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

#BtBsUNIMIB

#BtBsSeminar

#BtBsPub

#BtBsDay

room 4023, building U4

room 4054, building U4, tel. +39 02 6448 3428

immacolata.serra@unimib.it

see also: Scopus Author ID: 22942087500, Loop

Microbial Biotechnology; Biorefinery; Enzymes; Residual biomasses; Biocatalysis; Metabolic engineering

The main research interests are:

- Exploitation of microbial biodiversity for the production of chemicals, biofuels and enzymes. In particular, one research line concerns the up-cycling of residual biomasses by microbial bioprocesses for the production, for instance, of single cell oils and lactic acid.  Dr. Serra research activity has dealt also with the characterization of osmotic stress in marine yeasts and in S. cerevisiae by flow cytometry techniques, the identification of enzymatic activities of biocatalytic interest in marine yeasts and the optimization of growth conditions of marine yeasts in order to maximize the expression of the enzymes of interest.

- Biotransformations catalyzed both by isolated enzymes (soluble and immobilized) and by whole cells. Identification, cloning, heterologous expression, characterization and immobilization of enzymes for biocatalytic purposes and their use in batch and flow systems.

-Di Lorenzo R.D., Serra I., Porro D., Branduardi P. State of the art on the microbial production of industrially relevant organic acids (2022) Catalysts, 12 (2), art. no. 234. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal12020234

-Donzella, S., Serra, I., Fumagalli, A., Pellegrino, L., Mosconi, G., Lo Scalzo, R., et al. Recycling industrial food wastes for lipid production by oleaginous yeasts Rhodosporidiobolus azoricus and Cutaneotrichosporon oleaginosum (2022) Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts, 15(1). DOI: 10.1186/s13068-022-02149-3

-Robescu M.S., Serra I.,* Terreni M., Ubiali D.,* Bavaro T. A multi-enzymatic cascade reaction for the synthesis of vidarabine 5'-monophosphate (2020) Catalysts, 10 (1), art. no. 60. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal10010060

-Serra I., Guidi B., Burgaud G., Contente M.L., Ferraboschi P., Pinto A., Compagno C., Molinari F., Romano D. Seawater-based biocatalytic strategy: stereoselective reductions of ketones with marine yeasts (2016) ChemCatChem, 8 (20), pp. 3254-3260.  https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201600947

Serra’s Lab – #SerraLab_BtBs
last update: June 2022

lab 4065, building U3, tel. +39 02 6448 3473

federica.arrigoni@unimib.it

Molecular Modeling, Computational Chemistry, Bioinorganic Chemistry, Catalysis

Arrigoni’s Lab – #ArrigoniLab_BtBs
last update: March 2022

Della Società produttrice Becton e Dickinson Italia S.p.A.

BD FACSMelody è un cell sorter compatto e da banco di ultima generazione. L’allineamento fisso e la tecnologia “cuvette based” garantiscono altissime prestazioni e massima affidabilità. La piattaforma FACSMelody assicura facilità d’uso per l’alto grado di automazione e le procedure guidate  facilitano il raggiungimento di risultati consistenti, senza necessariamente richiedere operatori con alto grado di esperienza. La strumentazione è inserita all’interno di una Cappa Biosafety di Classe II – Tipo A2, in grado di garantire l’operatore e il prodotto.

Caratteristiche

SORGENTE DI ECCITAZIONE
La strumentazione è in grado di rilevare fino a 11 parametri in contemporanea (9 fluorescenze + FSC + SSC). Sono montati 3 laser, spazialmente separati, tra 4 differenti sorgenti luminose: Blu 488 nm (20 mW), Rosso 640 nm (40 mW), Violetto 405 nm (40 mW).

ALLINEAMENTO
La presenza di laser spazialmente separati garantisce un basso rumore di fondo e basse compensazioni.

OTTICA
Lo strumento è dotato di Sistema Ottico a Riflessione.

DIMENSIONE MINIMA DI RILEVAZIONE DELLE PARTICELLE
Lo strumento BD FACSMelody, grazie ad una altissima risoluzione dimensionale e ad una elevata sensibilità sui parametri di fluorescenza, è in grado di distinguere agevolmente dal rumore di fondo particelle fluorescenti del diametro di 100 nanometri (0,1 micron).

ELETTRONICA
Completamente digitale per la processazione dei segnali e l’acquisizione dei dati. Sono acquisibili fino a 40.000 eventi/secondo su undici parametri. Risoluzione: 262144 canali su tutti i parametri con campionamento digitale.

CAMERA DI CONTA
In quarzo gel-coupled, tale da minimizzare il rumore di fondo e garantire la massima sensibilità.

