Stefano Pluchino

Wellcome Trust-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute

Centre for Brain Repair, University of Cambridge

After receiving his MD (1995) and PhD in Neuroscience (2004) from the University of Siena (Italy), Stefano completed a residency program in Neurology at the same University (1999) and received additional training at the Brain Repair Centre, Cambridge University, UK (1996-1998). He then completed two Post doctoral fellowships (2004-2005) with Gianvito Martino at the San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan (Italy), where he progressed to the position of Project and the Group leader (2005-2010). Stefano is now a University Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Neurology at the University of Cambridge, UK, within the Centre for Brain Repair (2010-). He is also an European Research Council (ERC) Starting Independent Researcher and member of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences. 

Current projects in the PluchinoLab are exploring the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating the therapeutic plasticity of neural stem cells in complex CNS diseases such as multiple sclerosis, spinal cord/brain injuries and stroke. While keeping an eye on next generation stem cells, either induced pluripotent stem (iPS) or induced neural stem (iNS) cells that are being tested via classical experimental cell therapy approaches, we are also devoting special attention to the study of the different modalities by which stem cells speak with the brain and with the immune system (neuro/immune interactions).