Study of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, vascular risk factors and immuno-inflammatory response in the pathophysiology of atherosclerotic vascular damage. Identification of atherosclerosis biomarkers and evaluation of the pathophysiological processes of age-related diseases. Interaction between infectious processes of different etiology and metabolic disorders and arterial vascular homeostasis. Physiopathological bases of glucose and lipid metabolism and the action of risk factors for atherosclerotic disease, metabolic syndrome, hepatic steatosis. Identification and use of molecular, biohumoral, and functional markers of atherosclerosis and of the main age-related pathologies. Pre-clinical and clinical studies for the characterization and modulation of biomarkers of aging and age-related pathologies, particularly cellular senescence, telomere alterations, inflammation, epigenetic alterations, and altered intercellular communication. Identification of innovative markers based on metabolomics approaches. Innate immunity and immune tolerance, role in cardio-metabolic and inflammatory diseases in aging, in age-related pathologies, in frailty syndrome. Pathophysiological and clinical characterization of physical and cognitive frailty and the main geriatric syndromes, particularly delirium, falls, and fragility fractures. Clinical studies for the identification of the biological, pathophysiological, and clinical-care determinants of functional and health outcomes in the old age subject in the acute setting, in particular the orthogeriatric one. Clinical studies to identify precision medicine strategies. Feasibility and effectiveness studies of procedures and new organizational-care models. Study of host-pathogen interactions mainly focused on the pathogenesis and advanced diagnostics (including Next Generation Sequencing technology) of time-dependent infections, infections by multi-drug resistant organisms (MDRO), and pathogens of epidemic or pandemic relevance. The objectives of the Curriculum are the training of highly specialized autonomous researchers in specific sectors of biomedical research that address subjects with clinical complexity and the biological processes underlying cardiovascular pathologies, aging, and infections.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS: Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, (Prof. Eric Westman, Prof. Silvia Maioli, Prof. Francesca Mangialasche, Prof. Bengt Winblad), Aging Research Center-ARC (Prof. Laura Fratiglioni), Center for Alzheimer Research (CAR) (Prof. Daniel Ferreira Padilla, Prof. Dorota Religa); Brain Health Institute, Stockholm, Sweden (Prof. Miia Kivipelto); Institute of Clinical Medicine, Neurology, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland (Prof. Alina Solomon); Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland (Prof. Tiia Ngandu); Department of Neurology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria (Prof. Elizabeth Stögmann ); FH Joanneum, Graz, Austria (Prof. Sten Hanke) University Medical Center, UMC, Amsterdam, Netherlands (Prof. Wiesje van der Flier); Université de Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, France (Prof. Jean-Charles Lambert); Human Nutrition Unit, Biochemistry and Biotechnology Department, University Hospital of Sant Joan de Reus, IISPV, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Spain (Prof. Jordi Salas Salvadò); Translational Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, United Kingdom (Prof. Patrick Kehoe); Ageing Clinical Research, Department II of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Germany (Prof. Maria Cristina Polidori); Department of Medicine, Academy of Applied Medical and Social Sciences—AMiSNS: Akademia Medycznych I Spolecznych Nauk Stosowanych, Elbląg, Poland (Prof. Luigi Marano); Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, ESDA Lab, Professor University of Peloponnese, Greece (Prof. Nikolaos Voros); Department of Orthopaedics, University Hospital of Patras, Greece (Prof. Elias Panagiotopoulos); Department of Clinical