Education
Ph.D., Functional and Structural Genomics, International School for Advanced Studies
(SISSA)
M.S., Neuroscience, University of Trieste
B.S., General and Applied Biology, University of Naples Federico II
Areas of Expertise
Evolutionary and developmental neuroscience
Anatomy
Molecular biology
Glial biology
Biography
Dr. Carmen Falcone is a neurobiologist specializing in evolutionary and developmental
neuroscience, with particular expertise in glial biology, molecular biology and brain
anatomy.
She earned her Ph.D. in Functional and Structural Genomics from the International
School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) in Trieste, Italy, following a Master's degree
in Neuroscience from the University of Trieste and a Bachelor's degree in General
and Applied Biology from the University of Naples Federico II.
Dr. Falcone is a co-founder of Astrocyte Cafe foundation and Italian Glia Network
and an active member of the following networks:
- The Integrative Biology of Brain Evolution network
- Society for Neuroscience
- JB Johnston Club for Evolutionary Neuroscience.
Dr. Falcone is also passionate about teaching, mentoring and science outreach.
Research
Our laboratory is interested in the evolution and development of the nervous system
in mammals and, more specifically, in astrocytes, a type of glial cells in the brain.
We combine techniques of histology and transcriptomics on mammalian postmortem brains
from a wide variety of species with induced pluripotent stem cell cultures and cell
transplantations in mice. The big aim is to investigate the functions, evolution and
development of astrocytes across mammals at multiple levels: molecular, cellular,
anatomical and neural circuits, in both physiology and pathology.
Teaching
- BIOL 221/221 L Human Anatomy and Physiology I