Curriculum

Domenico Sergi, PhD

Researcher unique identifiers: ORCID: 0000-0002-3001-410X; ResearcherID: Q-5585-2017; Scopus Author ID: 57195644352

 

CURRENT POSITION

Associate Professor of Nutrition and dietetics, University of Ferrara, Department of Translational Medicine,  Italy.

 

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

01/07/2021 - 30/06/2024 Assistant Professor of Nutrition and dietetics, University of Ferrara, Department of Translational Medicine, Italy.

 

16/02/2021 - 18/06/2021 Professor (tenure-track) in Metabolism and Nutrition (initial contract of 3.5 years) Department of Medical Biology, University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières, Canada. Contract interrupted to move to Univerity of Ferrara.

 

11/09/2017 - 10/09/2020 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Nutrition and Health Program, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia.

 

04/2017 – 05/2017 Visiting scientist, University of Stockholm, Sweden.

 

01/02/2017 - 31/07/2017 Postdoctoral Researcher (initial contract of 2 years), Faculty of Health, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands. Contract interrupted to move to Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia.

 

01/10/2012 - 30/09/2016 PhD student in Human Nutrition, at the Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, (UK).

 

EDUCATION

2016 - PhD in Human Nutrition

Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom

PhD supervisor: Professor Lynda M. Williams, Dr Janice Drew, Dr Iain Greig, Dr James Hislop.

 

2012 - MSc in Science of Nutrition

University of Calabria, Italy

Degree awarded cum laude

 

2010 - BSc in Science of Nutrition

University of Calabria, Italy

Degree awarded cum laude

 

MAIN RESERACH PROJECTS

From 04/2024 to 12/2025

Project title: Evaluation of the effect of fatty acids and oxidized LDL on the modulation of oxidative stress and on the expression of the adenosine A2A receptor in human adipocytes and myotubes: is the A2A receptor a therapeutic target to improve insulin sensitivity?

Funding source: Department of Translational Medicine, FIRD

Institution and Country: University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

Role: PI

 

From 04/2023 to 01/2025

Project title: The role of fatty acids and HDL as modulators of cross-talk between adipocytes and skeletal muscle: implications on insulin sensitivity

Funding source: Department of Translational Medicine , FIRD

Institution and Country: University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

Role: PI

 

From 06/2023 to 06/2024

Project title: Effect of nutraceuticals on the lipid profile of exosomes secreted by adipocytes and repercussions on skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity: new pathogenetic mechanisms and therapeutic scenarios for type 2 diabetes.

Source of funding: University funds for research projects funded with the 5 X 1000 contribution – Young Researchers (Year 2022).

Institution and Country: University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

Role: PI

 

From 02/2020 to 03/2020

Project Title: Cellular Mechanisms Implicated in the Action of Neuroprotective Nutraceuticals.

Funding Source: NSERC (National Science and Engineering Research Council) (Canada).

Institution and Country: University of Quebec (Trois-Rivieres), Canada

Role: Collaborator

 

From 01/2018 to 09/2020

Project Title: Emerging mitochondrial targets in metabolic diseases: the role of novel food bioactives and nutrient-gene interaction in the regulation of human mitochondrial bioenergetics.

Funding Source: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) (Future Science Platform – Precision Health).

Institution and Country: CSIRO, Australia

Role: PI

 

From 09/2017 to 09/2020

Project Title: Effect of positional distribution of fatty acids at the triglyceride backbone of vegetable fats on fat deposition and selected health outcome measures in healthy men and women – Australia

Funding Source: Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).

Institution and Country: CSIRO, Australia

Role: Co-investigator

 

From 10/2012 to 09/2016

Project Title: A Targeted Brain Proteomic Study Linking Diet, Ageing and Cognition

Funding Source: EASTBIO DTP BBSRC PhD Studentship

Institution and Country: Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, UK

Role: PhD Student

 

From 10/2012 to 09/2016

Project Title: The relationship between hypothalamic and hepatic response to a high-fat diet: insulin sensitivity and leptin action

Funding Source: The European Nutrigenomics Organisation consortium (NuGO; www.nugo.org)

Institution and Country: Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, UK

Role: PhD Student

 

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

2024 – Deputy coordinator of the BSc in nutrition and dietetics, University of Ferrara, Italy

 

2022- Tutor and member of the board of the PhD Program in Advanced Therapies and Experimental Pharmacology, University of Ferrara, Italy.

 

2022 - Co-responsible of the placement approval for the students enrolled in the MSc in Biotechnology for Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy

 

2022 - Erasmus student coordinator (Outbound), for the student enrolled in the MSc in Biotechnology for Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy.

 

EDITORIAL ACTIVITY

2018 - ongoing Reviewer for the 28 different peer-reviewed Journals reported herein: https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/1321812

Editorial Board Member: Medicina (MDPI), BMC Nutrition (Spinger Nature), Nutrition Research Reviews (Cambridge University Press)

Associate Editor: Frontiers in Nutrition, Frontiers in Endocrinology

Guest editor:

- “Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin Resistance”. Foods (MDPI).

- “Food Bioactives and Cardiometabolic Implications – Findings from In Vitro to Human Studies”. Medicina (MDPI).

- “Low-Grade Chronic Inflammation and Metabolic Health”. Medicina (MDPI).

- "Advance in Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin Resistance". Medicina (MDPI).

- “Molecular nutrition as a preventive tool in non-communicable diseases: mechanistic insights and risk biomarkers”. Frontiers in Nutrition and Frontiers in Genetics

- “The Role of dietary fatty acids in metabolic health”. Frontiers in Physiology.

- "Energy Metabolism and Its Application in Obesity and Diabetes Research". Metabolites (MDPI)

- “Nutrition in Prevention and Management of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease”. Frontiers in Nutrition

 

GRANT REVIEWER

Ad hoc grant reviewer for: National Science Centre (Poland); Diabetes Fonds (The Netherlands), University of Colorado (USA).

 

MEMBERSHIP OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES

2021 Member of the Research Network on cardiometabolic health, diabetes and obesity, Canada

2021- ongoing Member of the Italian Society of Human Nutrition (SINU)

2021- ongoing Member of The Italian Society for the Study of Arteriosclerosis (SISA)

2017 - 2022 Member of the Nutrition Society of Australia, Australia

2015 - 2016; 2021 Member of The Nutrition Society, United Kingdom.