Newcastle University

Roles and Responsibilities

Lecturer
PhD and postdoc supervisor

Qualifications

Laurea in Biological Sciences, Univ of Milan, Italy, Dr
Postgrad AIRC Fellow: Cell biology & Physiology, Univ. of Milan, Italy

Research Interests

1) Investigation of the functional, cellular and molecular mechanisms of synaptic and network activity relevant to glutamate and glycine receptor protein and mRNA localisation in neurons.
2) Characterisation of the physiology and neurochemistry of synchronised neuronal networks in various areas of the central nervous system (e.g. inferior colliculus, hippocampus, cortex and cerebellum). In particular, we aim to identify the key properties of neuronal networks in these areas in order to understand their functional roles in normal and pathological states, with reference to schizophrenia and epilepsy;
3) Neuroanatomical and functional characterisation of gap junctions between neurons within networks. Electrical synapses: their spatial location and regulation with respect to synaptic and neuronal network activity.

The lab research focuses on a multidisciplinary approach: immunocytochemical techniques at the light and electron microscopy levels are combined to electrophysiological experiments.

Current Work

1) Biology and physiology of neurotransmitter receptors, in particular GluRs and GlyRs:
- role of neurotransmitter receptors in synaptic transmission
- targeting of neurotransmitter receptor subunit mRNAs and local protein synthesis in the neuronal dendritic tree
2) Functional and molecular mechanisms responsible for synaptic and neuronal network remodelling,
3) Electrical synapses: their spatial location and regulation with respect to synaptic and neuronal network activity.

Postgraduate Supervision

John Grady (PhD 2010-13) 

Dorcas Eden (PhD 2009)
Olivia Skrobot (PhD 2008)
Anita Roopun (PhD 2006)
Steven Middleton (PhD 2005)
David Cox (PhD, University College London)

