Curriculum

MATTEO BOVOLENTA, PhD

Place of Birth:                       Ferrara (Italy)

Date of Birth: 5th June 1980

Graduate: Industrial Biotechnology 110/110 with honor degree (2005)

Postgraduate: PhD in Medical Genetics (2006-2009)

Short Bio: Dr Matteo Bovolenta is a biotechnologist with specific skill in array designing and diagnostic genomic studies technical innovation. He is now Assistant Professor at the Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Coagulation and Hemostasis, University of Ferrara. He has worked within two Telethon and an EU FP7 funded projects. He published several papers about therapy and diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders and won prizes at both national and international meetings. In 2011 was nominated “Young Innovator of the Year” by Technology Review Italy. In 2012 Dr. Bovolenta has been selected for a 3-years fixed term position as Assistant Professor at the Dep. of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Molecular Biology of the University of Ferrara. In 2014 won the Early Career Investigation Award from Bayer and the Trampoline Grant from AFM-Téléthon.

Affiliation: Dep. of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Coagulation and Hemostasis, University of Ferrara.

Scientific Experience

April 2003 - March 2005

Undergraduated studies at the Human Anatomy Laboratory of the University of Ferrara.

March 2005 - March 2006

Research fellowship granted by the Bank of Ferrara at the Dep. of Experimental Medicine and Diagnostic Section of Medical Genetics of the University of Ferrara.

April 2006 - June 2009

Telethon Foundation Research fellowship at the Dep. of Experimental Medicine and Diagnostic Section of Medical Genetics of the University of Ferrara, within the project “Definition of the dystrophin gene transcriptome and modulation of mutations by antisense oligonucleotides-induced targeted exon skipping”.

January 2006- December 2009

Medical Genetics PhD studentship at the Second University of Naples with Professor V. Nigro.

July 2009 – June 2010

Temporary research associate at the Dep. of Experimental Medicine and Diagnostic Section of Medical Genetics of the University of Ferrara, within the Telethon project “Toward a mitochondrial therapy of collagen VI muscular dystrophies”.

April 2010 – March 2011

Research grant to Matteo Bovolenta from the Association “Amici di Edy Onlus” for the project “Restoration of DMD gene duplications by a Zinc-Finger Nucleases approach”.

July 2010 – September 2012

Temporary research associate at the Dep. of Experimental Medicine and Diagnostic Section of Medical Genetics of the University of Ferrara, within the EU FP7 projects “Identifying and validating pre-clinical biomarkers for diagnostics and therapeutics of Neuromuscular Disorders” (BIO-NMD project) and “High throughput molecular diagnostics in individual patients for genetic diseases with heterogeneous clinical presentation” (NMD-CHIP).

March 2011

Awarded by Technology Review Italy with the title of “Young Innovator of the Year 2011” with the project “Correction of duplications in the DMD gene by a Zinc-Finger Nucleases approach”.

October 2012 - Present

Winner of a 3-years fixed term position as Assistant Professor in Molecular Biology at the Dep. of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Molecular Biology of the University of Ferrara.

February 2014

National Scientific Abilitation (ASN) obtained for the position of Associate Professor in BIO13 - Applied Biology (sector 05/F1).

2014 (January - August) and 2015 (March-June): Visiting Researcher at the Genethon Institute within the laboratory of Scientific Director Fulvio Mavilio, Evry (France).

Awarded Grants

AFM-Telethon Trampoline Grant 06/2014-06/2015

“Correction of duplications in the DMD gene by a CRISPR/Cas9 approach”

PI: Matteo Bovolenta; Foreign collaborators: K. Flanigan and F. Mingozzi

Bayer Hemophilia Early Career Investigator Award 09/2014 – 09/2016

“Transcriptional enhancement as therapeutic approach of coagulation factors promoter mutations”

PI: Matteo Bovolenta; Foreign collaborators: F. Mingozzi and F. Mavilio

 

