The scientific project and research areas
Research Commission Manager: Paola Costelli
The unifying element of the Department's scientific and cultural project, to which the didactic offer is closely linked, is the research on the cellular and genetic-molecular mechanisms that regulate the physiology of the human organism, and on their interactions with environmental and cultural factors, as determinants of the state of health and disease.
Recently, this vocation for translational research has been implemented with projects integrating more traditional knowledge and applications with the most modern developments in Biology and Medicine, such as functional genomics, regenerative medicine, systems biology and its extension in the perspective of a new "systems medicine".
The research lines can be summarized in the following titles:
- Analysis of the molecular mechanisms and genes that regulate cellular activities in normal and pathological conditions, of genotoxic stress and infection by microorganisms.
- Basic research, and pre-clinical development, of stem cell lines, drugs and biomaterials for regenerative medicine.
- Basic, translational and clinical research in the field of metabolic diseases and chronic infectious and inflammatory diseases of the main organs and their possible neoplastic evolution.
- Analysis of genotype/phenotype correlations and therapeutic trials of rare diseases, neurological and malformative syndromes, in children and adults.
- Research in the field of diseases of the nervous system and mental health, addictions and clinical psychology, from the therapy of overt disorders to primary and secondary prevention and organizational models based on the need for treatment.
- Interdisciplinary research on the impact of social policies on health.
- Development and application of algorithms and procedures in the field of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology.