EDUCATION
2009 PhD in Cell Biology and Physiology. School of Physics, Mathematics and Nature Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy. PhD Supervisor: Prof. Michela Rugolo. Co-supervisor: Prof. Valerio Carelli. Title of the thesis: “Molecular bases, pathogenic mechanisms and possible therapeutic approach in Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy”.
2005 Master degree in Industrial Biotechnology. School of Physics, Mathematics and Nature Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy. Final mark 110/110 cum laude. Supervisor: Prof. Michela Rugolo. Title of the thesis: “Studio preliminare della funzione energetica mitocondriale in tumori oncocitici della tiroide”.
1998 Scientific High School Degree Liceo Scientifico Statale “R. Mattioli” Vasto, Italy. Final mark 50/60.
COURSES
2018 FEBS Advanced Courses 2018 - The molecular bases of diseases: can we infer phenotype from protein variant analysis? 23-15 May 2018, Bologna, Italy.
2015 Training Course in “European Public Funding for R&D and innovation – The technology transfer process”. 2-5 February 2015, Valencia, Spain.
2014 2nd Course in Mitochondrial Medicine. 1-3 December 2014, Bertinoro, Italy.
2011 EUROMIT 8 Pre-conference symposium. Mitochondrial dysfunction in metabolic and age-related diseases: new technology for assessing mitochondrial pathology in small samples. 19 June 2011, Zaragoza, Spain.
2010 Course in Mitochondrial Metabolism and Cancer. 3-6 November 2010, Bologna, Italy.
2009 EMBO Lecture Course in Mitochondrial Medicine: from genetics to biological mechanisms and beyond. 18-22 April 2009, Bologna, Italy.
RESEARCH ACTIVITY
Feb 2017 – Today Post-Doctoral Fellowship (Assegno di Ricerca L.240/2010) in Cell Biochemistry at Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna. Title of the project: “Ruolo delle disfunzioni mitocondriali nella tumorigenesi e chemoresistenza in modelli di carcinoma ovarico”.
Feb 2015 – Feb 2017 Post-Doctoral Fellowship (Assegno di Ricerca L.240/2010) in Cell Biochemistry at Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna. Title of the project: “Ruolo del complesso I mitocondriale nella regolazione del potenziale tumorigenico e possibili strategie terapeutiche anti-cancro”.
Feb 2014 – Feb 2015 Post-Doctoral Fellowship (Assegno di Ricerca L.240/2010) in Cell Biochemistry at Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna. Title of the project: “Ruolo del complesso I della catena respiratoria mitocondriale nella tumorigenesi”.
Jan 2013 – Dec 2013 Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Cell Biochemistry at Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna funded by Fondazione Umberto Veronesi Young Investigator Programme 2012-2013. Title of the project: “Mitochondrial contribution to neuroblastoma tumor progression”.
Oct 2010 – Dec 2012 Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Cell Biochemistry at Department of Department of Evolutionistic Biology, University of Bologna funded by Fondazione Europea per la Genetica. Title of the project: “TRANSMIT-Translational significance of mitochondrial mutations in tumors”.
Oct 2009 – Oct 2010 Post-Doctoral Fellowship (Assegno di Ricerca) in Mitochondrial Genetics and Biochemistry at Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna. Title of the project: “Attivazione della biogenesi mitocondriale come strategia teraputica nelle Neuropatie Ottiche mitocondriali”.
May 2009 – Aug 2009 International scholarship in Mitochondrial Genetics and Biochemistry funded by Programma Marco Polo, University of Bologna. Lab. of Mitochondrial Biochemistry and Genetics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami (Prof. Carlos T. Moraes). Title of the project: “Induction of mitochondrial biogenesis in Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy using fibrates”.
Oct 2008 – Oct 2009 Predoctoral Fellowship (Assegno di Ricerca) in Mitochondrial Genetics and Biochemistry at Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna. Title of the project: “ATTIVAZIONE DELLA BIOGENESI MITOCONDRIALE COME STRATEGIA TERAPEUTICA NELLE NEUROPATIE OTTICHE MITOCONDRIALI”.
Dec 2007 – Jun 2008 International scholarship in Mitochondrial Genetics and Biochemistry funded by IRCCS Bietti Foundation for the study and the research in ophthalmology and by Programma Marco Polo, University of Bologna. Lab. of Mitochondrial Biochemistry and Genetics, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami (Prof. Carlos T. Moraes). Title of the project: “Induction of mitochondrial biogenesis in cellular models of Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy”.
