Lunedì 11.00-13.00 stanza 2/022 CUBO 2, Dip. Neurofarba, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139 Firenze
LUOGO E DATA DI NASCITA: Firenze 27 Giugno 1978CITTADINANZA: ItalianaPOSIZIONE ATTUALE: Ricercatore Legge 240/10 a tempo determinato di tipo B (RTDB) BIOS11-A, Università di Firenze
ELISABETTA COPPI, Department of Neurofarba
EDUCATION
04/04/2007 PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence, Italy
23/04/2003 Master’s Degree in Biology, University of Florence, Italy (110/100 cum laude & honourable mention)
25/07/1997 Baccalaureate, Scientific High School, (experimental physics) Liceo Scientifico Niccolò Rodolico, Florence, Italy (60/60)
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
2024 – to date Researcher (RTDB), Dept. of Neurofarba, University of Florence, Italy
2022 – 2023 Researcher (RTDA), Dept. of Neurofarba, University of Florence, Italy
2007 – 2022 Post-Doctoral Researcher, Dept. Pharmacology University of Florence, Italy.
2006; 2018; 2020, 2022 Visiting scientist, Prof. Alasdair Gibb’s lab, Dept. of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, UCL, London, UK.
FOUNDED PROJECTS
2025: FISM (Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla): PI of a 2 years, 135.500 euros, project (2024/R-single/038) titled "Intranasal administration of new adenosine A2 receptor antagonists with mixed pharmacology to control neurological and muscular impairment caused by experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice"; Dept. Neurofarba, University of Florence, Italy.
2020: Human Cell Corporation, 1701 Quincy Ave, Naperville, IL 60540, US. PI of a 9 months, 14000 euros founded project titled "Effects of 2 variants of human NGF (wt and V2D) on the in vitro differentiation of primary purified cultures of rat oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), tested in triplicate by means of the following antibodies: NG2, O4 or MBP" Dept. Neurofarba, University of Florence, Italy.
TEACHING ACTIVITY
2024 – to date: (B029628) – “Nutraceutics and nutrigenomics” Master Degree (DM 270/04) in “Molecular and applied biology”, University of Florence, Italy.
2023 – to date: (B029941) “Substances of abuse: pharmacology and pathological addiction”, Master Degree in “Applied neurology and neurophysiological recording techniques in critical conditions”, University of Florence, Italy.
2023 – to date: (B029951) “Neuropharmacology”, Master Degree in “Applied neurology and neurophysiological recording techniques in critical conditions”, University of Florence, Italy.
2024: Teaching activity at “Master in Neurophysiology in critical care and intensive care” addressed to MD (LM-41, 46/S) Organizer: Prof. Francesco Lolli, AOUC Careggi, University of Florence, Italy.
2022 – 2024. (B016451) “General Pharmacology”, Master Degree in Applied Pharmacological Sciences, University of Florence, Italy.
2020-2021 Didactic activity for the PhD school in Neuroscience, University of Florence.
2020 Teaching activity at “Master FIRA” addressed to MD, level II, AOUC Careggi, University of Florence, Italy.
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS
2022 IJMS: 800 CHF travel grant award to attend the International Conference FENS, Paris 2022
2020-2022: Senior Research Fellowship, FISM (Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla): PI of a 2 years, 52.000 euros, project (n. 2019/BS/015); Dept. Neurofarba, University of Florence, Italy.
2019-2020: Postdoctoral fellowship, Fondazione Umberto Veronesi: PI of a 1 years, 30.000 euros, project (FUV2020-3299); Dept. Neurofarba, University of Florence, Italy.
2018 “Italian Purine Club”: 800 euros International Travel Award to participate as an invited speaker the world congress “Purines 2018”, Brazil, 19th – 22th Jun 2018
2017 Postdoctoral fellowship “Società Italiana di Farmacologia” (SIF) and Merck Sharp & Dohme Corporation (MSD) 25000 euros, 1 year Postdoctoral fellowship, Dept. of Neurofarba, Univ Florence.
