01/02/12 - 30/09/2012 Project collaboration contracts and consulting contracts with Telethon Foundation within the project “Therapeutic strategie to combact mitochondrial disorders”. Evaluation of potential therapeutic compounds in cellular models of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy and optic atrophy dominant. Dept. Biology, University of Bologna. Collaboration with Dr. Zeviani, Unit of Molecular Neurogenetics, National Neurological Institute Carlo Besta, Milan.
01/06/2011 - 31/01/2012 Post-doc fellowship with the University of Bologna within the European project E-Rare for the study of rare diseases supported by the European Commission. Study of the function and expression of proteins involved in optic neuropathies. Identification of protein interactors of the protein OPA1 isoforms and factors that modulate the cellular expression to determine possible therapeutic strategies. Dept. Biology, University of Bologna.
01/10/2010 - 28/02/2011 Project collaboration contract with Telethon Foundation. Study of proteins involved in diseases characterized by deletion/depletion of the mitochondrial genome. Analysis of the functional integrity of the mitochondrial genome and proteins involved. Dept. Biology, University of Bologna.
01/10/2005 - 30/09/2010 Post-doc fellowship with the University of Bologna. Study of molecular mechanisms that characterize mitochondrial optic neuropathies.
Development of primary cell cultures derived from patients, bioenergetic analysis using enzymatic assays, morphological and functional analysis of the mitochondrial network, study of the mechanisms of programmed cell death (apoptosis) .., with particular interest addressed to the mitochondrial protein OPA1.
Collaboration with Pfizer Inc. Global Research and Development, Groton, Connecticut, and with Edison Pharmaceuticals, Mountain View, Calif., for development and implementation of test cell toxicity of commercially available drugs (Zyvox) and in pre-clinical validation phase. Dept. Biology, University of Bologna. Collaboration with Dr. Valerio Carelli, Dept. Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna.
01/01/2005 - 30/09/2005 Post-doc fellowship with Telethon Fondation. Biochemical study of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). Analysis of energetic efficiency and susceptibility to apoptosis in cells derived from LHON patients. Dept. Biology, University of Bologna.
01/09/2004 - 28/02/2005 Researcher at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA. Analysis of cells in vivo by confocal microscopy, with particular attention to the study of the morphology and the process of mitochondrial fusion. Prof. Richard J. Youle laboratory’s, at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA.
Education and training
01/01/2002 - 31/12/2004 Ph.D. in Cellular Biology and Physiology. Title of thesis "Biochemical alterations in cellular models of mitochondrial hereditary optic neuropathy ". Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna.
A.A. 2002 Esame di stato per l’abilitazione alla professione di Biologo
A.A. 1995-2001 Master’s degree (MSc) in Biological Sciences summa cum laude. Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna.
