Davide Tampellini

Davide Tampellini received his PH.D. in Molecular Medicine from the University of Milan (Italy). He trained in Neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City (2002-2009). His research focused on the cell biology of APP and beta-amyloid peptide in function of synaptic activity. In 2010, he became Assistant Professor of Neuroscience in the Department of Neurology and Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medicine, funded by the New Investigator Award of Alzheimer’s Association. He is currently Group Leader in Neuroscience at the Institut Professeur Baulieu (France).

Dr Tampellini has been studying for many years how modulation of synaptic activity affects the homeostasis of proteins involved in Alzheimer disease. His work is focusing on the effect of synaptic stimulation against tau pathology, and the molecular/cellular pathways involved. Recently, his lab discovered that synaptic stimulation enhances auto-lysosomal degradation of oligomeric and hyperphosphorylated tau in neurons, protecting synapses. The related mechanism responsible of tau clearance requires the activation of transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master regulator of autophagy and lysosomal proteins.

Currently, Dr Tampellini is exploring the involvement of microglia in tau clearance upon synaptic activation, including the molecular/cellular mechanisms implicated.