Marco Mainardi

Dr Marco Mainardi graduated, cum laude, in Biomolecular Sciences and Techniques at University of Pisa, in July 2006, supervisors Prof.s Lamberto Maffei and Tommaso Pizzorusso. He also obtained, cum laude, a Diploma di Licenza in Biology after completing the Corso Ordinario (2001-2006) at Scuola Normale Superiore. Then, Dr Mainardi obtained a PhD in Neurobiology from Scuola Normale Superiore, in 2010, supervisors Prof.s Lamberto Maffei and Matteo Caleo. This PhD work elucidated how environmental enrichment can (i) reinstate juvenile-like plasticity in the adult rat visual cortex and (ii) boost crossmodal interactions among sensory cortices, using in vivo electrophysiology. He also discovered that environmental enrichment programs the sensitivity of the brain to the adipose tissue-produced hormone leptin by modulating the excitation/inhibition ratio of food intake-controlling neurons during a specific critical period, thus obeying the same rules as the visual cortex.
Subsequently, Dr Mainardi spent a post-doc at the CNR Institute of Neuroscience (Pisa; 2010-2013), and was awarded a fellowship by Accademia dei Lincei (2013-2014). His research demonstrated that sensory stimulation of the aged brain improves crossmodal cortical interactions and decreases soluble amyloid-β oligomers. Those experiments were part of the “Train the Brain” program, coordinated by Prof. Lamberto Maffei, aiming to set up a training protocol to counteract age-related cognitive decline in humans. In search of a translational application of cerebral plasticity modulation, Dr Mainardi contributed to building a robotic rehabilitation device for animal models of stroke, in collaboration with Prof. Silvestro Micera (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa; EPFL, Lausanne) and under the supervision of Prof. Matteo Caleo. This device was patented.
In 2014, Dr Mainardi was appointed Assistant Professor (R.T.D. ”a”) at the Institute of Human Physiology of Catholic University, Rome, director Prof. Claudio Grassi. The main line of research focused on the impact of diet and metabolic hormones on synaptic plasticity. Dr Mainardi acquired expertise in patch-clamp recordings and in protein immunoprecipitation. Hiw work demonstrated that leptin has neurotrophin-like effects on the hippocampus, which are impaired in high-fat diet. In addition, high-fat diet impinges on hippocampal plasticity by increasing the palmitoylation of AMPA receptors. During a visit to Prof. Ottavio Arancio’s lab (Columbia University, New York), he used patch-clamp recordings to elucidate that inhibition of synaptic transmission by tau depends on his internalization by astrocytes, causing an altered gliotransmitter release.
In 2017, Dr Mainardi moved to Scuola Normale Superiore, as an Assistant Professor (R.T.D. ”a”) at the Laboratory of Biology, director Prof. Antonino Cattaneo. He concentrated on analyzing memory engrams using gene constructs for the expression of fluorescent reporters, optogenetic probes, or baits for immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry, in a potentiated synapse-specific manner. The AAV-borne constructs are currently under use in proteomics and imaging experiments to be published in the next months.
In 2019, Dr Mainardi was appointed investigator at the CNR Neuroscience Institute, after achieving the first place in the corresponding national selection. His research continues to focus on studying synaptic memory engrams, along with finding new avenues to manipulate neuronal activity in health and disease, also by using nanotechnology devices. In this regard, he is co-PI of a research project funded by Wings for Life Foundation, aiming at improving regeneration of the injured spinal cord using a combination of paramagnetic nanoparticles and transplanted stem cells.
Dr Mainardi is also a lecturer in Neuroscience at University of Pisa; he is a SIF member since 2015, and received his Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale per Professore di II fascia in September 2019.