Michela Matteoli

Michela Matteoli is a Full Professor of Pharmacology at Humanitas University and Director of the Neuroscience Program at the Humanitas Clinical Institute. She holds leadership roles at the CNR Institute of Neuroscience and participates in international scientific networks. Her research focuses on neuroinflammation, brain plasticity, and neurodegenerative diseases. Matteoli has received prestigious awards, including the Mid-Career Nature Mentoring Award and the Atena Prize. She serves on editorial boards of journals like Science, Nature, and Neuron, with over 120 publications and an H-index of 50.

• Education: PhD in Pharmacology (University of Pisa, 1989)
• Postdoctoral Training: Yale University School of Medicine (1989–1991) and University of Virginia School of Medicine

Her work emphasizes strategies to enhance cognitive function through non-pharmacological interventions like physical exercise and social engagement. Key research areas include neuroinflammation’s role in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and depression.

• Awards: EMBO Fellowship, IBRO-MacArthur Fellowship, membership in EMBO and Academia Europaea

Matteoli leads the Train the Brain initiative at CNR, demonstrating cognitive improvements in mild decline patients via exercise and brain training. She collaborates with INSERM, the Armenise Harvard Foundation, and other institutions.

Her labs focus on translational neuroscience, with grants from Telethon, Cariplo, and Italian ministries.