FLUIDICA

• Aspirazione manuale del campione da provette 12 x 75 in polistirene o polipropilene
• Controllo della temperatura regolabile via software
• Agitazione del campione regolabile via software

SORTING
Procedura automatica del setup, nonché ottimizzazione e monitoraggio del brekoff della goccia e degli stream. Tecnologia Accudrop, Tecnologia Sweet Spot.

SISTEMA GESTIONE DATI
Computer Business PC
Sistema Operativo: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-bit) OS
Processore: Intel 2.8G CPU Quad Core
RAM: 8GB
Hard Drives: 500 GB
Monitor 23”LCD
Software gestionale: BD FACSChorus v.1.1

STAMPANTE
HP LASER JET C. 254NW

LASER
BD FACSMelody 3 LASER 4Blu/2Rosso/3Violetto con ACDU – 9 colori

Ubicazione dello strumento: Laboratorio 4034/B, edificio U3, 4°piano.

Per informazioni: Matteo Urbano, 02.6448.3345, Francesca Mingozzi, 02.6448.3519

P01 - Identification of spectroscopic markers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Ami D.¹, Ambrosio F.¹, Natalello A.¹

P02 - Roasting process does not affect anti-inflammatory properties of coffee extracts

Artusa V.¹, Ciaramelli C.¹, Palmioli A.¹, Airoldi C.¹, Peri F.¹

P03 - Dissecting the role of serine in neurological disorders

Badone B.¹, Tripodi F.¹, Coccetti P.¹

P04 - Biofabrication of a vascularized 3D tissue in vitro model

Barbugian F.^1,2, Bodet T. ², Moroni L.², Russo L.¹, Nicotra F.¹

P05 - Enzymatic hydrolysis of Camelina sativa meal for carotenoids production by the yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides

Bertacchi S.¹, Cantù C.¹, Branduardi P.¹

P06 - Charge patterning and phase separation propensity in IDPs: is there a possible interplay?

Bianchi G.¹, Dell’Orto L.², Longhi S.², Brocca S.¹

P07 - Analysis of cadmium effect on neural cells energetic metabolism using Seahorse technology

Bovio F.¹, Forcella M.¹, Urani C.², Fusi P.¹

P08 - Study of extracellular matrix glycosignature in dictate cell fate using 3D glyco-conjugate biomaterials

Cadamuro F.¹, Chiodo F.², Nicotra F.¹, Russo L.¹

P09 - Three-dimensional models for the study of breast cancer metabolism

Pasquale V.^1,2*, Campioni G.^1,2*, Ducci G.^1,2, Savore A.^1,2, Sacco E.^1,2, Vanoni M.^1,3

P10 - Dual role of Dpb4 in the DNA damage response

Casari E.¹, Gobbini E.¹, Calabrese S.¹, Clerici M.¹, Longhese MP.¹

P11 - NMR-based dissection of cocoa anti-amyloidogenic activity

Ciaramelli C.^1,4, Palmioli A.^1,4, De Luigi A.², Colombo L.², Sala G.^3,4, Salmona M.2, Airoldi C.^1,4

P12 - Developmental effects of β2V287L nAChR subunit on pyramidal neuron morphology in the neocortex

Colombo G.¹, Modena D.², Coatti A.^1*, Amadeo A.², Becchetti A.¹

P13 - Effects of Prebiotics and Probiotics on Human Gut Microbiota and Related Immune System: A Study on Healthy and Elderly Subjects

De Giani A.¹, Sandionigi A.¹, Zampolli J.¹, Michelotti A.², Tursi F.², Labra M.¹, Di Gennaro P.¹

P14 - Cardoon roots valorization by combined microbial biotransformation for lactic acid production

Di Lorenzo RD.¹, Branduardi P.¹

P15 - High-resolution imaging and high-content analysis of mitochondrial efficiency and OXPHOS relevance in grade II bladder cancer cells

Ducci G.^1,2, Pasquale V.^1,2, Campioni G.^1,2, Ventrici A.¹, Arrigoni E.¹, Vanoni M.^1,2, Vago R.³, Sacco E.^1,2

P16 - Mechanism of action of new synthetic Toll-Like receptor 4 agonists for the development of innovative vaccine adjuvants

Gotri N.¹, Facchini F.A.¹, Romerio A.¹, Luraghi A.¹, Peri F.¹

P01 - Identification of spectroscopic markers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Ami D.¹, Ambrosio F.¹, Natalello A.¹

P02 - Roasting process does not affect anti-inflammatory properties of coffee extracts

Artusa V.¹, Ciaramelli C.¹, Palmioli A.¹, Airoldi C.¹, Peri F.¹