The ZNZ is proud to welcome four new members.
Prof. Giancarlo Natalucci
Department of Neonatology, University Hospital Zurich
Prof. Natalucci is assistant professor at the University of Zurich (since July 2019) and a staff member at the Department of Neonatology at the USZ. His research background spans several areas focused on the neurodevelopment of high-risk infants: neuro-monitoring and pharmacologic neuro-protection in the neonatal intensive care unit; long-term neurodevelopment; the quality of life for preterm born children and, the association between early nutrition and neurodevelopment with a special interest in human milk. More
Dr. Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
Institute for Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich
We focus upon the question of how early-life environmental adversities, such as prenatal infection or nutritional imbalances, can shape the risk for neurodevelopmental abnormalities. One current research line explores non-genetic transgenerational inheritance of neuronal and behavioral abnormalities relevant to major neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and autism. We combine behavioral and cognitive tests, immunological assays, neuroanatomical techniques, transcriptomics and epigenomics. We want to provide starting points for translational initiatives aiming at preventing the possible transmission of neuropsychiatric disease risk across generations. More
Dr. Linjing Mu
Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Zurich
Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich
We work on positron emission tomography (PET) tracer development for imaging neurodegenerative diseases. We are working on several targets including the glutamate receptors, cannabinoid and endocannabinoid systems and ATP synthase. To characterize the target, murine and post-mortem human tissues are used to analyze the target in various diseases by qPCR, confocal microscopy and flow cytometry; in vitro autoradiography is employed to understand the tracer’s specificity and selectivity. In our GMP lab, several PET ligands are routinely synthesized and applied for drug development and studying brain functions. More
PD Dr. Dr. med. Georgia Ramantani
Department of Neuropediatrics, University Children’s Hospital Zurich
We aim to improve diagnostic tools for focal epilepsy, particularly in the context of epilepsy surgery, and establish pertinent biomarkers for postsurgical seizure outcomes derived from electrophysiology and neuroimaging studies. Furthermore, we strive to provide deeper insights into the cognitive development after epilepsy surgery. Finally, we aspire to study the processes of epileptogenesis in the immature brain, particularly in the context of neonatal seizures, and develop prognostic tools for outcome prediction. More