Curriculum

CURRENT POSITION: Associate Professor, academic discipline BIOS-12/A, Human Anatomy, at the Department of Translational Medicine of the University of Ferrara.

 

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

  • 2001: Degree in Biological Sciences with a focus on Pathophysiology obtained from the University of Trieste.
  • 2004: State Exam for Biologists and Registration with the Order of Biologists of Trieste.
  • 2010. PhD in Maternal-Infant Medicine, Developmental Pediatrics, and Perinatology obtained from the University of Trieste.

 

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

  • Professor of Human Anatomy for the following degree courses: Medicine and Surgery, Medical Biotechnology.

 

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

  • 2005-2006: Research collaboration at IRCCS Burlo Garofolo (Department of Advanced Services and Diagnostics), Trieste.
  • 2011-2012: Research collaboration at IRCCS Burlo Garofolo (Medical Genetics Laboratory), Trieste.
  • 2011: Research activity in the field of biomedicine (DM60243) at the Consortium for the Center of Molecular Biomedicine Srl, AREA Science Park of Trieste.
  • 2013-2014: Research Grant (SSD BIO/16) at the Department of Morphology, Surgery, and Experimental Medicine, Section of Anatomy and Histology, University of Ferrara.
  • 2015-2018: Research Grant (SSD BIO/16 and BIO/17) at the Clinical Department of Medical, Surgical, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste.

 

Main Research Topics Translational research activity, mainly conducted at the laboratories of RCCS Burlo Garofolo (Trieste), University of Trieste, and the current Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara, has focused primarily on the following areas of interest: i) Morphological-functional characterization of disease models (pediatric) in vitro and in vivo, aiming to:

  • Mimic the pathogenic mechanisms characteristic of rare diseases involving the cholesterol metabolic pathway.
  • Identify new molecular targets to develop potential and effective therapeutic strategies (rare diseases).
  • Evaluate the role of the inflammasome platform in the pathogenesis of periodic pediatric diseases with particular interest in various apoptotic systems and oxidative stress. ii) Study of drug repositioning in the context of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases and oncohematological pathologies.

 

Main Research Projects

  • Research project "Characterization of a mouse model for the study of the Mevalonate Kinase enzyme defect and search for new therapies (Part II)" at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) (Padriciano, Trieste) (2013-2015).
  • Research project "Preclinical study of lapaquisat in the defect of mevalonate kinase and other autoinflammatory syndromes" (Ministerial Project Code RC 02/2014) in collaboration with Takeda Pharmaceuticals International Co. Translational Medicine (Dr. Saurabh Gupta, Associate Director). IRCCS Burlo Garofolo (2014-2016).
  • Telethon Project (Telethon Grant 2015: GGP1541, GGP15241 "Genetics, physiopathology and therapeutic options in a novel monogenic multisystem inflammatory disorder due to DNAse II deficiency". IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste (2015-2018).
  • Research project "Multidisciplinary analysis of rare diseases" (Esoma Project) (Ministerial Project Code RC 17/2014). IRCCS Burlo Garofolo (2014-2018).
  • Research project "Innovative models for studying the interaction between the intestinal microbiota and the mucosal immune system in Crohn's disease" (Ministerial Project Code RC 22/2012). IRCCS Burlo Garofolo (2014-2019).
  • Research project funded by the Ministry of Health (Finalized Call 2016, RF Change Promoting Section) (Grant 2016: RF-2016-02362384 "From allergic and autoimmune diseases to immune dysregulated disorders: clinical, immunological, genetic characterization and proposal of diagnostic and therapeutic protocols". IRCCS Burlo Garofolo (2019).
  • FIRD Project: "Role of the retinal pigment epithelium in the pathogenesis of retinal degenerations: analysis of the activity of bioactive molecules on retinal damage" (2022).
  • FIRD Project: "Morphological and functional evaluations of complementary and alternative therapies for ulcerative colitis" (2023).
  • FIRD Project: "Study of the effects of mitochondria-targeted antioxidant molecules in in vitro models of muscle diseases" (2024).

 

Scientific Profile

  • Orcid ID: HTTP://ORCID.ORG/0000-0003-3427-618X
  • Scopus Author ID: 25027960100
  • Scientific production and bibliometric indicators calculated as of 29/01/2025:
    • Number of scientific papers published in full on international journals with a peer review committee: 81
    • Hirsch Index/H-index: 20
    • Total number of citations: 1578 (source: Scopus).

 

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ACTIVITIES

  • Participation in the research group activities for the realization of the patent "Double-layer polysaccharide microcapsules usable as vehicles for the oral administration of biologically active substances" filed by the Callerio Onlus Foundation in 2003 (MI2003A001617) and subsequently extended with international PCT WO 2005/013941. (2002-2003).

 

MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

  • Member of the Teaching Board in "Advanced Therapies and Experimental Pharmacology", University of Ferrara.
  • Member of the Italian Society of Anatomy and Histology (SIAI).
  • Member of the Italian Society of Histochemistry (SII).
  • Guest Editor for the following international scientific journals: (MDPI) "International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health" and "International Journal of Molecular Sciences", (Frontiers in Medicine) "Gene and Cell Therapy".
  • Associate Editor in Frontiers in Immunology (Cytokines and Soluble Mediators in Immunity).