Curriculum

POSITION

PhD Nicoletta Bianchi

  • Researcher (temporary researcher type B) working at the National Qualification as candidate Associate Professor in the fields of General Biochemistry; Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Molecular Biology; and Applied Biology, Department of Department of Biomedical and specialistic surgical sciences, Section of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Medical Genetics, University of Ferrara, street Luigi Borsari n°46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.

Phone: +39-0532-455447

mobile. +39-339-6559668

e-mail: nicoletta.bianchi@unife.it

orcid.org/0000-0001-9280-6017

 

  • Reader of Biochemistry at the School of Medicine, University of Ferrara.
  • Member of the Doctoral College of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences cycle 35
  • Obtained a National Qualification as candidate Associate Professor in the fields of General Biochemistry; Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Molecular Biology; and Applied Biology and as candidate Full Professor in the fields of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
  • Since 2018 Member of Signal Transduction Society (Germany)
  • Since 2018 "Bentham Ambassadors" of Current Medicinal Chemistry, Bentham Science
  • Scientific Reviewer for the following international Journals:

Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets (2016)

Expert Review of Hematology (2016)

BBA - Proteins and Proteomics (2013)

Frontiers Pharmacology (2019)

RSC Advances, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry (2019)

Cytotherapy (2019)

OncoTargets and Therapy (2019)

  • In 2018, Scientific Reviewer selected by Sidra Medicine, Sidra Medical and Research Center Administrative Assistant, Qatar, member of Qatar Foundation (Manager Grants Dr. Irem Mueed, e-mail: ResearchOffice@sidra.org; Chief Research Office Dr. Christof Von Kalle) for Internal Grant Program evaluation of the project “The genetic landscape of Thalassemias in Qatar: proof of implement of a comprehensive pediatric national registry”.
  • Investigator selected by REPRISE (register of scientific experts of Italian MIUR, Ministry of Education, University and Research) for the topic “basic research”

 

  • To date (2018)

Scientific profile

Orcid ID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9280-6017

Researcher ID: H-1902-2015

Scopus ID: 7102299760

 

Total number of publications in national and international journals with the Referees board reported on Scopus = 155

Number of publications in which the author has a leadership function (first / last and / or corresponding author) = 25

Total number of citations (source Scopus) = 3854

Hirsch Index / H-index = 37 (Scopus source)

  • She is included in the Top Italian Scientists (VIA Academy) at 1000th rank 91nd. H-index = 42; citations = 5076; Area = biochemistry - mol cell biology; Macroarea = Biomedical Sciences (Verified Google Scholar MyCitations Last Update: on 19th of June 2019)

http://www.topitalianscientists.org/top_italian_scientists.aspx.

 

Born on January 31st, 1968, in Contarina, Rovigo, Italy. She studied Biology at the University of Ferrara, Italy and received the Degree in 1992, discussing the thesis: “Differential transcription of the human gene for estrogen receptor in normal and neoplastic cells”. In 1997 she obtained PhD in Biotechnology at the University of Ferrara performing her research activity in the lab of Prof. Roberto Gambari, title of thesis: “Biomolecular technologies applied to the characterization of interactions between DNA and molecules capable to modulate gene expression”. She spent 2 years as a Post-Doc in the same lab supported by F.I.R.C fellowship (Italian Foundation for Cancer Research), with the project “Real-time Analysis of interactions between cellular oncogene promoters and DNA-binding drugs or oligonucleotide forming triple helices: use of biosensors”. From 1st of February 2000 to 31st of September 2018, she worked as Technician at the same University, acting also Technic Referent for using of droplet digital PCR assays (Life Technologies Applied Biosystems and Bio-rad).

Since 1998 she has been involved in several research projects, the most relevant are the following:

  • FAR 2005 - 2010 - 2011 - 2012 – 2013 – 2014
  • FIRB 2001 (Project n°RBNE01333Y_003)
  • PRIN 1998 – 1999 – 2000 – 2001 – 2002 - 2005 (Project n°2005038704_005) -2007 (Project n°2007F9TWKE_005) – 2009 (Project n°20093N774P_004)
  • AIRC 2003 - AIRC 2004 - AIRC 2012
  • TELETHON 2007 (Project n°GGP07257) - TELETHON 2010 (Project n°GGP10214)
  • CARIPARO 2005-2010
  • Project funded by Fondazione Fibrosi Cistica 2010 (Project n° FFC#17/2010)
  • HORIZON 2020, Ultraplacad: ULTRAsensitive PLAsmonic devices for early CAncer Diagnosis, Call: PHC-10-2014, Grant number 633937
  • Progetto Wada: 2014 Science Research Grants Unique ID: 413
  • THALAMOSS 2012, Progetto n°306201-FP7-HEALTH-2012-INNOVATION-1

