Our team contributes to advancing neuroscience through peer-reviewed research and scientific presentations. Below you’ll find our published work spanning neuropsychiatry, rare neurological disorders, and translational biomarkers.
Publications & Scientific Contributions
Peer-reviewed Publications
An exploration of the relationships between the effects of psilocybin on behavior, 5-HT2A receptor occupancy, and neuroplastic effects in mice
Connor J. Maltby, Adam K. Klein, Enya Paschen, Jessica Pinto, Dino Dvorak, Joseph R. Hedde, Ashley N. Hanks, Massimiliano Bianchi, & Zoë A. Hughes (2025). Journal of Psychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811251395386
Behavioral benefits of GSK-3β inhibition and state-dependent microtubule signatures in the Fmr1-KO mouse.
Kealy, J., Callaghan, C., Freeburn, A., Thornton, A., Greene, C., Garrone, B., Milanese, C. and Bianchi, M. (2025). Frontiers in Neuroscience, 19, 1643439.
5-HT1B receptor activation produces rapid antidepressant-like effects in rodents.
Clark, E. A., Wang, L., Hanania, T., Kretschmannova, K., Bianchi, M., Jagger, E., et al. (2025). Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, 247, 173917.
Chronic IFNα treatment induces leukopoiesis, increased plasma succinate and immune cell metabolic rewiring
Yennemadi A.S., Jameson G., Glass M., De Pasquale C., Keane J., Bianchi M., Leisching G. Cell Immunol. 2023 Aug;390:104741. doi: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2023.104741. Epub 2023 Jun 20. PMID: 37356269.
Loss of CDKL5 causes synaptic GABAergic defects that can be restored with the neuroactive steroid pregnenolone-methyl-ether.
De Rosa, R., Valastro, S., Cambria, C., Barbiero, I., Puricelli, C., Tramarin, M., Randi, S., Bianchi, M., Antonucci, F., Kilstrup-Nielsen, C. (2022). International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(1):68.
Therapeutic potential of pregnenolone and pregnenolone methyl ether on depressive and CDKL5 deficiency disorders: Focus on microtubule targeting.
Barbiero I, Bianchi M, Kilstrup-Nielsen C. J Neuroendocrinol. 2022 Feb;34(2):e13033. doi: 10.1111/jne.13033. Epub 2021 Sep 8.PMID: 34495563
Pregnenolone-methyl-ether enhances CLIP170 and microtubule functions improving spine maturation and hippocampal deficits related to CDKL5 deficiency.
Barbiero I., Zamberletti E., Tramarin M., Gabaglio M., Peroni D., De Rosa R., Baldin S., Bianchi M., Rubino T., Kilstrup-Nielsen C. Hum Mol Genet. 2022 Aug 23;31(16):2738-2750. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddac067.PMID: 35348691
Paracetamol (acetaminophen) rescues cognitive decline, neuroinflammation and cytoskeletal alterations in a model of post-operative cognitive decline (POCD) in middle-aged rats.
Garrone B, Durando L, Prenderville J, Sokolowska E, Milanese C, Di Giorgio FP, Callaghan C, Bianchi M. Sci Rep. 2021 May 12;11(1):10139. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-89629-y.PMID: 33980934
Pregnenolone and pregnenolone-methyl-ether rescue neuronal defects caused by dysfunctional CLIP170 in a neuronal model of CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder.
Barbiero I, Peroni D, Siniscalchi P, Rusconi L, Tramarin M, De Rosa R, Motta P, Bianchi M, Kilstrup-Nielsen C. Neuropharmacology. 2020 Mar 1;164:107897. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107897. Epub 2019 Nov 30.
CDKL5 deficiency disorder: a rare infantile epileptic encephalopathy
Bianchi, M., Trivisano, M. (2020). Hospital Doctor of Ireland, 25, 20–22
The antidepressant-like effects of a clinically relevant dose of ketamine are accompanied by biphasic alterations in working memory in the Wistar Kyoto rat model of depression.
McDonnell, C. W., Dunphy-Doherty, F., Rouine, J., Bianchi, M., Upton, N., Sokolowska, E., Prenderville, J. A. (2020). Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11:599588
Neuronal glutamatergic changes and peripheral markers of cytoskeleton dynamics change synchronically 24 h after a sub-anaesthetic dose of ketamine in healthy subjects.
