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Molecular Medicine

Head
Susanna
Tomasoni
Head Department
Dipartimento di Ricerca Medicina molecolare
susanna.tomasoni@marionegri.it
Staff
No items found.
Senior Advisor
Carlamaria
Zoja
Senior Advisor
Dipartimento di Ricerca Medicina molecolare
carlamaria.zoja@marionegri.it
Daniela
Macconi
Senior Advisor
Dipartimento di Ricerca Medicina molecolare
daniela.macconi@marionegri.it

The research of the Department of Molecular Medicine is closely linked to that of the Department of Renal Medicine and aims to understand the mechanisms of damage that lead to the loss of kidney function in chronic kidney diseases, and the development of strategies that avoid the patients needing dialysis or transplantation.

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ObJECTIVES

  • Identification of mediators and mechanisms responsible for the relentless decline of renal function in kidney diseases
  • Development of therapeutic interventions (pharmacological, cellular, molecular therapy) to slow or even halt the disease progression to end-stage renal failure
  • Identification of mechanisms of tissue regeneration induced by renoprotective therapies and identification of renal progenitors
  • Generation of new functional nephrons starting from renal embryonic cells
  • Derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells from patients affected by rare diseases and set up of differentiation protocols to generate renal progenitors
  • Correction of genetic mutation in iPS from patients with rare disease by means of CRISPR/Cas9 technique
  • Understanding the mechanisms underlying endothelial cell dysfunction in thrombotic microangiopathies
  • Finding new strategies for modulating the immune response and preventing acute and chronic rejection of kidney allograft as well as exploration of immunological pathways leading to tolerance of the graft
  • Developmentof gene therapy strategies for the cure of genetic rare diseases

METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES

  • experimental models of kidney diseases mimicking human renal diseases to study vasoactive and inflammatory mediators and to test novel antiproteinuric and renoprotective drugs‍
  • therapies with stem cells of different origin to cure acute and chronic kidney diseases (bone marrow, umbilical cord, amniotic fluid)
  • ‍glomerular and tubular cell lines
  • ‍induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS)
  • ‍generation of renal organoids by using tissue engeneering approaches
  • ‍in vitro models to assess the interaction of vascular endothelial cells with leukocytes and platelets under controlled flow conditions
  • ‍experimental models of kidney allotransplant to study immunological processes responsible for acute and chronic rejection, the nephrotoxicity of immunosuppressor drugs     as well as to explore pathways responsible for accomodation‍
  • genetransfer of viral constructs carrying genes encoding immunomodulatory molecules to overcome chronic rejection of allotransplantation avoiding immunosuppression. Use ofviral constructs to correct genetic defects
Results
  • Proved that in acute kidney disease stem cells repair the kidney
  • Obtained a nephron (functional unit of the kidney) in the laboratory, starting with embryonic stem cells
  • Repopulated a diseased kidney, previously deprived of its cells, with stem cells
  • Setup of gene therapy techniques in animals to avoid organ transplant rejection without immunosuppressive drugs
  • Found a way to teach the body to tolerate the transplanted organ without  anti-rejection drugs
  • Developed new therapies for various rare diseases and helped understand how these drugs work
Current projects

PLA2R-autoreactivE B-cell subsets in membranous nePhropaThy: Identification of outcome predictors and novel insights into Disease pathogEnesis‍

Sponsor: FRRB (Fondazione Regionale Ricerca Biomedica)

Research area: Immunologia
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Multidisciplinary Training in Chronic Kidney Disease: from genetic modifiers to drug discovery (TrainCKDis)

Sponsor: European Commission

Research rea: Nefropatia cronica
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Cell-based systemas a new therapeutic approach for congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenicpurpura‍

Sponsor: Fondazione Roche

Research area di ricerca: Porporatrombotica trombocitopenica
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Cellule staminali pluripotenti indotte ipoimmunogeniche come terapia cellulare per pazienti affetti da PTT‍

Sponsor: Banca d’Italia

Research area: Porpora trombotica trombocitopenica


Regenerating the diabetic heart and kidney by using stress-specific thyroid hormone nanocarrier (REASON)‍

Sponsor: Ministero della Salute

Research area: Nefropatia e cardiomiopatia diabetica
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Cell-based therapy for Congenital Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura‍

Sponsor: Fondazione Telethon

Reaserch area: Porporatrombotica trombocitopenica
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Sviluppo di una nuova terapia cellulare per la cura della porpora trombotica trombocitopenica congenita‍

Sponsor: Unicredit

Research area: Porporatrombotica trombocitopenica
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Microvascular thrombosis and inflammation induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection: the complement system as a novel target for therapy in COVID-19‍

Sponsor: Fondazione UBI Banca Popolare di Bergamo Onlus

Research area: COVID-19/Trombosi microvascolare

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Head
Susanna
Tomasoni
Head Department
Dipartimento di Ricerca Medicina molecolare
susanna.tomasoni@marionegri.it
Staff
No items found.
Senior Advisor
Carlamaria
Zoja
Senior Advisor
Dipartimento di Ricerca Medicina molecolare
carlamaria.zoja@marionegri.it
Daniela
Macconi
Senior Advisor
Dipartimento di Ricerca Medicina molecolare
daniela.macconi@marionegri.it

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Laboratori Collegati

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