• Whittington MA, Cunningham MO, LeBeau FE, Racca C, Traub RD. Multiple origins of the cortical gamma rhythm. Developmental Neurobiology 2011, 71(1), 92-106.
• Racca C, Gardiol A, Eom T, Ule J, Triller A, Darnell RB. The neuronal splicing factor Nova co-localizes with target RNAs in the dendrite. Frontiers in Neural Circuits 2010, 4, 5.
• Moreau MM, Piguel N, Papouin T, Koehl M, Durand CM, Rubio ME, Loll F, Richard EM, Mazzocco C, Racca C, Oliet SHR, Abrous DN, Montcouquiol M, Sans N. The Planar Polarity Protein Scribble1 Is Essential for Neuronal Plasticity and Brain Function. Journal of Neuroscience 2010, 30(29), 9738-9752.
• Middleton SJ, Racca C, Cunningham MO, Traub RD, Monyer H, Knopfel T, Schofield IS, Jenkins A, Whittington MA. High-Frequency Network Oscillations in Cerebellar Cortex. Neuron 2008, 58(5), 763-774.
• Roopun AK, Cunningham MO, Racca C, Alter K, Traub RD, Whittington MA. Region-specific changes in gamma and beta2 rhythms in NMDA receptor dysfunction models of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin 2008, 34(5), 962-973.
• Cox DJ, Racca C, Le Beau FEN. β-adrenergic receptors are differentially expressed in distinct interneuron subtypes in the rat hippocampus. Journal of Comparative Neurology 2008, 509(6), 551-565.
• Bibbig A, Middleton S, Racca C, Gillies MJ, Garner H, Le Beau FEN, Davies CH, Whittington MA. Beta rhythms (15-20 Hz) generated by nonreciprocal communication in hippocampus. Journal of Neurophysiology 2007, 97(4), 2812-2823.
• Driver JE, Racca C, Cunningham MO, Towers SK, Davies CH, Whittington MA, Le Beau FEN. Impairment of hippocampal gamma (γ)-frequency oscillations in vitro in mice overexpressing human amyloid precursor protein (APP). European Journal of Neuroscience 2007, 26(5), 1280-1288.
• Whittington M, Racca C. Loss of parvalbumin-positive interneurons predicts deficits in cortical gamma rhythm generation in animal models of schizophrenia-like cognitive dysfunction. In: Schizophrenia Bulletin: 10th International Congress on Schizophrenia Research. 2007, Savannah, Georgia, USA: Oxford University Press.
• Cunningham MO, Pervouchine DD, Racca C, Kopell NJ, Davies CH, Jones RSG, Traub RD, Whittington MA. Neuronal metabolism governs cortical network response state. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2006, 103(14), 5597-5601.
• Cunningham MO, Hunt J, Middleton S, Le Beau FEN, Gillies MG, Davies CH, Maycox PR, Whittington MA, Racca C. Region-specific reduction in entorhinal gamma oscillations and parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons in animal models of psychiatric illness. Journal of Neuroscience 2006, 26(10), 2767-2776.
• Racca C, Cunningham MO, Hunt J, Middleton S, LeBeau FE, Gillies MG, Davies CH, Maycox PR, Whittington MA. Region-specific reduction in entorhinal gamma oscillations and parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons in animal models of psychiatric illness. In: Neuropsychopharmacology: 45th Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacolgy. 2006, Hollywood, Florida: Nature Publishing Group.
• Pelkey KA, Lavezzari G, Racca C, Roche KW, McBain CJ. mGluR7 Is a Metaplastic Switch Controlling Bidirectional Plasticity of Feedforward Inhibition. Neuron 2005, 46(1), 89-102.
• Meier JC, Henneberger C, Melnick I, Racca C, Harvey RJ, Heinemann U, Volker Schmieden V, Grantyn R. RNA editing produces glycine receptor α3^P185L, resulting in high agonist potency. Nature Neuroscience 2005, 8(6), 736-744.
• Sans N, Prybylowski K, Petralia RS, Chang K, Wang YX, Racca C, Vicini S, Wenthold RJ. NMDA receptor trafficking through an interaction between PDZ proteins and the exocyst complex. Nature Cell Biology 2003, 5(6), 520-530.
• Gardiol A, Racca C, Triller A. RNA transport and local protein synthesis in the dendritic compartment. In: Richter, D; Tiedge, H, ed. Results and Problems in Cell Differentiation. Springer, 2001, pp.105-128.
• Sans N, Racca C, Petralia RS, Wang Y-X, McCallum J, Wenthold RJ. Synapse-Associated Protein 97 Selectively Associates with a Subset of AMPA Receptors Early in their Biosynthetic Pathway. The Journal of Neuroscience 2001, 21(19), 7506-7516.
• Gardiol A, Racca C, Triller A. Dendritic and postsynaptic protein synthetic machinery. Journal of Neuroscience 1999, 19(1), 168-179.
• Racca, C., Gardiol, A., Triller, A. Cell-specific dendritic localization of glycine receptor ? subunit mRNAs. Neuroscience 1998, 84, 997-1012.
• Racca, C., Gardiol, A., Triller, A. Dendritic and postsynaptic localizations of glycine receptor ? subunit mRNAs. J. Neurosci 1997, 17, 1691-1700.
• Racca, C., Catania, M.V., Monyer, H., Sakmann, B. Expression of AMPA-glutamate receptor B subunit in rat hippocampal GABAergic neurones. Eur. J. Neurosci 1996, 8, 1580-1590.
• Häusser, M.A., Stuart, G., Racca, C., Sakmann, B. Axonal initiation and active dendritic propagation of action potentials in substantia nigra neurons. Neuron 1995, 15, 637-647.
• Jonas, P., Racca, C., Sakmann, B., Seeburg, P.H., Monyer, H. Differences in Ca2+ permeability of AMPA-type glutamate receptor channels in neocortical neurons caused by differential GluR-B subunit expression. Neuron 1994, 12, 1281-1289.
• Giovannardi, S., Racca, C., Bertollini, L., Sturani, E., Peres, A. P2y Purinoreceptors in normal NIH 3T3 and in NIH 3T3 overexpressing c-ras. Exp. Cell Res 1992, 202, 398-404.
• Peres, A., Bertollini, L., Racca, C. Characterization of Ca2+ transients induced by intacellular photorelease of InsP3 in mouse ovarian oocytes. Cell Calcium 1991, 12, 457-465.
• Peres, A., Racca, C., Bertollini, L., Sturani, E. Cytosolic calcium responses induced by photolytic release of 1,4,5,-inositol trisphosphate in single human fibroblasts. B.B.A 1991, 1092, 89-93.
• Peres, A., Racca, C., Zippel, R., Sturani, E. Cytosolic calcium and membrane conductance in response to platelet-derived growth factor and bradykinin stimulation in single human fibroblasts. European J. Cell Biol 1990, 53, 290-295.
• Pienaar I-S, Racca C, Elson JL, Nelson G, Turnbull DM, Morris CM. A FIRST OBSERVATION OF ALTERED EXPRESSION OF MITOCHONDRIAL PROTEINS ACCOMPANIED BY CELL LOSS AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN SINGLE NEURONS IN THE PEDUNCULOPONTINE NUCLEUS IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE PATIENTS. Journal of Clinical Investigation 2013. Submitted.
• Piguel N, Blanc JM, Moutin E, Moreau MM, Pinheiro VL, Lasvaux L, Medina C, Loll F, Glebov K, Durand CM, Chang K, Petralia RS, Wenthold RJ, Vuillard L, Perroy J, Racca C, Montcouquiol M, Sans N. Scribble1/AP2 complex coordinates the NMDA receptor endocytic recycling. Nature Neuroscience 2013. Submitted.