room 1016, building U3, tel. +39 02 6448 3052

lab 5040, building U4, tel. +39 02 6448 3514

veronica.krenn@unimib.it

see also: ResearcherID (publons), ORCID, Linkedin,  Twitter, Scopus

Cascio Anna – Postgraduate Fellow
lab 5040, building U4, tel. +39 02 6448 3514
anna.cascio@unimib.it

Veronica Krenn graduated cum Laude in Biotechnologies at the University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy, and received a PhD in Molecular Medicine at the University of Milano, with an internship at the Institute of Experimental Oncology (IEO), working on human mitotic division in the Musacchio laboratory.

She moved to the Max-Planck Insitute of Molecular Physiology in Germany during her PhD and later to the Knoblich laboratory at the Vienna BioCenter as Post-Doc, where she started to work on human brain organoid systems. She joined our department in 2022, after being awarded with the Early Career Fellowship promoted by the Human Technopole.

Brain development, cerebral organoids, iPSCs, microglia, neuroinflammation, genetic diseases, congenital infections

The lab uses stem cells - derived models to investigate the molecular basis of neuroimmune interactions regulating brain development and their alterations in disease conditions

-A human organoid-based culture of Central nervous system-Associated Macrophages (CAM) for functional study of -neurodevelopment and disease
Anno: 2023
Bando: FAQC 2023 - prima finestra
Enti finanziatori: Università degli Studi di MILANO-BICOCCA

-Human Neuroimmunobiology Project - The project aims at developing human stem cells- derived 2D and 3D cellular models to study the mechanisms of neuroimmunological dysfunction and their contribution to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Anno: 2021
Enti finanziatori: FONDAZIONE HUMAN TECHNOPOLE

-Krenn, V., Bosone, C., Burkard, T.R., Spanier, J., Kalinke, U., Calistri, A., Salata, C., Rilo Christoff, R., Pestana Garcez, P., Mirazimi, A., Knoblich, J.A. 2021 Organoid modeling of Zika and herpes simplex virus 1 infections reveals virus-specific responses leading to microcephaly. Cell Stem Cell 28, 1362–1379.e7. doi:10.1016/j.stem.2021.03.004

-Bajaj, S., Bagley, J.A., Sommer, C., Vertesy, A., Nagumo Wong, S., Krenn, V., Lévi-Strauss, J., Knoblich, J.A., 2021. Neurotransmitter signaling regulates distinct phases of multimodal human interneuron migration. EMBO J. 40, e108714. doi:10.15252/embj.2021108714

National collaborations:

Prof. Silvia Nicolis, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca (UNIMIB)

Prof. Giuseppe Testa, Human Technopole

International collaborations:

Prof. Jürgen Knoblich, IMBA -Vienna

Dr. Christopher Esk, University of Innsbruck

Krenn’s Lab – #KrennLab_BtBs
last update June 2022

lab 2011, building U3, tel. +39 02 6448 3395

see also: PubMed, ResearchGate, GoogleScholar, Scopus, Linkedin

lucia.salvioni@unimib.it

My research activity is devoted to the world of nanobiotechnology: this includes several multidisciplinary activities like the development of nanodrug delivery systems, the study of novel nano-based contrast agents, the formulation design as well as the investigation of interaction between nanomaterials and biological systems.

I am part of a multidisciplinary research group named NanoBioLab.
https://nanobiolab.it/ ; https://www.instagram.com/nanobiolab/

Nanomedicine, Nanobiotechnology, Nanomaterials, Drug delivery, Imaging, Formulations, Cancer, Infections and Inflammation

Nanodelivery of biological drugs
Biological drugs include a wide range of active ingredients such as peptides, proteins, genetic materials, whose application is strongly impaired by their poor stability, low permeability and rapid body clearance. The use of nano-based drug delivery systems may overcome these drawbacks and open up new possibility for treatment of several disorders (e.g., cancer, infections, metabolic disorders).

Nanomaterials for diagnostic purposes
The early diagnosis is the key for successfully treating several disorders including cancer. One major need in the field of medical imaging is to increase the specificity and the sensitivity of contrast agents. In this scenario, engineered nanomaterials can be developed for directing contrast agents in specific regions and improve the detection of malignant masses.

