Andrea Cippitelli, Ph.D.

Biography

Dr. Cippitelli’s research focuses on the management of substance use disorders through pharmacology and drug discovery. Dr. Cippitelli uses a variety of experimental techniques and rodent models to explore the implications of multiple neurobiological systems in substance use disorders and substance use disorder-related conditions including anxiety-, depressive-like states, cognitive impairment and post-traumatic stress disorder, with the ultimate goal of extending knowledge on these pathological states and finding useful therapies. Dr. Cippitelli’s research also focuses in investigating pain disorders including migraine. The development of migraine models and the correct assessment of behavioral measures of migraine in laboratory animals is critical to achieve a more adequate management of this extremely common but poorly understood nervous system disorder.

Education

• 2001: M.S., Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technologies, University of Camerino, Italy
• 2006: Ph.D., Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Camerino, Italy
• 2006-2010: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Alcoholism, NIAAA/NIH, Bethesda, MD
• 2010-2012: Post-Doctoral Training, Neuropharmacology, University of Camerino, Italy
• 2012-2015 Post-Doctoral Fellow, Neuropharmacology, Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, Port St. Lucie, FL

Work History

• July 2022-present Research Associate Professor, Biomedical Science Department, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
• 2018-2022 Research Assistant Professor, Biomedical Science Department, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
• 2015-2018 Senior Scientist, Department of Neuropharmacology, Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies, Port St. Lucie, FL

Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Andrea Cippitelli, Gilles Zribi, Lawrence Toll. PPL-103: A mixed opioid partial agonist with desirable anti-cocaine properties. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2022 Jul 5;119:110599. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110599. Online ahead of print.
• Andrea Cippitelli, Madeline Martinez, Gilles Zribi, Gerta Cami-Kobeci, Stephen M. Husbands, Lawrence Toll. PPL-138 (BU10038): A bifunctional mu-NOP partial agonist that reduces cocaine self-administration in rats. Neuropharmacology. 2022 Apr 1; 211:109045. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109045.
• Lawrence Toll, Andrea Cippitelli, Akihiko Ozawa. The NOP Receptor System in Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders: Discrepancies, Peculiarities and Clinical Progress in Developing Targeted Therapies. CNS Drugs. 2021 May 31. doi: 10.1007/s40263-021-00821-0.
• Katarzyna M. Targowska-Duda, Akihiko Ozawa, Zachariah Bertels, Andrea Cippitelli, Jason L. Marcus, Hanna K. Mielke-Maday, Gilles Zribi, Amanda N. Rainey, Brigitte L. Kieffer, Amynah A. Pradhan, Lawrence Toll. NOP receptor agonist attenuates nitroglycerin-induced migraine-like symptoms in mice. Neuropharmacology. 2020 Jun 15;170:108029. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108029.
• Andrea Cippitelli, Megan Barnes, Nurulain T. Zaveri, Lawrence Toll. Potent and selective NOP receptor activation reduces cocaine self-administration in rats by lowering hedonic set point. Addict Biol. 2020 Nov 25(6):e12844. https://doi.org/10.1111/adb.12844.
• Gloria Brunori, Michelle Weger, Jennifer Schoch, Katarzyna Targowska-Duda, Megan Barnes, Anna Maria Borruto, Linda M. Rorick-Kehn, Nurulain T. Zaveri, John E. Pintar, Roberto Ciccocioppo, Lawrence Toll, and Andrea Cippitelli. NOP receptor antagonists decrease alcohol drinking in the dark in C57BL/6J mice. Alcohol: Clin Exp Res. 2019 Oct;43(10):2167-2178. doi: 10.1111/acer.14165.
• Angelo Bifone, Andrea Gozzi, Andrea Cippitelli, Alessandra Matzeu, Esi Domi, Hongwu Li, Giulia Scuppa, Nazzareno Cannella, Massimo Ubaldi, Friedbert Weiss, Roberto Ciccocioppo. phMRI, neurochemical and behavioral responses to psychostimulants distinguishing genetically selected alcohol-preferring from genetically heterogenous rats. Addict Biol. 2019 Sep;24(5):981-993. doi: 10.1111/adb.12671.
• NOP-Related Mechanisms in Pain and Analgesia. Lawrence Toll, Akihiko Ozawa, Andrea Cippitelli. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2019;254:165-186. doi: 10.1007/164_2019_214.