Colic, L., McDonnell, C., Li, M., Woelfer, M., Liebe, T., Kretzschmar, M., Speck, O., Schott, B. H., Bianchi, M., Walter, M. (2019). Behavioural Brain Research, 359, 312–319.
Posters
Alzheimer's & Parkinson's Drug Development Summit 2026
Synaptic Alterations in an α-Synuclein PFF Mouse Model Without Corresponding Inflammatory Changes in Mouse Brain or Human Biofluids
Connor J. Maltby(1), Jessica Pinto(1), Priya Jayabal(1), Michael P. Hill(2), Patrick A. Howson(2), Massimiliano Bianchi(1).
(1) Ulysses Neuroscience Ltd., Dublin, Republic of Ireland. (2) Atuka Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada.
Society for Neuroscience 2025
Neuroplastogen activity of NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine on primary rat cortical
neurons: establishing a platform for novel antidepressant discovery
Jessica Pinto, Connor Maltby, Massimiliano Bianchi
Acute ketamine and psilocybin induce behavioural and molecular antidepressant-like effects in the IFN-alpha and WKY rat models of depression
Enya Paschen, Connor Maltby, Priyadarshini Jayabal, Davide Selleri, Jessica Pinto, Massimiliano Bianchi
Understanding The Relationships Between The Effects Of Psilocybin On 5-HT2A Receptor Occupancy, Behavior, And Neuroplastic Effects In Mice
Connor J Maltby, Adam Klein, Enya Paschen, Jessica Pinto, Dino Dvorak, Joseph R Hedde, Ashley N Hanks, Massimiliano Bianchi, Zoë A Hughes
Society for Neuroscience 2022
A synucleinopathy rat model as a tool to investigate synaptic dysfunction and neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s Disease.
Freeburn, A., Tello, J., Disha, D., McGurk, C., Koprich, J.B., M. Brotchie, J.M., Pusung, A., Hill, M.P., & Bianchi, M.
Acetylated alpha-tubulin and neurofilament light chain as a clinical plasma biomarkers of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease.
Kealy, J., Freeburn, A., Disha, D., Onishi, T., Otake, K., Tanaka, M., Iwashita, H., Suzuki, A., Togher, Z., Murphy, S.M & Bianchi, M.
#ThinkRare – Biomarker analysis to bridge preclinical and clinical research in rare neurodevelopmental disorders like CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder and Fragile X Syndrome.
Bianchi, M., Kealy, J., Thornton, A., Callaghan, C.K., Freeburn, A., Disha, D., McGurk, C., Connolly, C., Traini, F., Kilstrup-Nielson, C., Barbiero, I., Garrone, B., Milanese, C., & di Giorgio, F.
The interferon-alpha rat model of neuroinflammation as a back-translational model of depression to investigate the efficacy of antidepressant and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Kealy, J., de Pasquale, C., Freeburn, A., Glass, M., Disha, D., Murray, K., Callaghan, C.K., & Bianchi, M.
Clinical Team Posters
#ThinkRare – Harnessing the power of advocacy and community engagement for biomarker and clinical research.
de Pasquale, C., Traini, F., Freeburn, A., Connolly, C., Bianchi, M., & Kealy, J.
Syrens: A Neurolinguistic study to assess cognitive abilities and develop composite biomarkers in Fragile X Premutation Carriers
Traini, F., Kealy, J., O’Mara, S., & Bianchi, M.
Accelerating Drug Discovery Across CNS Therapeutic Areas
Ulysses Neuroscience Ltd. is your vanguard CRO and translational partner, dedicated to advancing clinical and preclinical research for neuropsychiatric, neurodegenerative, and rare neurological disorders. We combine scientific excellence with a patient-centric approach and innovative methodologies. Our goal is to accelerate breakthroughs in neuroscience and bridge the gap between discovery and patient care.
What Sets Us Apart
Our unique integration of preclinical and clinical capabilities enables seamless translation across species and research phases. From validated animal models to human biomarker analysis, we deliver actionable insights that accelerate drug discovery.
