SILVIA FOSSATI

Associate professor

email: silvia.fossati@temple.edu
phone:



Education and Training

  • B.S. in Molecular Biology (magna cum laude) – University of Florence, Italy, 2002

  • Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology – University of Florence, Italy, April 2007

Research Training

  • Undergraduate Research Fellow, Department of Pathology, University of Florence (2001–2002)

  • Graduate Research Fellow, Department of Pharmacology, University of Florence (2002–2007)

Leadership / Professional Development (selected)

  • “From Scientist to CSO”, New York Academy of Sciences, NY (2011)

  • “Essentials of Project Management”, NYULMC and CCFL (2013)

  • AAMC Leadership Development Seminar for Women in Medicine and Science (2021)

Academic Appointments

  • Director and Professor (Tenured), Alzheimer’s Center at Temple (ACT); Professor of Neural Sciences; Professor, Lemole Center for Integrated Lymphatics Research; Professor, Cardiovascular Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA (07/2025–present)

  • Interim Director, Alzheimer’s Center at Temple; Associate Professor of Neural Sciences, Lemole Center for Integrated Lymphatics Research, Cardiovascular Sciences, LKSOM, Temple University (07/2024–07/2025; Associate Professor since 2019)

  • Associate Professor, Alzheimer’s Center at Temple; Departments of Neural Sciences, Cardiovascular Sciences, and Lemole Center, LKSOM, Temple University (2019–2024)

  • Assistant Professor, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine; Director, Biofluid Biomarkers Core, Cohen Veteran Center (2015–2019)

  • Research Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, NYU School of Medicine (2012–2014)

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Pathology, NYU School of Medicine (2007–2012)

Honors and Awards (selected)

  • Doctoral Fellowship in Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Florence (2004)

  • Multiple early-career awards, including New Investigator Research Grant (Alzheimer’s Association, 2012), Scientist Development Grant (American Heart Association, 2013–2017), and Blas Frangione Foundation New Investigator Award (2014)

  • Leon Levy Fellowship in Neuroscience (2016)

  • Thome Memorial Foundation Award in Alzheimer’s Disease Drug Discovery Research (2020)

  • PA Cure Alzheimer’s Disease Research Award, PA Department of Health (2020–2025)

  • Karen Toffler Charitable Trust Original Scholar at Temple University and Director of the Temple Toffler Scholarship Program (2020–present)

  • Standing Member, NIH NOMD Study Section (2021–present)

  • Vice-Chair (2023–2025) and Chair (2025–2027), Vascular Cognitive Disorders Professional Interest Area (PIA), Alzheimer’s Association

  • Scientific Program Committee Member, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) (2023–2027)

  • Consistently ranked among the top faculty on the Temple LKSOM Matrix for productivity (ranked #1 among Tenure Track Faculty for three consecutive years; #1 overall among Tenured + Tenure Track in 2024/2025)

  • Dawn Marks Faculty Award for Teaching, Mentoring, and Dedication to Graduate Student Life and Community, Temple University (2024)

  • Educational Excellence Award in Research Mentoring, Temple University LKSOM (2025)

Teaching and Mentoring (selected)

  • 20 years of teaching and mentoring experience at undergraduate, graduate, MD, MD/PhD, and postdoctoral levels in Italy, NYU, and Temple University.

  • Course director, lecturer, and primary instructor in multiple courses at Temple University LKSOM, including:

    • Neuropharmacology

    • Translational Science of Nervous System Diseases (Alzheimer’s disease basic and clinical)

    • Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience

    • Brain vasculature and the Blood-Brain Barrier

    • Mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases

    • Dental School Neuroanatomy (The Cerebral Cortex)

    • Medical School Neuroscience and Psychiatry (Blood–Brain Barrier)

  • Co-Director, Neuroscience Cluster Student Seminar Class (2021–present).

  • Supervisor of multiple PhD and MD/PhD students with several completed theses (2022–2025) and mentor of numerous postdoctoral fellows.

  • Mentor/sponsor for trainees awarded K99/R00, AHA fellowships, Toffler Scholarships, Brody Postdoctoral Fellowship, and NIH Diversity Supplements.

  • Mentor and instructor in structured diversity and training programs (COMRADE, T32 for minority fellows, NCSI, Individual Research Projects).