Oct 2007 – Oct 2008 Predoctoral Fellowship (Assegno di Ricerca) in Mitochondrial Genetics and Biochemistry at Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna. Title of the project: “IDENTIFICAZIONE DI UN NUOVO GENE MALATTIA IN UNA FAMIGLIA CON ATROFIA OTTICA DOMINANTE NEGATIVA NEL GENE OPA 1”.
Oct 2005 – Oct 2007 Predoctoral Fellowship (Assegno di Ricerca) in Mitochondrial Genetics and Biochemistry at Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Bologna. Title of the project: “IDENTIFICAZIONE DI UN NUOVO GENE MALATTIA IN UNA FAMIGLIA CON ATROFIA OTTICA DOMINANTE E IPOACUSIA NEUROSENSORIALE”.
ONGOING RESEARCH PROJECTS
PI of the following competitive research projects:
Jan 2018 – Jan 2020 University of Bologna, ALMAIDEA Linea d’Intervento Giovani - INTACt: Induzione della pseudoNormossia come Terapia Adiuvante per il Cancro.
Internal collaborator of the following competitive research projects:
Jan 2017 – Dec 2020 EU H2020 Marie Curie ITN grant 722605 (PI Anna Maria Porcelli) TRANSMIT: Translational significance of mitochondria in tumors.
CONCLUDED RESEARCH PROJECTS
Internal collaborator of the following competitive research projects:
Aug 2016 – Aug 2019 Italian Health Ministry grant GR-2013-02356666 (PI Giuseppe Gasparre)DISCOTRIP: Disrupting mitochondrial complex I to trigger pseudonormoxia: an anticancer strategy.
Jan 2016 – Dec 2019 Worldwide Cancer Research grant (PI Giuseppe Gasparre) DhoMoS: Understanding the determinants of the homoplasmic shift of mitochondrial DNA mutations in families with recurrent oncocytomas.
Jan 2016 – Dec 2018 Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) (PI Anna Maria Porcelli) TOUChMe: Taxane Resistance in Ovarian Cancer: Understanding the Contribution of Mitochondrial Metabolism Defects.
Jan 2013 – Dec 2015 Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) (PI Giuseppe Gasparre) – JANEUTICS: From the oncojanus function of mitochondrial genes to anti-cancer therapeutic strategies.
Jan 2012 – Dec 2013 Fondazione Umberto Veronesi Grant (PI Giuseppe Gasparre) - DISCO TRIP - Disrupting complex I to trigger pseudonormoxia.
Aug 2012 – Sep 2014 United Mitochondrial Diseases Foundation Grant (PI Carla Giordano) - Estrogen mediated regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and functions: possible therapeutic implications for Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy.
Jan 2010 – Dec 2013 Telethon grant GPP10005 (PI Massimo Zeviani) - Therapeutic strategies to combat mitochondrial disorders.
Dec 2010 – Dec 2013 Futuro in Ricerca (FIR) grant J31J10000040001 (PI Giuseppe Gasparre) – TRANSMIT: Translational significance of mitochondrial mutations in tumors.
Jan 2010 – Dec 2012 E-Rare European Research Projects on Rare Diseases (PI Dominique Bonneau) – European Research project on Mendelian Inherited Optic Neuropathies.
Gen 2009 – Dec 2011 Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) grant IG8810 (PI Giovanni Romeo) - TRANSMIT: Translational significance of mitochondrial mutations in tumors.
Jan 2007 – Dec 2010 Telethon grant GGP06233B (PI Valerio Carelli) - Pathogenic mechanisms for degeneration of retinal ganglion cells in mitochondrial optic neuropathies.
As a member participating in these projects, I have coordinated the activities of undergraduate students, I have been involved in fund management and in the establishment of national and international collaborations.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Cell cultures of immortalized lines and primary cultures, cellular transfection (both stable and transient) with different methods, cell viability assays with UV-Vis spectrophotometry and chemiluminescence assays, enzyme activity assays with UV-Vis spectrophotometry, chemiluminescence and fluorimetry, oxygen consumption assay in intact and permeabilized cells, microrespirometry, metabolites extraction from cells and media, in vitro cell invasiveness and aggressiveness assays, SDS-PAGE and Western Blotting, Native PAGE, 2D Native/SDS-PAGE, Fat Blotting, optic microscopy in epifluorescence in living and fixed cells; confocal microscopy, bacterial transformation with exogenous nucleic acids, nucleic acids extraction, qRT-PCR with different chemistry, agarose gel electrophoresis and RFLP.
AWARDS
2015 Best presentation award, Italian Group of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics Meeting 18-20 June 2015, Udine, Italy. 2nd prize.
2014 Best poster award BBA – Bioenergetics, EUROMIT 2014, 15-19 June 2014, Tampere, Finland. 2nd prize.
NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
06/04/2017 National Qualification for Associate Professor (ASN) 05/F1 BIOLOGIA APPLICATA
31/03/2017 National Qualification for Associate Professor (ASN) 05/E1 BIOCHIMICA GENERALE
31/03/2017 National Qualification for Associate Professor (ASN) 06/A1 GENETICA MEDICA
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
AA 2017/18 Teaching tutor of the course BIOLOGIA STRUTTURALE (C.I.) [cod. 66625] – BIOLOGIA COMPUTAZIONALE [cod. 66627] – [Modulo 2] Laboratorio. Bachelor Degree in Biotechnology, University of Bologna. (60 hours, 4 CFU)
AA 2016/17 Teaching tutor of the course BIOLOGIA COMPUTAZIONALE Modulo 2 Laboratorio. Bachelor Degree in Biotechnology, University of Bologna. (60 hours, 4 CFU)
AA 2014/15 Teaching tutor of the course BIOCHIMICA DELLA SEGNALAZIONE CELLULARE CON LABORATORIO. Master Degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Bologna. (30 hours, 2 CFU)
AA 2013/14 Teaching tutor of the course BIOCHIMICA DELLA SEGNALAZIONE CELLULARE CON LABORATORIO. Master Degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Bologna. (30 hours, 2 CFU)
AA 2012/13 Teaching tutor of the course BIOCHIMICA MOLECOLARE E CELLULARE. Master Degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Bologna. (30 hours, 2 CFU)
AA 2010/11 Teaching tutor of the course LABORATORIO DI BIOCHIMICA CELLULARE. Master Degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Bologna. (30 hours, 2 CFU)
AA 2009/10 Teaching tutor of the course LABORATORIO DI BIOCHIMICA CELLULARE. Master Degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Bologna. (30 hours, 2 CFU)
Nov 2014 Workshop supervision EU FP7 Marie Curie Project MEET – Mitochondrial European Educational Training. Title of the workshop: “LIVE IMAGING MICROSCOPY FOR THE ANALYSIS OF MITOCHONDRIAL NETWORK AND FUNCTION”.
Nov 2014 Workshop support EU FP7 Marie Curie Project MEET – Mitochondrial European Educational Training. Title of the workshop: “SEAHORSE PRACTICAL AND ADVANCED WORKSHOPS ON XF”.
Co-supervisor of the following thesis:
Mar 2011 Bachelor Degree in Biological Sciences, University of Bologna. Candidate: Bruno Henrique Pinto. Title of the thesis: “STUDIO DEGLI EFFETTI DI ALCUNI ATTIVATORI DELLA BIOGENESI MITOCONDRIALE IN UN MODELLO CELLULARE DI NEUROPATIA OTTICA EREDITARIA DI LEBER”. Supervisor: Dr. Anna Maria Ghelli.
Mar 2015 Master Degree in Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology, University of Bologna. Candidate: Giulia Leone. Title of the thesis: “Ruolo dello stress ossidativo nel modulare il potenziale tumorigenico del neuroblastoma”. Supervisor: Prof. Anna Maria Porcelli.
Feb 2018 Master Degree in Pharmaceutic Biotechnology, University of Bologna. Candidate: Cristiana Bucci. Title of the thesis: “Analisi dell’effetto di composti derivati dell’α-chetoglutarato sulla capacità proliferativa e la stabilizzazione di HIF-1α di cellule tumorali e non tumorali”. Supervisor: Prof. Anna Maria Porcelli.
Mar 2018 Master Degree in Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology, University of Bologna. Candidate: Elisa Astro. Title of the thesis: “Dissecting the effects of MT-ND1 and NDUFS3 suppression on respiratory Complex I assembly and supercomplex biogenesis”. Supervisor: Prof. Anna Maria Porcelli.
SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS AND GRANT REVIEWER ACTIVITY
2017 External Reviewer for grant proposals for the Foundation for Polish Science Team programme (competitive redistribution of EU structural funds in Poland).
2014 Review panel member of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, upon invitation of the Editor in Chief
Peer reviewer for the following journals: PlosONE, International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stem Cell Research and Therapy, Molecular Vision, BBA Bioenergetics.
SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES
2017 Ordinary member of the International Society of Cancer Metabolism (ISCaM)
2017 Ordinary member of the Italian Association of Cell Biology and Differentiation (ABCD)
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS
2018 Selected speaker at FEBS Advanced Courses 2018 - The molecular bases of diseases: can we infer phenotype from protein variant analysis? 23-15 May 2018, Bologna, Italy. Title: “Determination of pathogenicity of mitochondrial DNA mutations and combinations of polymorphisms through the assessment of their functional effect”.
2017 Selected speaker at 4th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Cancer Metabolism, 19-21 October 2017, Bertinoro, Italy. Title: “Defective respiratory Complex I triggers metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells”.
2015 Invited speaker on behalf of Prof. Valerio Carelli at European School of Genetic Medicine (ESGM) – European Society of Human Genetics, 4th Course in Eye Genetics, 27-29 September 2015, Bertinoro, Italy. Title: “The paradigm of mitochondrial optic neuropathies: naturally occurring compensatory strategies and treatment options”.
2014 Selected speaker at Mitochondria, Energy Metabolism and Cancer, Institute of Child Health, University College London, 26 February 2014, London UK. Title: “Different mtDNA mutations modify tumor progression in dependence of the degree of respiratory complex I impairment”.
NATIONAL MEETINGS
2015 Speaker at Italian Group of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics Meeting 2015, 18-20 June 2015, Udine, Italy. Title: “Human ND1 subunit is essential for Complex III and supercomplexes stability”.
2013 Speaker at Italian Group of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics Meeting 2013, 20-22 June 2013, Padua, Italy. Title: “Different mtDNA mutations exhibit opposite modifying effects on tumor growth by regulating the AMPK pathway”.
2012 Invited speaker at XV Congresso Nazionale della Società Italiana di Genetica Umana (SIGU), 21-23 November 2012, Sorrento, Italy. Title: “Deficit del Complesso I nelle malattie mitocondriali e nel cancro: strade parallele, destinazioni differenti”.
2010 Speaker at Italian Group of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics Meeting 2010, 10-12 June, 2010, Bertinoro, Italy. Title: “Mitochondrial biogenesis induced by PPARs agonists improves viability of LHON cybrids”.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS
2016 19th European Bioenergetics Conference (EBEC). 2-7 July 2016, Riva del Garda, Italy. Title: “Respirasome stabilizes respiratory Complex III and mitigates the detrimental effects of E271K change in cytochrome b”.
2014 EUROMIT 2014. The 9th European Meeting on Mitochondrial Pathology. 15-19 June 2014, Tampere, Finland. Title: “Different mtDNA mutations modify tumor progression in dependence of the degree of respiratory complex I impairment”.
2012 Cell Symposia: Angiogenesis, Metabolic Regulation and Cancer Biology. 6-9 June 2012, Leuven, Belgium. Title: “Metabolic alterations induced by Complex I disassembly hamper tumor progression through the inhibition of Akt-mediated pathway”.
2011 EUROMIT 8. The 8th European Meeting on Mitochondrial Pathology “From mitochondrial diseases to mitochondria in health and disease”. 20-23 June 2011, Zaragoza, Spain. Title: “A mutation threshold triggers the anti-tumorigenic effect of oncojanus MTND1”.
2009 Mitochondrial Medicine 2009: Capitol Hill. 24-27 June 2009. Vienna, Virginia, USA. Title: “Modeling ND subunits of complex I: Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) pathogenic mutations and non-synonymous population variants in genotype-phenotype correlation”.
2008 EUROMIT 7. The 7th European Meeting on Mitochondrial Pathology - From basic mechanisms to disease and ageing. 11-14 June 2008, Stockholm, Sweden. Title: “Rare mitochondrial DNA point mutations pathogenic for Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy”.
2008 ARVO 2008 Annual Meeting, Eyes on innovation. 27 April-1 May 2008, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Title: “Validation Of Rare Mitochondrial DNA Point Mutations Pathogenic For Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON)”.
NATIONAL MEETINGS
2017 Biennial congress of the Italian Association of Cell Biology and Differentiation (ABCD). 21-23 September 2017, Bologna, Italy. Title: “Targeting respiratory complex I prevents HIF1α-mediated hypoxic adaptation during tumor progression”.
2017 2nd Retreat Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBit), University of Bologna. 7-8 February 2017, Bologna, Italy. Title: “Respirasome stabilizes respiratory Complex III and mitigates the detrimental effects of E271K change in cytochrome b”.
2017 2nd Retreat Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBit), University of Bologna. 7-8 February 2017, Bologna, Italy. Title: “PLATIN-INDUCED MITOCHONDRIAL DNA MUTATIONS CONFER LOWER SENSITIVITY TO PACLITAXEL IN OVARIAN CANCER CELLS”.