Scientific Publications

  1. Bertagnolo V, Brugnoli F, Bovolenta M, Capitani S. Inositide-modifying enzymes in differentiation of myeloid cells. Minerva Biotecnologica, 16:127-133, 2004.
  2. Brugnoli F, Bovolenta M, Benedusi M, Miscia S, Capitani S, Bertagnolo V. PLC-beta2 monitors the drug-induced release of differentiation blockade in tumoral myeloid precursors. Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 2006 May 1;98(1):160-73.
  3. Gualandi F, Neri M, Bovolenta M, Martoni E, Rimessi P, Fini S, Spitali P, Fabris M, Pane M, Angelini C, Mora M, Morandi L, Mongini T, Bertini E, Ricci E, Vattemi G, Mercuri E, Merlini L, Ferlini A. Transcriptional behavior of DMD gene duplications in DMD/BMD males. Human Mutation 2008 Oct 13. [Epub ahead of print] published in Human Mutation 2009 Feb;30(2):E310-9
  4. Bovolenta M, Neri M, Fini S, Fabris M, Trabanelli C, Venturoli A, Martoni E, Bassi E, Spitali P, Brioschi S, Falzarano S, Rimessi P, Ciccone R, Ashton E, McCauley J, Yau S, Abbs S, Muntoni F, Merlini L, Gualandi F, Ferlini A. A novel custom high density-comparative genomic hybridization array detects common rearrangements as well as deep intronic mutations in dystrophinopathies. BMC Genomics 2008, 9:572.
  5. Rimessi P, Sabatelli P, Fabris M, Braghetta P, Bassi E, Spitali P, Vattemi G, Tomelleri G, Mari L, Perrone D, Medici A, Neri M, Bovolenta M, Martoni E, Maraldi N, Gualandi F, Merlini L, Ballestri M, Tondelli L, Sparnacci K, Bonaldo P, Caputo A, Laus M, Ferlini A. Cationic PMMA nanoparticles bind and deliver antisense oligoribonucleotides allowing restoration of dystrophin expression in the mdx mouse. Molecular Therapy, 2009 May;17(5):820-7. Epub 2009 Feb 24.
  6. Martoni E, Urciuolo A, Sabatelli P, Fabris M, Bovolenta M, Neri M, Grumati P, D’Amico A, Pane M, Mercuri E, Bertini E, Merlini L, Bonaldo P, Ferlini A, Gualandi F. Identification and characterization of novel Collagen VI non-canonical splicing mutations causing Ullrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy. Human Mutation 2009 May;30(5):E662-72. 2009 Mar 23. [Epub ahead of print]
  7. Spitali P,  Rimessi P, Fabris M, Perrone D, Falzarano S, Bovolenta M, Trabanelli C, Mari L, Bassi E, Tuffery S, Gualandi F, Maraldi NM, Sabatelli P, Medici A, Merlini L, Ferlini A. Exon skipping-mediated dystrophin reading frame restoration for small mutations. Human Mutation 2009 Nov;30(11):1527-34. 2009 Jul 14. [Epub ahead of print]
  8. Gualandi F, Urciuolo A, Martoni E, Sabatelli P, Squarzoni S, Bovolenta M, Messina S, Mercuri E, Franchella A, Ferlini A, Bonaldo P, Merlini L. Autosomal recessive bethlem miopathy. Neurology Accepted 10/08/09 Published Dec 1;73(22):1883-91.
  9. Bovolenta M, Rimessi P, Dolcini B, Ravani A, Ferlini A, Gualandi F. Prenatal Diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy by Comparative Genomic Hybridization. Clinical Genetics 2010 May;77(5):503-6. Epub 2009 Dec 10
  10. Bovolenta M, Neri M, Martoni E, Urciuolo A, Sabatelli P, Fabris M, Grumati P, Mercuri E, Bertini E, Merlini L, Bonaldo P, Ferlini A and Gualandi F. Identification of a deep intronic mutation in the COL6A2 gene by a novel custom oligonucleotide CGH array designed to explore allelic and genetic heterogeneity in Collagen VI-related myopathies. BMC Medical Genetics 2010, 11:44.