 

In 2019 she received the Premier AIMS Award Announcement (i.e. RaD Discovery Award, C4C Discovery Award, and Innovator Award) of Atomwise (San Francisco, USA) and Principal Investigator also with Prof. Carlo M. Bergamini. The project has the purpose to develop small molecules like inhibitors, designed by in silico virtual screening, performed using Atomwise’s Artificial Intelligence Technology, and targeting Human Transglutaminase 2, an enzyme involved in inflammatory processes and associated with progression of aggressive cancers.

 

In 2003-2006 she was Scientific Manager of ThalLab (Research Laboratory on Gene Therapy and Pharmacogenomics of Thalassemia), dealing with pre-clinical experimentation on erythroid cultures isolated from peripheral blood of patients with beta-thalassemia (http://www.talassemiaricerca.it/)

taking care of relationships with several Italian and foreign hospitals:

  • Immunohematology and Transfusion Service S.I.T. ULSS 18 – Rovigo Hospital, Italy (Prof. F. Chiavilli)
  • Pediatric Clinic I, Down Syndrome Center, "Santa Chiara" Hospital – Pisa, Italy (Dr. F. Massei)
  • Pediatric Clinic of Ferrara Hospital - Ferrara, Italy (Dr. M.R. Gamberini)
  • International Centre for Transplantation in Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Anaemia, Mediterranean Institute of Haematology, Polyclinic of Tor Vergata University, Roma, Italy (Prof. G. Lucarelli and Dr. K. Paciaroni)
  • Department of Hematology, Hadassah University Hospital, Ein-Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel (Prof. E. Fibach and Dr. E. Prus)
  • Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University - New York, USA (Prof. S. Rivella and Dr. L. Breda, later working at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Abramson Research Center Philadelphia, USA)

The activity concerned the development of research projects in which these structures were involved, both for the recovery of biological samples used for product development ("drugs") and/or the development of protocols for the care of the beta-thalassemia and sickle cell disease. This research activity was aimed at the implementation of clinical trials, for which the undersigned has also taken care of the applications to the ethical committees, obtaining approval for the use of blood of patients affected by thalassemia in the development of research projects of national (Telethon 2007 and 2010) and European (Thalamoss Project 2012) relevance.

 

Since 2005 to 2006 she obtained benefits from Spinner, for People with Innovative Entrepreneurial Ideas and a High Content of Knowledge (Spinner global grant - Services for the promotion of Innovation and Research, Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy). The activity of Dr. Bianchi allowed development of patents, in which she appears among the inventors:

  • AT433749 (T) ― 2009-07-15

Title: A novel use of Rapamycin and structural analogues thereof. Inventors: Bianchi Nicoletta, Borgatti Monica, Gambari Roberto, Mischiati Carlo. Applicants: University of Ferrara, Associazione veneta per la lotta alla Talassemia.  Application number: AT20030740879T 20030703. Priority number(s): IT2002TO00582 20020704; WO2003IB02632 20030703. Also published as: AU2003281257 (A1); AU2003281257 (A8); EP1521578 (A2); EP1521578 (B1); ITTO20020582 (A1); US2006154950 (A1); US7541380 (B2); WO2004004697 (A2); WO2004004697 (A3); WO2004004697 (A8)

  • ITPD20070177 (A1) ― 2008-11-22

Title: “Farmaco per la cura della talassemia, anemia falciforme e tutte le forme di anemia trattabili con questo farmaco, costituito da una miscela di prodotti di fotodegradazione di Furocumarine, composizione farmaceutica avente come principio attivo il FAR”. Inventors: Bianchi Nicoletta, Borgatti Monica, Caffieri Sergio, Dall’Acqua Francesco, Gambari Roberto, Lampronti Ilaria, Vedaldi Daniela, Viola Giampiero. Applicanti: Associazione veneta per la lotta alla Talassemia, Dall’Acqua Francesco, Gambari Roberto. Application number: IT2007PD00177 20070521. Priority number(s): IT2007PD00177 20070521

