Group Leader
 Angelo Fontana

Istituto

Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare
Via Campi Flegrei, 34 80078 Pozzuoli (NA)

Membri del Laboratorio

Angelo Fontana, Carmela Gallo

Attività

Analysis, isolation, structural characterization and chemical synthesis of small organic molecules and their use in cell biology; identification and mechanism of action of bioactive compounds; drug discovery and proof-of-concept of new pharmaceutical compounds with antitumor and immunomodulant properties

CIN activities of interest : Infection, Innate Immunity, And Inflammation; Immuno-Therapeutic Approaches

Strumenti / Tecnologie

NMR, LC-MS, FACS, RealTime PCR, ELISA

Altre Informazioni

Skills in epigenetics and chromatin higher order structures

Principali progetti e collaborazioni

ADViSE – Antitumor Drugs and VaccInes from the SEa

Group Leader
Antonella Prisco

Istituto

Istituto di Genetica e Biofisica
Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Napoli
Tel. +39 0816132698
http://www.igb.cnr.it

Membri del Laboratorio

Francesca Mantile (PhD)  francesca.mantile@igb.cnr.it
Angelo Capasso (student)

Attività

Vaccination relies on the phenomenon of immunity, a long term change in the immunological response to subsequent encounters with the same pathogen that occurs after the recovery from some infectious diseases. However, vaccination is a strategy that can, in principle, be applied also to non-infectious diseases, such as cancer or neurodegenerative diseases, if an adaptive immune response can prevent the onset of the disease or modify its course.Our research explores immunization against β-amyloid as a vaccination strategy for Alzheimer’s Disease.

Long lasting antibody responses and immunological memory are the desired outcomes of vaccination. The current focus of our studies is the effect of the vaccine structure and the dosing protocol on the kinetics of the antibody response, and on the development of immunological memory to β-amyloid

Principali progetti e collaborazioni

Collaborations with IBBC CNR, University of Naples, University of Bonn.

Strumenti / Tecnologie

Cell isolation and culture, gene expression (real-time PCR). Institutional stabulary, mouse modeling facility, FACS facility, imaging facility, ELISA reader.

 

Group Leaders

Diana Boraschi
diana.boraschi@ibbc.cnr.it

Paola Italiani

+39-081-6132314 (office) +39-081-6132367 (lab)
paola.italiani@ibbc.cnr.it

Istituto

Istituto di Biochimica e Biologia Cellulare
Via Pietro Castellino 111 , 80131 Napoli
Tel. 0816132273
http://www.ibbc.cnr.it

Membri del Laboratorio

Annunziata Corteggio (ricercatore) annunziata.corteggio@ibbc.cnr.it

Daniela Melillo (assegno senior) daniela.melillo@ibbc.cnr.it

Rita Marino (tecnologo associato da Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn”)

Attività

  • Mechanisms of activation and polarisation of human monocytes and macrophage-derived macrophages
  • Mechanisms of induction and modulation of innate memory of monocytes and macrophages
  • Role of inflammatory cytokines in chronic inflammatory, immune-related and degenerative diseases
  • Biology of IL-1 family cytokines
  • Immunosafety of engineered nanoparticles, with focus on innate immunity, inflammation, and innate memory.
  • Evaluation of innate memory induction and modulation in the marine invertebrate Ciona intestinalis
  • In vitro tissue-like 3D models for studying human macrophage functions.

Partners

  • Lab with the Lab of Invertebrate Immunology and Nanosafety (Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation – IRIB-CNR, Head: Dr Annalisa Pinsino)
  • Joint Lab with the Lab of Evolution of Immune System (Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology – IBBC-CNR, Head: Dr Maria Rosaria Coscia)
  • University of Salzburg
  • University of Pisa
  • University of Catania
  • Catalan Institute of nanoscience and nanotechnology
  • Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn”
  • • European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra (IT)