  11. Ferlini A, Bovolenta M, Neri M, Gualandi F, Balboni A, Yuryev A, Salvi F, Gemmati D, Liboni A and Zamboni P. Custom CGH array profiling of copy number variations (CNVs) on chromosome 6p21.32 (HLA locus) in patients with venous malformations associated with multiple sclerosis. BMC Medical Genetics 2010, 11:64
  12. Rimessi P, Fabris M, Bovolenta M, Bassi E, Falzarano MS, Gualandi F, Rapezzi C, Coccolo F, Perrone D, Medici A, Ferlini A. Antisense modulation of both exonic and intronic splicing motifs induces skipping of a DMD pseudoexon responsible for X-Linked Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Human Gene Therapy 2010; 21(9):1137-46
  13. Gualandi F, Curci R, Sabatelli P, Bovolenta M, Maraldi MN, Merlini L, Ferlini A. Macrophages: a minimally invasive tool for monitoring Collagen VI myopathies. Muscle & Nerve 2011 Apr 12.
  14. Bovolenta M, Scotton C, Falzarano MS, Gualandi F, Ferlini A. Rapid, comprehensive analysis of the dystrophin transcript by a custom micro-fluidic exome array. Hum Mutat. 2011 Dec 29. doi: 10.1002/humu.22017. [Epub ahead of print]
  15. Neri M, Valli E, Alfano G, Bovolenta M, Spitali P, Rapezzi C, Muntoni F, Banfi S, Perini G, Gualandi F, Ferlini A. The absence of dystrophin brain isoform expression in healthy human heart ventricles explains the pathogenesis of 5' X-linked dilated cardiomyopathy. BMC Med Genet. 2012 Mar 28;13:20.
  16. Brioschi S, Gualandi F, Scotton C, Armaroli A, Bovolenta M, Falzarano MS, Sabatelli P, Selvatici R, D'Amico A, Pane M, Ricci G, Siciliano G, Tedeschi S, Pini A, Vercelli L, De Grandis D, Mercuri E, Bertini E, Merlini L, Mongini T, Ferlini A. Genetic characterization in symptomatic female DMD carriers: lack of relationship between X-inactivation, transcriptional DMD allele balancing and phenotype. BMC Med Genet. 2012 Aug 16;13(1):73.
  17. Bovolenta M, Erriquez D., Valli E,  Brioschi S,  Scotton C, Neri M, Falzarano MS, Gherardi S, Fabris M, Rimessi P , Gualandi G, Perini G, Ferlini A. The DMD Locus Harbours Multiple Long Non-Coding RNAs Which Orchestrate and Control Transcription of Muscle Dystrophin mRNA Isoforms. PLoS ONE 7(9): e45328. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0045328 Epub 2012 Sep 21
  18. Gualandi F, Manzati E, Sabatelli P, Passarelli C, Bovolenta M, Pellegrini C, Perrone D, Squarzoni S, Pegoraro E, Bonaldo P, Ferlini A. Antisense-induced messenger depletion corrects a COL6A2 dominant mutation in ullrich myopathy. Human Gene Therapy 2012, 23(12):1313-8.
  19. Wein N, Vulin A, Falzarano MS, Szigyarto CA, Maiti B, Findlay A, Heller KN, Uhlén M, Bakthavachalu B, Messina S, Vita G, Passarelli C, Brioschi S, Bovolenta M, Neri M, Gualandi F, Wilton SD, Rodino-Klapac LR, Yang L, Dunn DM, Schoenberg DR, Weiss RB, Howard MT, Ferlini A, Flanigan KM. Translation from a DMD exon 5 IRES results in a functional dystrophin isoform that attenuates dystrophinopathy in humans and mice. Nat Med. 2014 Sep;20(9):992-1000. doi: 10.1038/nm.3628.
  20. Marchetti G, Girelli D, Zerbinati C, Lunghi B, Friso S, Meneghetti S, Coen M, Gagliano T, Guastella G, Bochaton-Piallat ML, Pizzolo F, Mascoli F, Malerba G, Bovolenta M, Ferracin M, Olivieri O, Bernardi F, Martinelli N. An integrated genomic-transcriptomic approach supports a role for the proto-oncogene BCL3 in atherosclerosis. Thromb Haemost. 2014 Nov 6;113(3).

