PERSONAL DETAILS
Date of birth: August 4, 1962
Place of birth: Serra San Quirico (AN), Italy
Citizenship: Italian
EDUCATION
* Degree in Biological Sciences at University of Bologna (grade
110/110 with honours, 18 July 1986).
* Ph.D. in Cellular Biology and Physiology at University of Bologna
(June 1991).
PRESENT POSITION
Assistant Professor in General Microbiology at the University of
Bologna, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology , Laboratory of Molecular Virology (since October 2001).
Technical Officer at the Department of Experimental Pathology,
Section of Microbiology and Virology, University of Bologna from
February 1991 to October 2001
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Graduate thesis project:
" Comparative analysis of structural and functional properties of
ubiquinol-cytochrome c oxidoreductase (E.C.1.10.2.2.) isolated from
higher eukaryotes"
Supervisors: Prof. Giorgio Lenaz and Prof. Mauro degli
Esposti
PhD Thesis Project:
“Gene expression and functional analysis of glycoproteins C, D and
H of Herpes Simplex Virus”
Supervisor: Prof. Gabriella Campadelli -Fiume.
Post-Doc projects:
Transport and exocytic pathway of HSV glycoproteins;
Identification, localization and functional characterization of HSV
UL20 protein; Microtubules alteration and Golgi apparatus
fragmentation induced by HSV infection; Identification of
herpesvirus T-limphotrope HHV-6 e HHV-7 proteins p48 e pp85;
Characterization of mNectin1, the murine homolog of human nectin1,
the receptor for alpha-herpesvirus entry into cells; Role of human
nectin 2alpha and 2 delta in HSV entry; Fine mapping of HSV gD
domains involved in antiapoptotic and fusion activity. Molecular
mechanisms of HSV induced membrane fusion; Positive and negative
regulation of HSV glycoprotein gB, gD, gH and gL fusogenic
activity; antifusogenic activity of HSV membrane proteins gK and
UL20.Construction and characterization of oncolytic viruses.
Current interests:
Construction and characterization of oncolytic viruses.
PUBLICATIONS
33 articles published on international journals: Virology, Journal
of Virology, Proceedings of National Academy of Science, Journal of
Biological Chemistry etc.
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES MEMBERSHIP
Member of Italian Society of General Microbiology and Microbial
Biotechnologies (SIMGBM)
Member of Italian Society of Virology (SIV).
TEACHING
2002 –present: In charge of the “ Applied Microbiology and Virology” and
“General Virology” courses for the three-year Degree in Biological
Sciences and the two-years Master degree in Health Biology, University of Bologna.
1991-present: Teacher in the "General Microbiology"
course for the five-year Degree in Biological Sciences at
University of Bologna and University of Milano; in
the "General Microbiology" and "Molecular Virology" courses for the
three-year Degree in Biotechnology at the University of
Bologna.
2000-2005: Supervisor in the "Laboratory of General
Microbiology" course for the five-year and the three-year Degree in
Biotechnology at the University of Bologna; Supervisor in the
“Laboratory of Microbiological analysis” course for the three-year
Degree in Biological Sciences (2003) and in the "Laboratory of
Molecular Virology" for the two-year Specialization Degree in
Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology (2005), University
