We aim at dissecting the molecular control of Neural Stem Cell (NSC) fate in mammalian neurogenesis by focusing on noncoding RNAs and other post-transcriprional mechanisms, as key to understand/cure brain (mal)formation, aging and tumours. Current Research in my group focuses on:i) Small RNAs in basic and translational aspects of neurogenesis in mammals. ii) New technological approaches enabling oligotherapy for human brain dysfunctions
Phone
+39 010 2896 725
Research center
CCT@Morego
About
Experience External
Title: Contract Professor of “Developmental Neurobiology” for the Master degree in biotechnology
Institute: Università di Genova
Location: Genoa
Country: italy
From: 2018 To: null
Title: Contract Professor of “Neural stem cell differentiation” for the Master degree in Molecular and Cell Biology
Institute: Università di Genova
Location: Genoa
Country: italy
From: 2008 To: 2010
Title: External collaborator
Institute: Clontech inc. (Mountain View, CA, USA).
Location: Mountain View (CA)
Country: USA
From: 2006 To: 2006
Title: Researcher
Institute: Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell-Biology and Genetics
Location: Dresden
Country: Germany
From: 2004 To: 2008
Title: Fellow
Institute: DIBIT-San Raffaele Reserch Institute
Location: Milan
Country: Italy
From: 1999 To: 2003
Top Publications
2023
Gasperini C., Tuntevski K., Beatini S., Pelizzoli R., Lo Van A., Mangoni D., Cossu R.M., Pascarella G., Bianchini P., Bielefeld P., Scarpato M., Pons-Espinal M., Sanges R., Diaspro A., Fitzsimons C.P., Carninci P., Gustincich S., De Pietri Tonelli D.
Piwil2 (Mili) sustains neurogenesis and prevents cellular senescence in the postnatal hippocampus
EMBO Reports, vol. 24, (no. 2)
2019
Pons-Espinal M., Gasperini C., Marzi M.J., Braccia C., Armirotti A., Potzsch A., Walker T.L., Fabel K., Nicassio F., Kempermann G., De Pietri Tonelli D.
MiR-135a-5p Is Critical for Exercise-Induced Adult Neurogenesis
Stem Cell Reports, vol. 12, (no. 6), pp. 1298-1312
2017
Barca-Mayo O., Pons-Espinal M., Follert P., Armirotti A., Berdondini L., De Pietri Tonelli D.
Astrocyte deletion of Bmal1 alters daily locomotor activity and cognitive functions via GABA signalling
Nature Communications, vol. 8
2017
De Pietri Tonelli D.
Essentials of Noncoding RNA in Neuroscience: Ontogenetics, Plasticity of the Vertebrate Brain
Essentials of Noncoding RNA in Neuroscience: Ontogenetics, Plasticity of the Vertebrate Brain, pp. 1-316, Publisher: Elsevier Inc.
Book
Book
2017
Marinaro F., Marzi M.J., Hoffmann N., Amin H., Pelizzoli R., Niola F., Nicassio F., De Pietri Tonelli D.
MicroRNA-independent functions of DGCR8 are essential for neocortical development and TBR1 expression
EMBO Reports, vol. 18, (no. 4), pp. 603-618
All Publications
2025
Spattini S., La Rosa L., Pereira R.C., Giantomasi L., Pelizzoli R., Tuntevski K., Battaglia G., Di Fonzo A., Armirotti A., De Pietri Tonelli D.
A microRNA-based Therapy against Human Medulloblastoma Validated in a Xenotransplant Model using Wild-Type Mouse Embryos
BiorXiv
Article
E-print Archive
2025
Perilli S., Pezzilli S., Ferranti F., Tuntevski K., Giantomasi L., Decherchi S., Pelizzoli S., Cialdai F., Risaliti C., Di Fino L., Negri B., Masotti A., De Pietri Tonelli D., Monici M.
Investigating the impact of spaceflight on human health: insights from the astRNAuts and NUT projects
International Space Station Research and Development Conference ISSRDC 2025 | Seattle, WA July 28-31, 2025
Poster
Conference
2025
Rancati S., Pereira R.C., Schlich M., Sgroi S., Beatini S., La Rosa L., Giantomasi L., Pelizzoli R., Braccia C., Spattini C., Tuntevski K., Lo Van A., Pons Espinal M., Palange A., Bajetto A., Daga A., Armirotti A., Florio T., Decuzzi P., De Pietri Tonelli D.
Synergic microRNAs suppress human glioblastoma progression by modulating clinically relevant targets
BiorXiv
Article
E-print Archive
2024
La Rosa L., Spattini C., Pelizzoli R., Pereira R., De Pietri Tonelli D.
A novel immune-competent murine model of brain tumors and its use to evaluate the efficacy of a microRNA-based therapy for medulloblastoma
EMBO Workshop "Microglia in health and disease"
Poster
Conference
2024
Tuntevski K., Giantomasi L., Paolini A., Baldassarre A., Pelizzoli R., Decherchi S., Perilli S., Di Fino L., Negri B., Miller J., Narici L., De Vivo M., Masotti A., Pezzilli S., De Pietri Tonelli D.
AstRNAuts: Monitoring space-induced stress by small rnas in body fluids.
75th International Astronautical Conference, pp. 617-626
Awards and Achievements
2025
De Pietri tonelli D.
Certificate of Good Clinical Proctictice CH E6(R2)
2024
De Pietri Tonelli D.
Corresponding Member of the Accademia Ligure di Scienze e Lettere
2023
De Pietri Tonelli D.
Committee Member for the PhD evaluation of the course in "Biotecnologie in Medicina Traslazionale" XXXV ciclo – University of Genoa
2023
De Pietri Tonelli D.
Committee Member for the PhD evaluation of the course in "Neuroscience & Neurotechnologies" Ciclo XXXV – University of Genoa
2023
De Pietri Tonelli D.
Course on Human Subjects Research for Biomedical Research - Basic Course – Under requirements set by: NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Organized Events
2024
De Pietri Tonelli D., Gustincich S., Moretta L., Tirelli N.
Co-organiser of the workshop at the Science Festival in Genoa "Descrivere l'incurabile per poterlo sconfiggere"
2024
De Pietri Tonelli D.
Co-organizer of a fundraising event "A cena con la Ricerca" in collaboration with Fondazione AIRC per la Ricerca sul Cancro
2022
De Pietri Tonelli D., Nicassio F., Tartaglia GG.
Co-coordinator of the “RNA Collaborative Seminar Series” by the RNA society (USA)
2022
Prochiantz A., De Pietri Tonelli D., Gustincich S.
Co-organizer of the 1st IIT-Collège de France Joint Neuroscience Meeting
2017
De Pietri Tonelli D.
Co-organiser of the symposium: "Emerging complexity and functions of miRNAs-dependent regulation in neuroscience"
Colleagues of Neurobiology of miRNA