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USD 13 /hr

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Hire Dr. Simona E.

United States

USD 13 /hr

Harvard Neuroscientist & MBA| Neurodegeneration Expert | Preclinical & Drug Development, IND-Enabling Consultant

Profile Summary

I am a Neuroscientist and Instructor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School with 20 years of experience in neurodegeneration, drug discovery, and translational research. My work focuses on Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and ALS, integrating molecular biology, cell/animal models, and preclinical therapeutic development. I am the inventor of a patented retromer-booster small molecule currently advancing through IND-enabling studies, and I have extensive expertise designing, optimizing, and interpreting preclinical programs for academic labs, biotech companies, and foundations. I have led multiple therapeutic projects from target identification to lead optimization, biomarker development, and in vivo efficacy studies. My expertise spans mechanism-of-action studies, α-synuclein and amyloid biology, mitochondrial pathways, proteostasis (CMA/UPS), endolysosomal system, macroautophagy, chaperone mediated autophagy, and iPSC-derived neuronal models. I have authored 20 peer-reviewed publications (Nature Communications, Neuron, FASEB J., NBD), secured competitive NIH and SPARK-NS grants, and served as reviewer, editor, and invited speaker internationally. I offer consulting in: preclinical study design, neurodegeneration mechanisms, drug-development strategy, new therapeutic approaches and medications in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, grant and manuscript writing, experimental troubleshooting, data interpretation, and scientific project evaluation. I provide high-quality, fast-turnaround support for academic and industry partners seeking expert guidance in neuroscience and therapeutic development.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ☆ Zoology
• ☆ Animal Science
• ☆ Biochemistry
• ☆ Immunoassay
• ☆ Biochemical Assays
• ☆ Structural Biology
• ☆ Apoptosis
• ☆ Oxidative Stress & Mitochondrial Function
• ☆ Antioxidants
• ☆ Enzyme Activity Assays
• ☆ Binding Assays
• ☆ Neuroscience
• ☆ Neurochemistry
• ☆ Behavioral Neuroscience
• ☆ Neuroanatomy
• ☆ Neuropsychology
• ☆ Neuropharmacology
• ☆ Molecular Neuroscience
• ☆ Neurobiology
• ☆ Systems Neuroscience
• ☆ Biomarker Discovery
• ☆ Neurology
• ☆ Medical Sciences

Services

• Writing
• Research
• Consulting
• Data & AI
• Product Development

Writing Clinical Trial Documentation, Medical Writing, Non-Medical Regulatory Writing, Technical Writing, Business & Legal Writing, Copywriting, Creative Writing

Research Market Research, User Research, Meta-Research, Feasibility Study, Technology Scouting, Fact Checking

Consulting Business Strategy Consulting, Healthcare Consulting

Data & AI Image Analysis

Product Development Stability/Shelf Life Testing, Product Validation

Work Experience

Instructor of Neurology

Harvard Medical School

August 2019 - Present

Post doc

Ospedale San Raffaele

May 2014 - Present

Istituto Clinico Humanitas

July 2017 - July 2019

UCSD

August 2011 - May 2014

Education

european PhD (Brain Mind Institute)

Life Sciences at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

- Present

MBA

Quantic School of Business and Technology

April 2024 - August 2025

Post-doc (Neurosciences)

University of California San Diego

August 2011 - April 2014

European PhD (neuosciences)

Universita degli Studi di Bologna Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche Geologiche ed Ambientali

January 2007 - April 2010

Master degree in Biological Sciences (Biochemistry)

Universita degli Studi di Bologna Dipartimento di Scienze Biologiche Geologiche ed Ambientali

October 2000 - July 2006

Certifications

• Certification in immunology

  Harvard medical school

  January 2025 - Present

• Certification Pharmacology, Clinical Drug Development

  Harvard medical school

  January 2025 - Present

• Introduction to Drug Discovery and Development

  SPARK NS Foundation

  January 2025 - Present

• Research writing course

  Harvard medical school

  January 2025 - Present

Publications

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Simona Eleuteri, Bao Wang, Gianni Cutillo, Tracy Shi Zhang Fang, Kai Tao, Yan Qu, Qian Yang, Wenyi Wei, David K Simon (2025). PGC‐1α regulation by FBXW7 through a novel mechanism linking chaperone‐mediated autophagy and the ubiquitin‐proteasome system . The FEBS Journal.

Simona Eleuteri, Tracy-Shi Zhang Fang, Yu Sun, Andrew C. Pearce, Mark Kemp, Christopher A. Luckhurst, Rachel Williams, Ross Mills, Sarah Almond, Laura Burzynski, et al. (2023). Knockout or inhibition of USP30 protects dopaminergic neurons in a Parkinson’s disease mouse model . Nature Communications.

