Giannina Descalzi

Research

Anxiety Astrocytes Chronic Pain Depression Emotion-Pain Brain Circuit Mouse Models Neuroimaging Neuropathic Pain

Latest papers

Astrocyte neuronal metabolic coupling in the anterior cingulate cortex of mice with inflammatory pain.
Brain, behavior, and immunity · 2025 · senior author
Sex-Specific Contrasting Role of BECLIN-1 Protein in Pain Hypersensitivity and Anxiety-Like Behaviors.
eNeuro · 2025 · senior author
Pioneering new frontiers in circadian medicine chronotherapies for cardiovascular health.
Trends in endocrinology and metabolism: TEM · 2024

All 5 publications

Latest funding

Canada Research Chair - Tier 2
CIHR · 2024 · Nominated PI
$600,000
Confocal imaging to support fundamental discovery in neuroscience
NSERC · 2024 · Co-investigator
$150,000
Getting to the Heart of Domestic Abuse: Identifying the molecular mechanisms of heart disease in association with physical and psychological stress
CIHR · 2023 · Co-investigator
$150,000

All 8 grants and awards

5 publications.

01

Astrocyte neuronal metabolic coupling in the anterior cingulate cortex of mice with inflammatory pain.

Reid P, Scherer K, Halasz D, Simal AL, Tang J, Zaheer F, Tuling J, Levine G, Michaud J, Clark AL, Descalzi G

Brain, behavior, and immunity2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.12.025 PMID: 39694343

02

Sex-Specific Contrasting Role of BECLIN-1 Protein in Pain Hypersensitivity and Anxiety-Like Behaviors.

Zaheer F, Levine GJ, Simal AL, Fatemi Tabatabaei SR, Martino TA, Descalzi G

eNeuro2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0244-24.2024 PMID: 39809538

03

Pioneering new frontiers in circadian medicine chronotherapies for cardiovascular health.

Festus ID, Spilberg J, Young ME, Cain S, Khoshnevis S, Smolensky MH, Zaheer F, Descalzi G, Martino TA

Trends in endocrinology and metabolism: TEM2024

DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2024.02.011 PMID: 38458859

04

Reactive Astrocytes: Critical Players in the Development of Chronic Pain.

Tang J, Bair M, Descalzi G

Frontiers in psychiatry2021Senior author

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.682056 PMID: 34122194

05

Cortical Astrocyte-neuronal Metabolic Coupling Emerges as a Critical Modulator of Stress-induced Hopelessness.

Descalzi G

Neuroscience bulletin2021First author

DOI: 10.1007/s12264-020-00559-7 PMID: 32789727

Canada Research Chair - Tier 2

Nominated PICIHR2024Canada Research Chairs - CIHR Funded - Tier 2

Principal investigators: Descalzi, Giannina

Keywords: Crc

$600,000

Confocal imaging to support fundamental discovery in neuroscience

Co-investigatorNSERC2024Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Bailey, Craig

Keywords: astrocyte; fluorescence microscopy; learning; memory; neuron; neurophysiology; nociception; optical sectioning; stress; tissue regeneration

$150,000

Getting to the Heart of Domestic Abuse: Identifying the molecular mechanisms of heart disease in association with physical and psychological stress

Co-investigatorCIHR2023Catalyst Grant: NWHRI: Innovation Fund - Biomedical Discovery Grants

Principal investigators: Pyle, Glen W

Keywords: Cardiovascular Disease; Domestic Abuse; Intimate Partner Violence; Women'S Heart Health

$150,000

Investigating the role of molecular and functional plasticity within the brain emotion-pain circuit in the development of chronic pain.

Nominated PICIHR2023Project Grant

Principal investigators: Descalzi, Giannina

Keywords: Anxiety; Astrocytes; Chronic Pain; Depression; Emotion-Pain Brain Circuit; Mouse Models; Neuroimaging; Neuropathic Pain; Viral-Mediated Gene Transfer

$1,086,300

Biochemical measures of gene expression networks and neural circuits.

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Descalzi, Giannina

$37,487

Investigating the role of molecular and functional plasticity within the brain emotion-pain circuit in the development of chronic pain.

Nominated PICIHR2022Pro. Gr. - PA: Inst. of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis: IMHA Mandate Areas

Principal investigators: Descalzi, Giannina

Keywords: Anxiety; Astrocytes; Chronic Pain; Depression; Emotion-Pain Brain Circuit; Mouse Models; Neuroimaging; Neuropathic Pain; Viral-Mediated Gene Transfer

$100,000

Fundamental astrocyte-neuronal coupling mechanisms in neuroplasticity of nociceptive circuits.

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Launch Supplement

Principal investigators: Descalzi, Giannina

$12,500

Fundamental astrocyte-neuronal coupling mechanisms in neuroplasticity of nociceptive circuits.

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Descalzi, Giannina

$165,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their CIHR grant from 2024

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Anxiety Dear Professor Descalzi, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Astrocyte neuronal metabolic coupling in the anterior cingulate cortex of mice with inflammatory pain." (2025), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your CIHR-funded project "Canada Research Chair - Tier 2" (2024), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]