Curriculum

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

QUALIFICATIONS
1993 - Degree in Biological Sciences, University of Ferrara.
1998 - PhD in Medical Embryology, University of Ferrara.

TEACHING ACTIVITIES
Professor of Human Anatomy, Clinical Anatomy, Applied Anatomy, Neuroanatomy, Human Anatomy II and Clinical Propaedeutics teachings, at the Universities of Trieste and Ferrara in the following degree courses:
Medicine and Surgery; Neuroscience; Biology; Biotechnology; Medical Biotechnology; Biotechnology for Translational Medicine.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
- 1994-1997: PhD student at the Department of Morphology and Embryology, Human Anatomy section, University of Ferrara.
- 1999-2004: Technician of the Center for Electron Microscopy, serving as operations manager of confocal microscopy and, from 2000, cytofluorimetry, instruments allocated at the Department of Morphology and Embryology, University of Ferrara.
- 2004-2014: University Researcher, academic discipline BIOS-12/A-Human Anatomy, at the Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste.
- 2014-2017: Associate Professor, academic discipline BIOS-12/A-Human Anatomy, at the Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste.
- 2017-Present: Associate Professor, academic discipline BIOS-12/A-Human Anatomy, at the Department of Translational Medicine and for Romagna, University of Ferrara.
Scientific production and bibliometric indicators (27/01/2025):
Number of scientific papers published in international journals with board of referees: 78, reported on PubMed and/or Scopus. Hirsch/H-index: 27. Total number of citations: 2431 (source: Scopus).
Main research topics:
Research activity has focused mainly on aspects of functional anatomy of the hematopoietic, lymphoid, vascular, and neuroendocrine systems. Particular interest has been in the study of survival/apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation events, which characterize the various cytotypes of these organs, under normal and pathological conditions. Main areas of research:
- Study of morpho-functional interactions between: subpopulations of hematopoietic and lymphocytic cells, cells and fibers of the extracellular matrix;
- Role of specific proliferative or degenerative signals in the homeostatic control of hematopoietic, lymphoid, and neuroendocrine organs;
- Study of the role and mechanism of action of proteins belonging to the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) family, in different morpho-functional compartments, particularly in normal and neoplastic hematopoiesis and vascular pathophysiology;
- Study of the effects and mechanisms of action of Nutlin-3, in normal and leukemic cell models.
Main research projects:
- MIUR-PRIN Project 1996: “Role of inositides and pkc at the nuclear level”.
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità Project (National AIDS Research Program) (1999-2003): “Human T-lymphotropic herpesviruses (HHV-6 and HHV-7) as opportunistic agents in AIDS patients: role in the induction of immunological abnormalities and peripheral blood cytopenias”.
- Istituto Superiore di Sanità Project (National Stem Cell Program) (2003-2005): “Development of chimeric herpesvirus-based vectors for the correction of genetic diseases affecting hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells”.
- MIUR-FIRB Project 2001: “Study of the anti-tumoral activity of TRAIL, used in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs”.
- AIRC Project (2001-2005): “Study of the mechanisms of TRAIL cytotoxicity in hematological malignancies: basis for combined therapies”.
- AIRC Project (2005-2007): “Role of TRAIL in the pathogenesis and treatment of hematological malignancies”.
- MIUR-PRIN Project 2005: “Cytotoxicity of TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) in hematological malignancies”.
- MIUR-FIRB International Project 2004: “Novel approaches to treatment of hematological malignancies”.
- Project funded by Cassa di Risparmio di Trieste (CRTrieste) Foundation (2007-2009): “Establishment of a laboratory for the separation and enrichment of stem cells/phase II”.
- Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia Project -art. 23 LR 26/2005-DPReg.120/2007: “Establishment of a regional network for the study of lymphoproliferative diseases: development of diagnostic guidelines, validation and improvement of immunotherapeutic strategies in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (LINFONET)”.
- Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia Project -art. 23 LR 26/2005-DPReg.120/2007: “AITT:An integrated approach for the identification and validation of molecular targets in cancer treatment and prevention”.
- Project funded by Cassa di Risparmio di Trieste (CRTrieste) Foundation (2016-2018): “Characterization of immunological factors involved in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia”.
- MIUR-PRIN Project 2017: “Molecular and imaging prodromal markers of dopamine neuron degeneration in animal models of Parkinson's disease: pathophysiology and clinical perspectives”.
- FIRD Project (2022): “Multi-OMICS approach to Autism Spectrum Disorder: from Proteomics and Epigenomics to Translational strategies”.
- FIRD Project (2023): “Morphological and functional evaluations of complementary and alternative therapies for ulcerative colitis”.
- FIRD Project (2024): “Dissecting uterine receptivity: the role of genetic, epigenetic and inflammatory mechanisms in tuning successful embryo implantation”.