Giancarlo V. De Ferrari, Ph.D.

Rubriques

Giancarlo V. De Ferrari, Ph.D.
Giancarlo De Ferrari
Department
Center for Biomedical Research
Institution
Andres Bello University
Research field
Neuroscience
Award year
2002
Country of origin
Chile
Mentor name
Randall T. Moon, Ph.D.

Research

Giancarlo De Ferrari was a 2002 Pew Latin American Fellow and Professor at Universidad Andrés Bello in Chile until his death in 2022. Ferrari’s research focused on Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder paralleled by selective neuronal death, which is probably caused by the deposition and neurotoxicity of the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ). He and others observed that Aβ neurotoxicity induced loss of function of Wnt signaling components and that activation of this signaling cascade protected post-mitotic neurons from Aβ neurotoxicity. His lab was interested in understanding the molecular mechanism by which Wnt signaling is lost in cells undergoing Aβ -dependent degeneration. His research involved integrating basic biological processes of cells exposed to cytotoxic insults, and may offer alternative therapeutic approaches to prevent or treat neurodegenerative diseases.

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