Short CV

CURRENT POSITION

2015-present    Associate Professor of Pharmacology, DSF, University of Padua, Italy

 

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

1999                      PhD Degree in Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Turin, Italy

1998-1999           Post-doctoral research fellow at Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachussetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, U.S.A.

1997-1998           Visiting PhD fellow at Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachussetts

General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, U.S.A.

1994- 1998         PhD fellow at Institute of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy 

1993                     Board certified as Community Pharmacist, University of Pisa, Italy

1993                      Degree in Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Italy

 

2017      National Scientific Qualification for Full Professorship in 05/G1 Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacognosy (valid from 2017 to 2029)

1999- 2004         Research contract at the Division of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy

 

FELLOWSHIPS

1994-1998           Fellowship for PhD program in Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacology, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa

1997                      Fellowship from the Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF) for the internship at the Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, U.S.A.

1998                      Fellowship from the Italian National Council of research (C.N.R., National Committee for Biological and Medical Sciences) for the internship at the Gastrointestinal Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, U.S.A.

1998-1999           Fellowship from the Italian National Council of Research (C.N.R., National Committee for Biotechnology and Molecular Biology) for the internship at the Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

1999-2004           Research contract at the Division of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy

 

TEACHING ACTIVITY

2015-2021          Course of Toxicology and Pharmacovigilance, MS Degree in Pharmacy (9 CFU, Course Leader)

2015-present    Course of Toxicology, MS Degree in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology (6 CFU, Course Leader)

2021-present    Course of Pharmacology, BS Degree in Nursing Sciences (4 CFU, Course Leader)

2020-present    Course of Pharmacology, MS Degree in Medicine & Surgery (4 CFU, Course Leader)

SUPERVISION OF GRADUATE STUDENT AND POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS

2015-present    Supervisor of 23 Master thesis students, Supervisor of 4 PhD Student at DSF, University of Padua, Italy

 

INSTITUTIONAL DUTIES

2016- present   Member of Faculty Board of the PhD School in Pharmacological Sciences at DSF, University of Padua, Italy

2016- 2019         Member of the Resources and Development Committee at DSF, University of Padua, Italy

2016- 2019         Vice-coordinator of the PhD School in Pharmacological Sciences at DSF, University of Padua, Italy

2016- 2020         Academic coordinator for Erasmus flow University of Padua/University of Greenwich, London, UK

 

SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES MEMBERSHIPS

1993-present    Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF)

1997-2019           American Gastroenterological Association (AGA)

 

EDITORIAL ACTIVITY

2017-2019 Editorial Board Member, Gastroenterology Made Easy

2015-present Reviewer Activity for Acta Histochimica, Biochimica and Biophysica Acta; Biochemical Pharmacology; BMC Pharmacology, CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics, Experimental Neurology, Frontiers in Pharmacology, Molecular Pharmacology, Current Pharmaceutical Design, Pharmacology Research and Perspective, PLOSone, Scientific Reports, Tissue&Cell

REFEREE ACTIVITY FOR INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH FUNDING

2017      Medical Resarch Council, UK

 

MAIN RESEARCH FIELD

Gastrointestinal pharmacology

MAJOR RESEARCH INTEREST

Role of brain-gut interaction and inflammation in neurodegeneration in experimental model of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer disease disease

Effects of aging and obesity on peripheral and central nervous functions in experimental models

Pharmacovigilance

Pharmacological modulation of enteric neurotransmission and motility under normal conditions and in

presence of enteric inflammatory processes

Pharmacological modulation of cyclooxygenases in resistance arteries in experimental models of hypertension

Pharmacology and physiopathology of experimental peptic ulcer and protective mechanisms in gastric mucosa

Role of protective drugs in experimental models of enteropathies

 

GRANTS

PRID 2016, 2017, 2021 University of Padova

PRIN 1999, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2022 MIUR

Financing of research from public and private institutions.

 

Author of 127 publications on peer reviewed journal

7 book chapters

Patent: COMPOSTI INIBITORI DELL’INFLAMMASOMA NLRP3 E LORO USO. 102021000011237

Total citations: 5155

H-index: 44 (Scopus, may 2026)

  Courses

Educational offer

  Office hours

Office hours by appointment only, to be arranged by phone or by email

  Availability for Thesis Projects

• Research project thesis: argument to be established on a case-by case basis; student are requested to carry on an experimental work on project currently ongoing in lab, including animal manipulation, surgery and/or pharmacological treatment or cell culture based work 
• Literature review based dissertation: student are requested to review the scientific literature regarding a specific matter of interest (drug compound, class of drugs, efficacy/tolerability in a particular disease, etc…)