Ding XS, Gao L, Han Z, Eleuteri S, Shi W, Shen Y, Song ZY, Su M, Yang Q, Qu Y, et al. (2023). Ferroptosis in Parkinson's disease: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential . Ageing research reviews.

Ding, X.-S., Gao, L., Han, Z., Eleuteri, S., Shi, W., Shen, Y., Song, Z.-Y., Su, M., Yang, Q., Qu, Y., et al.(2023). Ferroptosis in Parkinson's disease: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential . Ageing Research Reviews. 91.

Dhungel, N., Eleuteri, S., Li, L.-B., Kramer, N.J., Chartron, J.W., Spencer, B., Kosberg, K., Fields, J.A., Stafa, K., Adame, A., et al.(2023). Erratum: Parkinson's Disease Genes VPS35 and EIF4G1 Interact Genetically and Converge on α-Synuclein (Neuron (2015) 85(1) (76–87), (S0896627314010812), (10.1016/j.neuron.2014.11.027)) . Neuron. 111. (1). p. 138.

Fang, T.-S.Z., Sun, Y., Pearce, A.C., Eleuteri, S., Kemp, M., Luckhurst, C.A., Williams, R., Mills, R., Almond, S., Burzynski, L., et al.(2023). Knockout or inhibition of USP30 protects dopaminergic neurons in a Parkinson’s disease mouse model . Nature Communications. 14. (1).

Toni M, Eleuteri S (2022). Editorial: Prion and prion-like proteins in neurodegenerative diseases . Frontiers in neuroscience.

Toni, M., Eleuteri, S.(2022). Editorial: Prion and prion-like proteins in neurodegenerative diseases . Frontiers in Neuroscience. 16.

Simona Eleuteri, Gianni Cutillo, David K. Simon (2020). VPS35 and the mitochondria: Connecting the dots in Parkinson's disease pathophysiology . Neurobiology of Disease.

Muzio L, Sirtori R, Gornati D, Eleuteri S, Fossaghi A, Brancaccio D, Manzoni L, Ottoboni L, Feo L, Quattrini A, et al. (2020). Retromer stabilization results in neuroprotection in a model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis . Nature communications.

Muzio, L., Sirtori, R., Gornati, D., Eleuteri, S., Fossaghi, A., Brancaccio, D., Manzoni, L., Ottoboni, L., Feo, L.D., Quattrini, A., et al.(2020). Retromer stabilization results in neuroprotection in a model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis . Nature Communications. 11. (1).

Cutillo, G., Simon, D.K., Eleuteri, S.(2020). VPS35 and the mitochondria: Connecting the dots in Parkinson's disease pathophysiology . Neurobiology of Disease. 145.

Eleuteri S, Albanese A (2019). VPS35-Based Approach: A Potential Innovative Treatment in Parkinson's Disease . Frontiers in neurology.

Eleuteri, S., Albanese, A.(2019). VPS35-Based Approach: A Potential Innovative Treatment in Parkinson's Disease . Frontiers in Neurology. 10.

Wrasidlo W, Tsigelny IF, Price DL, Dutta G, Rockenstein E, Schwarz TC, Ledolter K, Bonhaus D, Paulino A, Eleuteri S, et al. (2016). A de novo compound targeting α-synuclein improves deficits in models of Parkinson's disease . Brain : a journal of neurology.

Wrasidlo, W., Tsigelny, I.F., Price, D.L., Dutta, G., Rockenstein, E., Schwarz, T.C., Ledolter, K., Bonhaus, D., Paulino, A., Eleuteri, S., et al.(2016). A de novo compound targeting α-synuclein improves deficits in models of Parkinson's disease . Brain. 139. (12). p. 3217-3236.

Fields J, Dumaop W, Eleuteri S, Campos S, Serger E, Trejo M, Kosberg K, Adame A, Spencer B, Rockenstein E, et al. (2015). HIV-1 Tat alters neuronal autophagy by modulating autophagosome fusion to the lysosome: implications for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders . The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience.

Dhungel, N., Eleuteri, S., Li, L.-B., Kramer, N.J., Chartron, J.W., Spencer, B., Kosberg, K., Fields, J.A., Stafa, K., Adame, A., et al.(2015). Erratum to Parkinson's Disease Genes VPS35 and EIF4G1 Interact Genetically and Converge on α-Synuclein [(Neuron 85, (2015) 76-87] . Neuron. 85. (3). p. 657.

