Essentials of Noncoding RNA in Neuroscience

Dr. De Pietri Tonelli is Group Leader of the microRNA in Neurobiology laboratory at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Genova, Italy, investigating noncoding RNAs in neurogenesis and brain circadian rhythms. Having received his PhD in Neurobiology from the University of Varese, he completed his postdoctoral studies at the Max-Planck Institute of Molecular Cell-Biology and Genetics in Dresden examining the role of microRNAs in mouse corticogenesis. He was also a Research Fellow at the San Raffaele Institute in Milan, focusing on post-transcriptional control of gene expression in Alzheimer’s disease.

Intro to miRNAs and methods
1. Making and Maintaining MicroRNAs in Animals
2. Essentials of miRNA-dependent control of mRNA translation and decay, miRNA targeting principles and methods for target identification
3. Computational challenges and -omics approaches for the identification of miRNAs and targets
4. Methodological challenges in functional investigation and therapeutic use of microRNAs

Neurogenesis
5. The cell biology of neural stem and progenitor cells and neocortex expansion in development and evolution
6. miRNA-dependent and independent functions of the Microprocessor in the regulation of neural stem cell biology
7. Epigenetic Regulation of Neurogenesis by MicroRNAs
8. MiRNAs in mammalian adult olfactory neurogenesis
9. microRNA-mediated regulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and implications for hippocampus-dependent cognition and related disorders

Gliogenesis
10. Transcriptional and Epigenetic Control of Astrogliogenesis
11. microRNAs in Oligodendrocyte Myelination and Repair in the Central Nervous System

Plasticity and brain dysfunctions
12. MiRNA in neuronal networks maturation and plasticity
13. Small RNA dysregulation in neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric disorders

Emerging complexity in small RNA classes and functions
14. Circular RNAs expression, function and regulation in neural systems
15. Comparative functions of miRNAs in embryonic neurogenesis/neuronal network formation
16. MicroRNA and neocortical evolution