Francesco Pisani

Current position: Researcher (RTD-B, SSD: BIO/09), Department of Bioscience, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari "Aldo Moro". Scientific Education and Affiliation to Scientific Research Center: • From February 2021, affiliated researcher to the Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genova. Smart Materials and Neurosciences. • From November 2019 to October 2020. Visiting Scientist in the Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genova. Smart Materials and Neurosciences. • From December 2013 to December 2018 researcher (RTD-A, SSD: BIO/09) in the Department of Bioscience, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics (DBBB), University of Bari "Aldo Moro". • From December 2012 to December 2013. Research Fellowship as expert in cell engineering and cell biophysics (PONa3_00395). DBBB, University of Bari "Aldo Moro". • October-November 2010. Research experience in the laboratory of Prof. Tonghui Ma, Central Research Laboratory, Jilin University Second Hospital, Bethune, Changchun 130041, China. • June 2010 to May 2011. Research Fellowship at the DBBB, University of Bari "Aldo Moro". • June 2008 to April 2010. Post-Doc (Strategic Regional project " Neurobiotech") and in Italy-China Bilateral Project, University of Bari "Aldo Moro". Education • 2004-2007: PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bari (title obtained April, 2008). • 2004: Master Degree in Biological Sciences (110/110 cum laude) and best graduate of the academic year in the Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, University of Bari. Italian National Scientific Qualification (ASN) 2017: National Scientific Qualification for physiology (Fascia II, art. 16, comma 1, Legge 240/10). Affiliation to Scientific Societies Italian Physiological Society (SIF). European Association for Vision and Eye Research (EVER). Scientific coordinator of research project From December 2015-November 2018 coordinator of research project “La Neuromielite Ottica: dalla ricerca di base alla medicina traslazionale”. Apulia Region code 5CU9HC5. Scientific Awards • 2019: SIF Prize 2019. The Physiological Society of Italy. Bologna. • 2013: Bioeconomy Rome 2013 Award presso Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, received by the Nobel Price in Medicine Tim Hunt. Consorzio CNCCS (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) e IRBM Science Park) , Roma, Italy; • 2012: Neurobiology “Giuseppe Levi” 2012, Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Roma; • 2010: Best Oral presentation Award in “Meeting of Young Researchers in Physiology” Santa Croce in Fossabanda (Pisa), Italy, Invited speaker; • 2010: Cover page in “The Journal of Biological Chemistry” J Biol Chem. 2010 Feb 12;285(7):4562-9 • 2006: Italian Proteomic Association award in the Annual Meeting Congress “Proteomics: deciphering the phenotype”, Pisa, Italy; • 2006: Biotechnology National Congress (CNB9) award; • 2004: Best graduate of the Academic Year in the Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, University of Bari. Invited Speaker in International and National Congress • European Association for Vision and Eye Research, EVER 2018 Congress. Nice, France, Oct. 4-6, 2018. Methylation-dependent control of HIF-1/VEGF axis in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy. Potential role of the glial water channel Aquaporin-4. • The Italian Physiological Spociety Congress, 2017, Pavia.Methylation-dependent control of HIF-1/VEGF axis in Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy: beneficial effect of absence of Aquaporin-4. • “Meeting of Young Researchers in Physiology” Santa Croce in Fossabanda (Pisa), Italy, 2010. Best Oral Presentation. • ITPA Congress 2006, Pisa, Italy. Main fields of interest Dr. Pisani, after a degree in Biological Sciences and a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2008) with a PhD thesis in proteomics, moved in the field of physiology and in particular in the molecular physiology of plasma membrane water channel proteins (Aquaporins, AQPs). The main field of interest of Dr. Pisani is the study of the physiological role of AQPs in the central nervous system (CNS). In particular he studies the physiological role of the glial water channel Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) in the CNS. The functional role of AQP4 in the water-ion homeostasis and in the blood-CNS barriers, the regulation of AQP4 expression and the regulation of the AQP4 structure-function relationship are his main specific topics. The role of AQP4 in the retinal physiology has also been specifically investigated by Dr. Pisani. In this field he has contributed to the identification of a new role of AQP4 in the blood-retinal barrier and in retinal neovascularization, discovering a new molecular axis between AQP4, HIF-1 and VEGF. In particular, he has contributed to characterize the mechanism by which HIF-1 controls VEGF expression in the mouse model of Oxygen-Induced-Retinopathy (OIR). During his recent research experience in quality of Visiting Scientist in the Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Genova, he has studied the physiological role of the tunneling nanotube (TNT)-mediated cell-to-cell crosstalk in the CNS. Teaching activity • From 2019 titular of the course “Cellular and Tissue engineering” SSD BIO/09, Physiology. University of Bari "Aldo Moro". • From 2019 titular of the course “Physiology”, SSD BIO/09, Physiology. University of Bari "Aldo Moro". • From 2014 to 2018 titular of the course “Cellular engineering and laboratory of cellular technologies” SSD BIO/09, Physiology. University of Bari "Aldo Moro". • Scientific trainer in the project “AMIDERHA - Sistemi avanzati mini-invasivi di diagnosi e radioterapia” :PON02_00576_3329762 (2007-2013). • Scientific trainer in the project “Virtualab: Sistemi Avanzati di Meccatronica Biomedicale di Diagnosi e Terapia Medica basati su Realtà Virtuale e Aumentata, Microelettronica, e su Laboratori robotizzati ad elevato throughput”. PON01_01297, P.O.N. RICERCA E COMPETITIVITA' 2007-2013 - Avviso n. 1/Ric. del 18/01/2010. • Scientific trainer in the project PON Ricerca e Competitività 2007-2013 “Potenziamento Strutturale PONa3_00395 “BIOSCIENZE e SALUTE (B&H)” • 2014, Nov 26th, Teaching activity in the “PONa3_00395 Bioscienze & Salute (B&H)”, “Modelli animali e tecnologie cellulari per lo studio di proteine di membrana”.