Personal information

Multiple Sclerosis, MS, EAE, cuprizone model, animal model, CNS, Neuroimmunology, Dimethyl fumarate, B- and T-lymphocyte, miRNA, Mir-223, MDSCs, Myeloid-derived suppressor cells, Microbiology, AIDS, HIV-1, p17, neuroferritinopathy, L- ferritin, Zebrafish, slc7a6os., MS4A
United States

Biography

Francesca currently serves as a Project Manager at the FNIH (Foundation for the National Institutes of Health), where she leads a groundbreaking Alzheimer's project. Leveraging her extensive background and expertise in neuroscience therapeutics, Francesca is spearheading efforts to advance our understanding and develop innovative solutions for Alzheimer's disease.

Before joining the FNIH, Francesca held a position at Dolby Family Ventures, an early-stage venture firm that focuses on investing in companies in the technology and life sciences sectors. At Dolby Family Ventures, Francesca concentrated on novel neuroscience therapeutics, therapeutics for clinical depression, and neuromodulation/neurostimulation.

Prior to her role at Dolby Family Ventures, Francesca served as a senior scientist at Alector, where she contributed to various pipeline programs in the neuroimmunology/neurodegeneration space, including the research on TREM2, and led an early-stage target discovery program during her time at Alector.

Francesca's academic journey includes a Postdoc at Washington University in St. Louis, where she conducted research on neurodegeneration, with a specific focus on Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. She also served as a consultant for the Biotechnology and Life Sciences Advising (BALSA) Group during her time at Washington University.

Before pursuing her career in the United States, Francesca was a fellow at San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy, where she explored the relationship between iron and neurodegeneration.

She holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Brescia in Italy, and prior to that, she earned an MS in Medical Biotechnology, with honors, and a BS in Biotechnology, both from the same university.

Activities

Employment (4)

Foundation for the National Institutes of Health: Bethesda, Maryland, US

2023-03 to present | Project Manager (Neuroscience)
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella

Dolby Family Ventures: San Francisco, CA, US

2021 to 2023 | Associate (Life Sciences)
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella

Alector (United States): South San Francisco, California, US

2019-07 to 2021 | Scientist (Neuro-immunology)
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella

Washington University in Saint Louis School of Medicine: Saint Louis, MO, US

2014-09 to 2019-07 | Postdoctoral fellow (Department of Neurology)
Employment
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella

Education and qualifications (3)

Università degli Studi di Brescia: Brescia, Lombardia, IT

2010 to 2014 | Ph.D. - Microbiology (Molecular and Translational Medicine)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella

Università degli Studi di Brescia: Brescia, Lombardia, IT

2008 to 2010 | Master's degree - Medical Biotechnology (Molecular and Translational Medicine)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella

Università degli Studi di Brescia: Brescia, Lombardia, IT

2005 to 2008 | Bachelor of Science (BS) - Biotechnology (Molecular and Translational Medicine)
Education
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella

Works (10)

TREM2 activation on microglia promotes myelin debris clearance and remyelination in a model of multiple sclerosis.

Acta neuropathologica
2020-08-09 | Journal article
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella

The MS4A gene cluster is a key modulator of soluble TREM2 and Alzheimer’s disease risk

Science Translational Medicine
2019-08-14 | Journal article
Contributors: Yuetiva Deming; Fabia Filipello; Francesca Cignarella; Claudia Cantoni; Simon Hsu; Robert Mikesell; Zeran Li; Jorge L Del-Aguila; Umber Dube; Fabiana Geraldo Farias et al.
Source: check_circle
Crossref

T cells producing GM-CSF and IL-13 are enriched in the cerebrospinal fluid of relapsing MS patients.

Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)
2019-06-25 | Journal article
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella

Intermittent Fasting Confers Protection in CNS Autoimmunity by Altering the Gut Microbiota.

Cell metabolism
2018-06 | Journal article
Contributors: Cignarella F; Cantoni C; Ghezzi L; Salter A; Dorsett Y; Chen L; Phillips D; Weinstock GM; Fontana L; Cross AH et al.
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella via Europe PubMed Central

The MS4A gene cluster is a key regulator of soluble TREM2 and Alzheimer disease risk

2018-06 | Other
OTHER-ID:

PPR8668

Contributors: Deming Y; Filipello F; Cignarella F; Hsu S; Mikesell R; Li Z; Del-Aguila JL; Dube U; Farias FG; Bradley J et al.
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella via Europe PubMed Central

The Microglial Innate Immune Receptor TREM2 Is Required for Synapse Elimination and Normal Brain Connectivity.

Immunity
2018-05 | Journal article
Contributors: Filipello F; Morini R; Corradini I; Zerbi V; Canzi A; Michalski B; Erreni M; Markicevic M; Starvaggi-Cucuzza C; Otero K et al.
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella via Europe PubMed Central

Dimethyl fumarate induces changes in B- and T-lymphocyte function independent of the effects on absolute lymphocyte count.

Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)
2017-05 | Journal article
Contributors: Longbrake EE; Cantoni C; Chahin S; Cignarella F; Cross AH; Piccio L
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella via Europe PubMed Central

Mir-223 regulates the number and function of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Acta Neuropathol.
2017-01 | Journal article
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella
grade
Preferred source (of 2)‎

slc7a6os gene plays a critical role in defined areas of the developing CNS in zebrafish.

PLoS One
2015 | Journal article
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella
grade
Preferred source (of 2)‎

A CXCR1 haplotype hampers HIV-1 matrix protein p17 biological activity.

AIDS
2014-10 | Journal article
Source: Self-asserted source
Francesca Cignarella
grade
Preferred source (of 2)‎