Silvia Maioli

Silvia Maioli is an Associate Professor (Docent) and Principal Researcher at Karolinska Institutet's Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, where she leads the 'Alzheimer's Disease Risk Factors & Sex-Specific Mechanisms' research group. She is also Facility Coordinator for the Animal Behavior Core Facility (ABCF) at Karolinska Institutet.

Dr. Maioli earned her PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Bologna in 2011, followed by postdoctoral training at Karolinska Institutet. Her research focuses on understanding the biological mechanisms behind risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's Disease (AD), with particular emphasis on sex differences.

Her laboratory investigates:

• Cholesterol metabolism in the brain and its role in AD progression
• The interplay between ApoE, cholesterol metabolites (oxysterols), and neurodegeneration
• Sex hormone interactions with brain cholesterol metabolism
• Multi-medication therapies and their sex-specific effects on AD pathology
• Identification of early biomarkers for women at risk of developing AD
• CYP46A1 as a potential therapeutic target for women at higher risk of AD

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong translational approach combining mouse models with human clinical data to identify sex-specific therapeutic targets. Her work demonstrates that common multi-medication therapies affect AD pathology differently in male and female mice, and that protein activation in the brain may protect women against neurodegenerative diseases.

Scientific Recognition

• Royal grant from King Gustaf V and Queen Victoria's Foundation for research on sex-differences in Alzheimer's Disease
• Nearly 20 million SEK from the Swedish Research Council
• Multiple grants from Alzheimerfonden, KID-funding, and other foundations

Dr. Maioli actively mentors the next generation of researchers, currently serving as main supervisor for 2 PhD students and co-supervisor for 3 PhD students. She has directed two PhD theses and supervised 15 master's students. Her teaching includes directing the PhD Course 5239 'Behavioral Analysis in Rodents' and contributing to several other programs at Karolinska Institutet.

As Facility Coordinator for the Animal Behavior Core Facility, Dr. Maioli leads a team specializing in behavioral testing of mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases. Her laboratory employs molecular biology techniques, in vitro and in vivo models, and analysis of human samples to investigate sex-specific mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease.