Curriculum
EDUCATION:
2021: Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
2016: M.Sc. in Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychological Rehabilitation, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
2014: B.Sc. in Psychology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Rome, Italy
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:
April 2023 – present: post-doctoral fellow, Sapienza University of Rome (Rome, Italy), Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “Vittorio Erspamer”
December 2020 – March 2023: post-doctoral fellow, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Genova, Italy), Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, “Genetics of Cognition” Laboratory
September 2017 – November 2020: PhD studentship in Neuroscience, University of Leicester (UK), Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour
March 2015 – August 2017: internship at Fondazione Santa Lucia (Rome, Italy), “Neurobiology of Behavior” Laboratory
TEACHING
2018-2020 – Demonstrator in practical courses: Neuroanatomy (2018, 2019), Physiology of Excitable Cells (2019), Introduction to Genetics (2020). School of Biological Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
1. Garau C, Hayes J, Chiacchierini G, McCutcheon JE, Apergis-Schoute J. Involvement of A13 dopaminergic neurons in prehensile movements but not reward in the rat. Curr Biol. 2023. Oct 9:S0960-9822(23)01290-3. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.044. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37816347.
2. Scheggia D, La Greca F, Maltese F, Chiacchierini G, Italia M, Molent C, Bernardi F, Coccia G, Carrano N, Zianni E, Gardoni F, Di Luca M, Papaleo F. Reciprocal cortico-amygdala connections regulate prosocial and selfish choices in mice. Nat Neurosci. 2022 Nov;25(11):1505-1518. doi: 10.1038/s41593-022-01179-2. Epub 2022 Oct 24. PMID: 36280797; PMCID: PMC7613781.
3. Chiacchierini G, Naneix F, Apergis-Schoute J, McCutcheon JE. Restriction of dietary protein in rats increases progressive-ratio motivation for protein. Physiol Behav. 2022 Oct 1;254:113877. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113877. Epub 2022 Jun 11. PMID: 35700813.
4. Hayes J, Garau C, Chiacchierini G, Urcelay GP, McCutcheon JE, Apergis-Schoute J. Predictive and motivational factors influencing anticipatory contrast: A comparison of contextual and gustatory predictors in food restricted and free-fed rats. Physiol Behav. 2021 Dec 1;242:113603. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113603. Epub 2021 Sep 23. PMID: 34562439; PMCID: PMC8593211.
5. Barcik W, Chiacchierini G, Bimpisidis Z, Papaleo F. Immunology and microbiology: how do they affect social cognition and emotion recognition? Curr Opin Immunol. 2021 Aug;71:46-54. doi: 10.1016/j.coi.2021.05.001. Epub 2021 May 28. PMID: 34058687.
6. Chiacchierini G, Naneix F, Peters KZ, Apergis-Schoute J, Snoeren EMS, McCutcheon JE. Protein Appetite Drives Macronutrient-Related Differences in Ventral Tegmental Area Neural Activity. J Neurosci. 2021 Jun 9;41(23):5080-5092. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3082-20.2021. Epub 2021 Apr 29. PMID: 33926995; PMCID: PMC8197647.
7. Latagliata EC, Coccia G, Chiacchierini G, Milia C, Puglisi-Allegra S. Concomitant D1 and D2 dopamine receptor agonist infusion in prelimbic cortex is required to foster extinction of amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference. Behav Brain Res. 2020 Aug 17;392:112716. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112716. Epub 2020 May 29. PMID: 32479855.
8. Ledonne A, Mango D, Latagliata EC, Chiacchierini G, Nobili A, Nisticò R, D'Amelio M, Puglisi-Allegra S, Mercuri NB. Neuregulin 1/ErbB signalling modulates hippocampal mGluRI-dependent LTD and object recognition memory. Pharmacol Res. 2018 Apr;130:12-24. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.02.003. Epub 2018
Feb 7. PMID: 29427771.