Study of Nano-Bio Interactions
Several scientists have pointed out that lack of knowledge in the interaction of nanomaterials with biological systems can seriously limit nanotechnology potential. Thus, part of my research activity aims to give a contribution to this field by investigating nanoparticles intracellular trafficking, their capability of crossing the biological barriers, nanotoxicology or their potential antimicrobic effect.

Development of solid and semisolid formulations
The majority of the new products based on nanomaterials are administered by parenteral injection. However, the use of alternative administration routes may open up new possibilities and better meet the need of the patients in terms of compliance. Thus, part of my research activity is focused on the study of formulation of drug and nanodelivery systems in semisolid and solid dosage forms for pharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes.

Saporin Toxin Delivered by Engineered Colloidal Nanoparticles Is Strongly Effective against Cancer Cells
L. Salvioni, F Testa, L. Barbieri, M. Giustra, J. A. Bertolini, G. Tomaino, P. Tortora, D. Prosperi, M. Colombo
Pharmaceutics. 2022, 14 (7), 1517. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14071517

Development of an effective tumor-targeted contrast agent for Magnetic Resonance Imaging based on Mn/H-Ferritin nanocomplexes
C. Tullio†, L. Salvioni†, M. Bellini, A. Degrassi, L. Fiandra, S Garbujo, R. Rotem, F. Testa, D. Prosperi, M. Colombo
ACS applied biomaterials and interface.  2021, 4(11), 7800–7810. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsabm.1c00724

Impact of Tuning the Surface Charge Distribution on Colloidal Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Toxicity Investigated in Caenorhabditis elegans
L. Amigoni†, L. Salvioni†, B. Sciandrone, M. Giustra, C. Pacini, P. Tortora, D. Prosperi, M. Colombo, M.E. Regonesi. Nanomaterials. 2021, 11(6), 1551. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11061551    

The emerging role of nanotechnology in skincare
L. Salvioni, L. Morelli, E. Ochoa, M. Labra, L. Fiandra, L. Palugan, D. Prosperi, M. Colombo
Advances in Colloid and Interface Science. 2021, 293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2021.102437

Nanoparticle-Mediated Suicide Gene Therapy for Triple Negative Breast Cancer Treatment
L. Salvioni, S. Zuppone, F. Andreata, M. Monieri, S. Mazzucchelli, C. Di Carlo, L. Morelli, C. Cordiglieri, L. Donnici, R. De Francesco, F. Corsi, D. Prosperi, R. Vago, M. Colombo
Advanced Therapeutics. 2020, 3(8). https://doi.org/10.1002/adtp.202000007

Thirty Years of Cancer Nanomedicine: Success, Frustration, and Hope
L. Salvioni†, M.A. Rizzuto†, J.A. Bertolini, L. Pandolfi, M. Colombo, D. Prosperi.
Cancers (Basel). 2019, 11(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers11121855

Negatively charged silver nanoparticles with potent antibacterial activity and reduced toxicity for pharmaceutical preparations
L. Salvioni, E. Galbiati, V. Collico, G. Alessio, S. Avvakumova, F. Corsi, P. Tortora, D. Prosperi, M. Colombo.
International Journal of Nanomedicine. 2017, 12, 2517–2530. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S127799

Oral delivery of insulin via polyethylene imine-based nanoparticles for colonic release allows glycemic control in diabetic rats
L. Salvioni, L. Fiandra, M.D. Del Curto, S. Mazzucchelli, R. Allevi, M. Truffi, L. Sorrentino, B. Santini, M. Cerea, L. Palugan, F. Corsi, M. Colombo.
Pharmacological Research. 2016, 110, 122–130, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2016.05.016

† equally contributed

Salvioni’s Lab – #SalvioniLab_BtBs
last update: December 2022

room 1016, building U3-BIOS, tel.: +39 02 6448 3420

laura.legnani@unimib.it

Organic chemistry, Molecular modeling, DFT calculations, mechanistic investigations, pericyclic reactions

Study of bio-active compounds with related bio-organic problems and mechanistic studies of organic reactions are performed through computational approaches.