Progetti

  • PRIN 2017 “NanoTechVax Tackling biological barriers to antigen delivery by nanotechnological vaccines”. Prot. 20173ZECCM.
  • H2020 ETN project “ENDONANO: Quantitative detection of bacterial ENDOtoxin by novel NANOtechnological approaches”. H2020-MSCA-ITN-2018 – EID- 812661.
  • PNRA 2018 “Impact of the Antarctic environments on human homeostasis, psychology, physiology and immunology”
  • PNRA 2016 “Effects of extreme environments on psychophysiology, energy metabolism and immunity: neuropsychological, immunohistochemical, proteomic and fMRI studies”

Strumenti / Tecnologie

  • Cell isolation and culture
  • Gene expression (real-time PCR)
  • Functional & immunochemical assays
  • FACS facility
  • Imaging facility (confocal, live imaging, correlative microscopy, electron microscopy
  • MS facility for proteins, small molecules, lipids and glycans

Group Leader
Maria Rosaria Coscia

Istituto

Istituto di Biochimica e Biologia Cellullare
Via Pietro Castellino 111 , 80131 Napoli
Tel. 0816132273
http://www.ibbc.cnr.it

Membri del Laboratorio

Alessia Ametrano (PhD student);
Marianna Maffia (Undergraduate student);
Umberto Oreste (Associate Researcher Emeritus)

Attività

Our main research activity is focused on: i) the Evolution of immunoglobulin genes from Antarctic teleost species; ii) the impact of the environmental stress conditions, such as those of the Antarctica, on human humoral immune response; iii) the design and production of engineered high performance antibodies as innovative diagnostic/therapeutic tools, using the CRISPR-Cas9 technology.

To address these questions, our group has chosen a multidisciplinary approach combining Molecular and Cell Biology, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics.

Molecular cloning, genome editing, gene expression (real-time PCR). Biochemical equipment available at the IBBC Core Facilities: HPLC, FPLC, Light scattering, Molecular Imager Gel-Doc XR System spectrophometers, MS facility for proteins, small molecules, lipids and glycans.

Principali progetti e collaborazioni

PNRA Project PNRA16_00047-A2 “Effects of extreme environments on psychophysiology, energy metabolism and immunity: neuropsychological, immunohistochemical, proteomic and fMRI studies” 

PNRA Research Project PNRA18_00071-F-Concorde “Impact of the Antarctic environment on human homeostasis, psychology, physiology and immunity”

Group Leader
Piergiuseppe De Berardinis

Istituto

Istituto di Biochimica e Biologia Celulare
Via Pietro Castellino 111 , 80131 Napoli
Tel. 0816132273
http://www.ibbc.cnr.it

Membri del Laboratorio

Luciana D’Apice (ric III°) luciana.dapice@cnr.it | 0816132584

Rossella Sartorius (ric tempo det) rossella.sartorius@cnr.it | 0816132716

Roberta Manco roberta.manco@ibbc.cnr.it

Attività

Development of new antigen delivery systems.

Using the phage display platform as a vehicle able to induce antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells, we perform analysis of the in vitro and in vivo immune response to delivered antigens, in wild type and transgenic mouse models. Administration of recombinant bacteriophage displaying tumor-associated antigens and/or conjugated to immune-stimulating lipids, is able to generate protective immune response, inhibiting tumor growth in animal models. fd vectors, engineered by us for targeting dendritic cells, confer adjuvanticity and activate both innate and adaptive immune responses. 

Understanding of the impact of micro and nanoparticles on the immune response.

Micro and nanoparticles are used as antigen delivery system; particles of different size and formulation can lead to different responses: using in vitro and in vivo assays we measure particle toxicity  and functional activity in the context of their ability to induce immune responses to model antigens.

Production of lentiviral particles.

By transduction with lentiviral particles we can redirect T cell lymphocytes against selected antigens and we can produce pseudotyped lentiviral particles in order to study pathogen physiopathology in conditions not needing BSL3 safety containment.

