Mariagrazia Grilli (Italy)

I am a pharmacologist and currently Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy. I hold both an MD and a PhD in Molecular Medicine. My career has included extensive research in academic and non-academic institutions, including the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, USA, the Schering Plough Research Institute in Milan, Italy, and the University of Brescia Medical School in Brescia, Italy. My expertise is in neuropharmacology, with a particular focus on the role of neural stem cells and non-neuronal cells in neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases. My research also explores how both new and already approved drugs might target these mechanisms, potentially leading to innovative therapeutic approaches for conditions with high medical need such as Alzheimer’s disease, major depression, chronic pain, and ataxia-telangiectasia. I am actively involved in scientific committees and in the organization of international meetings. In particular, I am the founder and organizer of the conference series “More than Neurons,” which over the last decade has brought together scientists to discuss neurological and psychiatric diseases from a less neurocentric perspective, emphasizing the contribution of non-neuronal cells. A central goal of the “More than Neurons” events—of which I am especially proud—is to provide early-career scientists with opportunities to present their work, interact with leading experts, and receive financial support to foster their participation. (www.morethanneurons.com; https://neu-ca.morethanneurons.com).

Valerio Magnaghi (Italy)

I am a Professor of Physiology at the University of Milan, with a specific interest in neuroscience and glial physiology. I earned my M.Sc. in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, a postgraduate degree in Experimental Endocrinology, and a Ph.D. in Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of Milan. My scientific career began in the field of neuroendocrinology, focusing on the cross-regulation between neurons and glial cells, and later expanded to investigate neurophysiological processes in the peripheral nervous system. Currently, my research focuses on neuron–Schwann cell crosstalk, neurotransmitter modulation—particularly within the GABAergic system—and Schwann cell transformation in models of peripheral pain, neurodegenerative neuropathies, and peripheral tumorigenesis. I have been a research fellow at the National Institute of Cancer in Milan (Italy), the Cajal Institute in Madrid (Spain), and Ninewells Hospital at the University of Dundee (Scotland, UK). I am deeply aware of the challenges young scientists face in building their academic careers in neuroscience, and I dedicate time to promoting neuroscience through outreach, meeting organization, and initiatives aimed at younger neuroscientists, particularly on the topics of glial and non-neuronal cells.