PhD Program in Cellular, Molecular and Industrial Biology (Project n. 1: Physiology and Cellular Biology)
1) Gene silencing We have used small interfering RNA (siRNA) to study the mechanism of over expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene. Inhibiting COX-2 blocks tumorigenesis in vitro (Strillacci et all 2006, Strillacci et al. 2009). Recently we have identified a microRNA specifically silencing COX-2 gene which behaved as a potent inhibitor of metastatisation. 2) Biomarker Discovery in Bowel Inflammatory Diseases (IBD) Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are chronic inflammatory conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Their diagnosis is based on the presence of clinical manifestations, mucosal lesions, architectural distortion and/or acute inflammatory cells. Biomarker discovery will be performed on ex-vivo colon biopsy specimens, in collaboration with the IBD unit directed by Prof. Massimo Campieri, Policlinico “Sant'Orsola”, Blogna.
Research Group
Vittorio Tomasi (Full professor)
Enzo Spisni (Research Associate)
Cristiana Griffoni (Postdoc)
Antonio Strillacci (Post-doc)
