PRESENT POSITION
- I am currently Assistant Professor (RTDb) in the Genomics and Molecular Biology laboratory of Professor Giovanni Capranico (Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology - University of Bologna). SSD BIO/11.
- I obtained the national academic qualification as Associate Professor (SSD: BIO/11) in July 2018.
- As mother of two children, during my academic career I was in maternity leave for the periods from August 18th 2014 to March 28th 2015 and from November 11th 2018 to June 30th 2019.
EDUCATION
- March 18th, 2009 - PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD School in Molecular Sciences), University of Padova, Italy.
- July 5th, 2005 - Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology degree (5 years), University of Padova, Italy.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE AND POSITIONS HELD
- August 2014- Present: Junior Assistant Professor in the Genomics and Molecular Biology laboratory of Prof. Giovanni Capranico (Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology - University of Bologna). SSD BIO/11.
- February 2009 - July 2014: Post-Doctoral fellow in the Genomics and Molecular Biology laboratory of Prof. Giovanni Capranico (Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology - University of Bologna). My research focused on the transcriptional stress induced by Top1 inhibitors at a genome-wide level, and its implication in the Top1 inhibitors anti-tumor activity.
- September 2007 - October 2008: PhD Student at the National Institute of Health, National Cancer Institute branch, Bethesda, Maryland, USA, under the supervision of Yves Pommier, MD, PhD. I investigated HIV-1 Integrase, and in particular the point mutations that make this enzyme drug-resistant.
- January 2006 - August 2007: PhD Student in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Padova – Italy, under the supervision of Prof. Barbara Gatto. My research dealt with the selection of RNA aptamers against Folic Acid.
- September 2005 - December 2005: Post-Lauream Fellow at the Department of Biomedical Sciences University of Padova – Italy, under the supervision of Cristina Fasolato, PhD. I studied the connection between Tau mutations, responsible of FTDP-17 (Frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism-17), and mutations of intracellular calcium changes (or homeostasis).
- May 2004 - July 2005: Graduating student at Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova – Italy, under the supervision of Cristina Fasolato, PhD. My research dealt with the effects of Alzheimer-linked presenilins’ mutations in the intracellular calcium homeostasis of SH-SY5Y cells.
RESEARCH GRANTS
PRIN 2017: PI of the Bologna Research Unit (National Coordinator Maria Pia Longhese).
Title: "G quadruplexes as modulators of genome stability".
ORAL PRESENTATION AT INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL MEETINGS
- Speaker: “Transient R loop induction by DNA topoisomerase inhibitors in cancer cells”. French-Italian Workshop on “DNA damage, cancer and neurodegeneration”. Bologna, February 22nd, 2018.
- Selected Oral Presentation: “Antisense non-coding RNAs induced by Topoisomerase I inhibition at human CpG island promoters of human cells”. 12th FISV Congress, September 24th-27th, 2012. Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
- Selected Oral Presentation: “Antisense non-coding RNAs induced by Topoisomerase I inhibition at human CpG island promoters”. 10th EMBL Conference on Transcription and Chromatin, August 25th-28th, 2012. EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany.
- Speaker: “HIV integrase mutations and resistance to Raltegravir and Elvitegravir”. HIV drug resistance program, Think Tank meeting, April 16th, 2008, Frederick, Maryland, USA.
PARTECIPATIONS IN THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE OF SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
- 2019 SIBBM “Frontiers in molecular Biology” Seminar: "Nucleic acid immunity: from cellular mechanisms to new technologies". Bologna, June 11th-13th, 2019.
- French-Italian Workshop on “DNA damage, cancer and neurodegeneration”. Bologna, February 22nd, 2018.
SCIENTIFIC PARTECIPATIONS TO RESEARCH PROJECTS
- AIRC IG15886Capranico (PI)01/01/2015 – 12/31/2017
“R-loop regulation at transcribed regions: implications for cell sensitivity to DNA topoisomerase I inhibitors”.
Role: Investigator
- Menarini RicercheCapranico (PI)01/01/2016 – 12/31/2017
“Epigenetic profiling of sabarubicin and doxorubicin in human cancer cells”.
Role: Investigator
- FARB RFBO120249Recanatini (PI)01/01/2014 – 12/31/2015
“Modulation of protein-DNA interactions with small molecules: novel opportunities for drug design".
Role: Investigator
- AIRC IG10184Capranico (PI)01/01/2011 – 12/31/2013
“Transcriptional Topoisomerase I functions: implications for tumor resistance to enzyme poisons”.
Role: Investigator
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
- From AY 2015/2016 to AY 2017/2018: lecturer of the course “Molecular Biology”, laboratory module, bachelor degree in Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Italy (student percentage of satisfaction: 93,5%)
- From AY 2015/2016 to AY 2017/2018: lecturer of the course “Bioinformatics laboratory for PhD students”, PhD program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Bologna, Italy.
- AY 2013/2014: Academic tutor of the course “Molecular and genetic aspects of diseases with laboratory”, Faculty of Pharmacy, master degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies, University of Bologna, Italy.
- AY 2012/2013: Academic tutor of the course “Functional Genomics with laboratory”, Faculty of Pharmacy, master degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies, University of Bologna, Italy.
- AY 2011/2012: Academic tutor of the course “Molecular and genetic aspects of diseases with laboratory”, Faculty of Pharmacy, master degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies, University of Bologna, Italy.
- AY 2010/2011: Academic tutor of the course “Laboratory of Chromatin Structure”, Faculty of Pharmacy, master degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies, University of Bologna, Italy.
- AY 2009/2010: Academic tutor of the course “Laboratory of Chromatin Structure”, Faculty of Pharmacy, master degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies, University of Bologna, Italy.
- AY 2006/2007: Academic tutor for graduating students at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Padova, Italy.