9. Latagliata EC, Lo Iacono L, Chiacchierini G, Sancandi M, Rava A, Oliva V, Puglisi-Allegra S. Single Prazosin Infusion in Prelimbic Cortex Fosters Extinction of Amphetamine-Induced Conditioned Place Preference. Front Pharmacol. 2017 Aug 10;8:530. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00530. PMID: 28848444; PMCID: PMC5554357.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES - ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Chiacchierini, G., Campolongo P. Sex differences in susceptibility and resilience in a rat mode of PTSD. International Behavioral Neuroscience Society , 33rd annual meeting, Panama City, 11-16th of June 2024, Panama
Chiacchierini, G., Molent, C., Bernardi, F., Zianni, E., Gardoni, F., Papaleo, F. Cortical microglia-somatostatin neurons communication in adolescence modulates emotion discrimination. Italian Society for Neuroscience, 20th annual congress, Turin, 15th of September 2023, Italy
Chiacchierini, G., Naneix, F., Peters, K.Z., Snoeren, E.M.S., Apergis-Schoute, J., McCutcheon, J. Neural and Behavioural analysis of a nutrient-specific appetite for protein. European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), 34th annual meeting, 2nd of October 2021, Lisbon, Portugal
Chiacchierini, G., Naneix, F., Peters, K.Z., Snoeren, E.M.S., Apergis-Schoute, J., McCutcheon, J. Protein appetite: investigating the neural basis, temporal dynamics and the impact of low-protein on motivation for food. Neuroscience of Energy Balance (NEB) conference, 3rd of December 2019, University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Chiacchierini, G., Naneix, F., Peters, K.Z., Snoeren, E.M.S., Apergis-Schoute, J., McCutcheon, J. Restriction of dietary protein leads to rapid and selective preference for protein and elevated neural activity in ventral tegmental area. Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), 27th annual meeting, 12th of July 2019, Utrecht, The Netherlands
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES - POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Chiacchierini, G., Riccardi, E., Mancini, G.F, Mariani, F., Morena, M., Campolongo, P. Predicting Susceptibility and Resilience to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Female Rats. Società Italiana di Farmacologia. Convegno monotematico. Innovation in Mental Illness: from mechanisms to drug treatment and Patient Response, 23th of October 2023, Brescia, Italy
Chiacchierini, G., Molent, C., Bernardi, F., Zianni, E., Gardoni, F., Papaleo, F. Microglia depletion in adolescent mice impairs emotion discrimination and alters the activity of somatostatin positive neurons in the pre limbic cortex. Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Regional Meeting (FENS RM), 4th of May 2023, Algarve, Portugal
Chiacchierini, G., Naneix, F., Peters, K.Z., Snoeren, E.M.S., Apergis-Schoute, J., McCutcheon, J. Protein preference emerges with minimal experience and is associated with altered mesolimbic activity and motivation for protein. Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), 12th forum, 12th of July 2020, Glasgow, Scotland
Chiacchierini, G., Naneix, F., Peters, K.Z., Snoeren, E.M.S., Apergis-Schoute, J., McCutcheon, J. Restriction of dietary protein leads to rapid and selective preference for protein and impacts the mesolimbic system of the brain. Neuroscience of Energy Balance (NEB) conference, 3rd of December 2019, University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Chiacchierini, G., Naneix, F., Peters, K.Z., Snoeren, E.M.S., McCutcheon, J. Restriction of dietary protein leads to rapid preference for protein and elevated neural activity in ventral tegmental area. British Neuroscience Association (BNA), Festival of Neuroscience, 15th of April 2021, Dublin, Ireland
Chiacchierini, G., Peters, K.Z., Naneix, F., Snoeren, E.M.S., McCutcheon, J. Restriction of dietary protein alters preference for protein and associated neural activity in ventral tegmental area. Monitoring Molecules in Neuroscience (MMiN), 17th International Conference, 26th of March 2018, Oxford, United Kingdom
Chiacchierini, G., Latagliata, E.C., Sancandi, M., Campus, P., Puglisi Allegra, S. Prelimbic α1 adrenergic receptors modulate the exctinction of amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference. Italian Association for Laboratory Animal Sciences (AISAL), annual meeting, 10th of October 2016, Rome, Italy
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES - OTHER ACTIVITIES
Symposium co-chairmenship:
Stress hormones, memory functions, and their implications for psychiatric disorders. Chair: Gina L. Quirarte, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Co-Chair: Giulia Chiacchierini, Sapienza University of Rome.
EDUCATION/TRAINING AWARDS
FENS-Hertie Winter School: “Neuroscience of Mental Health” (2023) Obergurgl, Austria
Cajal Advanced Neuroscience Training Programme - Interacting with Neural Circuits (2022) Lisbon, Portugal
Seal of Excellence, MSCA PF (2021) European Commission Horizon Europe
Poster prize (2019) Neuroscience of Energy Balance conference, Manchester, United Kingdom
Excellence award (2016) honors program for academic merits achieved during the MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychological Rehabilitation, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy, AY 2015-2016
Studentship for Academic Merits (2011-2015) Laziodisu - Ente per il diritto allo studio
RESEARCH AWARDS
Bando per la ricerca scientifica di Ateneo - Progetto di Avvio alla Ricerca (2023). Role of endocannabinoid transmission in the vulnerability and resilience to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Sapienza University of Rome. (2300 Euros)
Role: Principal Investigator
Research Fellowship - Assegno di Ricerca annuale di categoria B (2023), Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology “Vittorio Erspamer”
TRAVEL GRANTS
FENS Grants (2023), FRM 2023, Algarve, Portugal
IBRO Travel Grant (2021), SfN Virtual Forum
FENS Grant and Voucher Programme (2020), FENS Virtual Forum
Neuroscience of Energy Balance Symposium Speaker Award (2019) Manchester, United Kingdom
EDITORIAL ACTIVITY
2023 – present: Review Editor. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience - Learning and Memory section
SCIENTIFIC MEMBERSHIPS
FENS, Federation of European Neuroscience Societies
SIF, Società Italiana di Farmacologia
SINS, Società Italiana di Neuroscienze
SfN, Society for Neuroscience (past)
SSIB, Society for the Study of Ingestive Behaviors (past)