معرفی
Francesco Ferrini is an Associate Professor at the University of Turin's Department of Veterinary Sciences and an Adjunct Professor at Université Laval's Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience. His research focuses on inhibitory transmission in spinal nociceptive pathways, particularly in chronic pain conditions like neuropathic pain and morphine-induced hyperalgesia. He investigates chloride homeostasis, KCC2 transporter functions, and synaptic plasticity in the spinal cord dorsal horn.
- Education: Ph.D. in Neuroscience from University of Turin, DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine)
Research interests include:
- Plasticity of inhibitory circuits in the spinal dorsal horn
- Mechanisms of morphine-induced hyperalgesia and its links to neuropathic pain
- Development of novel nociceptive behavior methods for animal models
- Use of spinal organotypic slices as an ex-vivo model for pharmacological studies
Scientific awards include multiple Marie Curie mobility grants, the Brain Star Award, and recognition as a Young Neuroscientist Award recipient. His work has significantly advanced understanding of spinal inhibition and opioid-related pain sensitization, with recent studies exploring KCC2 expression in humans and sex-specific pain mechanisms.
