Nunzio Vicario
Nunzio Vicario conducts his research and teaching activities at the Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences at the University of Catania. He teaches several Physiology courses, he mentors numerous students during interships and for thesis or experimental thesis developtment. He supervises PhD students and Master's students in the development of their research projects.
In 2023, he received the National Scientific Habilitation to the functions of Full Professor of BIO/09 "Physiology".
In 2022 and 2024, he was elected member of the Board of the Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences at the University of Catania.
He is the author of numerous scientific publications in international journals, collaborating with Italian and foreign research groups. His studies, presented at national and international congresses, focus on the role of intercellular communication in the homeostasis of the central nervous system and in neuroinflammatory, compensatory, and degenerative processes.
Since the beginning of his career, he has been involved in the Physiology laboratories at the University of Catania, studying intercellular communication, biological membranes, and the role of gap junctions in cellular stress under conditions of hypoxia, neuropathic pain, and in cellular processes of proliferation and migration. He completed his International Ph.D. in Neuroscience in 2017 at the Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania and at the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge (UK, 2016-2017). He has been a Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) in 2020 and 2021. His interests in neuropathophysiology have evolved through research projects involving in vitro and in vivo responses to changes in ion channels and the role of small molecules (metabolites and signalling molecules) interacting with membrane receptors in the study of cellular functions. Significant contributions to his career include studies on murine models of neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration and neuropathic pain, and the involvement of glial and immune cells in endogenous compensatory processes and modulation of resident cellular populations of the nervous system. Recently, his research on neuroinflammation has extended to the microenvironment of gliomas, such as glioblastoma, and its effects on resident cells of the central nervous system.
CURRICULUM OF SCIENTIFIC AND TEACHING ACTIVITIES
Last updated: November 11, 2025
Nunzio Vicario, PhD | PERSONAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth: ++++++++++
Address: ++++++++++
Languages: Italian and English
Email: nunzio.vicario@unict.it | nunziovicario@unict.it | vicarionunzio@gmail.com
ORCID: 0000-0001-5934-3962
Scopus Author ID: 57191970813
Web of Science Researcher ID: AAY-3489-2021
ACADEMIC POSITION
2025 – Present
Elected Member of the Coordination Committee of the School of Medicine at the University of Catania, Catania (Italy).
2024 – Present
Deputy coordinator of the Master’s Degree Program in Sciences and Techniques of Preventive and Adapted Physical Activities (LM-67) – University of Catania (Italy) – Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences.
2024 – Present
Member of the Academic Board for the Ph.D. Program in Biotechnology – University of Catania (Italy).
2023
Habilitation for Full Professorship in Physiology (05/D1 - FISIOLOGIA - SSD BIO/09).
2023 – Present
Assistant Professor in Physiology (Art.24 C.3-B L.240/10) with teaching activities and to support students.
University of Catania (Italy) – Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences.
Section of Physiology. https://www.unict.it/en/.
2022 – Present
Elected Member of the Board of the Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences – University of Catania, Catania (Italy).
2021
Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia).
2020
Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathophysiology, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia).
2020
Habilitation for Associate Professorship in Physiology (05/D1 - FISIOLOGIA - SSD BIO/09).
2020 – 2021
Deputy Director – University Master in Molecular and Translational Imaging: from preclinical to clinical research.
University of Catania (Italy) – Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences.
2019 – 2023
Assistant Professor in Physiology (Art.24 C.3-A L.240/10) with teaching activities and to support students.
University of Catania (Italy) – Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences.
Section of Physiology. https://www.unict.it/en/.
2018 – 2019
Post-doctoral Fellow.
University of Catania (Italy) – Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences.
Section of Physiology. https://www.unict.it/en/.
2014
Research assistant
University of Catania (Italy) – Dept. of Chemical Sciences.
INBB – Biostructures and Biosystems National Institute – http://www.inbb.it/en/
EDUCATION
2014 – 2017
International PhD program in Neuroscience.
University of Catania (Italy) – https://www.unict.it/en/
Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences.
2016 – 2017
International PhD program in Neuroscience – Visiting PhD.
University of Cambridge (UK) – Dept. of Clinical Neuroscience.
http://www-neurosciences.medschl.cam.ac.uk/
Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute
2014
License to practice Pharmacy.
University of Catania (Italy) – https://www.unict.it/en/
2008 – 2014
MSc in Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology (CTF, Five Years Academic Degree).
University of Catania (Italy) – https://www.unict.it/en/
Dept. of Drug Sciences.
MENTORING
2015 – Present
Supervisor/Co-supervisor of more than 50 Thesis of Bachelor's Degree or Master’s Degree students.
2019 – Present
- Academic Supervisor of the Internship (175 hours) of 2 students of the Master’s Degree in Medical Biotechnologies.
- Academic Supervisor of the Internship (300 hours) of 2 students of the Master’s Degree in Medical, Cellular and Molecular Biology.
- Academic Supervisor of the Internship (60 hours) of more than 100 students of the Master’s Degree in Motor Sciences.
2020 – Present
- Supervisor/Co-supervisor of 3 Thesis of the II level University Master in Molecular and Translational Imaging
- Supervisor/Co-supervisor of 2 PhD Students in Neurosciences
- Supervisor/Co-supervisor of 2 PhD Students in Biotechnologies
TEACHING
Academic Year 2025/2026
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Bachelor's Degree in Exercise and Sport Sciences - 2nd Year
9797578 - FISIOLOGIA 1
Module FISIOLOGIA II
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Master's Degree in Medical Biotechnologies - 1st Year
1014620 - CELL PHYSIOLOGY AND RELATED LABORATORY TECHNOLOGIES
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Master's Degree in Sciences and Techniques of Preventive and Adapted Physical Activities - 1st Year
9799738 - PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY OF MOTOR PERFORMANCE
Module FISIOLOGIA DEL MOVIMENTO
- DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SURGERY AND MEDICAL-SURGICAL SPECIALTIES
Master's Degree in Medicine and Surgery - 2nd Year
9798770 - BODY FUNCTIONS 1
Module Human physiology
- DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SURGERY AND MEDICAL-SURGICAL SPECIALTIES
Master's Degree in Medicine and Surgery - 2nd Year
1005419 - Physiology I 3
Module 1005420 - Physiology and Biophysics
Academic Year 2024/2025
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Bachelor's Degree in Exercise and Sport Sciences - 2nd Year
9797578 - PHYSIOLOGY M - Z
Module PHYSIOLOGY I
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Bachelor's Degree in Exercise and Sport Sciences - 2nd Year
9797578 - PHYSIOLOGY M - Z
Module PHYSIOLOGY II
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Master's Degree in Medical Biotechnologies - 1st Year
1014620 - CELL PHYSIOLOGY AND RELATED LABORATORY TECHNOLOGIES
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Master's Degree in Sciences and Techniques of Preventive and Adapted Physical Activities - 1st Year
9797955 - PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
Module MOVEMENT PHYSIOLOGY
- DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SURGERY AND MEDICAL-SURGICAL SPECIALTIES
Master's Degree in Medicine and Surgery - 2nd Year
9797198 - BODY FUNCTIONS 1
Module Human physiology
Academic Year 2023/2024
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Bachelor's Degree in Exercise and Sport Sciences - 2nd Year
1002517 - physiology M - Z
Module 1002518 - physiology I
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Bachelor's Degree in Exercise and Sport Sciences - 2nd Year
1002517 - physiology M - Z
Module 1002519 - physiology II
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Master's Degree in Medical Biotechnologies - 1st Year
1014620 - CELL PHYSIOLOGY AND RELATED LABORATORY TECHNOLOGIES
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Master's Degree in Sciences and Techniques of Preventive and Adapted Physical Activities - 1st Year
9795764 - PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
Module MOVEMENT PHYSIOLOGY
- DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
Bachelor's Degree in Psychiatric Rehabilitation Technique - 1st Year
9797278 - PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY
Module PHYSIOLOGY
Academic Year 2022/2023
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Bachelor's Degree in Human Movement Sciences - 2nd Year
1002517 - physiology A - L
Module 1002518 - physiology I
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Master's Degree in Medical Biotechnologies - 1st Year
1014620 - CELL PHYSIOLOGY AND RELATED LABORATORY TECHNOLOGIES
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Master's Degree in Sciences and techniques of preventive and adaptative motor activities - 1st Year
9795764 - PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
Module MOVEMENT PHYSIOLOGY
- DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
Bachelor's Degree in Psychiatric Rehabilitation Technique - 1st Year
1016375 - PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY
Module 1016376 - PHYSIOLOGY
- DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL, SURGICAL SCIENCES AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
Bachelor's Degree in Nursing - 1st Year
1013263 - Physiology II 3
Academic Year 2021/2022
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Bachelor's Degree in Exercise and Sport Sciences - 2nd Year
PHYSIOLOGY
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Master's Degree in Medical Biotechnologies - 1st Year
CELL PHYSIOLOGY AND RELATED LABORATORY TECHNOLOGIES
- DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
Bachelor's Degree in Psychiatric Rehabilitation Technique - 1st Year
PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY
- DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SURGERY AND MEDICAL-SURGICAL SPECIALTIES
Bachelor's Degree in Midwifery - 1st Year
PHYSIOLOGY
- DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL AND SURGICAL SCIENCES AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
Bachelor's Degree in Nursing - 1st Year
PHYSIOLOGY II - canale 3
Academic Year 2020/2021
- DEPARTMENT OF BIOMEDICAL AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Bachelor's Degree in Exercise and Sport Sciences - 2nd Year
PHYSIOLOGY
- DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
Bachelor's Degree in Psychiatric Rehabilitation Technique - 1st Year
PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY
- DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SURGERY AND MEDICAL-SURGICAL SPECIALTIES
Bachelor's Degree in Midwifery - 1st Year
PHYSIOLOGY
Academic Year 2019/2020
- DEPARTMENT OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
Bachelor's Degree in Psychiatric Rehabilitation Techniques - 1st Year
PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY
- DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SURGERY AND MEDICAL-SURGICAL SPECIALTIES
Bachelor's Degree in Midwifery - 1st Year
PHYSIOLOGY
- DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL AND SURGICAL SCIENCES AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
Bachelor's Degree in Biomedical Laboratory techniques - 1st Year
MORPHOFUNCTIONAL SCIENCES - PHYSIOLOGY
CONFERENCES AND PRESENTATIONS
- Vicario N. Invited Speaker "Connexin 43-based Intercellular Communication and Its Role in Neuropathic Pain". Regional Physiology Meeting 2025 jointly with the Croatian, Hungarian, and Italian Physiological Societies – Ljubljana (SLO). September 24-25, 2025.
