Daria Piacentino, M.D., Ph.D., M.Sc.

Background

Dr. Daria Piacentino joined Dr. Leggio’s CPN laboratory in February 2018. She received both her M.D. and Ph.D. in Clinical and Experimental Neurosciences and Psychiatry from Sapienza University of Rome. In 2013-2014, Dr. Piacentino was a Research Fellow at Sapienza University of Rome after being awarded an Italian Ministry of Research grant to investigate the use of anabolic steroids and new psychoactive drugs (NPS) in a young sports population. In 2015 she received a MS in Medical Statistics and Statistical Methods for Epidemiology from the University of Milan. In 2018, she completed clinical residency in Psychiatry at Sapienza University of Rome and Sant’ Andrea Hospital. Her research has focused on the use of deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for alcohol and cocaine use disorders, the effects of anabolic steroids and NPS in athletes, and the role of the gut-brain axis in functional gastrointestinal disorders. Dr. Piacentino has been the recipient of several awards and honors: in 2019, the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology New Investigator Award; in 2020, the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism Early Career Investigator Award, the NIDA IRP Women Scientists Advisors Committee Promising Postdoctoral Fellow Award, and being selected for the American Psychiatric Association Research Colloquium for Junior Psychiatrists, as well as a finalist of the Research Society on Alcoholism Enoch Gordis Research Recognition Award; in 2021, a College on Problems of Drug Dependence Early Career Investigator Travel Award, a Research Society on Alcoholism Junior Investigator Award, a Society for Neuroscience Trainee Professional Development Award, and a NIDA IRP Outstanding Poster Award. As a Visiting Fellow in Dr. Leggio’s laboratory, Dr. Piacentino is investigating alcohol use patterns and the link with psychiatric and medical features, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal/hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid function in alcohol exposure and withdrawal, as well as the role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis in alcohol-seeking behaviors. For the latter area of research, she was awarded with a fellowship from the NIH Center on Compulsive Behaviors in 2019, 2020, and 2021.