PB

paolo Bonifazi

ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA' DI BOLOGNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Biocruces Bizkaia, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, University of Perugia, University of Bologna

ORCID iD 0000-0001-6374-8997
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About

My research interests are focused on understanding the relationship between structure and function of brain circuits and networks, with a special attention on how neural systems elaborate, compute and communicate information at the different spatial scales (from synapsis to large brain networks), and on the impact of neurological diseases. I can summarize my research track in two major experimental lines, focused on developmental micro-circuits and neuro-engineering, and two computational ones, focused on human brain networks and micro-circuit modelling. My strongly multi-disciplinary education and scientific training, with a first degree in Physics (univ. of Perugia) and a PhD in Neuroscience (SISSA, Trieste), support such research approach, which combines simultaneous recordings of dozens to hundreds of cells in neuronal circuitries using multi-electrode arrays and/or calcium imaging, targeted intracellular electrophysiological recordings (patch-clamp), immunochemistry, optogenetics and data analysis and models based on complex networks and information theory.
In a pioneering study on developing hippocampal circuitries in 2007 (Marseille, France), the application of the above-described approach in combination with on-line complex networks analysis allowed to demonstrate the existence and impact of hub neurons on circuits synchronization (research supported by a Marie-Curie Intra-European Fellowship and published in the journals Science, Neuron and reviewed in TINS).
Between 2010 and 2015, I was a member of the group of late prof. E. Ben-Jacob, a world-wide known physicist of complex systems, at the Tel Aviv University. During this time, I have been PI within the Italy-Israel joint laboratory on Neuroscience and the “BRAINBOW” project (FET-OPEN EU FP7) aiming at developing a Neuromorphic chip for brain circuits’ repair.
In July 2015, I joined the Computational Neuroimaging group at the Biocruces Bizkaia (Bilbao, Spain) as an Ikerbasque Tenure-Track, where I challenged my scientific research opening a new line of research on the macro-scale brain networks, based on my firm believe that understating how brain circuits operate require a multi-scale approach trying to bind activities emerging from microcircuits to larger brain network dynamics.
In July 2019 I have been finally evaluated and tenured as an Ikerbasque Research Associate (position equivalent to Associate Professor). During the time at Biocruces Bizkaia, I provided new evidence on the structural-functional match in resting-state brain networks (Sci. Rep. 2015) and I discovered the major role of the fronto-striato-thalamic circuit in brain aging (HBM, 2018). In addition, I have been leading as PI a project aimed at studying the multi-scale nature of epileptic networks in human patients combining deep electrode recordings and magnetic resonance imaging (funded by Spanish Ministry). The results of this study (under publication) provide new tools for more accurate and non-invasive identification of epileptic networks.
Throughout the tenure track period, I kept working on micro-circuits, and in the work published in PNAS (2018) we provided an in-vitro demonstration of how astrocytes can restore connectivity and synchronization in dysfunctional networks, specifically in cerebellar circuits from a murine model of Ataxia Telangiectasia. This study represented one of the few clear evidence in the literature of how astrocytes impact the structural and functional topology of neuronal circuits, with dysfunctional astrocytes leading to patho-topological circuits’ connectivity. In addition, in my latest work on neuro-engineering (Sci. Rep. 2020), we provided evidence of real-time information transfer between artificial and biological neuronal networks using patterned optogenetics and multi-electrode recordings in-vitro.
Recently, I opened a new line of research on pathological structural-functional circuits architecture in animal models of epilepsy using calcium imaging both in-vivo and in-vitro, (respectively in the hippocampus with an implanted miniscope and in organotypic hippocampal slices). This research is focused on temporal lobe epilepsy (induced by Kainate Acid or Picrotoxin) and on Dravet syndrome. Using the in-vitro approach, we recently demonstrated how acute inhibition of the STAT3 signaling pathway during epileptogenesis prevent GABAergic cells’ loss, reactive gliosis and imprinting of epileptic state (Biorxiv, and under revision for publication).
In my last work on brain networks, I provide the basis for a multi-scale model of brain networks based on the neurogenesis time of the cerebral nodes, according to two major principles: “older gets richer” and “age preferential attachment”, both experimentally validated and inspired to the pioneering model on complex networks from Barabasi and Albert. This model bridges adult healthy human brain networks, to embryogenesis, transcriptomics and genetics underlying major brain pathologies.
Since 2014 I

Employment

  • ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA' DI BOLOGNA Docenti di ruolo di IIa fascia
    2024 - Present
  • University of Bologna visiting professor
    2022 - 2022
  • Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Biocruces Bizkaia Ikerbasque Research Associate
    2020 - Present
  • BioCruces Health research Institute Ikerbasque Fellow
    2015 - 2020
  • Tel Aviv University Researcher PI
    2010 - 2015
  • INMED PostDoc
    2007 - 2010
  • University of Cambridge PostDoc
    2006 - 2007
  • Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati PhD student
    2002 - 2006
  • Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie Trainee
    2000 - 2001

Education

  • Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati PhD cum Laude
    2002 - 2005
  • University of Perugia Laurea (equivalent of Master Degree) cum Laude
    1994 - 2001

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (54)