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Welcome to the Orlandi Lab

The main focus of the lab research is to investigate the biology of a group of understudied G protein coupled receptors (GPCR). Members of the large GPCR family are involved in the regulation of every aspect of human physiology. Because of their physiological relevance and localization at the plasma membrane GPCRs are ideal targets for drug development. Orphan GPCRs constitutes a group of receptors whose endogenous ligands are still unknown. Nonetheless, the identification of disease-causing mutations in patients together with animal studies have established the involvement of orphan GPCRs in essential physiological processes and in the onset of severe diseases. More broadly, our lab applies pharmacology, biochemistry, microscopy imaging, and proteomics to understand the role that orphan GPCRs play in shaping behavioral responses as well as the ways in which alterations in these complexes can lead to diseases.

The Orlandi Lab is currently accepting rotation graduate students. Students interested in setting up a rotation should contact Dr. Orlandi with CV and research interests.

Undergraduate students interested in exploring the role of orphan GPCRs in neurophysiological process should contact Dr. Orlandi with CV and research interests. Students with backgrounds in molecular biology, biochemistry, or related fields are encouraged to apply.

Cesare Orlandi, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator

Lab Members

Research

Student Advising Statement

Publications

View All Publications

1. Fu W
2. Alabdali R
3. Mousaei A
4. Daher F
5. Wettschureck N
6. MacLean DM
7. Fogaça MV
8. Orlandi C
Orphan Receptor GPRC5B Controls Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Affects Retinoic Acid-Mediated Behaviors.; Molecular neurobiology; Vol 63(1), pp. 13. 2025 Nov 07.
1. Kim JS
2. Franchini L
3. Yudin Y
4. Denissiouk AN
5. Rohacs T
6. Orlandi C
7. Das A
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Derived Neuroactive Lipids - Docosahexaenoyl-Glycine and Its Epoxide Metabolites are Multifunctional Lipid Mediators.; bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology. 2025 Oct 17.
1. Bonniwell EM
2. Alabdali R
3. Hennessey JJ
4. McKee JL
5. Cavalco NG
6. Lammers JC
7. Moore EJ
8. Franchini L
9. Orlandi C
10. McCorvy JD
Serotonin 5-HT2C Receptor Signaling Analysis Reveals Psychedelic Biased Agonism.; ACS chemical neuroscience. 2025 Sep 13.
1. Zanetti L
2. Franchini L
3. Saha S
4. Liao Y
5. Muntean BS
6. Orlandi C
Go/z-biased coupling profile of the dopamine D3 receptor.; bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology. 2025 Aug 12.
1. Kundu D
2. Franchini L
3. Hasdemir HS
4. Lloyd E
5. Maturano J
6. Rabl K
7. Denissiouk AN
8. Schumacher M
9. Sarlah D
10. Hellman J
11. Tajkhorshid E
12. Orlandi C
13. Das A
Distinct Interactions of Cannabinol and Its Cytochrome P450-Generated Metabolites with Receptors and Sensory Neurons.; Journal of medicinal chemistry. 2025 Jun 26.
1. Takano T
2. Franchini L
3. Wagner LE
4. Cooley M
5. Groblewski GE
6. Orlandi C
7. Yule DI
Pancreatic acinar cell signalling and function exhibit an absolute requirement for activation of Gαq.; The Journal of physiology. 2025 Jun 25.
1. Franchini L
2. Porter JJ
3. Lueck JD
4. Orlandi C
GzESTY as an optimized cell-based assay for initial steps in GPCR deorphanization.; Nature communications; Vol 16(1), pp. 4521. 2025 May 15.
1. Kwon J
2. Kawase H
3. Mattonet K
4. Guenther S
5. Hahnefeld L
6. Shamsara J
7. Heering J
8. Kurz M
9. Kirchhofer S
10. Krasel C
11. Ulrich M
12. Persechino M
13. Murthy S
14. Orlandi C
15. Sadik CD
16. Geisslinger G
17. Bünemann M
18. Kolb P
19. Offermanns S
20. Wettschureck N
Orphan G protein-coupled receptor GPRC5B controls macrophage function by facilitating prostaglandin E receptor 2 signaling.; Nature communications; Vol 16(1), pp. 1448. 2025 Feb 07.

Affiliations

Contact Us

Orlandi Lab
601 Elmwood Ave
Rochester, NY 14642

Cesare_Orlandi@urmc.rochester.edu

(585) 275-6613