Principali progetti & collaborazioni

LABORATORI CONGIUNTI INTERNAZIONALI (BIOMEDICINA)-COSTRUZIONE DI NUOVI VETTORI VACCINI

Luciana Leite Instituto Butantan (Brasil)

Bénédicte Manoury Insitut Necker Enfants Malades (France)

Raffaele Vecchione IIT

Strumenti / Tecnologie

Phage display, FACS Analysis, ELISA, in vivo tumor regression analysis, T cell transduction , construction of pseudotyped lentiviral particles

 

Group leader : Fabrizio Chiodo

Istituto

Istituto Nazionale di Chimica Biomolecolare (ICB)
Via Campi Flegrei, 34 80078 Pozzuoli (NA)
https://www.icb.cnr.it/

Membri del Laboratorio

At the moment I am following two PhD students in Amsterdam (Amsterdam Medical Center, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology Department) and one PhD student in Cuba (Finlay Institute, Havana). From September we will have two PhD students from a granted ITN project called Glytunes.

Attività

  • Carbohydrate-mediated host-pathogens interactions
  • Study innate properties of anti-microbial carbohydrate-based vaccines
  • Innate/Potentiator roles of bacterial glyco-conjugates
  • Anti-carbohydrates antibodies in lung cancer (lung microbiota and lung cancer)
  • Targeting lectins to improve anti-cancer vaccination strategies
  • Carbohydrates-coated gold nanoparticles as tool to study host-pathogens interactions
  • Pathogens of interest: S. pneumoniae, N. meningitidis, SARS-CoV-2

Principali progetti e collaborazioni

  • Solid phase assays ELISA (lectins array and diagnostic)
  • FACS
  • Mass cytometry

Major partners:

  • Finlay Institute of vaccines, Havana, Cuba
  • Amsterdam Medical Center, Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology Department
  • Universita’ Federico II, Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche
  • Leiden Institute of Chemistry

Major ongoing projects:

  • ITN GlyTunes
  • COST action Innogly

 

Group Leaders
Francesca Fusco

Matilde Valeria Ursini



Istituto

Istituto di Genetica e Biofisica “Adriano B. Traverso”
Via Pietro Castellino 111 , 80131 Napoli
www.igb.cnr.it

Attività

  • Mechanisms of induction and modulation of innate memory of monocytes and macrophages
  • immunodeficiencies

Principali progetti e partners

  • Incontinentia pigmenti and COVID-19 / Prof C. Pignata from Federico II Naples University and P. Bastard and JC Casanova from Institute Imaging Paris.

Reaseracher Group ahead
Carmen Gianfrani

Istituto

Istituto di Biochimica e Biologia Cellulare
Via Pietro Castellino 111 , 80131 Napoli
Tel. 0816132273
http://www.ibbc.cnr.it

Membri del Laboratorio

Ilaria Mottota
ilaria051096mottola.im@gmail.com

Attività

Dr Gianfrani’s research is focused on mucosal immunity in health and disease, in particular on:

  • interaction between food proteins, microflora and gastrointestinal immune system in health and disease;
  • cellular and molecular mechanisms of gluten-induced enteropathy (celiac disease) and of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in adult and childhood age;
  • immunomodulatory strategies to recover oral tolerance to gluten;
  • impact of environmental contaminants on immune system development and function.

The research leader has also contributed to develop a biochemical strategy to detoxify wheat gluten that is currently in clinical trials. More specifically, the research is currently interested on:

  • Repertoire of gluten immunodominant peptides stimulating CD4+ T-mediated inflammatory response in celiac patients;
  • Role of HLA class I-restricted CD8+ T cell response in celiac disease;
  • Role of HLA risk gene expression in autoimmunity;
  • Searching of ancient wheat crops with reduced content of toxic gluten sequences, for prevention of celiac disease;
  • Etiopathogenesis of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease;

The inflammatory role of plastic contaminant, (e.g bis-phenol A) on T and dendritic cells maturation and function.

Principali progetti e collaborazioni

  • Innovative regulatory cell-based strategies to cure celiac disease – InnovaReCD funded by Italian Ministry of Health. Bando Ricerca Finalizzata, 2016. In collaboration with Silvia Gregori, group leader of “Mechanisms of Peripheral Tolerance” San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therap- Milan Italy;
    • Novel immunomodulatory compounds for treatment of celiac disease – NOVICED. Funded by Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd (Roche group). Fuji Gotemba, Japan;
    • Glutenase detox activity. Funded by Nemysis Limited, Dublino, Irlanda;
    • Influence of the dietary history in the prevention of coeliac disease:possibilities of induction of tolerance for gluten in genetically predisposed children (PreventCD). EU-FP6-2005-FOOD4B-Contract n.036383. In collaboration with Prof Riccardo Troncone, Department of Translational Medical Science (Section of Pediatrics), University of Naples Federico II.

