1988 MD degree (University of Padua)
1992 Specialist Diploma in Neurology (University of Padua)
1992-2010 Assistant Professor in Physiology
2010- Associate Professor in Physiology (DBS, University of Padua)

Nervous system function is dedicated to translate, generate and process informations in a binary code based on neuronal electrical response: the action potential.
These coding binary informations are exchanged from one neuron to the other connected by synapses in both simple and complex circuits.
The aim of our research is to understand:

  • how neuronal informations are transferred from one neuron to the other by synaptic activity
  • how synaptic activity processes and modifies neuronal informations trasnferred from one neuron to the other
  • how synaptic activity could regulate information processing of complex circuits like those involved the higher or elaborated brain functions regulating behavior.

To reach this aim we utilize as animal model the fruitfly, in which

  • it is possible to genetically modify the main actors of the evolutionarily maintained molecular nanomachine regulating synaptic activity
  • analyse the electrical response of a single synapse or a simple nervous circuit
  • analyse different elaborated behaviors generated by the activity of complex neuronal circuits.

 

  1. Megighian A, Zordan M, Pantano S, Scorzeto M, Rigoni M, Zanini D, Rossetto O, Montecucco C. Evidence for a radial SNARE super-complex mediating neurotransmitter release at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction. J Cell Sci. 126:3134-40. 2013.
  2. Rossetto MG, Zanarella E, Orso G, Scorzeto M, Megighian A, Kumar V, Delgado-Escueta AV, Daga A. Defhc1.1, a homologue of the juvenile myoclonic gene EFHC1, modulates architecture and basal activity of the neuromuscular junction in Drosophila. Hum Mol Genet. 20:4248-57. 2011.
  3. Megighian A, Scorzeto M, Zanini D, Pantano S, Rigoni M, Benna C, Rossetto O, Montecucco C, Zordan M. Arg206 of SNAP-25 is essential for neuroexocytosis at the Drosophila melanogaster neuromuscular junction. J Cell Sci. 123:3276-83. 2010
  4. McQuibban AG, Joza N, Megighian A, Scorzeto M, Zanini D, Reipert S, Richter C, Schweyen RJ, Nowikovsky K. A Drosophila mutant of LETM1, a candidate gene for seizures in Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Hum Mol Genet. 19:987-1000. 2010.
  5. Peron S, Zordan MA, Magnabosco A, Reggiani C, Megighian A. From action potential to contraction: neural control and excitation-contraction coupling in larval muscles of Drosophila. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol. 154:173-83. 2009

PRIN 2011-2013 (PI)
CaRiPaRo 2008-2010 (Participant)
Assegni di Ricerca di Ateneo 2008-2009; 2010-2011 (PI)