-PICT2015- 3814 (categoría V, Investigador co-responsable)

-PICT 2014-2155 (ANPCyT-FONCyT)

-UBACyT 2014 (UBA)


En nuestro laboratorio investigamos el rol de las neurotrofinas, el factor neurotrófico GDNF y nuevos factores tróficos en los procesos de diferenciación neuronal, guiado de axones y maduración sináptica, asi como los mecanismos moleculares y celulares que subyacen a estos procesos biológicos.
Los procesos de regeneración que ocurren después de una lesión nerviosa comparten muchos de los eventos celulares y mecanismos moleculares que regulan el crecimiento axonal y los procesos de inervación de los tejidos blanco que ocurren durante el desarrollo.
De esta manera, nuestra capacidad de desarrollar tratamientos efectivos para enfermedades neurodegenerativas dependerá exclusivamente de nuestros conocimientos sobre los principios que gobiernan el desarrollo normal de las distintas subpoblaciones neuronales.


The precise development of neuronal connections is essential for the proper function of the nervous system, and aberrant connectivity is associated with neurodevelopmental and neurodegeneative diseases.
The regenerative mechanisms induced by nerve injury share many of the cellular and molecular events that control axonal growth and nerve target innervation during development of the nervous system. Thus, our understanding of the principles that govern the formation and maintenance of neuronal networks will help to develop effective treatments for nerve injury and neurological disorders.
Our research focus is on identification and characterization of new molecular and cellular mechanisms through which the neurotophic factor GDNF, neurotrophins, and chemokines control key developmental processes such as neuronal migration, axon guidance, synapse formation, maturation and plasticity. To achieve this, we use microarray assays, cell culture, molecular and biochemical techniques as well as physiological approaches in genetically engineered mice.

TRABAJOS PUBLICADOS DESDE 2011

Ledda F and Paratcha G. Assembly of neuronal connectivity by neurotrophic factors and leucine rich repeat proteins. Front. Cell Neurosci., in press (2016).

Alsina FC; Hita FJ; Fontanet PA; Irala D; Hedman H; Ledda F and Paratcha G. Lrig1 is a cell-intrinsic modulator of hippocampal dendrite complexity and BDNF signaling. EMBO Reports, (4):601-16. doi: 10.15252/embr.201541218 (2016).

Fontanet, P; Irala, D; Alsina, F; Paratcha, G and Ledda F. Pea3 Transcription Factor Family Members Etv4 and Etv5 Mediate Retrograde Signaling and Axonal Growth of DRG Sensory Neurons in Response to NGF. J Neurosci. 33(40):15940 –15951 (2013).

Alsina F.C; Ledda F and Paratcha G. New insights into the control of neurotrophic growth factor receptor signaling: Implications for nervous system development and repair. J. Neurochem, (2012) 23(5):652-61. doi: 10.1111/jnc.12021.

Alsina F.C; Irala, D; Fontanet, P.A; Hita, F.J; Ledda, F and Paratcha, G. Sprouty4 is an endogenous negative modulator of TrkA signaling and neuronal differentiation induced by NGF. PLoS ONE 7(2):e32087 (2012).

Paratcha G and Ledda F. The GTPase–activating protein Rap1GAP. A new player to modulate Ret signaling. Cell Research. 21(2):217-9. (2011).

PRESENTACIONES A CONGRESOS (desde 2005)

TIAM1 AS A NOVEL SIGNALING MEDIATOR OF NGF-DEPENDENT NEURITE OUTGROWTH. Shirazi Fard, S; Kele, J; Vilar, M; Paratcha, G and Ledda, F., Simposio NGF2010, Helsinki (Finlandia).

Ledda, F., Bieraugel, O., Shirazi Fard, S., Vilar, M & Paratcha, G. Lrig1, a novel GDNF/Ret signaling inhibitor. FENS Forum 2008, Ginebra, Suiza.. FENS Abstr., vol.4, 212.10, 2008

DESDE 2005

Conferencista invitada por la Universidad de Umeå, Umeå, Suecia, Contact person: Håkan Hedman Titulo: Lrig1 is an endogenous inhibitor of Ret receptor tyrosine kinase activation, downstream signaling and biological responses to GDNF.

Conferencista en los Seminarios del Departamento de Neurociencias, Instituto Karolinska, Estocolmo Suecia. Titulo: Synapse formation by a novel induced ligand cell adhesion mechanism (LICAM).

Conferencista invitada. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Buenos Aires, Argentina. Contacto: Dr. Schinder A. Título: GDNF and GFR?1: A versatile molecular complex for developmental neurons.

Conferencista invitada. Hospital Austral, Pilar, Buenos Airtes, Argentina. Contacto: Dr. Jorge Aquino.
Título: Formation of neuronal synapses by GDNF-induced cell adhesion.

Conferencista invitada l Reunión Conjunta de Neurociencias 2009. Symposium: Trophic factors, mechanisms and roles in synaptogenesis. Chair: Dr. Gabriel Corfás.

Tésis de Licenciatura

Lic. Shahrzad Shirazi Fard Título: `Rol of Tiam-1 in neurotrophic factor signaling´
Tésis de Licenciatura.
Stockholm University. Estocolmo, Suecia, Junio 2007.
Directora: Dra. Fernanda Ledda
Co-Director: Dr. Gustavo Paratcha.

Lic. Oliver Bieraugel Título: `Mechanism of action of Sprouty1 in GDNF-induced Ret signaling in neuronal cells´.
Tésis de Licenciatura
Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute. Estocolmo, Suecia, Abril 2007.
Director: Dr. Gustavo Paratcha
Co-directora: Dra. Fernanda Ledda