The Department of Acute Brain Injury investigates brain conditions, including epilepsia, stroke and traumatic brain injury, aiming at improving the disease course and prognosis. Brain damage associated with these neurological conditions leads to severe chronic cognitive and/or motor impairment and/or recurrent epileptic seizures in a high percentage of patients. Developing therapies for these patients is, therefore, a priority.
The aim of the Department is to develop preclinical models and foster the interaction between laboratory and clinical activities, to:
• Describe the pathogenic mechanisms of acute brain injuries, define disease-associated endophenotypes and identify potential drug targets;
• Develop therapies for acute brain damage and its chronic sequelae;
• Establish a preclinical biorepository in line with the goal of identifying new biomarkers, or exploring new mechanisms by reducing the use of animals for research;
• Contribute to the scientific training of early career basic scientists and clinicians in the field of neuroscience.
• In vitro and in vivo models of acute brain injuries;
• Histological, biochemical and molecular biology approaches;
• Brightfield, confocal and super-resolution microscopy techniques;
• Processing and analysis of brain images from in vivo nuclear magnetic resonance and microscopy;
• Analysis of biomarkers by ultra-sensitive techniques;
• Video-electroencephalography and electrophysiology;
• Behavioral tests;
• Development of cell therapies in both experimental and clinical settings;
• Phase I-II clinical trials in the field of epilepsy and traumatic brain injury.
• Identification of new therapies for the treatment of acquired epilepsies and identification of biomarkers;
• Identification of new biomarkers and systemic drug targets for ischemic stroke;
• Development of cell therapy for severe traumatic brain injury.
Functional and structural cerebrovascular alterations in neurological disorders: the role of complement (VASCO).
Funded by: Fondazione Regionale per la Ricerca Biomedica, Regione Lombardia
Area: Neuroinflammation and Stroke
Blood markers of post-traumatic epilepsy prediction and electrophysiological biomarkers of early PTE detection
Funded by: Departmentof Defense, USA-funded study (W81XWH-15-2-0069)
Area: Neuroinflammation and epilepsy
Mesenchymal stromal cells for TBI – clinical trial
Funded by: FRRB and Italian Ministry of Health Ricerca Finalizzata
Area: Traumatic Brain Injury and Neuroprotection
