LC is an Associate Professor of Physiology at the Department of Biology, University of Padova. She leads a research team of three post-doctoral fellows and two PhD students, working closely with the IRCCS San Camillo Hospital in Venice. LC’s research focuses on uncovering novel molecular pathways in brain physiology, with a particular emphasis on glial cells. Since 2010, her work has contributed to the identification of key processes involved in genetic forms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) (Civiero et al., 2012; Civiero et al., 2015; Civiero et al., 2017; Giusto et al., 2021; Giusto et al., 2024). Her recent studies emphasize the role of glial cells in neurodegeneration (reviewed in Tremblay et al., 2019; Iovino et al., 2020; Giusti et al., 2024), particularly in exploring how disease-related proteins influence glial-mediated functions (Streubel-Gallasch et al., 2021; Iovino et al., 2022; Iovino et al., 2024). As an independent principal investigator, her research has been supported by both intramural and external grants, totaling over €1.4 million. LC has published 42 peer-reviewed articles, garnering 1,708 citations and an h-index of 23 (Scopus). In addition to her academic work, LC is committed to promoting science to the public through various outreach and dissemination activities.

Curriculum PDF File

We study astrocytes and their interactions with other brain cells, particularly neurons and microglia. These cells play a crucial role in maintaining brain homeostasis and responding to various neurological disorders. Investigating how astrocytes contribute to disease offers promising avenues for developing new medical treatments. Astrocytes are increasingly recognized as key modulators in a range of brain pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases. Our recent research shows that astrocytes exhibit impaired ability to clear neurotoxic molecules in models of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer’s disease. We are currently exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying astrocyte-mediated phagocytic clearance using unbiased, high-throughput approaches.To characterize dysfunctional glial cell phenotypes, we employ a variety of models, including in vitro systems (murine glial cells and iPSC-derived astrocytes), ex vivo (organotypic brain slices), and in vivo models (mouse and zebrafish). Our goal is to identify novel glial biomarkers of disease and to screen potential therapeutic drugs.

Project 1: Identification of glia biomarkers in brain diseases Project 2: Unraveling the molecular mechanisms of glia-mediated phagocytic clearance Project 3: Targeting glia reactivity in a model of neurodegeneration

Last update: 18/07/2025