Team – Miriam Melis' lab

This page is devoted to the people making the research possible.
I value and encourage rigor, respect, creativity, kindness, hard-work, positive attitude, motivation and sense of humor. These traits allow our team to be inclusive and diverse, and result in both a safe workplace and an exceptional teamwork.
Nobody wins alone!

Team members

Miriam Melis, PhD -Team Leader
Valeria Serra, PhD- PostDoctoral fellow (3/2018- present)
Sonia Aroni, PhD- Researcher (1/2021- present)
Roberta Leone, PhD- postDoctoral fellow (4/2024- present)
Federico Brandalise, PhD- Researcher (10/24- present)
Benedetta Palomba (BSc, 2023- present)
Samuele Giaquinta (BSc, 2023- present)
Camilla Coraddu (PhD Candidate, 2024- present)
Alex Garau (BSc, 2024- present)
Maria Laura Dessena (BSs, 2024- present)

Fall 2024: *Left-to right* *front*, Valeria, Miriam, Roberta, Benedetta; *Left-to right* *back,* Sonia, Maria Laura, Alex, Federico.

**Winter 2023:** *left-to-right,* Samuele, Benedetta, Valeria, Miriam, Sonia, Giorgia, Misia.

**Fall 2022:** *left-to-right,* Alessia, Matilde, Miriam, Colleen, Valeria, Sonia, Mara.

**February 2022- Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2022:** *left-to-right,* Kylie, Miriam, Mara, Valeria and Sonia. #speedupthechange #breakthebias

**April 2021:** left-to-right sitting are Valeria, Sonia and Miriam.
Francesco is on his knees in the back.

Former Group members

Roberto Frau, PhD
Claudia Sagheddu, PhD
Francesco Traccis, MD
Francesca Mura, BSc
Mara Mancosu, BSc
Alessia Sanna, BSc
Matilde Loddo, BSc
Misia Lobina BSc
Giorgia Fanunza, MS

Sharper Night 2022- Notte Europea dei Ricercatori- Talk: *Valeria*

Sharper Night 2019-Notte Europea dei Ricercatori- Quattro chiacchere con i ricercatori: *Francesco*

May 2019-out for pizza with Anto Bonci. *Clockwise: Valeria, Anto, Michele*

Sharper Night 2018-Notte Europea dei Ricercatori- Quattro chiacchere con i ricercatori: *Valeria*

Visiting Scientists

Hui-Chen Lu, PhD, Director and Chair Linda and Jack Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Professor of Dept. of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington (IN, USA) (05/2024)
François Georges, PhD, Chef d’equipe from Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Bordeaux Neurocampus (France) (4/2024)
Marcello Solinas, PhD, Chef d’equipe from University of Poitiers (France) (4/2024)
Colleen Peterson, PhD candidate (Borgland’s lab) from Univeristy of Calgary (Canada) (10/2022)
Joseph FR Cheer, PhD, Professor from University of Maryland (USA) (9/2022)
Hui-Chen Lu, PhD, Professor from Indiana University Bloomington (USA) (5/2022)
Ken Mackie, MD, Distinguished Professors Indiana University Bloomington (USA) (5/2022)
Migle Kaminskaite, MD, PhD (ERASMUS plus) from Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (6-7/2021)
Maud Martinat, PhD candidate (Laye’s lab) from INRAE/ Nutrineuro- Bordeaux Univ (FR) (9-10/2019)
Raquel Heras de Gomez, PhD, Professor from Universidad Complutense Madrid (ES) (5-7/2019)
Chloe Jordan, PhD, from National Institute of Drugs of Abuse (USA)(5/2019)
Olivier Manzoni, PhD, Professor from Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée (INMED), Marseille (FR) (4-5/2018)
Yousef Baghcheghi, PhD candidate from Mashhad University (Iran) (10/2017-4/2018)
Benjamin (Beni) Barti, PhD candidate (Katona’s lab) from KOKI HAS, Budapest (HU)(1/2018)
Istvàn Katona, PhD, Professor from Institute of Experimental Medicine (KOKI), Hungarian Academy of Science (HAS), Budapest (6-7/2017 and 8/2018), currently at Indiana University Bloomington.

Out for drinks with Olivier: clockwise Claudia, Olivier, Miriam, Michele and Mauro (4/2018)

Drs Manzoni and Chavis with Prof. Riva and Loy at the Susini’s Wax Anatomical Museum

Celebrating our Nature Neuroscience paper (06/8/2019): left-to-right, Vivien Miczàn, Roberto Frau, Istvàn Katona, Miriam.