Dr. Paolo Giacobini, PhD

paolo.giacobini@inserm.fr

Group Leader
Principal Investigator

Ph.D. in Neuroscience, University of Turin, Italy & NIH, Bethesda, USA. 2005
M.Sc. in Molecular Biology, University of Turin, Italy. 1998

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Career

Paolo Giacobini is a neuroscientist and neuroendocrinologist specialized in reproductive biology. He obtained his undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology in 1998 and earned his PhD in Neuroscience in 2005 from the University of Turin, Italy. His doctoral research was conducted in collaboration with the laboratory of Prof. Fasolo at the Department of Human and Animal Biology and the laboratory of Dr. Susan Wray at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, USA, where he spent several years during his PhD and postdoctoral training.

Since the beginning of his scientific career, Dr. Giacobini has focused on unraveling the molecular mechanisms governing the development and function of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons—key regulators of fertility in all vertebrates. In 2009, he joined the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) as a permanent researcher, where he established an independent research group in Lille. He was appointed 2nd class Research Director at INSERM in 2017 and promoted to 1st class Research Director in 2023.
Over the past two decades, Dr. Giacobini has made significant contributions to understanding GnRH neuron ontogeny, migration, and plasticity, as well as the neuroendocrine and gonadal control of human reproduction. His research integrates mouse genetics, advanced imaging, molecular biology, in vivo physiological manipulations, and translational clinical studies to explore the underlying mechanisms of reproductive disorders.

A major focus of his work is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), the most prevalent female reproductive disorder, affecting up to 13% of women worldwide. His investigations into the neuroendocrine basis of PCOS have provided critical insights into its etiology and pathophysiology, particularly the role of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH).
Dr. Giacobini’s excellence in research has been recognized with several prestigious awards and grants, including :

• ERC Consolidator Grant (2016) – H2020, European Research Council
• ERC Proof-of-Concept Grant (2022) – European Research Council
• Chair in Biology and Health (2024) – French Government, Competitive Research Program of France 2030
• DRIEU-CHOLET Prize (2023) – French Academy of Medicine
• Mémain-Pelletier Prize (2024) – French Academy of Science

Discover Publications

(Paolo Giacobini’s ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3075-1441)

Since 2023
First-class Research Director at the INSERM (DR1 Inserm in Neuroscience)
INSERM U1172, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition, the laboratory: Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, University of Lille, France.

2017-2022
Junior Research Director at the INSERM (DR2 Inserm in Neuroscience)
INSERM U1172, Lille Neuroscience and Cognition, the laboratory: Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, JPARC, University of Lille, France.

2009-2017
Senior Associate Researcher at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (CR-INSERM), INSERM U1172, and Group Leader of a research team in the laboratory: Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, JPARC, University of Lille 2, France.

2010
HDR (Habilitation à diriger des recherches, » french diploma to supervise research of PhD-students), Neuroscience, Lille, Université Lille 2.

2005-2009
Postdoctoral researcher, Laboratory of Neurobiology (Prof. Aldo Fasolo), Department of Human and Animal Biology, University of Turin, Italy; CDNS laboratory (Dr. Susan Wray) National Institute of Health, NINDS, Bethesda, USA

2000-2005
Ph.D in Neuroscience. This Ph.D. training was done as a graduate partnership program between Prof. Fasolo’s laboratory (Lab. Neurobiology, Dept. Human and Animal Biology, University of Turin, Italy) and Dr. Susan Wray’s laboratory [National Institute of Neurological Strokes and Disorders (NINDS), National Institute of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA].

1998
Honor degree in Biology (Master in Science in Molecular Biology), University of Turin, Italy.

Administrative Council and Scientific Panels

2024-present: Basic Science Lead of the “Reproductive and Developmental Focus Area” of the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE).

2022-present: AE-PCOS Society Board Member.

2022-present : Member of the Inserm Specialized Scientific Committee n° 4 « Neuroscience » (CSS4) (invited position). 2022: Panel member elected of the ANR (Agence Nationale de la Recherche, French National Research Agency) Grant Evaluation Committee 14 (Physiology & Physiopathology). 2021-2022: Panel member elected of the European Society of Endocrinology’s (ESE) Focus Area on Reproductive and Developmental Endocrinology.

2021-2022: Panel member of the Research Foundation – Flanders (FWO) Review College (Belgium).
Member of the Med7 Fellowship panel for the evaluation of the PhD and Postdocs applications.

2015-2019: Member elected of the Administrative Council of the French Neuroscience Society (Société des Neurosciences).

2016-2019: Member elected of the Administrative Council of the French Neuroendocrine Society (Société de Neuroendocrinologie).

2017-present: Member of Board of Directors of EUCRE (European Center for Reproductive Endocrinology).

A GnRH neuronal population in the olfactory bulb translates socially relevant odors into reproductive behavior in male mice. Nature Neuroscience doi:10.1038/s41593-024-01724-1. (2024)

Decoster L, Trova S, Zucca S, Bulk J, Gouveia A, Ternier G, Lhomme T, Legrand A, Gallet S, Boehm U, Wyatt A, Wahl V, Wartenberg P, Hrabovszky E, Rácz G, Luzzati F, Nato G, Fogli M, Peretto P, Schriever SC, Bernecker M, Pfluger PT, Steculorum SM, Bovetti S, Rasika S, Prevot V, Silva MSB and Giacobini P

Overactivation of GnRH neurons is sufficient to trigger polycystic ovary syndrome-like traits in female mice. eBioMedicine doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104850. (2023)

Silva MSB, Decoster L, Delpouve G, Lhomme T, Ternier G, Prevot V, Giacobini P

Hypothalamic neuroglial plasticity is regulated by anti-müllerian hormone and disrupted in polycystic ovary syndrome. eBioMedicine doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104535. (2023)

Barbotin AL, Mimouni NEH, Kuchcinski G, Lopes R, Viard R, Rasika S, Mazur D, Silva MSB, Simon V, Boursier A, Pruvo JP, Yu Q, Candlish M, Boehm U, Dal Bello F, Medana C, Pigny P, Dewailly D, Prevot V, Catteau-Jonard S, Giacobini P

Female sexual behavior is disrupted in a preclinical mouse model of PCOS via an attenuated hypothalamic nitric oxide pathway. PNAS. doi:10.1073/pnas.2203503119. (2022)

Silva MSB, Decoster L, Trova S, Mimouni NEH, Delli V, Chachlaki K, Yu Q, Boehm U, Prevot V, Giacobini P

GnRH replacement rescues cognition in Down Syndrome. Science. doi: 10.1126/science.abq4515. (2022)

Manfredi-Lozano M, Leysen V, Adamo M, Paiva I, Rovera R, Pignat J-M, Timzoura FE, Candlish M, Eddarkaoui S, Malone SA, Silva MSB, Trova S, Imbernon M, Decoster L, Cotellessa L, Tena-Sempere M, Claret M, Paoloni-Giacobino A, Plassard D, Paccou E, Vionnet N, Acierno J, Maceski AM, Lutti A, Pfrieger F, Rasika S, Santoni F, Boehm U, Ciofi P, Buée L, Haddjeri N, Boutillier A-L, Kuhle J, Messina A, Draganski B, Giacobini P*, Pitteloud N*, Prevot V*

Polycystic ovary syndrome is transmitted via a transgenerational epigenetic process. Cell Metabolism doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2021.01.004. (2021)

Mimouni EH, Paiva I, Barbotin A-L, Timzoura FE, Plassard D, Le Gras S, Ternier G, Pigny P, Catteau-Jonard S, Simon V, Prevot V, Boutillier A-L and Giacobini P

Elevated prenatal anti-Müllerian hormone reprograms the fetus and induces polycystic ovary syndrome in adulthood. Nature Medicine doi: 10.1038/s41591-018-0035-5. (2018)

Tata B, Mimouni NEH, Barbotin AL, Malone SA, Loyens A, Pigny P, Dewailly D, Catteau-Jonard S, Sundström-Poromaa I, Piltonen TT, Dal Bello F, Medana C, Prevot V, Clasadonte J and Giacobini P

Tridimensional Visualization and Analysis of Early Human Development. Cell doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.03.008. (2017)

Belle M, Godefroy D, Couly G, Malone SA, Collier F, Giacobini P and Chédotal A

Novel Role for Anti-Müllerian Hormone in the Regulation of GnRH Neuron Excitability and Hormone Secretion. Nature Communications doi: 10.1038/ncomms10055. (2016)

Cimino I., Casoni F., Liu X., Messina A., Parkash J., Jamin S.P., Catteau-Jonard S. Collier F., Baroncini M., Dewailly D., Pigny P., Prescott M, Campbell R., Herbison A.E., Prevot V., Giacobini P.

Development of the Neurons Controlling Fertility in Humans: New Insights from 3D Imaging and Transparent Fetal Brains. Development doi: 10.1242/dev.139444. (2016)

Casoni F, Malone SA, Belle M, Luzzati L, Collier F, Allet C, Hrabovszky E, Rasika S, Prevot V, Chédotal A, Giacobini P

2024
• Prize Mémain-Pelletier from the French Academy of Science, laureate 2024, Fondation de l’Institut de France.

2023
• Prize Drieu-Cholet from the French Academy of Medicine, laureate ANM 2023.
• Inserm prize for Excellence of research and of teaching activities (RIPEC 3-Inserm), France.

2020
• Prize Wertheimer, laureate 2020, for the scientific achievements in Neurophysiology (Societé des Sciences, de l’Agriculture et des arts de Lille)

2016
• ERC Consolidator Grant (REPRODAMH)
• Prize “Espoir en tête 2016”, Fédération pour la recherche sur le cerveau (FRC) France.

2015
• Inserm prize for Excellence of Research (Prime d’encadrement doctoral et de recherche INSERM, PEDR), France.

Selected publications