  Scientific Activities

Major research interest: pharmacology of gastrointestinal system 

• Role of brain-gut interaztion in digestive and neurodegenrative diseases
• Obesity and gastrointestinal/cardiovascular functions in animal models in vivo
• Role of gastroprotective durgs in animal model of enteropthy
  
• Pharmacological modulation of enteric neurotransmission and motility under normal conditions, in presence of inflammatory processes (adenosine and cyclooxygenase pathways) or CNS disease (Parkinson’s disease) 
• Pharmacogenetics of serotonin transporter in IBS patients and TPMT in
  
• Role of gastrin, somatostatin and cyclooxygenases in the control of proliferation of human colon cancer cells 
• Pharmacology and fisiopathology of experimental peptic ulcer and protective mechanisms in gastric mucosa          
• Role of drugs in protective actions in experimental models of enteropathy 
• Pharmacological modulation of cyclooxygenases in resistance arteries in experimental models of hypertension 

Membership of Scientific Societies: 

• Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF)
• American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) 

Scientific Reviewer Activity: 

• Biochemical Pharmacology
• Molecular Pharmacology
• Biochimica Biophysica Acta
• Current Pharmaceutical Design
• BMC Pharmacology
• Pharmacology Research and Perspectives
• PlosOne
  
• Tissue&Cell
  
• Frontiers in Pharmacology
  
• Scientific Reports
  
• CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics
  
• Experimental Neurology
  

  Technical expertise

 

• Experimental models of intestinal inflammation
• Experimental models of neurodegeneration
  
• Experimental models for the evaluation in vivo and in vitro of intestinal neuromotor functions
  
• Experimental models for the in vivo evaluations of gastric secretive and motor functions
• Experimental models of gastric ulcer, FANS-induced enteropathy
• Measurement of Inflammatory mediators in tissues and blood
  
• Cell culture of gastric and intestinal tumoral cell lines
• Molecular biology techniques for DNA, RNA and proteins analysis
• Development and diagnostic application of pharmacogenetics for personalization of pharmacological treatments in diseases:

1. analysis of thiopurine methiltransferasi (TPMT) gene polymorphisms in patients treated with 6-mercaptopurine or azathioprine
2. analysis of beta-1 adrenergic receptor gene, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphisms in patients treated with beta-blockers therapy or with drugs active on renin-angiotensin system
3. pharmacogenetics of serotonin transporter gene (SERT) polymorphisms in patients with chronic functional pathologies in gastrointestinal tract

  Positions available

• Research project thesis: argument to be established on a case-by case basis; student are requested to carry on an experimental work on project currently ongoing in lab, including animal manipulation, surgery and/or pharmacological treatment or cell culture based work 
• Literature review based dissertation: student are requested to review the scientific literature regarding a specific matter of interest (drug compound, class of drugs, efficacy/tolerability in a particular disease, etc…)

  Publications

See Publications list in pdf file

  Complete list of publications

Rocchina Colucci is author of 119 full papers published in peer reviewed journals; 6 book chapters, more than 130 abstract for national and international congresses

 

Rocchina Colucci in Padua Research Archive IRIS (Institutional Research Information System)

  Patents

  Research projects and Funds

NATIONAL RESEARCH GRANTS

PRID 2017.Exploring the neuroimmune crosstalk ininflammatory bowel disease. University of Padova, 24 months, P

PRID 2016.Maternal obesity and high-fat diet in childhood; study of the molecular mechanisms underlying gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disorders. University of Padova, 24 months, PI

PRIN 2009.Pharmacological and molecular characterization of regulation system of neuromuscular functions in gastrointestinal tract in experimental Parkinson. University of Pisa, 24 months, P

PRIN 2007.Inhibitors of serotonin transporter in irritable bowel syndrome: pharmacogenetic analysis - University of Pisa, 24 months.

PRIN 2003.Drugs active on adenosine and prostanoids system  and regulation of digestive motility in presence of intestinal inflammation - University of Pisa, 24 months, P

PRIN 2003.Molecular determinants of chemiosensitivity to fluorpyrimidine and camptotecyns - University of Pisa, 24 months, P

PRIN 2002.Cyclooxygenases inhibitors and regulation of enteric neuromuscular functions in intestinal inflammation  - University of Pisa, 24 months, P

PRIN 1999.Pharmacological study on the role of adrenergic receptors alfa-2 in neuromuscular plasticity in gastroenteric system - University of Pisa, 24 months, P

 

SEVERAL COMMERCIAL GRANTS