Professor Laura Piccio
NHMRC Principal Research Fellow
School of Medical Sciences
Faculty of Medicine and Health
My research interest is to investigate immune-inflammatory and neurodegenerative mechanisms leading to multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases. My research has a strong translational approach with the goal to apply findings from basic research to the clinic. Currently, my laboratory has two major areas of interest. One is the role played by innate immune cells (macrophages, dendritic cells and microglia) in MS with a particular interest in the innate immune receptor TREM2. We are also studying the role of the soluble form of TREM2 as a potential biomarker in neurological diseases, including Alzhemier’s disease. A second area of interest of my laboratory is to study the effects of diet on MS and the complex interplay between the immune system and metabolism.
Project title | Research student |
---|---|
Investigating the effects of high-fibre diet and its combination with intermittent fasting in an animal model of multiple sclerosis | Anjie GE |
Investigating Extracellular Vesicles signalling in the pathophysiology of Multiple Sclerosis | Drishya MAINALI |
Investigating the molecular mechanism of TREM2-mediated microglial myelin debris clearance in central nervous system demyelination | Yifei ZHOU |
Publications
Journals
- Veronese, N., Notarnicola, M., Giannelli, G., De Pergola, G., Stamatakis, E., Cereda, E., Bernardinelli, L., Fontana, L., Nova, A., Fazia, T., Piccio, L., Huang, B., Ahmadi, M., et al (2024). Contribution of Nutritional, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Risk Factors to Parkinson's Disease. Movement Disorders, 39(7), 1203-1212. [More Information]
- Shi, L., Ghezzi, L., Fenoglio, C., Pietroboni, A., Galimberti, D., Pace, F., Hardy, T., Piccio, L., Don, A. (2024). CSF sphingolipids are correlated with neuroinflammatory cytokines and differentiate neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder from multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 96(1), 54-67. [More Information]
- Martin, K., Ghezzi, L., Green, K., Pace, F., Pastori, G., Taylor, M., Piccio, L., Wingo, B., Cofield, S., Cross, A., et al (2024). Functional outcomes of diets in multiple sclerosis (FOOD for MS): Protocol for a parallel arm randomized feeding trial for low glycemic load and calorie restriction. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 143, 107584. [More Information]
2024
- Veronese, N., Notarnicola, M., Giannelli, G., De Pergola, G., Stamatakis, E., Cereda, E., Bernardinelli, L., Fontana, L., Nova, A., Fazia, T., Piccio, L., Huang, B., Ahmadi, M., et al (2024). Contribution of Nutritional, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Risk Factors to Parkinson's Disease. Movement Disorders, 39(7), 1203-1212. [More Information]
- Shi, L., Ghezzi, L., Fenoglio, C., Pietroboni, A., Galimberti, D., Pace, F., Hardy, T., Piccio, L., Don, A. (2024). CSF sphingolipids are correlated with neuroinflammatory cytokines and differentiate neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder from multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 96(1), 54-67. [More Information]
- Martin, K., Ghezzi, L., Green, K., Pace, F., Pastori, G., Taylor, M., Piccio, L., Wingo, B., Cofield, S., Cross, A., et al (2024). Functional outcomes of diets in multiple sclerosis (FOOD for MS): Protocol for a parallel arm randomized feeding trial for low glycemic load and calorie restriction. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 143, 107584. [More Information]
2023
- Touil, H., Li, R., Zuroff, L., Moore, C., Healy, L., Cignarella, F., Piccio, L., Ludwin, S., Prat, A., Gommerman, J., et al (2023). Cross-talk between B cells, microglia and macrophages, and implications to central nervous system compartmentalized inflammation and progressive multiple sclerosis. EBioMedicine, 96. [More Information]
- Filipello, F., You, S., Mirfakhar, F., Mahali, S., Bollman, B., Acquarone, M., Korvatska, O., Marsh, J., Sivaraman, A., Martinez, R., Piccio, L., et al (2023). Defects in lysosomal function and lipid metabolism in human microglia harboring a TREM2 loss of function mutation. Acta Neuropathologica, 145(6), 749-772. [More Information]
- Teo, J., Marian, O., Spiteri, A., Nicholson, M., Song, H., Khor, J., McEwen, H., Ge, A., Sen, M., Piccio, L., King, N., Don, A., et al (2023). Early microglial response, myelin deterioration and lethality in mice deficient for very long chain ceramide synthesis in oligodendrocytes. GLIA, 71(4), 1120-1141. [More Information]