Strumenti / Tecnologie

  • Cell isolation from intestinal biopsy and blood; T cell lines and clone cultures; mucosal explant organ culture.
  • ELISA/ELISPOT technology; Institutional FACS facility, HLA Class I and II molecular typings;

Dr Gianfrani is Member/Consultant of the following Societies:
• Executive Member, Working Group on Prolamin Analysis and Toxicity. http://www.wgpat.com;
• Member of Scientific Board of European Society for the Study of Celiac Disease (ESsCD);
• Member of the International Society for the Study of Celiac Disease (ISSCD);
• Member of European Laboratory for the Investigation of Food Induced Diseases (ELFID), University of Naples Federico II;
• Editor of Pediatric Research, (Section gastroenterology).

 

Group Leader
Giovanna Del Pozzo

Istituto

Istituto di Genetica e Biofisica
Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Napoli
Tel. +39 0816132698
http://www.igb.cnr.it

Membri del Laboratorio

Pasquale Barba (tecnico)
pasquale.barba@igb.cnr.it

Laura Pisapia (PhD)
laura.pisapia@igb.cnr.it

Attività

Analysis of expression of HLA class II predisposing genes associated to autoimmune diseases type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, multiple sclerosis. Study of transcriptional, epigenetics and post-transcriptional regulation of HLA class II genes. Analysis of antigen-specific immune response by CD4 T lymphocytes in autoimmune diseases

Strumenti / Tecnologie

Cell isolation and culture, gene expression (real-time PCR). Institutional flow cytometry, mouse and microscopy facilities.

Group Leader
Giuseppe Matarese

Istituto

Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale

Via Sergio Pansini, 5 Ed.19 Corpi Bassi Sud, 80131 NA
Tel. +39 0817463602
http://www.ieos.cnr.it/

Membri del Laboratorio

Mario Galgani (Ricercatore Universitario, associato allo IEOS-CNR), mario.galgani@unina.it

Claudio Procaccini (Ric. III livello), claudio.procaccini@cnr.it

Fortunata Carbone (Ric. III livello), f.carbone@ieo.cnr.it

Claudia La Rocca (Ric. III livello), c.larocca@ieos.cnr.it

Maria Teresa Lepore (CNR Fellow), mariateresalepore@gmail.com

Sara Bruzzaniti (CNR Fellow), sara.bruzzaniti@unina.it

Silvia Garavelli (CNR Fellow), silvia.garavelli@multimedica.it

Clorinda Fusco (PhD Student), c.fusco@ieos.cnr.it

Alessandra Colamatteo (Assegnista UNINA), alessandracolamatteo@gmail.com

Attività

The Laboratory of Prof. Matarese has focused, over the last 15 years, on the study of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate the basic principles of immunological tolerance and how the immune system is able to discriminate the self – from non-self. We also have an increasing interest in the understanding of the relationship among immune system, metabolism and inflammation both in normal conditions and autoimmune diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Type I Diabetes (T1D). In these processes, the biology of regulatory T cells, a specific cellular subset involved in the control of immunological tolerance, is one of the cornerstones of investigation in our laboratory. We also study the main intracellular metabolic pathways and the molecular programs needed for the generation of functional Tregs cells in physiological as well as pathological conditions.

Principali progetti e collaborazioni

More recently we are interested in the study of novel immunometabolic therapeutic approaches, such as the calorie restriction (CR) for the treatment of autoimmunity and for the control of infection susceptibility.

