Simonetta Sipione

Dr. Simonetta Sipione is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology within the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta. She leads an active research laboratory focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Huntington's disease. Her work spans multiple disciplines including neuroscience, biochemistry, and pharmacology.

Dr. Sipione obtained her BSc in Biological Sciences and PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Catania, Italy, followed by postdoctoral training at the University of Milano and the University of Alberta. She is actively involved in teaching courses including PMCOL 412, NEURO451/452, NEURO410/510, BIOCH455/555, PHARM417, and CELL505.

Her research primarily focuses on:

• The role of gangliosides in neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, and neuroprotection
• Molecular mechanisms of Huntington's disease pathogenesis
• Lipid metabolism dysregulation in neurodegenerative conditions
• Development of ganglioside-based therapies for neurodegenerative diseases
• Gangliosides as potential biomarkers for disease progression

Dr. Sipione's laboratory employs a multidisciplinary approach combining biochemical, molecular, and cell biology techniques with omics and in vivo studies in transgenic models. Her work has established important connections between ganglioside metabolism and neurodegenerative processes, particularly demonstrating that restoration of ganglioside GM1 levels has therapeutic and disease-modifying effects in Huntington's disease models.

Her research has been published in high-impact journals including Nature Communications, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, EMBO Molecular Medicine, and the Journal of Neuroscience. The collective body of work reveals consistent themes in neurodegenerative mechanisms, with particular emphasis on protein misfolding, lipid metabolism alterations, and potential therapeutic interventions targeting ganglioside pathways.

Dr. Sipione's laboratory is part of the vibrant research community at the University of Alberta, affiliated with the Department of Pharmacology, the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute (NMHI), the Group on the Molecular and Cellular Biology of Lipids (MCBL), and the Canadian Glycomics Network.

Her research has been supported by multiple funding agencies including:

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
• Canadian Glycomics Network
• Alberta Prion Research Institute (APRI)
• Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
• Huntington Society of Canada
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
• SynAD
• Brain Canada
• Alberta Innovates Health Solutions
• Canada Research Chair

Dr. Sipione mentors numerous graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and undergraduate researchers. Her laboratory is committed to creating a fair, diverse, and inclusive learning and working environment where all individuals feel valued and invested in common scientific goals.