IBBC – Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology

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Euro Bioimaging

Welcome to the Naples Euro-BioImaging facility located at the IBBC...

Research Applications

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Pharmacology of genetic diseases

Protein Structure/Function and biotechnology

Cell Biology of intracellular signaling and trafficking

Immunology

Molecular Oncology

Muscle biology and pathology

Fundamental mechanisms in cell biology

Poverty related and neglected infectious diseases

Neuroscience

Pharmacology of genetic diseases

With the advent of antibiotics and vaccinations to overcome the diseases of infectious origin, those of genetic, age-associated and life-style have emerged as the next frontier of the modern medicine. Of these genetic diseases, though minor, contribute to significant morbidity and have remained the least. The interests of this group lies in the development of cellular model systems that recapitulate the pathology of genetic diseases, using this system to understand the molecular basis of pathogenesis and so as to develop potential therapeutic interventions that can be translated to the clinic. The major genetic diseases that are being studied at IBP include Cystic Fibrosis, Wilsons disease and Skeletal dysplasia.

The laboratories that form part of this group include that of Luini, Corda, De Pascale, Manco, Parashuraman and Pisani.

The group also has strong collaborations with the industries including Dompe’ and the chemo-bioinformatics facility of the IBP in identifying and developing small-molecule based therapeutic strategies for the pharmacological interventions.

Protein Structure/Function and biotechnology

The IBBC “Protein structure/function and biotechnology Group” comprises five laboratories (Corda, de Pascale, Febbraio, Manco, Pisani) dedicated to the study of different and complementary aspects of protein structure, function and applications. The Group is focused on the following aspects:

1. Assessing the structure-function relationship in proteins and enzymes through in vitro biochemical and biophysical studies including the resolution of 3D structures, the identification of post-translational modifications and protein-protein interactions.

2. Identifying mutations that underlie diseases and conceive pharmacological therapeutic approaches by, screening with functional assays, enzyme mechanism analyses, inhibitory studies, and bioinformatics.

3. Studying cell (sub)proteoma and its variation under different conditions by mass spectrometry, including protein interactions with other cellular components (RNA, DNA, lipids, carbohydrates, metabolites)

4. Developing applications of enzymes and proteins in different fields, also by modifying them with advanced techniques of protein engineering.

Cell Biology of intracellular signaling and trafficking

IBBC (Luini, Corda, Parashuraman, Colanzi, Mariggiò ) have traditionally worked in two overlapping areas of cell biology, namely, the areas of signal transduction and of intracellular membrane transport.

Specifically, the main themes of research of these groups have been, on the one hand, the role of certain metabolic reactions such as the metabolism of the glycerophosphoinositols, the metabolism of phosphatidic acid, and the ADP-ribosylation reaction in cancer-related signaling and, on the other hand, the morpho-functional organization and the regulation of the membrane transport apparatus.

This discussion group represents the convergence between these two lines of interest and has been active and productive already for several years.

Immunology

The IBBC Immunology Group encompasses six laboratories (Boraschi, Coscia, De Berardinis, Gianfrani,Corda, Mariggiò) dedicated to different and complementary aspects of immune functions. The focus of the Immunology Group is on the following aspects of immunity:

1. assessing the structure-function relationship in immune molecules through evolutionary studies for better understanding the mechanisms at the basis of immune responses;

2. identifying alterations that underlie disease and devise immunomodulatory therapeutic approaches thereof;

3. studying inflammation, both as checkpoint for the induction of protective immunity (to be exploited in antigen delivery and adjuvanticity of vaccines), and as the basis of tissue-specific diseases (e.g., chronic inflammatory and autoimmune bowel diseases).

The overall aim of the Immunology Group is exploiting basic information and related expertise for designing innovative immunotherapeutic strategies.

Molecular Oncology

The IBBC Molecular Oncology discussion Group encompasses eight laboratories (Luini,Corda, Colanzi,D’Angelo, Febbraio, Manco, Mariggiò, Pisani) interested in different molecular and cellular aspects of malignant transformation. The main discussion areas include:

Genome stability and cancer development
Lipid metabolism in cancer
Mechanisms of oxidative stress in cancer
Mechanisms of tumoral transformation originating in the biosynthetic pathway
The overall aim of this Group is that to elucidate novel cellular, biochemical, and molecular pathways involved in cancer biology for the development of innovative anti-cancer drugs and treatments

Muscle biology and pathology

Muscular tissue represents the vast majority of the body, and many severe diseases, of both genetic and traumatic origin, involve cardiac and skeletal muscles. The IBCN projects in this research area concentrate on mechanisms regulating myo/pathogenesis at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, including epigenetic mechanisms altering chromatin organization. The ultimate goal of these different and integrated research interests is to develop novel strategies of regenerative medicine and muscle disease treatment, as well as innovative prognostic/diagnostic tools.
Specifically, the research lines focus on:
• generation of human cell and tissue models of cardiac and skeletal muscle pathologies through cell reprogramming (iPS) technology and murine models of ischemic events to develop cell therapy supported by innovative biomaterials
• studying the effect of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors and the contribution of macrophages in cardiac regeneration/remodelling and in muscular dystrophies
• refining the role of the tyrosin-kinase receptor c-Kit in cardiac repair after injury
• defining the role of regulatory genes (IFRD1 and cyclin D3) and associated molecular pathways in the control of skeletal muscle stem cell function and muscle regeneration …

Fundamental mechanisms in cell biology

Research projects focusing on basic aspects of cell biology are approached by different groups in different model systems, from eukaryotic unicellular organisms to mammals, both in vitro and in vivo. These studies aim at highlighting the molecular mechanisms controlling different fundamental cellular processes, such as differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis, by the identification and characterization of different signaling pathways.…

Poverty related and neglected infectious diseases

The Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), a group of parasitic, bacterial, and viral infectious diseases, along with AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria are collectively referred to as ‘infectious diseases of poverty’. NTDs affect the most poor and vulnerable populations in the world. Importantly these infections are co-endemic and an individual may be infected with more than one pathogen. In IBCN we study in particular schistosomiasis and tuberculosis.

Schistosomiasis, one of the 17 NTDs prioritized by WHO, contributes to the global morbidity with 4,026,000 DALYs (disability-adjusted life years), more than 780 million people are at risk and about 260 million infections occur annually. Among human parasitic diseases, schistosomiasis ranks second behind malaria in socio-economic terms, public health importance and prevalence in the developing world.

Neuroscience

Neuroscience research focuses on the mechanisms regulating brain functional states under physiological and pathological conditions in cells and mouse models. Main themes include:

miRNA-mediated regulation on molecular and cellular pathways involved in neuronal differentiation, dysfunction, aging and neurodegenerative diseases;
role of neurotrophins as diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic tools in neuropathologies, in alcohol addiction and related oxidative stress, and neuroprotective properties of antioxidants as plants’ polyphenols;
mechanisms that underlie acute and chronic pain through functional responses and changes in the expression of specific markers at peripheral and central levels, for the identification of new therapies;
understanding the role of purinergic signaling in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis by pioneering the use of P2 receptor antagonists for slowing the diseases …