Full Professor in Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology

Section of microbiology, Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara (Italy)

Principal activities: Research in viral infection associated to human diseases

Dr. Rizzo graduated in Biology and then got a Specialization in Medical Genetics and a PhD in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of Ferrara. She is currently leading research groups at the University of Ferrara, focusing on the pathogenetic association between viral infection and several human diseases, investigating the role of HLA-G and other HLA-Ib molecules. She is author of several publications on international peer-reviewed journals.

Associated Professor in Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology

Section of microbiology, Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara (Italy)

Principal activities: Research in viral infection associated to human diseases

Dr. Bortolotti graduated in Medical-Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and then got a PhD in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of Ferrara. She is currently performing her research at the University of Ferrara, focusing on the role of viral infection in immune-associated disease and investigating several possible immune-escape mechanisms, including HLA-G and other HLA-Ib molecules. She is author of several publications on international peer-reviewed journals.

Strategic Advisor on science policy of the Institut de Biologie François Jacob (CEA)

Member of the Academy of Sciences (Institut de France)

Vice-President of the Board of Directors and Founding Member of C.E.P.H. (Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain - Fondation Jean DAUSSET)

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Senior Researcher/Quality Control Operator

UOSD Cell Factory – IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy

Principal activities: Research in Tumor immunology and Development of Advanced Therapeutic Medicinal Products (ATMP)

Dr. Morandi graduated in Biology and then he get a Specialization in Clinical Pathology at the University of Genoa. He competed a research fellowship at IST/S.Martino Hospital and then at IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, in Genoa, Italy. He is currently a Senior Researcher at IRCCS Giannina Gaslini and operates in the Quality Control area of the Cell Factory “G.Gaslini”. He is author of several publications in the field of i) tumor immunology and ii) mechanisms of regulation of immune response in physiological and pathological conditions. In the last years, he focused his research on HLA-G and other HLA-Ib molecules, adenosinergic ectoenzymes, immune checkpoint inhibitors and extracellular vesicles.

PharmD., Ph.D., CEA Research Director, Head of the Hemato-Immunology Research Department at the CEA, Saint-Louis Hospital, Paris, France. She received her doctorate in immunology from the University of Paris. Her research focuses on tolerance mechanisms, particularly those mediated by the non-classical HLA-G molecule in transplantation and oncology, as well as their clinical applications.

Biography

Born in Parma on 09/09/1961, is a neurologist and neuroradiologist who works as Head of Neuroradiology Unit in Careggi University Hospital, Florence (Italy) and as Associate Professor in Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence (Italy). His current research fields of interest include the identification of biological and radiological markers for diagnosis and prognosis in several neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis and related diseases, stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, brain tumors and traumatic brain injury.

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Born in Ferrara on 05/07/1995 and graduated in Biology at the University of Ferrara. After graduation, she was awarded a scholarship for postgraduate research activities entitled "Evaluation of the antimicrobial effectiveness of snail secretion through the use of vehicular systems", at the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Ferrara. Later, she was awarded a postgraduate research fellowship focused on “Herpesvirus infection in patients with Multiple Sclerosis” in the same department. Currently, she is a Ph.D. student in Environmental sustainability and wellbeing in the Microbiology section.

Born in Adria on 26/10/1995, and graduated in Biotechnology at the University of Ferrara. In 2020 she awarded research fellow activity entitled “Study of Herpesvirus infection in patients with Multiple Sclerosis" at the Department of Chemical and Pharmacological Sciences of Ferrara University. In the same department Sabrina then became PhD student, in which she spent a period abroad at Dermatology Department of Zürich University (Switzerland). Currently, she is research fellow and postgraduate student in Microbiology course at Chemical and Pharmacological Sciences at University of Ferrara.

PhD Student Advanced Therapies and Experimental Pharmacology

University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

Principal activities: Research in investigation of new bioactive molecules derived from land snails

Dr. Alogna graduated in Evolutionary Biology and then he spent a long time at the University of Ferrara making research in natural substances. He competed several research fellowships at Ferrara University. He is Co-Founder since now of the University Spinoff HelixPharma and General Manager; he was also CEO of it since March 2018 to August 2021. He is currently PhD student of Advanced Therapy and Experimental Pharmacology and operates in the research and development of new bioactive molecules derived from exotic land snails species, i.e. Achatina fulica, for the treatment of inflammatory skin pathologies and discovery of new antimicrobial actives.

Graduated in Biotechnology and then she got a master degree in Biotechnology for Environment and Health at the University of Ferrara. She later obtained a research fellowship in the microbiology laboratories of Prof. Roberta Rizzo, in Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences Department, at the University of Ferrara. She is currently a PhD student in advanced therapy and experimental pharmacology at the University of Ferrara, with a project whose aim is to evaluate the effects of ketogenic bodies in controlling viral infections. During the course of her fellowship and PhD, she acquired several laboratory skills, including biobank management, molecular biology methods, biochemistry and cell biology in microbiology, which allowed her to participate in the publication of several scientific articles. Specifically, her works concern the study of immune-modulating molecules, including HLA-G and HLA-E, and their role in controlling viral infections, particularly by herpesviruses and coronavirus, in relation also to their involvement in triggering autoimmune diseases.

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