Curriculum vitae

Name and Surname: Umberto Laforenza

Education:
1992 PhD in Physiology.
1987 Specialization in Industrial Farmacy, University of Pavia, Italy.
1984 Master in Farmacy, University of Pavia, Italy.
1980 High school Diploma, Liceo scientifico T. Taramelli, Pavia, Italy.

Academic position:
Tenured Assistant Professor at the Department of Physiology, Section of Human Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pavia.

Main research activity:
· Expression and functioning of ryanodine receptors and of calcium channels in the frog semicircular canals and in mammal endothelial cells
· Expression and functioning of some aquaporins in the gastrointestinal tract and in human adipose tissue by using Western blot, RT-PCR, immunofluorescence and stopped flow light-scattering techniques.
· Effects of some gastrointestinal hormones on the gastric (H⁺-K⁺)ATPase activity and on the aquaporin 4 expression by using  PYY-Tag transgenic mice as experimental model.
· Thiamin transport mechanisms and its intracellular metabolism in normal and pathological conditions (alcoholism, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, parkinsonism-dementia, Thiamine Responsive Megaloblastic Anaemia, cerebellar ataxias, diabetes mellitus, thiamin deficiency).
· Physiological mechanisms dealing with the transmembrane transport and intracellular metabolism of some hydrosoluble vitamins (thiamin and riboflavin), of lactate and bicarbonate in the small intestine, kidney, brain and red blood cells.

Publications:
· Dr. Laforenza’s scientific production is documented by 109 papers, 49 full papers published on leading international journals.

Membership:
1988-present  Member of the Italian Physiological Society (SIF).