Roberto De Luca is a young neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School, working in the Department of Neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. His primary focus is on comprehending the mechanisms and neuronal circuits involved in the brain's control over wake-sleep states and their reciprocal transitions. Through his ongoing experiments, he aims to shed light on the synaptic circuits and neural foundations responsible for regulating arousal and sleep within the brain. His research aims to establish connections between the activity of neurochemically-identified circuits and physiological responses observed in behaving animals.
During his postdoc training at Harvard Medical School, he further developed his skills and expertise in electrophysiology by incorporating in vitro optogenetics and single-cell molecular biology techniques. Optogenetics is a highly effective method that enables the manipulation of neuronal physiology, both in vivo and in vitro, by utilizing light-sensitive proteins, such as Channelrhodopsin. By expressing these proteins, we can selectively and temporally control the activity of neurons through light-dependent activation. One of the key advantages of optogenetics is its ability to induce the release of neurotransmitters from specific neuronal terminals that express Channelrhodopsin. This allows us to study the evoked synaptic responses in downstream neurons that receive inputs exclusively from targeted neuronal populations. This approach provides valuable insights into the functional connectivity and communication between distinct types of neurons.
Courses
BIOL 113-02 General Biology
BIOL 113L-02 General Biology Lab
Education
- PhD, Molecular Neurophysiology, from University of Düsseldorf (Germany)
- MSc, Biology for Molecular, Cellular and Patho-Physiological Research, from Università degli studi Roma TRE (Italy)
- BSc, Biological Sciences, from Università degli studi Roma TRE (Italy)
Area of Expertise
Neuroscience, Biology, Neurophysiology, Sleep, Brain Circuits, Neuropharmacology, Molecular Biology
Professional Affiliations & Memberships
- 3/2023 — Present Faculty Affiliation to the Division of Sleep Medicine Harvard Medical School/ Division of Sleep Medicine Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston
- 2013 — Present Society for Neuroscience (SFN) Member
- 2016 — Present Sleep Research Society (SRS) Member
- 2019 — Present European Histamine Research Society (EHRS) Mem
- 2023 — Present Full Member of Sigma Xi –The Scientific Research Honor Society Member
Awards
2014 BCC “Giuseppe Toniolo” MSc degree Award
2015 “Piero Redaelli” MSc degree Award
2016 Travel grant for 10th International Meeting on Rapid Responses to Steroid Hormones (RRSH) 2016
2019 Special Commendation Award in the Young Investigator Awards at the 48th EHRS meeting
2019 Trainee Merit Based Award at the 33rd SRS meeting
2023 Faculty Affiliation to the Division of Sleep Medicine
2023 Adjunct Faculty (Instructor) College of Natural, Behavioral, and Health Sciences - Simmons Univ
2023 Full Member of Sigma Xi – The Scientific Research Honor Society
2024 Registration waiver award at Workshop on “Spatial Omics and complexities of human diseases: Resolve and Solve,” Rome, Italy; European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)