Paola d'Ascanio

Paola d’Ascanio, PhD, born in Pisa (PI, Italy), June, 23, 1954

1978 Degree in Biological Sciences (110/110 cum laude), Faculty of Mathematical, Biological, Physical and Chemical Sciences, Univ. of Pisa, Italy

April-June 1978, attended EM courses, Institute of Clinical Electron Microscopy, Univ. of Bologna, Italy

1983-1988: Ph.D. in “Basic and Development Neurosciences”, Univ. of Pisa, Italy

Research experience

1977-1980: Studies of neuroanatomical pathways by means of retrograde axonal transport of Horseradish Peroxidase in the toad. Institute of Physiology, Univ. of Pisa, Italy, Prof. N. Corvaja

1981-1997: Studies in the neurophysiological and neurochemical mechanisms involved in the central control of posture and vestibulospinal reflexes (VSR) in the cat. Institute of Physiology, Univ. of Pisa, Italy, Prof. O. Pompeiano

1995-1999: Collaboration with NASA for the development of the Space Mission Neurolab STS-90, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA. Institute of Physiology, Univ. of Pisa, Italy and Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA, Prof. O. Pompeiano

1998-2004: Investigations in some aspects of the plastic mechanisms, occurring in the adult rat brain: vestibulospinal reflexes (VSR) adaptation, vestibular compensation, adaptation to microgravity conditions. Institute of Physiology, Univ. of Pisa, Italy and Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA, Prof. O. Pompeiano

2007-today: Investigations in the basic mechanisms of the sleep-wake cycle and brain signal processing. Institute of Physiology, Univ. of Pisa, Italy, Prof. A. Gemignani, Prof. U. Faraguna

Employment history

October 1980 - September 1981: Grant in Neurobiology, Accademia dei Lincei, Rome, Italy, Prof. R.Levi-Montalcini

1981-1983 and 1988-1992: Intern Fellow Institute of Physiology, Univ. of Pisa, Italy

1992-2000: Assistant Professor, Dept. of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Physiology, Univ. of Pisa, Italy

2000-today: Associate Professor, Dept. of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, Physiology, Univ. of Pisa, Italy

Teaching Activities and Tutorials

1988-today: she has been teaching University Courses of Human Physiology for Medical students, Bio-engineering students, Nursing students, Dietitian students and other Health Care Professions students at Univ. of Pisa and has been member of the teaching board of the PhD in “Translational and Clinical Sciences”, Univ. of Pisa.

Periods of foreign study

March-September 1980 Visiting Fellow, Research studies in the identification of metabolic changes which affect brain structures of the cat, following natural stimulation of macular receptors by the 14C-DG technique, Laboratoire de Psychophysiologie Sensorielle Pierre et Marie Curie. Univ. of Paris, Paris, France, Prof. C. Batini

January-June 1981 Visiting Fellow, Autoradiographic techniques and computerized imaging of the monkey brain, Brain Research Institute of Zürich Univ., Zürich, Switzerland, Prof. J.Büttner-Ennever

Meeting organization

2004: 55th Meeting of the Italian Society of Physiology, Pisa, Italy

Editorial Experience:

2001 – today: Managing Editor for Archives Italiennes de Biologie, a Journal of Neuroscience

Professional Societies

Italian Society of Physiology (SIF), Italian Society for Neuroscience (SINS), Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS), International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), Associazione italiana di Medicina del Sonno (AIMS, Italian Association for Sleep Medicine)

Bibliographic data, according to:

Scopus (26/3/2018)= H-index 15 Total number of citations: 831 Total papers 62

Harzing Publish or Perish on Google Scholar’s Database (26/3/2018)= H-index 17 Total citation 1031 Total papers 88