Research interests
In vivo study of brain function, by means of two photon microscopy and electrophysiology. Development of novel tools for the imaging of brain physiology in vivo.
Biographical sketch
Gian Michele Ratto graduated in Physics at the University of Genoa and received his post doctoral training in Berkeley (with Roger Tsien) and in Cambridge (with Peter McNaughton). After a lectureship at the University of California in Davis he became tenured scientist at the Institute of Neuroscience in Pisa. He moved to the Physics laboratory of Scuola Normale in 2008 where he heads the in vivo imaging laboratory. The lab is interested in the cellular mechanisms at the basis of synaptic plasticity in physiological and pathological conditions using two photon imaging, electrophysiology and targeted delivery of genetically encoded sensors as principal tools of the trade.
Selected publications
Requirement of ERK activation in experience-dependent and synaptic plasticity in the developing visual cortex. G. Dicristo, N. Berardi, L. Cancedda, E. Putignano, T. Pizzorusso, G.M. Ratto, L. Maffei (2001). Science. Jun 22:2337-2340.
Molecular basis of plasticity in the visual cortex. N. Berardi, T. Pizzorusso, G.M. Ratto, L. Maffei (2003). TINS. 26(7): 369-378.
Acute physiological response of mammalian central neurons to axotomy: ionic regulation and electrical activity. G. Mandolesi, F. Madeddu,Y. Bozzi, L. Maffei, G.M. Ratto (2004). Sep. 27 FASEB J.
23) Developmental downregulation of histone posttranslational modifications regulates visual cortical plasticity. Putignano E, Lonetti G, Cancedda L, Ratto G, Costa M, Maffei L, Pizzorusso T. Neuron. 2007 Mar 1;53(5):747-59.
Dynamic regulation of ERK2 nuclear translocation and mobility in living cells. Costa M, Marchi M, Cardarelli F, Roy A, Beltram F, Maffei L, Ratto GM. J Cell Sci. 2006 Dec 1;119(Pt 23):4952-63. Epub 2006 Nov 14.
Gómez-Gonzalo M, Losi G, Chiavegato A, Zonta M, Cammarota M, Brondi M, Vetri F, Uva L, Pozzan T, de Curtis M, Ratto GM, Carmignoto G. An excitatory loop with astrocytes contributes to drive neurons to seizure threshold. PLoS Biol. 2010 Apr 13;8(4).
dal Maschio M, Ghezzi D, Bony G, Alabastri A, Deidda G, Brondi M, Sato SS, Zaccaria RP, Di Fabrizio E, Ratto GM, Cancedda L. High-performance and site-directed in utero electroporation by a triple-electrode probe. Nat Commun. 2012 Jul 17;3:960.
Brondi M, Sato SS, Rossi LF, Ferrara S, Ratto GM. Finding a Needle in a Haystack: identification of EGFP Tagged Neurons during Calcium Imaging by Means of Two-Photon Spectral Separation. Front Mol Neurosci. 2012;5:96.
de Vivo L, Landi S, Panniello M, Baroncelli L, Chierzi S, Mariotti L, Spolidoro M, Pizzorusso T, Maffei L, Ratto G.M. Extracellular matrix inhibits structural and functional plasticity of dendritic spines in the adult visual cortex. Nature Comm, Jan 20, 2013.