Michela Rigoni
Michela Rigoni
e-mail:
affiliation: Università di Padova
research area(s): Cell Biology, Neuroscience
Course: Biosciences and Biotechnologies
University/Istitution: Università di Padova
- Graduated with honours in 2000 in Biological Sciences at the University of Padova. Thesis title: “Study on the catalytic site of botulinum neurotoxin type A by site-directed mutagenesis”.
- PhD in Biology and Molecular and Cellular Pathology in 2004 with a thesis entitled: ”Study on the molecular mechanism of action of some snake presynaptic neurotoxins endowed with PLA2 activity.”
- Post-doctoral research activity (2004-2008) working on snake and botulinum neurotoxins in the laboratory of Prof. Cesare Montecucco in Padova.
- By December 2008 Researcher at the University of Padova, Faculty of MMFFNN Sciences, General Pathology, SSD MED/04.
Present topics:
1) Study on the mechanisms of degeneration and regeneration of nerve terminals following animal presynaptic neurotoxins poisoning.
2) Investigation on the molecular nature of the neuroexocytosis nanomachine.
Duregotti E, Tedesco E, Montecucco C, Rigoni M. (2013). Calpains participate in nerve terminal degeneration induced by spider and snakepresynaptic neurotoxins. Toxicon.

Rossetto, O., Pirazzini, M., Bolognese, P., Rigoni, M., Montecucco, C. (2011). An update on the mechanism of action of tetanus and botulinum neurotoxins. Acta Chimica Slovenica 58, 702-707.

Megighian, A., Scorzeto, M., Zanini, D., Pantano, S., Rigoni, M., Benna, C., Rossetto, O., Montecucco, C. and Zordan, M. (2010). Arg206 of SNAP-25 is essential for neuroexocytosis at the Drosophila melanogaster neuromuscular junction. J Cell Sci 123, 3276-3283.

Paoli, M., Rigoni, M., Koster, G., Rossetto, O., Montecucco, C., and Postle, A.D. (2009). Mass spectrometry analysis of the phospholipase A(2) activity of snake pre-synaptic neurotoxins in cultured neurons. J Neurochem 111, 737-744.

Tedesco, E.*, Rigoni, M.*, Caccin, P., Grishin, E., Rossetto, O., and Montecucco, C. (2009). Calcium overload in nerve terminals intoxicated by alpha-latrotoxin and snake PLA2 neurotoxins. Toxicon 54, 138-144.

Montecucco, C., Rossetto, O., Caccin, P., Rigoni, M., Carli, L., Morbiato, L., Muraro, L., Paoli, M. (2009). Different mechanisms of inhibition of nerve terminals by botulinum and snake presynaptic neurotoxins. Toxicon 54, 561-564.

Rigoni, M., Paoli, M., Milanesi, E., Caccin, P., Rasola, A., Bernardi, P., and Montecucco, C. (2008) Snake PLA2 neurotoxins enter neurons, bind specifically to mitochondria and open their transition pores. J Biol Chem 283, 34013-34020.

Rossetto, O., Morbiato, L., Caccin, P., Rigoni, M., Carli, L., Paoli, M., Cintra-Francischinelli, M., Montecucco, C. (2008) Tetanus, botulinum and snake presynaptic neurotoxins. Rendiconti Lincei 19, 173-188. Review.




No projects are available to students for the current accademic year.