Gerontology, Robert-Bosch-Hospital, Stuttgart, Germany (Prof. Clemens Becker); Department of Geriatrics and Geriatric Rehabilitation, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland (Prof. Patrizia D'Amelio); Pôle Maladies du Vieillissement, Gérontologie Et Soins Palliatifs, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France (Prof. Athanase Benetos); Alzheimer's Center at Temple, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA (Prof. Domenico Praticò); Department of Chemistry and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA (Prof. Allan D. Butterfield); Longevity Institute and Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA (Prof. Valter Longo); Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, USA (Prof. Luigi Ferrucci); Center for Cell Signaling, Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Genetics, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers University, Newark, USA (Prof. Utz Herbig). Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (Prof. Per Eriksson, Prof. Bruna Gigante, Prof. Rona J Strawbridge); Division of Medicine and Department of Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (Prof. Louis Ziegler); Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, UK (Prof. Rona J Strawbridge); Health Data Research, Clarice Pears Building, Glasgow, UK (Prof. Rona J Strawbridge); Cardiovascular Genetics, Institute Cardiovascular Science, University College London, UK (Prof. Steve E. Humphries); Lipidology and Cardiovascular Prevention Unit, Department of Nutrition, Sorbonne Université, INSERM UMR1166, APHP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpètriêre, Paris, France (Prof. Antonio Gallo); Unités de Prévention Cardiovasculaire, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Service Endocrinologie-Métabolisme, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpétrière, Paris, France (Prof. Philippe Giral); Pitié-Salpetrière Hospital and Sorbonne University, Cardio metabolic Institute, Paris, France (Prof. Eric Bruckert); Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen & Isala Clinics Zwolle, Groningen, the Netherlands (Prof. Andries J Smith); Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio Campus, Kuopio, Finland (Prof. Sudir Kurl); Kuopio Research Institute of Exercise Medicine, Kuopio, Finland (Prof. Kai Savonen); Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Science Service Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland (Prof. Kai Savonen). Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala Science Park, Uppsala, Sweden (Prof. Lars Lind); Department of Cardiology, Danderyd University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden (Prof. Bruna Gigante); Department of Preventive Cardiology and Lipidology, Medical University of Lodz (MUL), Poland (Prof. Macjei Banach); Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Liverpool, UK (Prof. Peter E. Penson); Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece (Prof. Niki Katsiki); The Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, Baltimore, MD, USA; Preventive Cardiology, CGH Medical Center, Sterling, USA (Prof. Dimitri P Mikhailidis, Prof. Peter Toth); Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran (Prof. Amirhossein Sahebkar); Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia (Prof. Zeljko Reiner); Clinica de Cardiologie, Institutul de Boli Cardiovasculare Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania (Prof. Dan Gaita).
ITALIAN AND INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH NETWORKS:: REPOSI (REgistro dei pazienti per lo studio delle polipatologie e POliterapie in reparti della rete Simi); AEQUI (Aged European population QUality of life in Infectious diseases); International Lipid Expert Panel (ILEP); Piattaforma IMPROVE; European Atherosclerosis Society Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration; Lipid Clinics Network Group; Rete LIPIGEN Study Group; Rete LIPIGEN Paediatric Group; Centro Cardiologico Monzino, Milano; Italian COVID Group; Intensive Care, Infectious Diseases COVID-19 Study Group; ADA Group; TSUNAMI Study group.
The Neuroscience Curriculum focuses on the study of pathogenetic mechanisms and novel biomarkers in various neurological diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, neuroinflammatory diseases, headaches, and epilepsy. Students have access to state-of-the-art laboratories in neurochemistry and experimental neurology. The multidisciplinary research team of neurologists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, biologists, and biophysicists ensures a comprehensive approach. Teaching activities within the curriculum enhance both clinical and preclinical experimental research aspects, including advanced statistical analysis approaches for early diagnosis and prognosis (e.g., machine learning). Clinical research activities include: 1) study of biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid and blood as diagnostic and prognostic tools in degenerative and autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system (biomarkers of amyloidosis, tauopathy, neurodegeneration and axonal damage, synaptic damage and dysfunction, glial cell dysfunction, adaptive immunity); 2) study of biomarkers on other matrices (olfactory mucosa, skin biopsy); 3) seed amplification assay of alpha-synuclein in different matrices; 4) machine learning application models for early diagnosis and prognosis of neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases; 6) physiological determinants of motor control and biomechanical analysis of muscle activation; 7) pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders and psychopathological manifestations in neurological diseases ;8) identification of clinical features and electrophysiological patterns in late-onset epilepsies. In the preclinical field, research aims to investigate: 1) the molecular pathogenesis of synaptic dysfunction during the development of inflammatory and degenerative disorders of the central nervous system, with a focus on the mechanisms underlying the loss of synaptic plasticity, such as long-term potentiation/depression and synaptic depotentiation; 2) the study of synaptic function and its implications on brain network activity, cognition, and behavior through electrophysiological, biochemical, histological, and behavioral investigations in experimental models of multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and some genetic forms of epilepsy. PhD students will be invited to participate in national meetings of Italian Society of Neurology (SIN), of Italian Society of Laboratory Medicine (SiBioc), Italian Society for Neurosciences (SINS), Autonomous Association Affiliated with SIN for Dementia (SINDem), Italian Association of Neuroimmunology (AINI), Italian Federation for Multiple Sclerosis (FISM), Italian League for Parkinson’s disease (LIMPE/DISMOV), Italian League against Epilepsy (LICE) and international meetings of the European Association of Neurology (EAN), American Academy of Neurology (AAN), Society for CSF Analysis and Clinical Neurochemistry, Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC), Movement Disorders Society (MDS) and AD/PD international conferences, European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) and Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) international conferences, to present data from their research activity and to collaborate with other Italian and foreign research groups.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS: Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands (Prof. Charlotte Teunissen); Halle University, Germany (Prof. Markus Otto), University of Gothenburg, Sweden (Prof. Henrik Zetterberg, Prof. Kaj Blennow); Doha University, Qatar (Prof. Omar El Agnaf); New York University, NY, USA (Prof. Nicolas Tritsch); Barcelonaβ, Spain (Dr. Marta del Campo); Parkinson’s Foundation NY, USA; Michael J Fox Foundation, USA; Amprion Inc., San Diego, CA, USA (Dr. Luis Concha Marambio), ADx Neurosciences, Belgium (Dr. Erik Stoops, Dr. Eugeen Vanmechelen); Fujirebio Europe, Belgium (Dr. Nathalie Le Bastard); International Consortium of Clinics for Elderly with Epilepsy (ICCEE) Prof. Rebecca O’Dwyer, Department of Neurological Sciences, Chicago (USA); International Post-Stroke Epilepsy Research Consortium (IPSERC) (Prof. Patrick Kwan Department of Neurosciences, Melbourne, Australia and Prof. Nishant K. Mishra Division of Stroke & Vascular Neurology, Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, Connecticut).
ITALIAN GROUPS AFFILIATIONS: Fresco Parkinson Network; RIREMS study group (Raising Italian Researchers in Multiple Sclerosis). Study group (together with the Carlo Besta Neurological Institute in Milan and the Bernardino-Pulejo Neurolesi Center in Messina) for noninvasive molecular diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.
The surgical sciences curriculum develops studies and research in various areas of diagnostics and therapy. The training of researchers includes topics in urology, diagnostic imaging, ENT and surgical oncology. In the urological field, the development of the robotic technique for urinary tract surgery for neoplastic pathologies is of particular importance. The doctoral project offers training in the study of functional urinary pathology with particular emphasis on pelvic floor impairment.
In the training course, the access to multidisciplinarity is guaranteed with collaboration and development of knowledge in oncobiology by means of studies on tumor markers. The board members involved in the diagnostic imaging teaching carry out and guide research on the development of MRI techniques in the diagnosis of the main diseases of parenchymatous glands and organs. A particular focus is on urogenital diagnostics using non-invasive techniques. The researcher in training must demonstrate with increasing ability to give value to the diagnostic potentials and the limits of the method. In this academic area, the comparison with other methods is encouraged in a collegial setting within the department that hosts the doctoral student in order to encourage ideas and study planning. The ENT discipline favors acquisition in the audiological and laryngological fields especially. The diagnosis of sensory organ disorders is developed in close collaboration with the neuroscience curriculum. The recovery of hearing function and the surgical aspects of head and neck disorders are routinely investigated. In the field of thoracic surgery, research lines of pre-clinical, clinical and technological development trials are developed. In collaboration with the multidisciplinary oncology observational research is active on the prognostic factors of lung cancer as well as urinary bladder, liver, prostate and on integrated treatments. Surgical treatment for chest wall tumors is of considerable interest. In this context, a line of research has been developed on prosthetic reconstruction methods using synthetic materials (personalized prostheses, 3D printing), autologous (development of plastic surgical techniques) and transplantation (cadaver bone). As part of technological development in surgery, thoracic surgery develops methodologies for fast-track minimally invasive surgery and is a reference center for bronchovascular reconstructive surgery for locally advanced lung cancer. With regards to preclinical research, experimental research projects on large animal models are active regarding compensatory lung growth, prevention of surgical complications, testing of new surgical devices and pleurodesic agents
Skills development will run the following annual schedule. First year: principles of oncological surgery and applications in diagnostic and therapeutic fields; second year: thoracic surgery in solid tumors and lymphomas, surgery in extra-medullary manifestations of malignant blood disorders; third year: invasive methods for diagnosis in oncology. Surgical techniques and biomarkers in oncology.
During the three-year period, attendance at congresses and conferences in the disciplines of reference of the member is encouraged.
The surgical sciences curriculum offers the opportunity to refine bridge knowledge between modern "micro" medicine, system biology, precision medicine and surgical art.
The "surgical sciences" curriculum boasts numerous collaborations with foreign schools (Harvard Medical School, Shanghai Pulmonary Hopital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, others).
The objectives of the Curriculum are the training of highly specialized independent researchers in specific sectors of patient-centred biomedical hemato-oncology research. The teaching activity of this Curriculum, in fact, in addition to providing theoretical meetings, is also strongly focused on clinical activities and discussions according to the "clinical case report" format. The Curriculum offers access to advanced diagnostic and research laboratories with the most innovative techniques and methods in the sector of diagnosis and therapy of hemato-oncological diseases and preclinical research, which has been evolving rapidly in recent years.
Program focuses include: 1) Hematopoietic stem cells: identification, separation, enrichment, biological characteristics and in vitro and in vivo models of stemness and leukemic transformation. Study for use in innovative transplant programs. Use in preclinical mouse models for various research objectives; 2) Engineered T/NK cells for cell therapy (CAR-T/CAR-NK): principles, antigen-discovery, design, production, genetic engineering technologies and practical applications in different sectors. Use in preclinical murine and/or humanized models for toxicity studies and proof-of-concept of efficacy; 3) Regulatory T cells: principles, identification, separation, enrichment, biological characteristics and in vitro and in vivo models for the study of their function in different sectors, transplantation and otherwise. Use in preclinical murine and/or humanized models for proof-of-concept studies; 3) Monoclonal antibodies: use in diagnostics and therapy, and production methods and application tests. 4) Training on genome study methodologies: conventional cytogenetics - FISH - Next Generation Sequencing - use and interpretations. 5) Training and application of Transcriptomics and Proteomics techniques; 6) Targeted therapy and drug discovery/development: principles, current uses and research applied to onco-haematological diseases; 7) Phase 1 clinical research; 8) Studies of mechanisms underlying complications post-transplant.
Doctoral students will be invited to participate in meeting of national (Italian Society of Hematology, SIE; Italian Society of Experimental hematology, SIES) and international (European Hematology Association, EHA; American Society of Hematology, ASH) scientific societies of interest for their research, to present data from their research activity and to collaborate with other Italian and foreign research groups.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS: Columbia, University, NY, USA (Prof R Dalla Favera); Dana Farber, Boston, USA (Prof K Stegmaier); University of New Castle Upon Tyne, Inghilterra (Prof C Harrison, Prof A Moorman); University of Ghent, Belgio (Prof P Van Vlierberghe); Center for Human Genetics and VIB, Lovanio, Belgio (Prof J Cools); Department of Radiation Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA (Prof S Hui); Munich-Leukemia-Laboratory (MLL), Munich, Germany (Prof. Torsten Haferlach, Prof. Claudia Haferlach); INSERM/CNRS, Paris, France (Prof. Hugues de Thé); University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway (Prof. Bjørn Tore Gjertsen); Institute of Cell Biology (Cancer Research), Frankfurt, Germany (Prof R Küppers); Hairy Cell Leukemia Foundation; MDAnderson Cancer Center (MDACC) (Prof. Marina Konopleva), Houston, Texas.
ITALIAN GROUPS AFFILIATIONS: GIMEMA working groups, GITMO (Gruppo Italiano Trapianto di Midollo Osseo), CAMPUS ALL (Leucemie Acute Linfoblastiche), FIL (Federazione Italiana Linfomi); Hematology, Universities of: Roma La Sapienza, Roma Tor Vergata, Parma, Pescara, Bari, Lecce, Milano San Raffaele, Verona, Ferrara, Modena, Torino Le Molinette, Siena, Careggi Firenze, Palermo, Cagliari.
The objectives of the Curriculum are the training of highly specialized independent researchers in specific sectors of radiation therapy research. The teaching activity of this Curriculum, in fact, in addition to providing theoretical meetings, is also focused on treatment plans evaluation and discussions according to the "clinical case report" format.
Program focuses include: 1) Integration of radiotherapy (RT) with biomolecular markers and new treatments. 2) Development of radiomics tools to predict response to radiation therapy. 3) Principles of radiobiology; 4) Integration of systemic therapies and RT in onco-haematology. 5) Clinical research on the use of special RT techniques. (HDR Brachytherapy, Stereotactic radiotherapy, radiosurgery). 6) Total body irradiation and total marrow/lymphoid irradiation and RT as a bridge treatment in patients undergoing CAR T cell therapy. 7) Clinical, dosimetric and biomolecular parameters predictive of outcome in patients treated with Total marrow/lymphoid irradiation. 8) Translational research on the role of the microbiota in radiation treatment
Doctoral students will be invited to participate in meeting of national and international scientific societies of interest for their research, to present data from their research activity and to collaborate with other Italian and foreign research groups.
NATIONAL COLLABORATIONS: Pediatric Radiotherapy Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Mila; Radiation Oncology Unit, Clinical Department, National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy (CNAO), Pavia: Department of Radiation Oncology, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute - IFO, Rome; Department of Radiation Oncology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome; Division of Radiation Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS: Department of Radiation Oncology, City of Hope National Medical Center, CA, United States; Department of Radiation Oncology, Iridium Kankernetwerk, Antwerp, Belgium, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp, Belgium; Radiation Oncology (Maastro), GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Department of Experimental Clinical Oncology, Department of Oncology, Danish Centre for Particle Therapy, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, UK¸ Radiation Oncology Department, Universitat Rovira I Virgili, Hospital Universitari Sant Hoan de Reus, IISPV, Spain; Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital HM Sanchinarro, HM Hospitales, Madrid, Spain; Service of Brachytherapy, Department of Image and Radioncology, Instituto Português Oncologia Porto Francisco Gentil E.P.E., Portugal; Radiation Oncology, ICM-Val d′ Aurelle, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Division of Radiation Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Radiotherapy Unit, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece; Department of Radiation Oncology, Koc University, Faculty of Medicine,Istanbul, Turkey.
ITALIAN GROUPS AFFILIATIONS: AIRO (Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology) breast cancer study group, AIRO gynaecological tumors study group, AIRO gastrointestinal tumors study group, FIL (Italian Federation of Lymphomas), AIEOP (Italian Association of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology).