 substrates., Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, 105A, (8), 2017, p2129 - 2138
Vahdatpour C, Dyer A.H, Tropea D, Insulin-like growth factor 1 and related compounds in the treatment of childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorders, Frontiers in Neuroscience, 10, (SEP), 2016
D.Tropea, I. Molinos, S. Bellini, E. Petit, C. O'Toutaigh, I. Nagakura, K. Mitchell, M. Sur, M. Gill, J. Waddington, A. Corvin, Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) mutants have impaired activity-dependent plasticity in vitro and in vivo, Translational Psychiatry, 6, 2016, p712-
Dyer A.H, Vahdatpour C, Sanfeliu A, Tropea D, The role of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) in brain development, maturation and neuroplasticity, Neuroscience, 325, 2016, p89 - 99
1. G. Pini, L. Congiu, A. Benincasa, P. Di Marco, S. Bigoni, A. Dyer, N. Mortimer, A. Della Chiesa, S. O'Leary, R. McNamara, K. J. Mitchell, M. Gill and D. Tropea, Illness Severity, Social & Cognitive Ability and EEG Analysis of Ten Patients with Rett Syndrome Treated with Mecasermin (recombinant human IGF-1): A Clinical Study , Autism Research and treatment, 2016, 2016
Tropea D, Mortimer N, Bellini S, Molinos I, Sanfeliu A, Shovlin S, McAllister D, Gill M, Mitchell K, Corvin A, Expression of nuclear Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (Mecp2) is dependent on neuronal stimulation and application of Insulin-like growth factor 1, Neuroscience Letters, 621, 2016, p111 - 116
Pini G, Bigoni S, Congiu L, Romanelli A.M, Scusa M.F, Di Marco P, Benincasa A, Morescalchi P, Ferlini A, Bianchi F, Tropea D, Zappella M, Rett syndrome: a wide clinical and autonomic picture, Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, 11, (1), 2016, p1 - 16
Daniela Tropea, Andrew Harkin, Biology of Brain Disorders, 1, Frontiers-Nature Group, 2016, 1 - 586pp
Treating Rett Syndrome: current approaches and new therapies in, Rett Syndrome and Other Communication Disorders, New York, NOVA Science Publisher, 2015, pp58 , [Daniela Tropea, Sara Wrigley and Giorgio Pini]
Progress toward therapies and interventions in, editor(s)Kevin Mitchell , The Genetics of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Singapore, Wiley, 2014, pp319 - 344, [Ajetumna Ajetumnobi and Daniela Tropea]
Castro J, Garcia R.I, Kwok S, Banerjee A, Petravicz J, Woodson J, Mellios N, Tropea D, Sur M, Functional recovery with recombinant human IGF1 treatment in a mouse model of Rett Syndrome, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111, (27), 2014, p9941 - 9946
Rose EJ, Hargreaves A, Morris D, Fahey C, Tropea D, Cummings E, Caltagirone C, Bossù P, Chiapponi C, Piras F, Spalletta G, Gill M, Corvin A, Donohoe G, Effects of a novel schizophrenia risk variant rs7914558 at CNNM2 on brain structure and attributional style., The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science, 204, (2), 2014, p115-121
Ajetunmobi,A. A., Prina-Mello,Adriele A., Volkov,Yuri Y., Corvin,Aiden P. A.P., Tropea,Daniela D., Nanotechnologies for the study of the central nervous system, Progress in Neurobiology, 123, 2014, p18-36
Morris DW, Pearson RD, Cormican P, Kenny EM, O'Dushlaine CT, Perreault LP, Giannoulatou E, Tropea D, Maher BS, Wormley B, Kelleher E, Fahey C, Molinos I, Bellini S, Pirinen M, Strange A, Freeman C, Thiselton DL, Elves RL, Regan R, Ennis S, Dinan TG, McDonald C, Murphy KC, O'Callaghan E, Waddington JL, Walsh D, O'Donovan M, Grozeva D, Craddock N, Stone J, Scolnick E, Purcell S, Sklar P, Coe B, Eichler EE, Ophoff R, Buizer J, Szatkiewicz J, Hultman C, Sullivan P, Gurling H, McQuillin A, St Clair D, Rees E, Kirov G, Walters J, Blackwood D, Johnstone M, Donohoe G, O'Neill FA, Kendler KS, Gill M, Riley BP, Spencer CC, Corvin A, An inherited duplication at the gene p21 Protein-Activated Kinase 7 (PAK7) is a risk factor for psychosis., Human molecular genetics, 23, (12), 2014, p3316-26
Pini G, Scusa MF, Benincasa A, Bottiglioni I, Congiu L, Vadhatpour C, Romanelli AM, Gemo I, Puccetti C, McNamara R, O'Leary S, Corvin A, Gill M, Tropea D, Repeated insulin-like growth factor 1 treatment in a patient with rett syndrome: a single case study., Frontiers in pediatrics, 2, 2014, p52
Kenny EM, Cormican P, Furlong S, Heron E, Kenny G, Fahey C, Kelleher E, Ennis S, Tropea D, Anney R, Corvin AP, Donohoe G, Gallagher L, Gill M, Morris DW, Excess of rare novel loss-of-function variants in synaptic genes in schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders., Molecular psychiatry, 19, 2014, p872-879
Nagakura I, Van Wart A, Petravicz J, Tropea D, Sur M., STAT1 regulates the homeostatic component of visual cortical plasticity via an AMPA receptor-mediated mechanism., The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 34, (31), 2014, p10256-10263
O'Donoghue T, Morris DW, Fahey C, Da Costa A, Moore S, Cummings E, Leicht G, Karch S, Hoerold D, Tropea D, Foxe JJ, Gill M, Corvin A, Donohoe G, Effects of ZNF804A on auditory P300 response in schizophrenia., Translational psychiatry, 4, 2014, pe345
Donohoe G, Walters J, Hargreaves A, Rose EJ, Morris DW, Fahey C, Bellini S, Cummins E, Giegling I, Hartmann AM, Möller HJ, Muglia P, Owen MJ, Gill M, O'Donovan MC, Tropea D, Rujescu D, Corvin A, Neuropsychological Effects Of The CSMD1 Genome-Wide Associated Schizophrenia Risk Variant rs10503253., Genes, Brain, and Behavior, 12, (12), 2013, p203- 209
Delaney C, McGrane J, Cummings E, Morris DW, Tropea D, Gill M, Corvin A, Donohoe G, Preserved cognitive function is associated with suicidal ideation and single suicide attempts in schizophrenia., Schizophrenia research, 140, (1-3), 2012, p232-6
D. Tropea, American College Neuropharmachology Annual Meeting, FL, USA, December, 2012
G. Pini, M.F. Scusa, B. Felloni, L. Congiu, A. Benincasa, R. Frati, I. Bottiglioni, P. Di Marco, P. Borelli, U. Bonuccelli, A. Della-Chiesa, A. Prina-Mello, D. Tropea, Safety assessment of IGF-1 treatment: study on six Rett patients., Autism research and treatment, 2012
O'Donoghue T, Morris DW, Fahey C, Da Costa A, Foxe JJ, Hoerold D, Tropea D, Gill M, Corvin A, Donohoe G, A NOS1 variant implicated in cognitive performance influences evoked neural responses during a high density EEG study of early visual perception., Human brain mapping, 33, (5), 2012, p1202-11
Rose EJ, Morris DW, Fahey C, Robertson IH, Greene C, O'Doherty J, Newell FN, Garavan H, McGrath J, Bokde A, Tropea D, Gill M, Corvin AP, Donohoe G, The effect of the neurogranin schizophrenia risk variant rs12807809 on brain structure and function., Twin research and human genetics : the official journal of the International Society for Twin Studies, 15, (3), 2012, p296-303
Tropea D., New challenges and frontiers in the research for neuropsychiatric disorders., Frontiers in psychiatry, 3, 2012, p69
Daniela Tropea, New mechanisms and therapeutics in neurodevelopmental disorders, Frontiers-Nature Group, 2012, 1 - 150pp
Strange A, Riley BP, Spencer CA, Morris DW, Pirinen M, O'Dushlaine CT, Su Z, Maher BS, Freeman C, Cormican P, Bellenguez C, Kenny EM, Band G, Wormley B, Donohoe G, Dilthey A, Moutsianas L,Quinn E, Edkins S, Judge R, Coleman K, Hunt S, Tropea D, Roche S, Cummings L, Kelleher E, McKeon P, Dinan T, McDonald C, Murphy KC, O'Callaghan E, O'Neill FA, Waddington JL, Walsh D, Giannoulatou E, Langford C, Deloukas P, Gray E, Dronov S, Potter S, Pearson R, Vukcevic D, Tashakkori-Ghanbaria A, Blackwell JM,15, Bramon E, Brown MA, Casas JP, Duncanson A, Jankowski J, Markus HS, Mathew CG, Palmer CNA, Plomin RP, Rautanen A, Sawcer SJ, Trembath RC, Viswanathan AC, Wood NW, Stone J, Scolnick E, Purcell S, Sklar P, SGENE+ Consortium, Ripke S, Walters J, Owen MJ, O'Donovan MC, Schizophrenia Working Group of the Psychiatric GWAS Consortium, Peltonen L, McVean G, Kendler KS, Gill M, Donnelly P, Corvin A for Irish Schizophrenia Genomics Consortium and the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2, Genome-wide association study implicates HLA-C*01:02 as a risk factor at the major histocompatibility complex locus in schizophrenia., Biological Psychiatry, 72, (8), 2012, p620-628
Pini G., Scusa M.F., Congiu L., Benincasa A., Morescalchi P., Bottiglioni I., Di Marco P., Borelli P., Bonuccelli U., Della Chiesa A., Prina-Mello A., Tropea D., , IGF1 as a Potential Treatment for Rett Syndrome: Safety Assessment in Six Rett Patients, Autism research and treatment , 01/2012, 2012
Corvin AP, Molinos I, Little G, Donohoe G, Gill M, Morris DW, Tropea D, Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and its active peptide (1-3)IGF1 enhance the expression of synaptic markers in neuronal circuits through different cellular mechanisms., Neuroscience letters, 520, (1), 2012, p51-56
Rose EJ, Morris DW, Fahey C, Robertson IH, Greene C, O'Doherty J, Newell FN, Garavan H, McGrath J, Bokde A, Tropea D, Gill M, Corvin AP, Donohoe G., The effect of the neurogranin schizophrenia risk variant rs12807809 on brain structure and function., Twin Research and Human Genetics, 15, (3), 2012, p296 - 303
Tropea D, Sur M, Majewska AK, Experience-dependent plasticity in visual cortex: Dendritic spines and visual responsiveness., Communicative & Integrative Biology, 4, (2), 2011, p216-9
Hargreaves A, Morris DW, Rose E, Fahey C, Moore S, Cummings E, Tropea D, Gill M, Corvin A, Donohoe G, ZNF804A and social cognition in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls., Molecular psychiatry, 17, (2), 2011, p118 - 119
D. Tropea, Ohio State University, OH, USA, January, 2011
D. Tropea, Mount Sinai School of Medicine , NY, USA, February, 2011
D. Tropea, Annual Symposium IRSF , VA, USA, June, 2011
Mellios N, Sugihara H, Castro J, Banerjee A, Le C, Kumar A, Crawford B, Strathmann J, Tropea D, Levine SS, Edbauer D, Sur M, miR-132, an experience-dependent microRNA, is essential for visual cortex plasticity., Nature neuroscience, 14, (10), 2011, p1240-2
Tropea D, Majewska AK, Garcia R, Sur M, Structural dynamics of synapses in vivo correlate with functional changes during experience-dependent plasticity in visual cortex., The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 30, (33), 2010, p11086-95
D. Tropea, Symposium on rare genetic diseases , Viareggio, Italy, February, 2010
D. Tropea, World Congress Psychiatric Genetics, Athens, Greece, October , 2010
D. Tropea, Kings College London , UK, December, 2010
McCurry CL, Shepherd JD, Tropea D, Wang KH, Bear MF, Sur M., Loss of Arc renders the visual cortex impervious to the effects of sensory experience or deprivation., Nature neuroscience, 13, (4), 2010, p450-457
Tropea D, Van Wart A, Sur M, Molecular mechanisms of experience-dependent plasticity in visual cortex., Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences, 364, (1515), 2009, p341-55
D. Tropea, World Congress Psychiatric Genetics, San Diego, CA, November, 2009
Caleo M, Tropea D, Rossi C, Gianfranceschi L, Maffei L, Environmental enrichment promotes fiber sprouting after deafferentation of the superior colliculus in the adult rat brain., Experimental neurology, 216, (2), 2009, p515-9
D. Tropea, European Conference on Rett Syndrome, Milan, Italy, June , 2009
D. Tropea, Stony Brook University, NY, April , 2009
Tropea D, Giacometti E, Wilson NR, Beard C, McCurry C, Fu DD, Flannery R, Jaenisch R, Sur M, Partial reversal of Rett Syndrome-like symptoms in MeCP2 mutant mice., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106, (6), 2009, p2029-34
D. Tropea, University of Chicago, IL , February , 2008
Lyckman AW, Horng S, Leamey CA, Tropea D, Watakabe A, Van Wart A, McCurry C, Yamamori T, Sur M., Gene expression patterns in visual cortex during the critical period: synaptic stabilization and reversal by visual deprivation., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 105, (27), 2008, p9409-9414
D. Tropea, Center for Brain Repair Cambridge, UK, February 2008 , 2008
D. Tropea, Stanford University , CA, September , 2008
D. Tropea, Rutgers University, NJ, December , 2008
D. Tropea, A. Van Wart and M Sur (, Molecular mechanisms of experience-dependent plasticity in visual cortex., Philos .Trans. R. Soc. Lond B Biol Sci., 2008
D. Tropea, Ecole Normale Superieure , Paris, April , 2008
Lyckman, S. Horng, C. Leamey, D. Tropea, A. Watakabe, A. Van Wart, C. McCurry, T. Yamamori and M. Sur , Transcriptional regulation during the critical period of ocular dominance plasticity: prominent expression of actin-binding and myelination factors. , PNAS, 105, (27), 2008, p9409 - 9414
D. Tropea, University of California Santa Barbara, CA, April , 2007
D. Tropea, University of Rochester, NY, August 2006, 2006
D. Tropea, G. Kreiman, A. Lyckman, S. Mukherjee, H. Yu, S. Horng and M. Sur , Gene expression changes and molecular pathways mediating activity-dependent plasticity in visual cortex, Nature Neuroscience,, 9, (5), 2006, p660 - 668
Pattabiraman PP, Tropea D, Chiaruttini C, Tongiorgi E, Cattaneo A, Domenici L, Neuronal activity regulates the developmental expression and subcellular localization of cortical BDNF mRNA isoforms in vivo., Molecular and cellular neurosciences, 28, (3), 2005, p556-70
Tropea D, Caleo M, Maffei L, Synergistic effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and chondroitinase ABC on retinal fiber sprouting after denervation of the superior colliculus in adult rats., The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 23, (18), 2003, p7034-44
Tropea D, Capsoni S, Covaceuszach S, Domenici L, Cattaneo A, Rat visual cortical neurones express TrkA NGF receptor., Neuroreport, 13, (10), 2002, p1369-73
Tropea D, Domenici L, Expression of TrkB receptors in developing visual cortex is not regulated by light., Cellular and molecular neurobiology, 21, (5), 2001, p545-52
Tropea D, Capsoni S, Tongiorgi E, Giannotta S, Cattaneo A, Domenici L, Mismatch between BDNF mRNA and protein expression in the developing visual cortex: the role of visual experience., The European journal of neuroscience, 13, (4), 2001, p709-21
Sermasi E, Tropea D, Domenici L, A new form of synaptic plasticity is transiently expressed in the developing rat visual cortex: a modulatory role for visual experience and brain-derived neurotrophic factor., Neuroscience, 91, (1), 1999, p163-73
Sermasi E, Tropea D, Domenici L, Long term depression is expressed during postnatal development in rat visual cortex: a role for visual experience., Brain research. Developmental brain research, 113, (1-2), 1999, p61-5
Tropea D, Sermasi E, Domenici L., Synaptic plasticity of feedback connections in rat visual cortex., Brain research. Developmental brain research, 118, (1-2), 1999, p61-67
D. Tropea, E. Sermasi, L. Domenici,, Long term potentiation of feedback horizontal connections in rat primary visual cortex., Dev. Brain Res., 118, 1999, p61 - 67
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Daniela Tropea, Learning from Drugs that work, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 12 June 2023, 2024
Research Expertise
Description
The key direction of my research is to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying the neurobiology of neurodevelopmental disorders and identify personalized treatments for patients. The key aspects of my research that support my application to promotion are: Research outputs and impact: I was the first to show that Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) and related compounds ameliorate the symptoms of Rett syndrome (RTT-a rare neuropsychiatric disorder) in preclinical studies (Tropea et al., 2009). This study started a new line of research, and clinical trials showed that IGF1-related compounds are effective also in Fragile X and Phelan McDermid Syndrome and are potential treatments for autism and schizophrenia. I work in collaboration with clinicians and industry to quantify the benefits of such drugs and identify their mechanisms of action. In 2023 Trofinetide, the synthetic analogous of the active peptide of IGF1, has been approved by the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) as the first treatment for RTT. My papers have been cited in patents (47), in international health policies (9), and in scientific journals (>4600 citations- Google scholar), Books and book chapters (5) (Figure1). Funding. My research attracted a total of 460,780 € since my last promotion (Figure2). The funding come from Irish and European agencies, Foundations, and Industry. Leadership and international visibility: I am an internationally recognized as the leader in the research on IGF1-related compounds and neurodevelopmental disorders (Figure3), and for this reason I am invited to contribute to international conferences (IGF1 international society (2018- plenary speaker) , and the annual meetings of the American/ European College of Neuropshycopharmacology (2012, 2019, 2024), and to provide expert opinions on high impact journals (Med, Cell press, 2024). I collaborate with industry (Roche, Neuren, Acadia), international researchers (MIT, Rochester, Boston"s Children Hospital), and clinicians. I established the meeting: Biology of Brain Disorders.Projects
- Title
- IGF1 as treatment for Rett Syndrome and other neurodevelopmental disorders
- Summary
- This projects study the efficacy of IGF1 administration in treating the symptoms of Rett Syndrome. We use models of the disease to study the mechanisms of action of the drug and identify new molecular targets for treatment. Since IGF1 is a candidate treatment in clinical trials for neurodevelopmental disorders, this projects has broad applications in science, healthcare and it is relevant for patients' associations.
- Funding Agency
- Lejeune foundation
- Title
- NexusMentis-teaching Neuroscience to Primary School students
- Summary
- In collaboration wit TAP, and together with second year medical students, we adapted a strategy invented for Neuroscience assessment by Dr. Tropea to teach Neuroscience to primary school kids. We are now preparing a manuscript for publication: "DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF GAME BASED LEARNING IN NEUROSCIENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN AGED 10-13"
- Title
- Molecular Markers for Rett Syndrome
- Summary
- We use model of Rett Syndrome to identify markers of severity of the clinical presentation. This project has high relevance in diagnostic, prognostic and treatment of Rett Syndrome.
- Funding Agency
- SFI
- Title
- Identification of quantitative EEG parameters for prognosis and severity rating in neurodevelopmental disorders
- Summary
- We measure brain activity in patients with Rett Syndrome and we correlate the results to clinical observations.We find that specific parameters correlate with presentation, drug resistance and response to treatment. This study is therefore of high relevance for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of Rett Syndrome and related disorders. As part of this project, in collaboration with Rett Syndrome Ireland we are developing a questionnaire for families to be part of a dataset for Rett Syndrome patients. We aim to expand the dataset enriching it with additional data and possibly opening it up to open collaborations.
- Funding Agency
- Meath Foundation
- Title
- Biology of Brain Disorders: Frontiers in Innovation
- Summary
- Summer school for educating participants in the science and innovation in brain disorders. It was a great educational event for undergraduate, graduate students and researchers in brain disorders. The participants came from 17 different countries. During the school was facilitated students-patients interaction to raise awareness on the real needs of the patients.
- Funding Agency
- Horizon 2020
- Title
- DATARETT: a platform for data-sharing for Rett syndrome
- Summary
- Rett Syndrome (RTT) is a severe disorder with no cure. Although rare, RTT is considered a model to study the mechanisms of brain disorders, and to test candidate treatments. To foster international collaboration in RTT"s research, and to increase the visibility of Irish patients, the PI, together with the Rett Syndrome Foundation of Ireland (RSI), aims at creating a platform for data-sharing for RTT. The platform will seed the international exchange of knowledge between scientists and patients associations, and will scale-up the research on RTT and related disorders, with a transformative impact on the life of patients and their families.
- Funding Agency
- Irish Research Council
Recognition
Representations
External Reviewer PhD Thesis- University of Sidney
External reviewer for PhD thesis, University of Sidney, Australia
Invited speaker for the European College NeuropshycoPharmacology Annual meeting 2019, Copenhagen, Denmark
External Advisor for PhD thesis at the University of Maastricht
External Reviewers PhD Thesis-University of Trento. Italy
Invited speaker at MIT Symposium, 12 June 2023
Reviewer for the following journals: Neuron, Nature Communications, Scientific Reports, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, European Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Neuroscience, Genes, Brain and Behavior, Biological Psychiatry, Neural Plasticity, PlosOne, Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, Journal of Neuroscience Research, Experimental Gerontology, NeuroMolecular Medicine, Neuropsychopharmacology and Neuroinformatics.
Invited lecturer in the Summer School: ISRC Computational Neuroscience, Neurotechnology and Neuro-Inspired AI Summer School 2024- Ulster University
Reviewer for the following funding agencies: European Resarach Council (ERC Consolidator grants), Telethon, Ontario Mental Health Fundation, Organization MacArthur Fellowship, Israel Science Foundation, Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust.
Lecturer in Transition Year (TY) TTMI program
Editor of five Special topics for Frontiers Publisher in 2012, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2024
Invited editor for the Book "Brain-Body Connections" Springer publisher
Reviewer for the European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator grant
Reviewer for the following journals:Neuron, Nature Communications, Scientific Reports, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, European Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Neuroscience, Genes, Brain and Behavior, Biological Psychiatry, Neural Plasticity, PlosOne, Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, Journal of Neuroscience Research, Experimental Gerontology, NeuroMolecular Medicine, Neuropsychopharmacology and Neuroinformatics.
Invited speaker for the meeting: "Autism and related disorders", Viareggio, Italy January 2020
External investigator for University of Rome "La Sapienza"
Invited Lecturer for the International Students at Roma "La Sapienza", May 2023
Invited Associate Editor for Neural Plasticity
Reviewer for the Grant Agency Ontario Mental Health Foundation
Reviewer for the grant Agency Israel Science Foundation
Reviewer for the Organization MacArthur Fellowship
Reviewer for the Funding Agency Wellcome Trust
Reviewer for the Funding Agency Medical Research Council
Reviewer for the following peer-reviewed scientific Journals: Neuron, Scientific Reports, Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, European Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Neuroscience, Genes, Brain and Behavior, Biological Psychiatry, Neural Plasticity, PlosOne, Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, Journal of Neuroscience Research, Experimental Gerontology, NeuroMolecular Medicine and Neuroinformatics.
Awards and Honours
TCD Supervisor Award (Nominated)
School of Medicine Seed Award
Trinity Fellow
IRC Mentor Award
Excellence in Teaching Award- nomination
Excellence in teaching award-shortlisted-TCD
Teaching Innovation Award-TCD
IRC Ulysses Award
Innovative treatment for rare diseases_TIAMO foundation
Best Project for TTO-organized program
Travel grant for SfN. Boston Area Neuroscience Group (BANG)
Memberships
Full Member American College Neuropsychopharmacology
Associate Member-American College of Neuropshychopharmacology (ACNP)
Society for Neuroscience