Strumenti / Tecnologie

  • Multiparametric Flow Cytometry
  • Cell sorting
  • In vivo murine models of obesity and autoimmunity
  • Seahorse technology
  • Luminex technology
  • Western blotting
  • Biochemical assays

Group Leader Mario Galgani

Istituto
Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale
Via Sergio Pansini, 5 Ed.19 Corpi Bassi Sud, 80131 NA
Tel. +39 0817463602
http://www.ieos.cnr.it/

Membri del Laboratorio

Claudia La Rocca, PhD (CNR contract)

Sara Bruzzaniti, (CNR contract)

Monica Napolitano (Student)

Salvatore De Simone (CNR senior technician)

Maria Rosaria Montagna (CNR technician)

Attività

Main scientific interest of Dr. Galgani is focused on the comprehension of the biological and molecular mechanisms regulating the immune system in both physiological and pathological conditions. In particular, his main interest concerns the study of the pathogenic mechanisms leading to the alteration of immune tolerance during autoimmune diseases, such as Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Dr. Galgani aims at studying the functional characteristics of regulatory T cells (Treg) a specific CD4+ T cell population involved in the control of immune tolerance.  Specifically, the research is focused on the study of the link between metabolic programs (glycolysis and FAO) and Treg cells. In addition, the research area of Dr. Galgani is also focused on the comprehension of pathogenic mechanisms at the basis of T1D, and, in particular, on the identification of novel regulatory cell population and biomarkers reflecting diabetes progression. Finally, Dr. Galgani’s research is also aimed at understanding the impact of inflammation on the immunological dysregulation observed in cancer.

Strumenti / Tecnologie

  • Flow Cytometry
  • Cell sorting
  • Seahorse Technology
  • Luminex technology
  • Western Blotting
  • biochemical assays

 

Group Leader : Silvana Cassano

Istituto

Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale
Via Sergio Pansini, 5 Ed.19 Corpi Bassi Sud, 80131 NA
Tel. +39 0817463602
http://www.ieos.cnr.it/

Membri del Laboratorio

Teresa Micillo (PhDStudent)

Maria Rosaria Montagna (CNR technician)

Salvatore De Simone (CNR technician )

Attività

Actually my scientific interest is focused on the characterization of molecular mechanism involved in the regulation of the immune system. In particular I am studying  the involvement  of Protein Kinase A PKA /cAMP during vitro differentiation and function of conventional T cells (CD4+CD25–) defined as Tconv versus inducible (iTreg) (CD4+CD25+) through  induction of Foxp3 gene, after TCR  stimulation.

Strumenti / Tecnologie

  • Biochemistry
  • Chip
  • CAT assays
  • transfections
  • Immunoprecipitations
  • Western blotting

Group Leader
Veronica De Rosa

Istituto

Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale

Via Sergio Pansini, 5 Ed.19 Corpi Bassi Sud, 80131 NA
Tel. +39 0817463602
http://www.ieos.cnr.it/

Membri del Laboratorio

Alessandra Colamatteo, PhD (CNR-contract)

Clorinda Fusco (PhD student)

Salvatore De Simone (CNR Senior Technician)

Maria Rosaria Montagna (CNR Technician)

Attività

The research activity of Dr. De Rosa concerns the relationship among immune system, metabolism and inflammation in normal conditions and autoimmune diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis. Recently, Dr. De Rosa has demonstrated that the activation of specific metabolic pathways can modulate both the activation of CD4 T cells and the induction of T cell tolerance, thus controlling the inflammatory processes. She identified a novel link between the intracellular metabolism and the generation of regulatory T (Treg) cells, the cellular subset involved in the control of T cell tolerance. This population mainly rely on glucose metabolism, which drives their generation through the induction of distinct splicing forms of FoxP3, the trascription factor lineage-specific of this subset. She is now studing the epigenetic mechanisms controlling the expression of the different FoxP3 splicing variants and how they relate to Treg cell function in vivo, both in healthy and multiple sclerosis subjects.

More recently Dr. De Rosa has developed a novel research area based on the study of the molecular/epigenetic processes regulating the expression of the distinct FoxP3 splicing variants in Treg cells infiltrating human breast cancer, having the final aim of evaluating whether they could correlate with disease prognosis and progression.

Strumenti / Tecnologie

  • Flow Cytometry
  • Cell sorting
  • Seahorse analyzer
  • Luminex technology
  • Western blotting
  • biochemical assays