Scholarly Activity

Experience

• 2008, 2013-2015 Member, Society for Neuroscience
• 2009 Invited speaker, 32nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, San Diego, CA
• 2010 Selected speaker, 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, San Antonio, TX
• 2011 Invited speaker, Alcoholism and stress: A framework for future strategies strategies, Volterra, Italy
• 2017 Invited speaker, Alcoholism and stress: A framework for future treatment strategies, Volterra, Italy
• 2018-present Florida Atlantic University Brain Institute member
• 2021 Abstract Reviewer Cannabis Clinical Outcomes Research Conference
• 2022 Selected speaker, Cannabis Clinical Outcomes Research Conference, Orlando, FL

Honors

• 2002 Scholarship for Research Activities Abroad, University of Camerino, Italy
• 2005 Pharmacist License, Italy
• 2014 National Scientific Qualification for Associate Professorship in Italy, Ministry for Instruction, University and Research (MIUR)
• 2014 Travel Award to attend “Alcoholism and stress: A framework for future strategies strategies”, Volterra Conference, NIAAA/NIH
• 2016 Travel Award to attend the International Narcotics Research Conference (INRC), British Pharmacological Society
• 2017 Travel Award to attend conference on “Alcoholism and Stress: A Framework for Future Treatment Strategies”, NIAAA/NIH
• 2018 Travel Award to attend INRC conference, NIH/NIDA

Funding

• 2021 Research Grant Award, Consortium for Medical Marijuana Clinical Outcomes Research
  Investigating cannabidiol anti-headache actions through PPAR signaling
  Role: PI
  7/1/2021-9/30/2022.
• 2021 FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute Pilot Grant.
  Epigenetic consequences of intermittent cocaine exposure in rats
  Role: PI
  10/1/2021-12/31/2022
• W81XWH-21-1-0410, Department of Defense
  Investigation into NOP Receptor Agonists for the Treatment of Chronic Migraine
  Role: Co-I
  06/01/2021-05/31/2024.
• R01DA023281, NIH/NIDA
  Mixed NOP/Mu compounds and the involvement of their receptors in analgesia.
  Role: Co-I
  07/01/18-6/30/23 2019
• Research Grant Award, Consortium for Medical Marijuana Clinical Outcomes Research
  Cannabidiol: A potential treatment for migraine-like pain, negative emotion and photophobia
  Role: PI
  12/1/2019-12/31/2020.
• R41DA044894, NIH/NIDA
  The Kappa Partial Agonist PPL-103 as a Potential Cocaine Abuse Pharmacotherapy
  Role: Consortium PI
  06/01/2018-01/31/2021
• Neuroscience Pilot Award Program, FAU Brain Institute
  The Role of Nicotinic Receptors in the Dorsal Root Ganglia in a Model of Neuropathic Pain
  Role: PI
  05/30/2018-09/30/2019
• R01DA040882, NIH/NIDA
  Title “NPQ/Spexin the Endogenous Ligand for the Galanin Receptor 3”.
  Role: Co-I
  07/01/16-06/30/20
• R41AA025298, NIH/NIAAA
  Discovery of alpha4beta2 Nicotinic Receptor Antagonists as Alcohol Abuse Medications
  Role: Consortium PI
  09/28/16-09/27/17
• R44DA036968, NIH/NIDA
  Novel selective alpha4beta2 nicotinic receptor antagonists for smoking cessation
  Role: Co-I
  09/30/15-09/29/17