2022
- Esposito, F., Osiceanu, A., Sorosina, M., Ottoboni, L., Bollman, B., Santoro, S., Bettegazzi, B., Zauli, A., Clarelli, F., Mascia, E., Piccio, L., et al (2022). A Whole-Genome Sequencing Study Implicates GRAMD1B in Multiple Sclerosis Susceptibility. Genes, 13(12). [More Information]
- Veronese, N., Yang, L., Piccio, L., Smith, L., Firth, J., Marx, W., Giannelli, G., Caruso, M., Cisternino, A., Notarnicola, M., Fontana, L., et al (2022). Adherence to a healthy lifestyle and multiple sclerosis: a case–control study from the UK Biobank. Nutritional Neuroscience, 25(6), 1231-1239. [More Information]
- Cantoni, C., Lin, Q., Dorsett, Y., Ghezzi, L., Liu, Z., Pan, Y., Chen, K., Han, Y., Li, Z., Xiao, H., Piccio, L., et al (2022). Alterations of host-gut microbiome interactions in multiple sclerosis. EBioMedicine, 76. [More Information]
2021
- Piccio, L., Wu, G., Klein, R. (2021). A new era in neuroimmunology. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 351, 577478. [More Information]
- Schindler, S., Cruchaga, C., Joseph, A., McCue, L., Farias, F., Wilkins, C., Deming, Y., Henson, R., Mikesell, R., Piccio, L., et al (2021). African Americans Have Differences in CSF Soluble TREM2 and Associated Genetic Variants. Neurology: Genetics, 7(2), 1-12. [More Information]
- Shah, S., Locca, A., Dorsett, Y., Cantoni, C., Ghezzi, L., Lin, Q., Bokoliya, S., Panier, H., Suther, C., Gormley, M., Piccio, L., et al (2021). Alterations of the gut mycobiome in patients with MS. EBioMedicine, 71, 103557. [More Information]
2020
- Ewers, M., Biechele, G., Suárez-Calvet, M., Sacher, C., Blume, T., Morenas-Rodríguez, E., Deming, Y., Piccio, L., Crane, P., Kleinberger, G., et al (2020). Higher CSF sTREM2 and microglia activation are associated with slower rates of beta-amyloid accumulation. EMBO Molecular Medicine, 12(9), 1-14. [More Information]
- Ghezzi, L., Cantoni, C., Cignarella, F., Bollman, B., Cross, A., Salter, A., Galimberti, D., Cella, M., Piccio, L. (2020). T cells producing GM-CSF and IL-13 are enriched in the cerebrospinal fluid of relapsing MS patients. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 26(10), 1172-1186. [More Information]
- Cignarella, F., Filipello, F., Bollman, B., Cantoni, C., Locca, A., Mikesell, R., Manis, M., Ibrahim, A., Deng, L., Benitez, B., Buckland, M., Piccio, L., et al (2020). TREM2 activation on microglia promotes myelin debris clearance and remyelination in a model of multiple sclerosis. Acta Neuropathologica, 140(4), 513-534. [More Information]
2019
- Evans, E., Levasseur, V., Cross, A., Piccio, L. (2019). An overview of the current state of evidence for the role of specific diets in multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 36, 1-6. [More Information]
- Jordan, S., Tung, N., Casanova-Acebes, M., Chang, C., Cantoni, C., Zhang, D., Wirtz, T., Naik, S., Rose, S., Brocker, C., Piccio, L., et al (2019). Dietary Intake Regulates the Circulating Inflammatory Monocyte Pool. Cell, 178(5), 1102-1114.e17. [More Information]
- Suarez-Calvet, M., Morenas-Rodríguez, E., Kleinberger, G., Schlepckow, K., Caballero, M., Franzmeier, N., Capell, A., Fellerer, K., Nuscher, B., Piccio, L., et al (2019). Early increase of CSF sTREM2 in Alzheimer’s disease is associated with tau related-neurodegeneration but not with amyloid-â pathology. Molecular Neurodegeneration, 14(1), 1. [More Information]
2018
- Suarez-Calvet, M., Capell, A., Caballero, M., Morenas-Rodríguez, E., Fellerer, K., Franzmeier, N., Kleinberger, G., Eren, E., Deming, Y., Piccio, L., et al (2018). CSF progranulin increases in the course of Alzheimer’s disease and is associated with sTREM2, neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. EMBO Molecular Medicine, 10(12), e9712. [More Information]
- Longbrake, E., Cantoni, C., Chahin, S., Cignarella, F., Cross, A., Piccio, L. (2018). Dimethyl fumarate induces changes in B- and T-lymphocyte function independent of the effects on absolute lymphocyte count. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 24(6), 728-738. [More Information]
- Cignarella, F., Cantoni, C., Ghezzi, L., Salter, A., Dorsett, Y., Chen, L., Phillips, D., Weinstock, G., Fontana, L., Cross, A., et al (2018). Intermittent Fasting Confers Protection in CNS Autoimmunity by Altering the Gut Microbiota. Cell Metabolism, 27(6), 1222-1235. [More Information]
2017
