Immunologist/biochemist specialized in neutrophil biology, redox metabolism, and infectious diseases
Education & Experience
Master degree
Sapienza -University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Master’s Degree in Cell Biology (110/110 Cum Laude).
Nov 2010 – Jan 2013
PhD
University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
PhD in Biochemistry (enzyme redox chemistry), under the supervision of Prof.
Silke Leimkühler.
Mar 2014 – Nov 2017
Postdoc
Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
Postdoctoral Fellow, under the supervision of Dr. Arturo Zychlinsky, Department of
Cellular Microbiology. Independent research since January 2025.
Jan 2018 – Present
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
• Discovered immunomodulatory functions of halogenation as new oxidative post-translational modification in neutrophils, in particular on alpha-defensins.
• Uncovered the redox signaling mechanisms of ROS and HOX during NETosis.
• SOD1 as new oxidative burst regulator in neutrophils.
• Initiated AI-based approaches to investigate redox-mediated immunometabolism and antimicrobial mechanisms in neutrophils, in collaboration with Prof. César de la Fuente.
• Published 12 articles (3 first-author, 1 as co-corresponding and 1 corresponding-author) with an H-index of 8 and over 1000 citations (Google Scholar).
TECHNIQUES
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•Microscopy, particularly high-resolution live microscopy of cellular redox processes in innate immune cells during infections
• Mass spectrometry and biochemical analytical methods
• Cel biological and in vivo immunological methods
TEACHING EXPERIENCES
• Assistant Lecturer “Metallo-enzymes in human health”- University of Potsdam, Biochemistry Master Degree, 2015.
• Assistant Lecturer “Methods in Biochemistry”- University of Potsdam, Biochemistry Master Degree, 2016.
• Assistant laboratory “Practical course in Metallo-enzymes purification”- University of Potsdam,Biochemistry Master Degree, 2016
• During my postdoc I supervised 2 bachelors, 3 master and 1 PhD students.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
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•“Erasmus placement” scholarship for 12 months
• Awarded “Career advance and mentorship program” from the Italian society of Immunology
• Obtained two travel grants and a conference short talk award
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS TO CONFERENCES AND ORAL PRESENTATIONS
• Gordon Research Conference “Antimicrobial Peptides”, Ventura, CA, USA. Selected speaker, March 2025.
• “Tyrosine halogenation converts HNP1-3 into potent chemokines” Illinois State University, Urbana, USA. Invited speaker, May 2024.
• “Across the ROS: how oxidants modulate the neutrophil antimicrobial functions” Boston children Hospital, Harvard Medical school, Boston, USA. Invited speaker, May 2024
• “Myeloperoxidase-dependent tyrosine halogenation potentiates alpha-defensinsfunctions” St. Jude Research Hospital, Memphis, USA. Invited speaker, April 2024
• “Neutrophils-mediated oxidants modulate neutrophil functions” University of Bristol, UK.
Invited speaker (virtual seminar), March 2021.
• “How ROS modulate Neutrophils Extracellular Traps (NETs)” Conference “Thiol redox regulation” Casteldefeld, Spain. Set 2019. Invited speaker, oral presentation and poster.
• “Studies on the human Aldehyde Oxidase: FAD and oxygen radicals production” Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan. Invited speaker. Aug 2016.
• “Investigation of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the active site of human Aldehyde Oxidase” IX. Molybdenum & Tungsten Enzymes Conference. Balatonfüred, Hungary. Sep 2015 poster and oral presentation. Winner best short talk awards.