Graduated in Medicine and Surgery at the University of Bologna
in 1986 cum laude.
Post-graduate diploma in Nephrology at the University of Bologna in
1990.
Ph.D. in Nephrology at the the University of Bologna in
1994.
Grant winner of a contract (Brite Euram) between European
Community and Bologna University on 1995.
Post doctorate fellowship winner in Nephrology at the the
University of Bologna on 1996
Assistant Professor at University of Bologna from 1998.
Fellowship in Nephrology: current position at the Department of
Clinical Medicine and Applied Biotechnology.
since 2015 Head of Post-transplant phase in the kidney transplant program of the Department of organ insufficiencies and transplants
at the University Hospital of Bologna of the Policlinico di Sant'Orsola
Secretary of the Post-graduate School of Nephrology
at the University of Bologna since 2005.
Aggregate Professor of Nephrology at the University of Bologna
since 2006.
Member of national and international societies: Italian Society of
Nephrology (SIN); European Society of Artificial Organs
(ESAO),Italian Society of Organ Transplantation (SITO)
Participation in International Courses:
- onTrasplantation (1997 Florence - 2012 Berlin);
- on Artificial Organs (INFA) in Erice ('93).
Speaker at national and international conferences. Speaker at
several National and International Congresses.
Researcher in 3 national main projects concerning Nephrology and
Dialysis topics (grant from CNR and MURST).
SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS
Author of 98 publications including original articles edited by
national and international journals.
Her main articles have been published on issues of Nephron, Blood
Purification, Transplant International, International Journal in
Artificial organ, Transplantation Proceeding, Giornale Italiano di
Nefrologia etc and some of her original contributions have been
collected in chapters of books relating to this field .
Main topics:
(a) The Progression of Renal Disease
Her studies have been focused on evaluating the effects of
dopamine-agonists drugs, taken orally, on the slowdown of the renal
damage. This kind of research has been the object of a multicentric
study , published in Am J Nephrol and an important topic in many
course and meeting. A positive approach of the dopaminergic
therapy, particularly on patients with glomerular nephropathy, has
been pointed out.
b) Flow cytometry evaluation of urinary sediment in renal
transplantation
She studied during Ph.D. course the value of exfoliative urinary
cytology for the diagnosis of different pathological conditions in
renal transplantation In view of its characteristics,
flow cytometry (FC) seems to represent a consistently reliable,
rapid and innovative approach for differentialing the various cells
present in the urinary sediment Sediment cells, collected
from fresh urine samples, were analysed in a FACSCAN cytometer.
Morphological evaluation showed: a small number of cells in
patients with stable renal function; a larger number of cells, with
predominance of lymphocytes, during acute rejection episodes; an
absolute predominance of neutrophils during bacterial infection;
large-sized cellular debris in cases of post-transplant tubular
necrosis; and small cell debris in cases of cyclosporine
cytotoxicity.
c)Detection of HLA-specific antibodies by PRA-STAT and their
association with transplant outcome.
The aim of her studies was to investigate the correlation
between renal transplant outcome and the presence of HLA-specific
antibodies detected using the ELISA kit PRA-STAT as compared with
complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) Anti–human leukocyte
antibodies (HLA) play a central role in graft survival,
particularly in kidney transplantation. The presence of preformed
donor specific anti-HLA antibodies is always excluded before
transplantation by performing crossmatches using current and
historic recipient serum samples. Several recent studies have
observed a correlation between HLA antibodies and graft rejection.
It has been suggested that these antibodies should be monitored
routinely after kidney transplant to predict graft failure
d) Use of a new immunosuppressive drug (FTY720) in kidney
transplnt
She focused her study on mechanism of homing of lynfocite T in
transpanted patient trated with immunosuppressive therapy with
FTY720. FTY720 (FTY) is a synthetic analogue of
myriocin, derived from the fungus Isaria sinclairii. As a
sphingosine analogue, the phosphorylated form of FTY acts by
binding sphingosine-1 phosphate receptors Even if the exact
mechanism of action is still under investigation, recent evidences
have demonstrated that FTY is able to stimulate lymphocyte homing,
a mechanism of migration of circulating lymphocytes from peripheral
blood to secondary lymphoid organs. FTY-driven lymphopenia is
independent from apoptosis ; the depletion of peripheral
lymphocytes is correlated with an increase of their number into
lymph nodes (LN) or Peyer's patches (PP): by this mechanisms, FTY
is able to prevent T-cell infiltration of the allograft
(e) Hepatitis C in Dialysis
She studied parenteral infections due to C virus in patients in
periodic hemodialysis.
Through specific tests to identify anti virus hepatitis C
antibodies, studies have been carried to analyse how the viral
disease show itself and is transmitted among dialysed people;
furthermore, the evolution of the markers known up to this moment
has been described, and some prophylactic measures have been
identified, which are able to limit the possibilities of
contracting the infection (Nephron).
f) Outcome of pregnancy after organ transplantation
She worked with AIRT gruop in the field of a topic situation
related to kidney transplant. This multicenter retrospective study
describes pregnancies after kidney transplantation and is the first
such survey in Italy In the last few years advances in surgical
techniques and immunosuppression have improved not only survival,
but also quality of life in organ transplanted patients. Hence, the
number of women of child-bearing age who decide to have a
child--has increased. In kidney transplant recipients who became
pregnant the incidence of spontaneous abortion and preterm delivery
was increased. Newborns delivered to these patients had low birth
weight, but no congenital defects were noted and their development
was normal.
g) Acute renal failure
Acute renal failure (ARF) is a common condition seen
inintensive care units. It is broadly classified into prerenal,
intrinsic renal and post renal failure. Most importance is to
differentiate prerenal from intrinsic renal failure. The most
common causes of ARF are hypovolemia, hypotension and, hypoxia.
Among several indices that are available for differentiating
prerenal failure from intrinsic renal failure, fractional excretion
of sodium is the preferred index. Her contribution on this topic is
part of a universitary text book of "Manual of surgical
emergency".