Meeting Participations and Awards

  1. 58th National Meeting of Human Anatomy Society, Chieti, 17-19 September 2004. Italian Jounal of Anatomy and Embryology, vol.109, Suppl. n.1al fasc. 3, pag. 56, 2004. Oral presentation: Vav promotes differentiation of APL-derived tumoral myeloid precursors. Brugnoli F, Bovolenta M, Benedusi M, Capitani S, and Bertagnolo V.
  2. VIII National Meeting of Human Genetics Society, Le Meridien Chia Laguna, Domus De Maria (CA), 28 September – 1st October 2005
  3. IX National Meeting of Human Genetics Society, Lido di Venezia 8-11 November 2006. Oral presentation: Identification of non-coding RNA within dystrophin gene: functional characteristics and possible implications into dystrophinopathies. Spitali P, Bovolenta M, Fabris M, Nigro V, Neri M, Martoni E, Calzolari E, Gualandi F, Rimessi P, Ferlini A.
  4. XIV Convention Telethon, Salsomaggiore Terme, Parma, 12-14 March 2007. Oral presentation: Definition of the dystrophin gene transcriptome and modulation of mutations by antisense oligonucleotides-induced targeted exon skipping. Rimessi P, Gualandi F, Sabatelli P, Spitali P, Fabris M, Bovolenta M, Nigro V, Ballestri M, Tondelli L, Perrone D, Medici A, Calzolari E, Merlini L, Ferlini A.
  5. VII Congress of  Italian Association of Myology, Ferrara, 24-26 May 2007. Awarded Poster: Design of  an high density microarray for the definition of the dystrophin gene  transcriptome. Bovolenta M, Spitali P, Fabris M, Martoni E, Calzolari E, Rimessi P, Gualandi F  and Ferlini A.
  6. XII International Congress of the World Muscle Society, Giardini Naxos, Taormina Mare (Messina), Sicily, 17-20 October 2007. Oral presentation: The absence of dystrophin B isoform expression in human heart ventricles explains the pathogenesis of 5’ XLDC and highlights the complexity of therapeutic perspectives. Neri M, Alfano G, Bovolenta M, Rimessi P, Calzolari E, Banfi S, Muntoni F, Gualandi F, Ferlini A. Awards: World Muscle Society Fellowship and The Elsevier World Muscle Society Membership Award for the presented poster “Design of  an high density microarray for the definition of the dystrophin gene  transcriptome.” Bovolenta M, Spitali P, Fabris M, Martoni E, Calzolari E, Rimessi P, Gualandi F  and Ferlini A.
  7. VIII Congress of  Italian Association of Myology, Pisa 3-6 June 2008. Awarded Poster: High density-comparative genomic hybridization array as a tool to detect deep intronic mutations in the dystrophin gene. Bovolenta M, Fini S, Neri M, Fabris M, Martoni E, Bassi E, Spitali P, Falzarano S, Trabanelli C, Venturoli A, Ashton E, Abbs S, Muntoni F, Rimessi P, Gualandi F, Ferlini A.
  8. XIII International Congress of the World Muscle Society, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, 30th september – 2nd October 2008. Awards: World Muscle Society Fellowship
  9. XI National Meeting of Human Genetics Society, Genova 23-25 November 2008. Oral presentation: A novel custom high density-comparative genomic hybridization array detects common rearrangements as well as deep intronic mutations in dystrophinopathies. Bovolenta M, Neri M, Fini S, Fabris M, Trabanelli C, Venturoli A, Martoni E, Bassi E, Spitali P, Brioschi S, Falzarano MS, Rimessi P, Ciccone R, Abbs S, Muntoni F, Merlini L, Gualandi F, Ferlini A.