- Vicario N. Oral presentation "Unveiling the potential of PARP1 and Connexin 43 modulation in neuropathic pain models". Congress "C4Neuro" – Palermo (Italy). October 24, 2024.
- Member of the organizing committee of the "17th Annual Meeting of Young Researchers in Physiology" – Catania (Italy). May 22-24, 2024.
- Scientific Secretariat e oral presentation at the workshop “Photoacousting imaging and biophysical images in mice”. Congress “Novel translational approaches in hematological malignancies: from bench to bedside” – Catania (Italy). November 5-6, 2021.
- Vicario N. Selected talk “Lactate modulates microglia M2 polarization via IGFBP6 expression and remodels tumor microenvironment in glioblastoma” at the EMBO - Lactate: unconventional roles of a nutrient along tumor landscape. Online. June 22, 2021.
- Vicario N. Invited talk at the Physiological Society and at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana – Ljubljana, Slovenia. August 25, 2020.
- Vicario N et al. “Neuroglial axis and immune cells role in a mouse model of motoneuronal ablation”. Biennial Congress of the Italian Association of Cell Biology and Differentiation - Bologna (Italy), September 19-21, 2019.
- Vicario N et al. “MOR/DOR targeting mediates neuropathic pain amelioration in chronic constriction injured rats.” 69th Congress of the Italian Physiological Society (SIF 2018). Firenze (Italy), September 19-21, 2018.
- Vicario N. Invited talk at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. University of Maryland - School of Medicine - Baltimore, MD (USA). June 7, 2018.
- Vicario N et al. “Transplantation of directly induced Neural Stem Cell (iNSCs) promotes remyelination in a mouse model of experimental focal demyelination”. 68th Congress of the Italian Physiological Society (SIF 2017). Pavia, September 6-8, 2017.
- Vicario N et al. “Transplantation of directly induced Neural Stem Cell (iNSCs) in a mouse model of experimental focal demyelination”. XIII European Meeting on Glial Cells in Health and Disease. Edinburgh, United Kingdom, July 8-11, 2017.
- Vicario N et al. “Repeated activation of delta opioid receptors (DOR) counteracts nerve injury-induced TNF-α up-regulation in the sciatic nerve of rats with neuropathic pain: a possible correlation with DOR-mediated anti-allodinic effect”. 67th Congress of the Italian Physiological Society (SIF 2016). Catania, Italy, September 21-23, 2016.
- Vicario N et al. “Connexin involvement in the protective effect of Olfactory Ensheathing Cells conditioned medium in SH-SY5Y Cell Line during hypoxia/re-oxygenation stress”. 66th Congress of the Italian Physiological Society (SIF 2015). Genoa, Italy, September 16-18, 2015.
- COST Thematic Workshop: Integrated approaches for Biomolecular detection: nanostructures, biosensors and lab-on-chip devices. Workshop secretariat. Catania April 28-30, 2014.
EDITORIAL ROLE
- Associate Editor for Frontiers in Neuroscience
- Associate Editor for Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
- Guest Editor For Frontiers In Bioscience-Landmark
- Guest Editor For IJMS
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Antioxidants
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Behavioral Sciences
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Biology
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Biomedicines
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Biomolecules
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of British Journal of Pharmacology
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Cancers
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Cells
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Experimental Cell Reseach
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Frontiers in Immunology
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Frontiers in Neurology
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Heliyon
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Immunity, Inflammation and Disease
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Inflammation
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of IJMS
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Life
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Mitochondrion
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Molecular Neurobiology
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Molecules
- Review Editor on the Editorial Board of Oncoimmunology
MEMBERSHIPS
2020 – Present
Member of the research center for molecular, preclinical and translational imaging (Centro di Ricerca per l’Imaging Molecolare, Preclinico e Traslazionale)
2019 – Present
Member of the Association of Cell Biology and Differentiation.
2018 – Present
Member of the Italian Physiological Society (SIF, Italy)
His research interests lie on the biological mechanisms of transport and intercellular communication. His research activities are focussed on endogenous versus exogenous compensatory processes and on the modulation of the central nervous system cell populations in preclinical models of inflammation and degeneration.