Melania Capasso

Melania Capasso is a Research Group Leader at the Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Bonn, based at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) on Venusberg Campus in Bonn. Her laboratory investigates immune mechanisms in aging and neurodegenerative disorders with a focus on myeloid cells.

Her research centers on elucidating signaling pathways that regulate immune cell function in aging and Alzheimer's disease, particularly examining microglia (the brain's resident immune cells) and neutrophils. Key areas include mTORC1-mediated translational control in aged microglia during inflammatory responses and the role of the HVCN1 proton channel in regulating NADPH oxidase activity and reactive oxygen species production. Her work has revealed age-dependent upregulation of mTORC1 in microglia leading to excessive inflammatory mediator synthesis, and she explores how genetic inhibition of this pathway reduces neuroinflammation.

Current projects include investigating mTORC1 regulation via microglial translatome analysis through the EU-funded DN-MSCA Eternity initiative, and clarifying HVCN1's role in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis using combined in vivo and in vitro approaches. Her laboratory utilizes advanced techniques including brain section immunohistochemistry, neutrophil extracellular trap analysis, and translational profiling.

Contact: melania.capasso@dzne.de | +49 228 43302325