Dhungel, N., Eleuteri, S., Li, L.-B., Kramer, N.J., Chartron, J.W., Spencer, B., Kosberg, K., Fields, J.A., Stafa, K., Adame, A., et al.(2015). Parkinson's Disease Genes VPS35 and EIF4G1 Interact Genetically and Converge on α-Synuclein . Neuron. 85. (1). p. 76-87.

Eleuteri, S., di Giovanni, S., Rockenstein, E., Mante, M., Adame, A., Trejo, M., Wrasidlo, W., Wu, F., Fraering, P.C., Masliah, E., et al.(2015). Novel therapeutic strategy for neurodegeneration by blocking Aβ seeding mediated aggregation in models of Alzheimer's disease . Neurobiology of Disease. 74. p. 144-157.

Dhungel N, Eleuteri S, Li LB, Kramer NJ, Chartron JW, Spencer B, Kosberg K, Fields JA, Stafa K, Adame A, et al. (2014). Parkinson's disease genes VPS35 and EIF4G1 interact genetically and converge on α-synuclein . Neuron.

Eleuteri S, Di Giovanni S, Rockenstein E, Mante M, Adame A, Trejo M, Wrasidlo W, Wu F, Fraering PC, Masliah E, et al. (2014). Novel therapeutic strategy for neurodegeneration by blocking Aβ seeding mediated aggregation in models of Alzheimer's disease . Neurobiology of disease.

Spencer, B., Emadi, S., Desplats, P., Eleuteri, S., Michael, S., Kosberg, K., Shen, J., Rockenstein, E., Patrick, C., Adame, A., et al.(2014). ESCRT-mediated uptake and degradation of brain-targeted α-synuclein single chain antibody attenuates neuronal degeneration in vivo . Molecular Therapy. 22. (10). p. 1753-1767.

Di Giovanni S, Eleuteri S, Paleologou KE, Yin G, Zweckstetter M, Carrupt PA, Lashuel HA (2010). Entacapone and tolcapone, two catechol O-methyltransferase inhibitors, block fibril formation of alpha-synuclein and beta-amyloid and protect against amyloid-induced toxicity . The Journal of biological chemistry.

Di Giovanni, S., Eleuteri, S., Paleologou, K.E., Yin, G., Zweckstetter, M., Carrupt, P.-A., Lashuel, H.A.(2010). Entacapone and tolcapone, two catechol O-methyltransferase inhibitors, block fibril formation of α-synuclein and β-amyloid and protect against amyloid-induced toxicity . Journal of Biological Chemistry. 285. (20). p. 14941-14954.

Polazzi E, Altamira LE, Eleuteri S, Barbaro R, Casadio C, Contestabile A, Monti B (2009). Neuroprotection of microglial conditioned medium on 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neuronal death: role of transforming growth factor beta-2 . Journal of neurochemistry.

Eleuteri S, Monti B, Brignani S, Contestabile A (2009). Chronic dietary administration of valproic acid protects neurons of the rat nucleus basalis magnocellularis from ibotenic acid neurotoxicity . Neurotoxicity research.

Eleuteri, S., Monti, B., Brignani, S., Contestabile, A.(2009). Chronic dietary administration of valproic acid protects neurons of the rat nucleus basalis magnocellularis from ibotenic acid neurotoxicity . Neurotoxicity Research. 15. (2). p. 127-132.

Polazzi, E., Altamira, L.E.P., Eleuteri, S., Barbaro, R., Casadio, C., Contestabile, A., Monti, B.(2009). Neuroprotection of microglial conditioned medium on 6-hydroxydopamine- induced neuronal death: Role of transforming growth factor beta-2 . Journal of Neurochemistry. 110. (2). p. 545-556.

Eleuteri S, Polazzi E, Contestabile A (2008). Neuroprotection of microglia conditioned media from apoptotic death induced by staurosporine and glutamate in cultures of rat cerebellar granule cells . Neuroscience letters.

Eleuteri, S., Polazzi, E., Contestabile, A.(2008). Neuroprotection of microglia conditioned media from apoptotic death induced by staurosporine and glutamate in cultures of rat cerebellar granule cells . Neuroscience Letters. 448. (1). p. 74-78.

PREPRINT

Simona Eleuteri, Tracy Shi Zhang Fang, Gianni Cutillo, Michele Persico, David K Simon (2023). Retromer stabilization using a pharmacological chaperone protects in an α-synuclein based mouse model of Parkinson’s .

OTHER

Eleuteri, S., Fang, T.S.Z., Cutillo, G., Persico, M., Simon, D.K.(2023). Retromer stabilization using a pharmacological chaperone protects in an α-synuclein based mouse model of Parkinson’s . Research Square.