Prof. Pedro Merino – Instituto de Síntesis Quimica y Catalisis Homogenea, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spagna

Prof. Maria Assunta Chiacchio – Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco e della Salute, Università di Catania

Prof. Giuseppe Trusso Sfrazzetto, Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco e della Salute, Università di Catania

Legnani’s Lab – #LegnaniLab_BtBs
last update: June 2022

lab 4044, building U4, tel.: +39 02 6448 3376

jessica.zampolli@unimib.it

see also: ResearchGate, Linkedin

Biodegradation, Microbial Degradative Functions, “-omic” Approaches, Plastics, Emerging Contaminants, Microbial Biotechnology, Microbial Bioactive Compounds, Molecular Biomonitoring, Rhodococcus Genomics, Microbiota

Jessica Zampolli is a junior assistant professor (fixed-term) in Microbiology at University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Biology and Biotechnology.

Her research interests deal with Molecular, Environmental, and Applied Microbiology.

In recent times, she attended courses about different -omics technologies focused on microbial community composition and expressed functions of single bacterial strains.

Moreover, she participated and won the Crowdfunding program of BiUniCrowd - University of Milano-Bicocca with the project Micro-Val - MICROrganismi per la VALorizzazione dei rifiuti della plastica sustained by Consorzio Corepla.

From 2021 to 2022 she had a Post Doc position for the project "Isolamento e caratterizzazione di enzimi coinvolti nella degradazione e biotrasformazione di polietilene da batteri del genere Rhodococcus" at University of Milano-Bicocca, department of Biology and Biotechnology. At the same University, she worked as a Post Doc researcher on the "Development of New Molecular Tools to detect and enhance Microbial Degradation of Contaminants in Soil Bioremediation" from 2017 to 2020.

In 2017 she obtained a PhD degree in Science at University of Milano-Bicocca with a thesis about the "Assessment of Microbial Degradative Functions for the Evaluation of the Environmental Quality of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Soils". During the PhD course, she had the opportunity to improve her research on molecular microbiology and biotechnology at Prof. PhD A. Steinbüchel head of Institut für Molekulare Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie, at Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Münster, Germany.

She graduated with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Milano-Bicocca in Environmental Sciences.

The research interests of Dr. Zampolli are focused on environmental microbiology, specifically on the study of bacteria involved in the degradation of main environmental contaminants for the development of eco-sustainable processes for environmental biotechnologies. Different and integrated approaches are applied in her research: genomic, transcriptomic, genetic, phenotypic, and biochemical. To date, her research focuses on microbial enzymatic systems for the development of whole-cell systems and enzyme isolation to use in biodegradative processes for the development of industrial interest technologies. Moreover, another aspect of her research deals with the production of microbial secondary metabolites with activities of industrial interest.

Active Projects

- PI of Crowdfunding Project: Micro-Val – MICROrganismi per la VALorizzazione di rifiuti della plastica

Finished Projects

- 2017 - 2019 Natural and Active Technologies Under Research for Health Aging (NATURHA) sustained by Regione Lombardia. Role: Post Doc researcher.

1. J. Zampolli, A. De Giani, A. Di Canito, G. Sello, P. Di Gennaro (2022) Identification of a Novel Biosurfactant with Antimicrobial Activity Produced by Rhodococcus opacus R7. Microorganisms 10:475. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10020475.

2. J. Zampolli, A. Orro, A. Manconi, D. Ami, A. Natalello, P. Di Gennaro (2021) Transcriptomic analysis of Rhodococcus opacus R7 grown on polyethylene by RNA-seq. Scientific Reports. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-00525-x.

3. J. Zampolli, A. Di Canito, A. Manconi, L. Milanesi, P. Di Gennaro, A. Orro (2020) Tanscriptomic analysis of Rhodococcus opacus R7 grown on o-xylene by RNA-seq. Frontiers in Microbiology 11:1808. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01808.

4. A. Orro, M. Cappelletti, P. D’Ursi, L. Milanesi, A. Di Canito, J. Zampolli, E. Collina, F. Decorosi, C. Viti, S. Fedi, A. Presentato, D. Zannoni, P. Di Gennaro (2015) Genome and phenotype microarray analyses of Rhodococcus sp. BCP1 and R. opacus R7: genetic determinants and metabolic abilities with environmental relevance. PloS One. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139467.

- Italy: Dr. PhD Alessandro Orro (Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, CNR - Segrate, Milano) - LINK

- Chile: Dr. PhD Rodrigo Andler (Catholic University of Maule, Talca) - LINK

Zampolli’s Lab – #ZampolliLab_BtBs
last update April 2022

room 4009, building U4, tel.: +39 02 6448 3412

lab 4012, building U3, tel. +39 02 6448 3334

paolo.biella@unimib.it

see also: website, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Twitter

Urban ecology, Climate change, Functional biodiversity and distribution, Molecular ecology, Island biodiversity, Pollination and reproductive biology of plants, Pollinators and ecosystem services, Plant-pollinator interactions, Integrative Taxonomy, Disturbance ecology

Paolo Biella, is a lecturer of the course ‘Biogeography’ for Master students of Biology. Before, and specifically since 2012, he taught (or took part in teaching of) University courses and practice activities, he held a number of seminars, in Italy and abroad. Since 2019, he has been nominated Subject Expert and Teaching Assistant (“Cultore della materia”) in Zoology and in Biology of Animal Interactions by the University of Milano - Bicocca.

He is Assistant Professor at the University of Milano-Bicocca, department of Biology and Biotechnology. Previously, in 2014 he was a research assistant at the University of Pavia, and from 2014 to 2019 at the Biology Centre in Ceske Budejovice (CZ). In recent times, he attended several intensive scientific trainings abroad in Spain, England and Norway and also a number of specialized courses. He is also active in popularization talks on scientific topics.

He was awarded with a PhD degree by the University of South Bohemia (CZ) in 2019. He graduated both bachelor and master degrees at the University of Pavia.

He is a specialist of ecological interactions among species, especially between pollinators and plants that he studied at several levels: taxonomy of pollinators, reproductive biology of plants, nutritional ecology and plant-pollinator interaction networks.

At the moment he is mainly focusing on the impact of anthropic or natural disturbance on the ecosystem services, and the side-effects on functional biodiversity and species interactions. Biodiversity and interactions in urban landscapes and disturbed habitats are the main focus. He studies oceanic islands as models for predicting the effects of disturbance.

He integrates innovative methodologies (DNA barcoding, phytochemistry, morphological analysis) with statistical modelling.

He is also active in the field of species conservation, studying the pollination biology of endangered plants, and the effects of climate change on the ecology and distribution of some bee species. For instance, in 2018 he collaborated at the Red list of threatened Italian bees. Furthermore, he is active in the taxonomy of wild bees.

Biella’s Lab – #BiellaLab_BtBs
last update: March 2022

federica.facciotti@unimib.it

see also: PubMed, Google Scholar, ResearchID (publons), ORCID, LinkedIn, @LoungeTcell , Twitter

The lab is currently open for applications of both cellular immunology and computational

_PhD candidates

_Master’s thesis (minimum 12 months) candidates

Send applications to Federica.facciotti@unimib.it with CV

Mucosal Immunology, Microbiota, T cells, iNKT cells, Th17, IBD, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Colorectal cancer

I am a T cell immunologist, with a strong expertise in human chronic autoimmune pathologies. My research interests focus on the role of conventional and unconventional T cells in contributing to tissue homeostasis, in participating to inflammatory immune responses and in the control of epithelial neoplastic transformations. In recent years, I gained interest in the functional interaction between the immune system and the gut microbiota in driving pathogenic or tolerogenic activities in mucosal immune (T) cells.

By taking advantage of a translational approach, comprising the study of both human specimens and of murine models of human pathologies, during my research activity I acquired a broad experience in the study of human autoimmune disorders (Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Type 1 Diabetes, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis) as models of deregulation of T cell functions. More recently, I focused on mucosal immunology and on the role of intestinal T cells in contributing to tissue homeostasis and in participating to inflammatory immune responses in IBD and in colorectal cancer.  The study of T cell activation cues in the intestinal microenvironment led me to investigate in depth the functional interplay between intestinal T cells and the gut microbiota.

My research group specifically focuses on understanding and functionally manipulating for therapeutic purposes the interactions between the mucosal immune system and the intestinal microenvironment.

The intestinal compartment is a complex biological system composed by different type of cells (immune cells, epithelial cells, gut microbiota) involved in functional crosstalks aimed at maintaining a balance between tolerance and immunity. These interactions may give rise to different functional outcomes. In healthy conditions immune cells contribute to intestinal homeostasis maintenance, while in genetically predisposed individuals hyperactivation of immune cells may lead to in chronic autoimmune intestinal inflammation.  In the context of intestinal tumours, defective activation of immune cells may contribute to decreased immunesurveillance and tumour development.