  10. XV Convention Telethon, Riva del Garda 9-11 March 2009. Oral Presentation: Cationic PMMA nanoparticles bind and deliver antisense oligoribonucleotides allowing restoration of dystrophin expression in the mdx mouse. Rimessi P, Sabatelli P, Fabris M, Braghetta P, Bassi E, Spitali P, Vattemi G, Tomelleri G, Mari L, Perrone D, Medici A, Neri M, Bovolenta M, Martoni E, Maraldi N, Gualandi F, Merlini L, Ballestri M, Tondelli L, Sparnacci K, Bonaldo P, Caputo A, Laus M, Ferlini A. Posters: - Mitochondrial therapy with Cyclosporine A in patients with Ullrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy. Saverio G, Lodi R, Rossi E, Bovolenta M, Merlini L. - Definition of the dystrophin gene transcriptome and modulation of mutations by antisense oligonucleotides−induced targeted exon skipping. Ferlini A, Bovolenta M, Neri M, Spitali P, Fabris M, Bassi E, Falzarano S, Perrone D, Medici A, Sabatelli P, Sparnacci K, Laus M, Merlini L, Gualandi F and Rimessi P. - Identification and functional characterisation of COL6A genes mutations in collagen type VI myopathies aimed at recruiting eligible patients for a Cyclosporine A therapeutic trial. Martoni E, Urciuolo A, Trabanelli C, Bovolenta M, Neri M, Fabris M, Sabatelli P, Bertini E, Mercuri E, Maraldi N, Bonaldo P, Merlini L, Ferlini A, Gualandi F.
  11. XIV International Congress of the World Muscle Society, Geneve, Swisse, 8-12 September 2009. Awards: World Muscle Society Fellowship and The Elsevier World Muscle Society Membership Award for the presented poster “Non-coding RNA within the Dystrophin gene.” Bovolenta M, Neri M, Brioschi  S, Fabris M, Scotton C, Falzarano MS, Rimessi P, Perini G, Gualandi F, Ferlini A.
  12. XV International Congress of the World Muscle Society, Kumamoto, Japan, 12-15 October 2010. Awards: World Muscle Society Fellowship for the presented poster “ncRNAs originating from the dystrophin gene as biomarkers for assessing antisense therapy” Bovolenta M, Neri M, Brioschi S, Fabris M, Scotton C., Falzarano S, Rimessi P, Armaroli A, Valli E *, P, Perini G *, Merlini L, Gualandi F, Ferlini A.
  13. Forum Resaerch Innovation and Entrepreneurship Imprenditorialità 4th edition Padua 17-19 March 2011. Elevator Pitch: Bovolenta M: Correction of duplications in the DMD gene by a Zinc-Finger Nucleases approach. Awards: MIT’s Technology Review TR35 Young Innovator of the Year 2011
  14. Companion Diagnostics Summit Europe, Frankfurt 22 - 24 March 2011. Invited Communication Bovolenta M: Biomarker Discovery in Hereditary Muscle Diseases: RNA-Seq as an Omic Approach for Identifying Transcriptomic Biomarkers.
  15. Next Generation Sequencing Workshop, Bari 12 -14 October 2011 Oral Presentation: Whole Exome Sequencing in a Family with Dominant Bethlem Myopathy and no mutations in the COLVI Genes. Bovolenta M, Gherardi S, Scotton C, Manzati E, Sabatelli P, D’Onorio De Meo P, Brioschi S, Neri M, Castrignagnó T, Perini G, Pesole G, Merlini L, Gualandi F, Ferlini A.
  16. XVII Convention Telethon, Riva del Garda 11-13 March 2013. Poster: RNA−based therapeutic approaches for blood coagulation factor deficiencies caused by splicing mutations. Pinotti M and Pagani F, Balestra D, Alanis EF, Baroni M, Branchini A, Bussani E, Barbon E, Campioni M, Scalet D, Dal Mas A, Ferraresi P, Bovolenta M, Mattioli C.
  17. World Federation of Hemophilia, Melbourne 11-15 May 2014. Awards: Early Career Investigator Award from Bayer Hemophilia Awards Program for the project “Transcriptional enhancement as therapeutic approach of coagulation factors promoter mutations”.
  18. EMBO workshop: Modern DNA concepts and tools for safe gene transfer and modification. March 30th to April 3rd, 2015 - Evry University (UEVE), France Awards: Prize for the best poster entitled “Correction of duplications in the DMD gene by a CRISPR/Cas9 approach”. Lattanzi A, Moiani A, Izmiryan A, Martin S, Mamchaoui K, Mouly V, Mavilio F and Bovolenta M.
  19. International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis 2015, Toronto (Canada) 20th-25th June 2015. Oral Presentation: “Engineered transcription factors (TALE-TF) as potential  therapeutic strategy for coagulation factor deficiencies caused by promoter mutations”. Barbon E, Pignani E, Branchini A,  Bernardi F, Pinotti M, Bovolenta M.