Research Support – Selected (PI / Co-PI / Key Co-I)

Active (selected)

  • NIH R01AG062572 (PI), “Targeting carbonic anhydrases in Alzheimer’s disease” (2019–2026; total ~$2.3M)

  • DoD PRARP Program (PI), “Identifying diagnostic biomarkers of the cerebrovascular contributions to cognitive impairment in repeated blast concussion” (2025–2029; ~$2M)

  • Wellcome Leap Care Award (PI), “Hormonal History and Neuroendocrine Signatures of Alzheimer’s Disease in Women” (2025–2028; ~$1.27M)

  • NIH R21NS135606 (PI), “Vascular MicroRNA-212 in CAA and Alzheimer’s disease” (2023–2026)

  • NIH 3R01AI153325-03W1 (Co-PI), “The role of bacterial amyloid curli in Alzheimer’s disease” (2023–2026)

  • NIH RF1 (Co-I), “Mitochondria and metabolism in neurodegeneration” (2021–2026)

  • Karen Toffler Charitable Trust – Toffler Scholar Program (PI at Temple) (2020–present)

  • Translational Research Pilot Grant, Temple University (Co-PI) – blood-derived microglia as ALS biomarkers (2024–2026)

  • Temple LKSOM Startup Fund (PI) – laboratory start-up support (ongoing)

Completed (selected)

  • PA Cure Alzheimer’s Research Award (PI; ~$4.06M; 2020–2025)

  • NIH R01 NS104127 (PI; ~$2.54M; 2018–2025)

  • Alzheimer’s Association Research Grant (AARG, PI; 2020–2024)

  • Thome Memorial Foundation (PI; 2020–2023)

  • American Heart Association Scientist Development Grant (PI; 2013–2017)

  • Leon Levy Fellowship in Neuroscience (PI; 2016–2017)

  • Multiple additional NIH, DoD, foundation, and institutional awards as PI, Co-PI, or Co-I focused on neurovascular mechanisms, biomarkers, traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Patents

  • US Patent (2020) – “Use of Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors for treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders.” Sole inventor.

  • Temple University Patent Application (2025) – “Carbonic anhydrase V inhibitors and methods of use for treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders.” Inventors: Silvia Fossati and Marc Ilies.

Editorial and Review Activities

  • Associate Editor, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (2018–present)

  • Associate Editor, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (2019–present)

  • NIH Service:

    • Standing Member, NOMD Study Section (2021–present)

    • Extensive ad hoc reviewer experience for NIA/NINDS study sections and special emphasis panels

  • Grant reviewer for: Alzheimer’s Association, Italian Ministry of Health, Swedish Research Council, UK Medical Research Council, Alzheimer’s Society UK, American Institute of Biological Sciences, US Department of Defense CDMRP PRARP, among others.

Professional Leadership and Service (selected)

  • Chair (2025–2027) and Vice-Chair (2023–2025), Vascular Cognitive Disorders Professional Interest Area (PIA), ISTAART – Alzheimer’s Association

  • Scientific Program Committee Member, AAIC (2023–2027)

  • Chair of the Developing Topics Committee for AAIC (2024–2025)

  • Co-Chair, Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID) Session, NIH/NINDS ADRD Summit (2025)

  • Organizer/Chair of multiple AAIC sessions (Featured Research, Perspectives, PIA Days)

Temple University / LKSOM

  • Director and (previously Interim Director and Associate Director) of the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple (ACT)

  • Member, University Faculty Senate and Medical Faculty Senate

  • Member, Dean’s Advisory Committee (2022–present)

  • Member, MD/PhD Program Advisory Committee (2021–2025)

  • Member/Chair of several search committees for department chairs and senior leadership

  • Chair, Equipment Committee, Department of Neural Sciences (2021–2025); member of Programming and Mentoring & Training Committees

  • Founding member, Lemole Center for Integrated Lymphatic Research; inaugural organizer of the LCILR Journal Club (2020–2022)

Professional Societies

  • New York Academy of Sciences (since 2007)

  • Society for Neuroscience (since 2008)

  • ISTAART – Alzheimer’s Association (since 2011; leadership roles in Vascular PIA)

  • American Heart Association (since 2012)

  • Italian Scientists and Scholars in North America Foundation (ISSNAF) (since 2012)

  • Vas-Cog Society – The International Society of Vascular Behavioral and Cognitive Disorders (since 2018)


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