Tomas Fanutza studied biology at the University of Cagliari, Italy, where he obtained his Master's degree. He then pursued a research stay in the USA from 2012 to 2018, focusing on Alzheimer's disease research as a neuroscientist. During this time, he worked in the research groups of Luciano D’Adamio at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and later in the groups of Samuel Gandy and Michelle Ehrlich at Mount Sinai Hospital. In February 2019, Tomas continued his research career in Europe, joining the laboratory of Marina Mikhaylova at the Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH) at Universität Klinikum Eppendorf (UKE), Germany, where he completed his doctoral studies. Since October 2023, he has been working as a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Christian Wozny at MSH Medical School Hamburg. 

Research 

Tomas Fanutza’s research focuses on the characterization of brain cortical organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). By combining electrophysiology, immunostaining, optogenetics, and advanced microscopy techniques, his projects aim to explore neural development, particularly the emergence and maturation of functional neuronal networks. These innovative technologies allow for the differentiation of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, the analysis of the excitation-inhibition ratio, the examination of protein composition at active synapses, and the mapping of intracellular networks. Looking ahead, his research aims to deepen the understanding of how neurons form interconnections in three-dimensional models that mimic the human brain, with a focus on prevalent neurological disorders such as depression, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease. 

Publications 

• PubMed