Giuseppe P. Cortese, PhD

Associate Professor

Associate Course Director of Physiology at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine

Education

University of Minnesota- Twin Cities, BA, Physiology, 2005

University of Colorado at Boulder, MA, Neuroscience and Psychology, 2010

University of Colorado at Boulder, PhD, Neuroscience and Psychology, 2013

Training

Research Technician, Harvard Medical School & Brigham Women’s Hospital, Center for Neurologic Diseases, 2005

Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Columbia University, Department of Pathology & Cell Biology and The Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer’s Disease and the Aging Brain, 2013

Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Wisconsin- Madison, Department of Neurology, 2015

Associate Research Scientist, Columbia University Medical Center & New York State Psychiatric Institute, Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Therapeutics and The Center for Precision Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2017

  • Associate Professor, Weissman Hood Istitute

    Associate Professor & Associate Course Director, Physiology, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine-Montana

  • Our research program is dedicated to identifying the neuroimmune mechanisms that drive synaptic dysfunction in psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. We integrate neuroscience and immunology to understand the complex interactions between the immune system and the central nervous system in the context of disease. By revealing how immune dysregulation leads to impaired synaptic function, our research will pave the way for novel therapeutic targets.

    1. Klub BA, Teich AF, Cortese GP. ZCCHC17: a target for synaptic dysfunction and neuronal excitability in Alzheimer’s disease. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 18:1737060. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2026.1737060, 2026.

    2. Cortese GP, Bartosch AMW, Xiao H, Gribkova Y, Lam TG, Argyrousi EK, Sivakumar S, Cardona C, Teich AF.  ZCCHC17 knockdown phenocopies Alzheimer’s disease-related loss of synaptic proteins and hyperexcitability.  Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, 83(7):626-635, 2024.

    3.  de Jong JO, Llapashitca C, Genestine M, Strauss K, Provenzano F, Sun Y, Zhu J, Cortese GP,Brundu F, Brigatti KW, Corneo B, Migliori B, Tomer R, Kushner SA, Kellendonk C, Javitch JA, Xu B, Markx S.  Cortical overgrowth in a preclinical forebrain organoid model of CNTNAP2-associated autism spectrum disorder.  Nature Communications, 12(1):4087, 2021.

    4. Rigby MJ, Ding Y, Farrugia MA, Feig M, Cortese GP,Mitchell H, Burger C, Puglielli L.  The endoplasmic reticulum acetyltransferases ATase1/NAT8B and ATase2/NAT8 are differentially regulated to adjust engagement of the secretory pathway.  Journal of Neurochemistry, 16:e14958, 2020.

    5. Zu M, Cortese GP*, Waites C. Parkinson's disease-linked Parkin mutations impair glutamatergic synaptic transmission and plasticity. BMC Biology,16(1):100, 2018. (*co-first author).

    6. Tanaka N, Cortese GP, Barrientos RM, Maier SF, Patterson SL.  Aging and an immune challenge interact to produce prolonged, but not permanent reductions in hippocampal L-LTP and mBDNF in a rodent model with features of delirium. eNeuro, 5(3), 2018.

    7. Cortese GP, Olin A, O’Riordan K, Hullinger R, Burger C.  Environmental enrichment improves hippocampal function in aged rats by enhancing learning and memory, and mGluR5-Homer1c activity.  Neurobiology of Aging, 63:1-11, 2018.

    8. Cortese GP, Zhu M, Williams D, Heath S, Waites C. Parkin deficiency reduces glutamatergic neurotransmission by impairing AMPA receptor endocytosis.  Journal of Neuroscience, 36(48):12243-12258, 2016.

    9. Cortese GP &Burger C.  Neuroinflammatory challenges compromise neuronal function in the aging brain: Postoperative cognitive delirium and Alzheimer’s Disease.  Behavioural Brain Research, pii: S0166-4328(16):30539-3, 2016.

    10.  Johnson BN, Berger AK, Cortese GP, Lavoie MJ. The Ubiquitin E3 ligase Parkin regulates the proapoptotic function of Bax.  PNAS, 109(16):6283-8, 2012.

    11. Cortese GP, Barrientos RM, Maier SF, Patterson SL.  Aging and a peripheral immune challenge interact to reduce mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor and activation of TrkB, PLCγ1, and ERK in hippocampal synaptoneurosomes.  Journal of Neuroscience, 16;31(11):4274-9, 2011.

    12. Berger AK, Cortese GP*, Amodeo KD, Weihofen A., Letai AG, LaVoie MJ.  Parkin selectively alters the intrinsic threshold for mitochondrial cytochrome c release.  Human Molecular Genetics, 18(22):4317-28, 2009. (*co-first author)

    13. LaVoie MJ, Cortese GP, Ostaszewski BL., Schlossmacher MG.  The effects of oxidative stress on parkin and other E3 ligases.  Journal of Neurochemistry, 103(6):2354-68, 2007.

  • email: giuseppe.cortese@mclaughlinresearch.org

    ph: (406) 454 - 6009