Dr Stefano Casalotti
Honorary Senior Lecturer
Neurobiology
, Health Sport and Bioscience
My research is aimed at understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms that determine neuronal responses.
In recent years I have focused on using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to understand the mechanisms by which alcohol causes long term behavioural changes that in humans are described as drug addiction.
Qualifications
- PhD Neuroscience (Imperial College 1988)
- Senior Fellow Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
Areas Of Interest
- Neuroscience
RESEARCH
The inappropriate consumption of alcohol classified as Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) can lead to major health and social problems. The biological reasons why individuals persist in consuming alcohol in situation where it is harmful to them (referred to as addiction) are not fully understood.
To address this issue, we are using as a model organism the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Fruit flies display specific alcohol-induced behaviours and have neuronal systems that are similar to those of humans. We are studying specific proteins and receptors to understand their role in the long term response to alcohol.
We are also using the fly model with its vast range of genetic modifications to study how stress and pharmacological agents can modify alcohol induced behaviours.
Recent research
Recently we have demonstrated that the expression of the Gq protein subunit is modified following alcohol consumption (Aleyakpo et al) , the opioid antagonist Naltrexone alters alcohol preference (Koyyoda et al). and the GABAb receptor plays a role in both alcohol tolerance and preference (Ransom et al).
PUBLICATIONS
Journals
- Pharmacological targeting of the GABAB receptor alters Drosophila's behavioural responses to alcohol. Ranson DC, Ayoub SS, Corcoran O, Casalotti SO. Addict Biol. 2020 Mar;25(2):e12725.
- Naltrexone Reverses Ethanol Preference and Protein Kinase C Activation in Drosophila melanogaster. Koyyada R, Latchooman N, Jonaitis J, Ayoub SS, Corcoran O, Casalotti SO. Front Physiol. 2018 Mar 14;9:175.
- G-protein αq gene expression plays a role in alcohol tolerance in Drosophila melanogaster. Aleyakpo B, Umukoro O, Kavlie R, Ranson DC, Thompsett A, Corcoran O, Casalotti SO. Brain Neurosci Adv. 2019 Nov 1;3:2398212819883081.
- β3-integrin is required for differentiation in OC-2 cells derived from mammalian embryonic inner ear. Brunetta I, Casalotti SO, Hart IR, Forge A, Reynolds LE.BMC Cell Biol. 2012 Mar 17;13:5.
- Mutations in the gene for connexin 26 (GJB2) that cause hearing loss have a dominant negative effect on connexin 30. Marziano NK, Casalotti SO, Portelli AE, Becker DL, Forge A.Hum Mol Genet. 2003 Apr 15;12(8):805-12.
EXTERNAL ROLES
- Director of BiosearLab