Research interests
My main research interest focuses on nanobiotechnology and its application in neuroscience, working in the borderlands between different disciplines (biochemistry, material sciences, regenerative medicine). I am interested in studying the processes that regulate the growth and migration of neural cells by means of nano/micro-structured substrates and microfluidic devices. The research activity aims to explore the cell-environment interactions and cytoskeleton dynamics, in order to shed light on the extracellular sensing mechanisms in neuronal cells, both in physiological and pathological conditions.
Biographical sketch
2019- present: Researcher at Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR @ NEST, Pisa (IT). Responsible (preposto) for Tissue Culture facilities.
2018-2019: Marie Curie Individual Fellowship at Erasmus Medical Center, Dept. Neuroscience, Rotterdam (NL).
2015-2017: Fellow of Fondazione Umberto Veronesi, working at Istituto Nanoscienze-CNR @ NEST, Pisa (IT). Topic: Study of neuronal mechanosensing in UBE3A-related neurodevelopmental disorders. https://www.fondazioneveronesi.it/ricerca/i-nostri-ricercatori/ilaria-tonazzini
2010-2014: Post-doc position at Scuola Normale Superiore @ National Enterprise for nanoScience and nanoTechnology (NEST), Pisa (IT). Topic: Study of cell/neuronal mechanotransduction by nanostructured substrates (PI: Dr. M. Cecchini). Responsible (preposto) for Tissue Culture facilities.
2007-2009: Post-doc position at Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati (ISMN)-CNR, Bologna (IT). Topic: Organic semiconducto' bio-transistors (PI: Prof. F. Biscarini).
2005-2006: Marie Curie PhD fellowship at the Centre for Molecular Biology and Neuroscience (CMBN), Univ. of Oslo (Norway), under the supervision of Prof. J. Storm-Mathisen and Dr. L.H. Bergersen.
2005: PhD visiting fellowship at Karolinska Institutet, Dept. Physiology and Pharmacology, Stockholm (Sweden), under the supervision of Prof. B. Fredholm.
2004-2007: PhD programme in Drug' Science (curriculum: Design, development and biological activity of new drugs), University of Pisa, Faculty of Pharmacy, Lab. of Biochemistry. Tutor: Prof. C. Martini.
1998-2003: University of Pisa, Specialistic Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technologies (CTF), with emphasis on Biochemistry and Pharmacology, 110/110 cum laude.
Selected publications
-Co-localization and functional cross-talk between A1 and P2Y1 purine receptors in rat hippocampus. Tonazzini I, Trincavelli ML, Storm-Mathisen J, Martini C, Bergersen LH. European Journal of Neuroscience, 2007, 26: 890. DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2007.05697.x
-Multiscale morphology of organic semiconductor thin films controls the adhesion and viability of human neural cells. Tonazzini I, Bystrenova E, Chelli B, Greco P, Stoliar P, Cal? A, Lazar A, Borgatti F, D?Angelo P, Martini C, Biscarini F. Biophysical Journal, 2010, 98: 2804. DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2010.03.036
-Nanotopographic control of neuronal polarity. Ferrari A, Cecchini M, Dhawan A, Micera S, Tonazzini I, Stabile R, Pisignano D, Beltram F. Nano Letters, 2011, 11: 505. doi: 10.1021/nl103349s
-Neuronal differentiation on anisotropic nanotopographies: neurite contact guidance tolerance to topographical noise. Tonazzini I, Meucci S, Faraci P, Beltram F, Cecchini M. Biomaterials, 2013, 34: 6027. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.04.039
-Interaction of SH-SY5Y cells with nanogratings during neuronal differentiation: comparison with primary neurons. Tonazzini I, Cecchini A, Elgersma Y, Cecchini M. Adv Healthcare Mat 2014, 3: 581. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201300216.
-Schwann Cell Contact Guidance versus Boundary Interaction in Functional Wound Healing along Nano and Microstructured Membranes. Tonazzini I, Jacchetti E, Meucci S, Beltram F, Cecchini M. Adv Healthcare Mat 2015, 4: 1849. DOI: 10.1002/adhm.201500268
-Impaired neurite contact guidance in Ubiquitin ligase E3a (Ube3a)-deficient hippocampal neurons on nanostructured substrates. Tonazzini I, Meucci S, Van Woerden GM, Elgersma Y, Cecchini M. Adv Healthcare Mat 2016, 5: 850. doi: 10.1002/adhm.201500815.
-Neuronal mechanisms for nanotopography sensing. Tonazzini I and Cecchini M. Ebook Frontiers in Nanomedicine: Nanomedicine and Neurosciences, Bentham Science Publishers, 2017, Vol. 2: 107. DOI: 10.2174/97816810849301170201
-Neuregulin-1 functionalization of organic fibers for Schwann cell guidance. Tonazzini I, Moffa M, Pisignano D, Cecchini M. Nanotechnology 2017, 28: 155303. doi.org/10.1088/1361-6528/aa6316
-Chitosan films for regenerative medicine: fabrication methods and mechanical characterization of nanostructured chitosan films. De Masi A, Tonazzini I*, Masciullo C, Mezzena R, Chiellini F, Puppi D, CecchiniM. Biophys Rev 2019, doi.org/10.1007/s12551-019-00591-6
-Brain-targeted enzyme loaded nanoparticles: a breach through the blood brain barrier for enzyme replacement therapy in Krabbe disease. Del Grosso A, Galliani M, Angella L, Santi M, Tonazzini I, Parlanti G, Signore G, Cecchini M. Science Advances 2019, in press
-The role of ubiquitin ligase E3a role in polarized contact guidance, and rescue strategies in (Ube3a)-deficient hippocampal neurons. Tonazzini I, Van Woerden GM, Masciullo C, Mientjes E, Elgersma Y, Cecchini M. Molecular Autism 2019, in press