I believe that the discovery of the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) by Rita Levi Montalcini, followed by that of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) by Stanley Cohen, was like the identification of the first hormone or the first vitamin, fot the advancement in our knowledge.
NGF is the top of an iceberg of similar molecules called neurotrophins. NGF and neurotrophins play a crucial role in the brain development, making billions of connections between nerve cells, and moduling these connections to form the molecular basis of memory.
Moreover, recent studies highlight the possibility of using NGF and neurotrophins for the treatment of nervous diseases such as Alzheimer’s and various mental deseases.
In BrainForum, the international meeting in honor of the Rita Levi Montalcini’s 101° birthday, we will discuss the most recent developments in the field of NGF and the most advanced techniques to assess brain and mental functions.
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Non è azzardato affermare che la scoperta del nerve growth factor(NGF) da parte di Rita Levi Montalcini, seguita da quella del epidermal growth factor(EGF) da parte di Stanley Cohen, ha rappresentato un avanzamento nelle nostre conoscenze assimilabile alla identificazione del primo ormone o della prima vitamina.
NGF rappresenta la punta di un iceberg di molecole simli denominate neurotrofine. NGF e neurotrofine svolgono un ruolo cruciale nello sviluppo del cervello, nella formazione dei miliardi di collegamenti fra le cellule nervose, e nella modulazione di questi collegamenti per formare le basi molecolari della memoria. Studi piu’ recenti, stanno mettendo in luce, inoltre, la possibilità di impiegare NGF e neurotrofine per la cura di malattie nervose come l’Alzheimer, e diverse malattie mentali.
Nell’incontro organizzato per festeggiare i 101 anni di RLM, si discuteranno i piu’ recenti sviluppi nel campo del NGF e delle tecniche piu’ moderne e sofisticate per valutare le funzioni cerebrali e mentali ispirandosi al motto citato dalla LM ”conosci il tuo cervello”.
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Pietro Calissano, born in Genova, obtained a degree in Medicine magna cum laude in 1964 at the University of Genova. In 1965 he was invited by Rita Levi Montalcini to join the Centre of Neurobiology she had created in Rome. The following year he moved to Washington University of Saint Louis, where he spent 2 years, to work under the guide of Levi Montalcini on the mechanism of action of NGF. In subsequent years Calissano spent several long term stages in Cambridge, England, at the Weizman Institute, Israel and at Harvard Medical School, working on NGF, on the brain specific protein S-100 and on some other neurobiological studies connected with neurotrophins and their molecular mechanism of action. In 1986 Calissano became full professor of Neurophysiology at the II University of Rome and in 1988 was nominated director of the Institute of Neurobiology of CNR which he directed up until 2008.
Calissano is member of the European Molecular Biology organization (EMBO), the Italian Academy of Sciences and the Scientific Committee of the Istituto Italiano della Treccani for which has directed or collaborated in several encyclopedias edited by this prestigious institution. He has participated at 57 international meetings as an invited speaker and published 145 scientific papers in prestigious international journals. He has written two books: Neuroni, mente ed evoluzione, edited by Garzanti and The mind/brain problem edited by Il Melangolo.
Calissano is recipient of scientific prizes such as the Feltrinelli award by the Accademia dei Lincei, Neuburgh prize and the annual prize conferred by the Italian Academy of Sciences.
He is presently full professor at the II University of Roma and Vice president of the European Brain Research Institute (EBRI).
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Tagged as molecular biology / Nerve Growth Factor / neurophysiology