- Cantoni, C., Cignarella, F., Ghezzi, L., Mikesell, B., Bollman, B., Berrien-Elliott, M., Ireland, A., Fehniger, T., Wu, G., Piccio, L. (2017). Mir-223 regulates the number and function of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Acta Neuropathologica, 133(1), 61-77. [More Information]
- Klein, R., Voskuhl, R., Segal, B., Dittel, B., Lane, T., Bethea, J., Carson, M., Colton, C., Rosi, S., Anderson, A., et al (2017). Speaking out about gender imbalance in invited speakers improves diversity. Nature Immunology, 18(5), 475-478. [More Information]
2016
- Choi, I., Piccio, L., Childress, P., Bollman, B., Ghosh, A., Brandhorst, S., Suarez, J., Michalsen, A., Cross, A., Morgan, T., et al (2016). A Diet Mimicking Fasting Promotes Regeneration and Reduces Autoimmunity and Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms. Cell Reports, 15(10), 2136-2146. [More Information]
- Piccio, L., Deming, Y., Del‑Aguila, J., Ghezzi, L., Holtzman, D., Fagan, A., Fenoglio, C., Galimberti, D., Borroni, B., Cruchaga, C. (2016). Cerebrospinal fluid soluble TREM2 is higher in Alzheimer disease and associated with mutation status. Acta Neuropathologica, 131(6), 925-933. [More Information]
- Longbrake, E., Ramsbottom, M., Cantoni, C., Ghezzi, L., Cross, A., Piccio, L. (2016). Dimethyl fumarate selectively reduces memory T cells in multiple sclerosis patients. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 22(8), 1061-1070. [More Information]
2015
- Isobe, N., Madireddy, L., Khankhanian, P., Matsushita, T., Caillier, S., Moré, J., Gourraud, P., McCauley, J., Beecham, A., Piccio, L., et al (2015). An ImmunoChip study of multiple sclerosis risk in African Americans. Brain, 138(6), 1518-1530. [More Information]
- Patel, K., Luo, J., Alvarez, E., Piccio, L., Schmidt, R., Yablonskiy, D., Cross, A. (2015). Detection of cortical lesions in multiple sclerosis: A new imaging approach. Multiple Sclerosis Journal - Experimental, Translational and Clinical, 1, 1-4. [More Information]
- Alvarez, E., Piccio, L., Mikesell, R., Trinkaus, K., Parks, B., Naismith, R. (2015). Predicting optimal response to B-cell depletion with rituximab in multiple sclerosis using CXCL13 index, magnetic resonance imaging and clinical measures. Multiple Sclerosis Journal - Experimental, Translational and Clinical, 1. [More Information]
2014
- Ulrich, J., Finn, M., Wang, Y., Shen, A., Mahan, T., Jiang, H., Stewart, F., Piccio, L., Colonna, M., Holtzman, D. (2014). Altered microglial response to Aβ plaques in APPPS1-21 mice heterozygous for TREM2. Molecular Neurodegeneration, 9(1). [More Information]
- Cruz-Orengo, L., Daniels, B., Dorsey, D., Basak, S., Grajales-Reyes, J., McCandless, E., Piccio, L., Schmidt, R., Cross, A., Crosby, S., et al (2014). Enhanced sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2 expression underlies female CNS autoimmunity susceptibility. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 124(6), 2571-2584. [More Information]
2013
- Alvarez, E., Piccio, L., Mikesell, R., Klawiter, E., Parks, B., Naismith, R., Cross, A. (2013). CXCL13 is a biomarker of inflammation in multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica, and other neurological conditions. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 19(9), 1204-1208. [More Information]
- Fenoglio, C., Ridolfi, E., Cantoni, C., De Riz, M., Bonsi, R., Serpente, M., Villa, C., Pietroboni, A., Naismith, R., Alvarez, E., et al (2013). Decreased circulating miRNA levels in patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 19(14), 1938-1942. [More Information]
- Isobe, N., Gourraud, P., Harbo, H., Caillier, S., Santaniello, A., Khankhanian, P., Maiers, M., Spellman, S., Cereb, N., Yang, S., et al (2013). Genetic risk variants in African Americans with multiple sclerosis. Neurology, 81(3), 219-227. [More Information]
Selected Grants
2023
- Rewarding Research 2024, Piccio L, Faculty of Medicine and Health/FMH Rewarding Research Success
- Circulating lipid biomarkers to track therapeutic response in multiple sclerosis, Don A, Piccio L, Hardy T, Landin-Romero R, Patrick E, Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia/Project Grant
- Lipid biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid and blood samples in people with multiple sclerosis, Piccio L, Don A, Hardy T, Sen M, Brain Australia/Research Grant
2022
- Targeting TREM2 on microglia to modulate lipid metabolism and enhance remyelination in multiple sclerosis, Piccio L, Goldsbury C, Don A, Buckland M, Multiple Sclerosis Australia/Project Grant
- Careers in Immunology Fellowship, Piccio L, The American Association of Immunologists/Careers in Immunology Fellowship