2008 “Florence University Press” (FUP): awarded of the publication of the PhD thesis. Internal competition of the Athenaeum of Florence.
2007 “Plymouth, Marine Biological Association”: £ 800 Bursary from the Physiological Society to attend the Int. Workshop “Microelectrode Techniques for Cell Physiology”
My research interest along years has been focused predominantly on the study of neurotransmission and its modulation by purinergic compounds (adenosine, ATP and derivatives). As well different issues have been addressed: the serotonergic modulation of neuronal firing in raphe nuclei and the study of putative ligands at Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels involved in pain transmission. Techniques used have been extracellular and/or whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, immunohistochemical assays and western blotting.
From years 2003 to 2006 I’ve been investigating the role of adenosine-activated P1 (namely: A2A A2B and A3) and ATP-activated P2 (namely: P2X7 and P2Y1) purinergic receptors in modulating ischemic-like in vitro damage (obtained by oxygen and glucose deprivation: OGD) on synaptic transmission and neurogenesis in acute rodent hippocampal slices.
In the years 2005-2008 I worked on the role of different P2 (i.e. P2X7 and P2Y1) purinergic receptors in modulating proliferation, differentiation and electrophysiological properties of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs).
From 2007 to 2009 I studied the serotonergic system in a transgenic mouse model of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), by performing single unit recordings of spontaneous firing activity of serotonergic neurons in the raphe nucleus of acute mouse brain slices.
In years 2009-2012 I investigated the effects of ligands for adenosine A2A and A2B receptors and for the P2Y-like GPR17 receptor in the in vitro oligodendroglial differentiation and myelin production by using purified primary oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) cultures isolated from rat cortices.
From 2013 to 2014 I studied LTP induction and modulation in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease (transgenic hemizygous CRND8 mice with a double-mutant gene of APP695: TgCNRD8) and the protective effect of the olive oil phenol derivative oleuropein aglycone, by performing extracellular fEPSP recordings in acute hippocampal slices.
From 2012 to 2017 I explored pain and nociception, oxidative stress-induced inflammation and chemotherapic drug activities on peripheral neuralgia by characterizing different agonists and antagonists at the transient receptor potential (TRP) ligand-gated ion channel family and their role in modulating the excitability of rodent Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) neurons.
From 2016 to 2018 my research concerned the electrophysiological characterization and neuronal maturation in culture of human foetal cholinergic neurons isolated from the midbrain Meynert nucleus.
From 2017 to date my area of research concerns the study of adenosine A3 receptor ligands as anti-inflammatory mediators that modulate cytokine release, visceral and neuropathic pain and inhibitors of voltage-dependent Ca2+ currents in DRG neurons.
Attività extra-curriculari
2015: abilitazione all'insegnamento (TFA) conseguita presso l'Università degli Studi di Firenze, classe di concorso A28 (matematica e scienze naturali presso Scuola secondaria di I grado.
2013: abilitazione all'insegnamento (TFA) conseguita presso l'Università degli Studi di Firenze, classe di concorso A50 (matematica, chimica e scienze naturali presso Scuola secondaria di II grado.
2007: Brevetto scuola Sub (PADI) Advanced
2003: Brevetto scuola Sub (PADI) Open water diver
2002-2004: lezioni private di pianoforte per bambini e ragazzi.
2001: Esame di 5° anno in pianoforte, conseguito presso il Conservatorio di Firenze “Luigi Cherubini”.
2000: Esame di teoria musicale, dettato e solfeggio, conseguito presso il Conservatorio di Firenze “Luigi Cherubini”.
