Education 2006 Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Biological Sciences, Leicester University (UK), (Supervisor: Professor Pierluigi Nicotera). 2001 Laurea degree in Biological Sciences, University of Padua (Italy). Final score: 110/110 Research and Professional Experience 2017-present: Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Department of Biology, University of Padua, Italy. 2014-2017: Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Giovani Ricercatori “Rita Levi Montalcini”, Department of Biology, University of Padua, Italy. 2012-2014: Boursieres d’Excellence, Marie Curie Action Fellow. Faculté de médecine de Genève, University of Geneva, Switzerland. 2011-2012: Boursieres d’Excellence, EMBO long term Fellow. Faculté de médecine de Genève, University of Geneva, Switzerland. 2007-2011: Post Doctoral scientist. Medical Research Council (MRC), Centre for developmental and biomedical genetics. UK, Sheffield. (Neuroscience, Prof. A. Whitworth). 2006-2007: Post Doctoral scientist. Medical Research Council (MRC), Toxicology Unit. UK, Leicester. (Neuroscience, Prof. P. Nicotera). 2001-2006: PhD Student. Medical Research Council (MRC), Toxicology Unit. UK, Leicester (Neuroscience, Prof. P. Nicotera). Research Support 2024 1. Michael J Fox Foundation (USA); Spring 2024 RFP; 199,376.80 $ Role: PI Duration: 1.5 years (18 months) 2. Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (USA); Impact Award; 150,000 $ Role: PI Duration: 1 year (12 months)

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Dr Elena Ziviani has a broad background in Neuroscience, with specific training and expertise in molecular biology, in vitro primary neuron culture and in vivo experimentation, both in mice and in Drosophila Melanogaster fruit fly. Dr Ziviani accomplished her PhD in Neuroscience at the MRC toxicology Unit in Leicester, UK, under the supervision of Professor P. Nicotera where Elena investigated the effect of nicotine in primary neurons on neuroprotection and synaptic plasticity. In November 2007, Dr Ziviani joined Dr. Alex Whitworth’s group in Sheffield, UK, where she studied the role of Parkinson’s Disease (PD)-related proteins PINK1 and Parkin in mitochondrial dynamic and mitophagy, using Drosophila Melanogaster as a neurodegenerative disease model as well as fibroblast cells from PD patients. In this work, she unrevealed the biochemical link between PINK1/Parkin pathway and mitochondrial pro-fusion protein Mitofusin (MFN). In December 2010 Dr Ziviani was awarded with both EMBO long term and Marie Curie Action fellowships. Since 2014 she became independent PI c/o department of Biology at the University of Padova where. Ziviani's lab is interested in the molecular pathway leading to neurodegeneration specifically in the context of PD and mitochondria dysfunction. Mitochondrial dysfunction has become a central theme in neurodegenerative diseases, in particular PD. However more work is required to bring mitochondria forward as a therapeutic target in PD. We postulate that while mitochondria communicate with other organelles, impairments of these interorganellar interactions (particularly ER-mitochondria crosstalk) are pivotal for PD onset and progression.

The role of mitochondrial dysfunction and quality control in neurodegenerative conditions (Parkinson's Disease and ALS) and in mitochondrial diseases.

Last update: 11/07/2025