Giannina Descalzi MSc, PhD

Dr. Giannina Descalzi is an Assistant Professor at the Ontario Veterinary College, in the University of Guelph, Canada. She has dedicated her research to investigating the molecular, cellular, and genetic mechanisms involved in chronic pain development and maintenance. Her research focuses on the intersection of pain and emotion, and bridges animal models of chronic pain with molecular biology and systems neuroscience to enhance our understanding of chronic pain, mental health, and circuit-wide gene function. Noting that people suffering from chronic pain often report high levels of depression anxiety, Dr. Descalzi’s recent work has focused on gene expression adaptations in mood-related brain regions as a consequence of long-term chronic pain. She hopes that by exploring at the molecular and cellular level how mood-related brain regions are affected, her research can lead to the development of more efficacious therapies for chronic pain patients.