Specifically, our projects focus at:

-Deciphering the role of conventional and unconventional intestinal CD4+T helper cells in contributing to tissue homeostasis and in participating to inflammatory immune responses;

-Understanding the functions of intestinal T lymphocytes in the control of epithelial neoplastic transformations;

-Dissecting the functional interactions between T cells , the gut microbiota and the intestinal microenvironment during intestinal neoplastic transformation and inflammation

-Manipulating the function of immune cells for therapeutic purposes.

To do so, we take advantage of a translational approach involving in vitro systems, murine models of colorectal cancer and intestinal inflammation, and patients’-derived surgical specimens.

The intestinal compartment is a complex environment composed by different type of cells (immune cells, epithelial cells, gut microflora) involved in functional interactions aimed at maintaining a balance between tolerance and immunity. Thus, the research activity of my lab is being oriented by two questions:

-How are conventional and unconventional CD4+T cells functionally influenced by the surrounding microenvironment during homeostatic or pathogenic conditions?

-Is it possible to implement immune cells phenotype and functions for predictive, prognostic or therapeutic purposes, upon elucidation of the mechanisms controlling their activity?”

Specific projects of the lab:

1.The evaluation of the phenotypic and functional status of immune cells isolated from intestinal specimens of sporadic and inflammation-associated colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and the study of the interactions between the immune system and the intestinal tumor microenvironment. In addition, this project aims at investigating how cancer cells might positively or negatively affect T cells activation by expressing specific inhibitory molecules or by displaying cancer-associated lipid antigens (Start-UP AIRC 2013).

2.The evaluation of the interaction between mucosal immune cells isolated from intestinal specimens of sporadic and inflammation-associated colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and the gut microbiota in the immuneregulation of colorectal cancer development (IG-AIRC 2019).

3.The understanding of the behavior of the mucosal immune system during both homeostatic and inflammatory conditions. The requirements for the functional activation of T cell subsets in the gut and which is their functional effect on epithelial cells is being explored with a translational approach involving both murine models of intestinal inflammation and surgical specimens of patients with chronic intestinal inflammation (IBD) (Ministero della Salute Giovani Ricercatori 2013).

4.Recent evidences suggest that imbalances in the composition and in the function of the gut microbiota directly correlate, in genetically predisposed individuals, to autoimmune disease and to cancer development. Thus, a project in the lab aims at understanding how the gut microbiota affects mucosal T cell functions in health and disease (Ministero della Salute Giovani Ricercatori 2016).

1.Burrello C, Garavaglia F, Cribiù FM, Ercoli G, Lopez G, Troisi J, Colucci A, Guglietta S, Carloni S, Guglielmetti S, Taverniti V, Nizzoli G, Bosari S, Caprioli F, Rescigno M, Facciotti F.
“Therapeutic fecal microbiota transplantation controls intestinal inflammation through IL10 secretion by immune cells”
Nature Communications 2018 Dec 5;9(1):5184. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07359-8.

2.Díaz-Basabe A, Burrello C, Lattanzi G, Botti F, Carrara A, Cassinotti E, Caprioli F, Facciotti F
“Human Intestinal and Circulating invariant Natural Killer T cells are cytotoxic against Colorectal Cancer cells via the Perforin/Granzyme pathway”
Molecular Oncology, accepted 16 September 2021, doi:10.1002/1878-0261.13104

3.Strati F, Pujolassos M, Burrello C, Giuffrè MR, Lattanzi G, Caprioli F, Troisi J, Facciotti F
“Antibiotic-associated dysbiosis affects the ability of the gut microbiota to control intestinal inflammation upon faecal microbiota transplantation in experimental colitis models”
Microbiome. 2021 Feb 6;9(1):39. doi: 10.1186/s40168-020-00991-x

4.Facciotti F, Ramanjaneyulu GS, Sansano S, Lepore M, Chan RB, Seedorf U, Wenk M, Forss-Petter S, Berger J, Xia C, Mori L, De Libero G
“Peroxisome-derived lipids are self-antigens for invariant natural killer T cells”
Nature Immunology, Mar 18;13(5):474-8, 2012 doi: 10.1038/ni.2245.

Facciotti’s Lab – #FacciottiLab_BtBs
last update: February 2022