Dr. Simona Eleuteri | Neuroscience | Best Researcher Award

Instructor of neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center BIDMC/Harvard medical school, United States

Dr. Simona Carmen Eleuteri, a distinguished neuroscientist with 15 years of expertise, serves as an Instructor in Neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Harvard Medical School. Her groundbreaking work focuses on unraveling the molecular mechanisms behind neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s (PD), Alzheimer’s (AD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Dr. Eleuteri is a passionate researcher with proven skills in both translational medicine and experimental modeling, leveraging in vitro and in vivo systems to identify therapeutic targets. She has pioneered studies on pharmacological approaches stabilizing retromer complexes and elucidating protein aggregation mechanisms in neurodegeneration. With a track record of managing collaborations across the USA and Europe, she embodies leadership and innovation. Dr. Eleuteri’s work is backed by prestigious grants and awards, showcasing her dedication to advancing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and fostering global collaborations in scientific research.

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Education

Dr. Simona Eleuteri earned her Ph.D. in Neurosciences (Physiology and Cellular Biology) in a joint program between BMI, EPFL Lausanne, Switzerland, and the University of Bologna, Italy, in 2010. Her doctoral research focused on innovative therapeutic strategies targeting neurodegenerative disorders under the mentorship of Prof. Hilal Lashuel and Prof. Antonio Contestabile. She holds an M.Sc. in Biological Sciences with a specialization in Molecular & Cellular Biotechnology from the University of Bologna (2006), where she completed a biochemistry thesis under Prof. Bruno A. Melandri. Additionally, she completed the IPCSs Course at the Sanford Stem Cell Center, UCSD San Diego, in 2013. Her academic journey reflects a strong foundation in neurobiology, protein biochemistry, and translational medicine, which she seamlessly integrates into her ongoing research on neurodegenerative diseases, notably Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

work Experience

Dr. Eleuteri has held pivotal roles in leading neurodegenerative disease research:

Instructor in Neurology, BIDMC/Harvard Medical School (2019–Present): Advanced pharmacological approaches targeting Parkinson’s pathology.
Head of Lab in Parkinson’s Disease, Neurocenter, Humanitas Clinical Institute, Milan (2017–2019): Established a cutting-edge research lab and biobank for PD biomarker discovery.
Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow, Neuroimmunology Department, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (2014–2017): Developed therapeutic strategies for ALS, including patenting innovative retromer stabilization methods.
Research Fellow, UCSD San Diego (2011–2014): Investigated retromer complex mutations and peptide therapies in PD and AD models.
Dr. Eleuteri’s work has bridged bench-to-bedside translational medicine, blending innovation with collaboration.

Awards and Honors 🏆

Dr. Simona Eleuteri has been recognized for her groundbreaking contributions to neuroscience with numerous prestigious awards and honors. She is a recipient of the NIH R21 Grant (2023–2025) as Principal Investigator, focusing on VPS35 mechanisms in Parkinson’s disease, and the NIH R01 Grant (2023–2025) as Co-Investigator for innovative therapeutic strategies in neurodegenerative diseases. Her efforts were further acknowledged with the Departmental Early Career Stage Investigator Grant (2022), supporting her research on retromer stabilization in Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, Dr. Eleuteri co-led groundbreaking work funded by the Owens Foundation Award (2021–2023), targeting VPS35 for therapeutic advancements. Earlier, she earned the prestigious Fondazione Grigioni Fellowship (2019–2022) for her focused work on Parkinson’s disease. Her excellence in postdoctoral research was celebrated through the Marie Curie Fellowship (2014–2017), a testament to her innovative studies in neuroscience. During her doctoral journey, she was honored with the Molecular Biology Fellowship (2007–2010) at the University of Bologna, laying the foundation for her distinguished career.

Research Focus

Dr. Eleuteri’s research centers on uncovering molecular mechanisms driving neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on protein misfolding, aggregation, and clearance pathways in Parkinson’s (PD), Alzheimer’s (AD), and ALS. Her innovative approaches include stabilizing the retromer complex to mitigate α-Synuclein and amyloid-beta pathologies, identifying VPS35 as a therapeutic target, and utilizing molecular chaperones to control neurotoxic protein aggregates. With an emphasis on translational medicine, she has developed therapeutic candidates progressing from preclinical validation to patent submission and clinical trial planning. Her work integrates cutting-edge techniques, such as drug screening, protein biochemistry, and murine modeling, advancing novel interventions for neurodegeneration.

Conclusion

Dr. Simona Carmen Eleuteri is an exemplary candidate for the Best Researcher Award, with her groundbreaking research, leadership, and translational contributions to neuroscience making her a standout in the field. Recognizing her achievements would not only honor her efforts but also inspire future advancements in understanding and treating neurodegenerative diseases.

Publications to Noted

PGC-1α regulation by FBXW7 through a novel mechanism linking chaperone-mediated autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system
Authors: Eleuteri, S., Wang, B., Cutillo, G., Wei, W., Simon, D.K.
Journal: FEBS Journal
Year: 2024
Citations: 0

Knockout or inhibition of USP30 protects dopaminergic neurons in a Parkinson’s disease mouse model
Authors: Fang, T.-S.Z., Sun, Y., Pearce, A.C., Balmus, G., Simon, D.K.
Journal: Nature Communications
Year: 2023
Citations: 12

Ferroptosis in Parkinson’s disease: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential
Authors: Ding, X.-S., Gao, L., Han, Z., Wang, X.-L., Wang, B.
Journal: Ageing Research Reviews
Year: 2023
Citations: 37

Erratum: Parkinson’s Disease Genes VPS35 and EIF4G1 Interact Genetically and Converge on α-Synuclein (Neuron (2015) 85(1) (76–87))
Authors: Dhungel, N., Eleuteri, S., Li, L.-B., Masliah, E., Gitler, A.D.
Journal: Neuron
Year: 2023
Citations: 3

Editorial: Prion and prion-like proteins in neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Toni, M., Eleuteri, S.
Journal: Frontiers in Neuroscience
Year: 2022
Citations: 0

Retromer stabilization results in neuroprotection in a model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Muzio, L., Sirtori, R., Gornati, D., Seneci, P., Martino, G.
Journal: Nature Communications
Year: 2020
Citations: 38

VPS35 and the mitochondria: Connecting the dots in Parkinson’s disease pathophysiology
Authors: Cutillo, G., Simon, D.K., Eleuteri, S.
Journal: Neurobiology of Disease
Year: 2020
Citations: 21

VPS35-Based Approach: A Potential Innovative Treatment in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Eleuteri, S., Albanese, A.
Journal: Frontiers in Neurology
Year: 2019
Citations: 20

A de novo compound targeting α-synuclein improves deficits in models of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Wrasidlo, W., Tsigelny, I.F., Price, D.L., Konrat, R., Masliah, E.
Journal: Brain
Year: 2016
Citations: 120

Erratum to Parkinson’s Disease Genes VPS35 and EIF4G1 Interact Genetically and Converge on α-Synuclein [(Neuron 85, (2015) 76-87)]
Authors: Dhungel, N., Eleuteri, S., Li, L.-B., Masliah, E., Gitler, A.D.
Journal: Neuron
Year: 2015
Citations: 3

Simona Eleuteri | Neuroscience | Best Researcher Award