Legenda
LUOGO E DATA DI NASCITA: FFlorence, July 27th 1978CITTADINANZA: ItalianPOSIZIONE ATTUALE: Temporary Researcher (RTDB) contract (art. 24, comma 3, n. 240 30th Dec 2010), BIOS11-A, University of Florence, Italy;
The research, interest along years has been focused predominantly on the study of neurotransmission and its modulation by purinergic compounds (adenosine, ATP and derivatives). As well, different issues have been addressed: the serotonergic modulation of neuronal firing in raphe nuclei and the study of putative ligands at Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels involved in pain transmission. Techniques used have been extracellular and/or whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, immunohistochemical assays and western blotting.
From years 2003 to 2006, she has been investigating the role of adenosine-activated P1 (namely: A2A, A2B and A3) and ATP-activated P2 (namely: P2X7 and P2Y1) purinergic receptors in modulating ischemic-like in vitro damage (obtained by oxygen and glucose deprivation: OGD) on synaptic transmission and neurogenesis in acute rodent hippocampal slices.
In the years 2005-2008, she worked on the role of different P2 (i.e. P2X7 and P2Y1) purinergic receptors in modulating proliferation, differentiation and electrophysiological properties of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs).
From 2007 to 2009, Dr. Elisabetta Coppi studied the involvement of serotonergic system in a transgenic mouse model of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), by performing single unit recordings of spontaneous firing activity of serotonergic neurons in the raphe nucleus of acute mouse brain slices.
In years 2009-2012, she investigated the effects of ligands for adenosine A2A and A2B receptors and for the P2Y-like GPR17 receptor in the in vitro oligodendroglial differentiation and myelin production by using purified primary oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) cultures isolated from rat cortices, a project founded by Fondazione Umberto Veronesi by a Post-doctoral research fellowship.
From 2012 to 2019 I explored pain and nociception, oxidative stress-induced inflammation and chemotherapic drug activities on peripheral neuralgia by characterizing different agonists and antagonists at the transient receptor potential (TRP) ligand-gated ion channel family and their role in modulating the excitability of rodent Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) neurons, as well the anti-hyperalgesic activity of adenosine A3 receptor agonists in DRG neurons isolated from mice subjected to an irritant-induced model of colitis or from transgenic mice, where they inhibit voltage-dependent Ca2+ currents. In the same contest, it was also demonstrated that A3 receptor activation promotes the release of anti-inflammatory mediators (i.e. IL-10) from DC8+ T-limphocites in a mirune model of peripheral neuropathy- induced chronic pain.
From 2016 to 2018, Dr. Coppi's research concerned the electrophysiological characterization and neuronal maturation in culture of human foetal cholinergic neurons isolated from the midbrain Meynert nucleus, by demonstrating the functional role of muscarinic and nicotinic receptors in modulating voltage-dependent currents in these cells.
Currently, research is aimed at demonstrating the efficacy of neurosteroids, such as spermine and trodusquamine, in inhibiting the ionotropic NMDA glutamate receptor as a possible therapeutic approach for Alzheimer's disease patients, Furtherrmore, Dr. Coppi is the PI of a project founded in 2025 by the Italian Society for Multiple Scerosis (FISM) aimed to identify new possible therapeutic strategies in multiple sclerosis (MS). Thanks to a new compound with mixed pharmacology, capable of antagonizing both the adenosine receptors A2A and A2B, synthesized by the unit of pharmaceutical chemists of the University of Florence, the research will investigate the putative protective effects of concomitant A2A/A2B adenosine receptor in an MS model, the experimental autoimmune encephalopathy (EAE) in mice. For this study.
Extra-curriculum activities
July 2015: qualified to teach mathematical, chemical, physical and natural sciences in secondary schools.
July 2013: qualified to teach natural sciences, chemistry, geography and microbiology in high schools.
2007: Advanced Scuba diver certification
2003: Open water diver (PADI) Scuba diver certification
2002-2004: private piano classes for kids.
July 2001: Music Conservatory examination in piano, 5th year program, “Luigi Cherubini” Institute, Florence.
Sept 2000: Music Conservatory examination in theory and solfège “Luigi Cherubini” Institute, Florence.