  • ITVE20070005 (A1) ― 2008-07-26

Title: Drug for treating thalassemia, falciform anemia and all other forms of anemia treatable therewith. Inventors: Bianchi Nicoletta, Borgatti Monica, Dall’Acqua Francesco, Gambari Roberto, Lampronti Ilaria, Vedaldi Daniela, Viola Giampiero. Applicants: Associazione veneta per la lotta alla Talassemia, Università degli studi di Ferrara, University of Padova. Application number: IT2007VE00005 20070125. Priority number(s): IT2007VE00005 20070125. Also published as: EP1952812 (A1)

  • ITFE20060030 (A1) ― 2008-04-30

Title: “Everolimus quale induttore di mRNA per la globina gamma nel trattamento della beta-talassemia”. Inventors: Bianchi Nicoletta, Borgatti Monica, Gambari Roberto, Lampronti Ilaria. Applicants: Associazione veneta per la lotta alla Talassemia, Gambari Roberto. Application number: T2006FE00030 20061030. Priority number(s): IT2006FE00030 20061030

  • ITTO20050212 (A1) ― 2006-10-01

Title: Double-stranded sinthetic oligonucleotides useful for inducing apoptosis of osteoclasts for the treatment of osteopenic pathologies. Inventors: Bianchi Nicoletta, Penolazzi Maria Letizia, Piva Roberta. Applicants: Associazione veneta per la lotta alla Talassemia, University of Ferrara. Application number: IT2005TO00212 20050331. Priority number(s): IT2005TO00212 20050331. Also published as: EP1896585 (A2); US2008171717 (A1); US7659258 (B2); WO2006117600 (A2); WO2006117600 (A3)

  • US2006111433 (A1) ― 2006-05-25

Title: Use of angelicin and of its structural analogues for the treatment of thalassemia. Inventors: Bianchi Nicoletta, Borgatti Monica, Gambari Roberto, Lampronti Ilaria. Applicants: University of Ferrara, Associazione veneta per la lotta alla Talassemia. Application number: US20050522737 20051012. Priority number(s): IT2002TO00684 20020731; WO2003IB03462 20030730. Also published as: AT386513 (T); AU2003249472 (A1); AU2003249472 (A8); EP1545506 (A1); EP1545506 (B1); ITTO20020684 (A1); US7572827 (B2); WO2004012729 (A1)

  • US2003073660 (A1) ― 2003-04-17

Title: Synthetic oligonucleotides as inducers of erythroid differentiation. Inventors: Bianchi Nicoletta, Feriotto Giordana, Gambari Roberto, Mischiati Carlo. Applicants: Bianchi Nicoletta, Feriotto Giordana, Gambari Roberto, Mischiati Carlo, Chiesi SPA. Application number: US20020220310 20020913. Priority number(s): IT2000TO00234 20000313; WO2001EP02804 20010313. Also published as: AT318617 (T); AU5827401 (A); BR0109365 (A); EP1263475 (A2); EP1263475 (B1); IT1320168 (B1); ITTO20000234 (A1); US7262175 (B2); WO0168147 (A2); WO0168147 (A3)

  • AU2002315770 (A1) ― 2003-01-21

Title: Use of heterocyclic and benzoheterocyclic polyamides structurally related to the natural antibiotic distamycin a for the treatment of beta-thalassaemia. Inventors: Mischiati Carlo, Bianchi Nicoletta, Gambari Roberto, Romagnoli Romeo, Feriotto Giordana, Baraldi Pier Giovanni. Applicants: Associazione per la lotta alla Talassemia di Ferrara, Associazione veneta per la lotta alla Talassemia, University of Ferrara. Application number: AU20020315770 20020701. Priority number(s): IT2001TO00633 20010702; WO2002IB02628 20020701. Also published as: EP1406612 (A1); ITTO20010633 (A1); US2004259799 (A1); US7396851 (B2); WO03004019 (A1); WO03004019 (A8)

  • ITTO980899 (A1) ― 2000-04-26

Title: Glucidic esters of branched carboxylic acids capable of inducing erythroid cellular differentiation. Inventors: Bergonzi Maria Camilla, Bianchi Nicoletta, Catelani Giorgio, D’Andrea Felicia, Gambari Roberto, Lipucci di Paola Michele, Osti Fabio. Applicants: Associazione veneta per la lotta alla Talassemia, Associazione per la lotta alla Talassemia di Ferrara. Application number: IT1998TO00899 19981022. Priority number(s): IT1998TO00899 19981022. Also published as: EP1004590 (A2); IT1305132 (B1)