RNA - Genetherapys
Who we are

Led by the Italian Institute of Technology, Spoke 3 coordinates activities related to RNA-based technologies in Neurodegeneration.

Spoke 3 affiliates include National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro (UMG), University of Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA), University of Bologna (UNIBO), University of Florence (UNIFI), University of Milan (UNIMI), University of Naples Federico II (UNINA), University of Padua (UNIPD), University of Pisa (UNIPI), Sapienza University of Rome (UNIROMA1), and University of Turin (UNITO).

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Program Spoke flagships Cross-spoke activities

Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) scientists have consolidated expertise in the biology of non-coding RNAs and neuroscience with a special interest in the study of neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders. Since 2020, IIT has launched The RNA Initiative, bringing together twenty research groups studying non-coding RNAs and developing new RNA-based drugs for brain diseases.

Alice Agliano
Research Manager
Andrea Barberis
Senior Researcher Tenured - Principal Investigator
Giuliano Bonfa'
Post-doc Researcher
Edoardo Brandi
Research Fellow
Laura Cancedda
Senior Researcher Tenured - Principal Investigator
Gianluca Cidonio
Post-doc Researcher
Andrea Contestabile
Technologist
Davide De Pietri Tonelli
Senior Researcher Tenured - Principal Investigator
Fatima Ghandour
Post-doc Researcher
Lidia Giantomasi
Post-doc Researcher
Stefano Gustincich
Senior Researcher Tenured - Principal Investigator
Federica Maniscalco
Post-doc Researcher
Sara Nencini
Post-doc Researcher
Luca Pandolfini
Researcher
Giovanna Peruzzi
Technologist
Enrica Maria Petrini
Technologist - Facility Coordinator
Gloria Ros
Post-doc Researcher
Giancarlo Ruocco
Senior Researcher - Principal Investigator - Center Coordinator
Caterina Sanchini
Post-doc Researcher
Velia Siciliano
Senior Researcher Tenured - Principal Investigator
Gian Gaetano Tartaglia
Senior Researcher Tenured - Principal Investigator
Dario Tascio
Post-doc Researcher
Raffaella Tonini
Senior Researcher Tenured - Principal Investigator
Andrea Vandelli
Post-doc Researcher

National Research Council of Italy (CNR) scientists have provided significant contributions to the development of innovative therapeutic approaches for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. One team member is also a co-founder of a biotech company focused on the development of angiogenesis inhibitors.

Sandro De Falco
Research Director
Valeria Tarallo
First Researcher
Annalisa Fico
Researcher
Luca G. Di Giovannantonio
Researcher
Dario De Cesare
First Researcher
Laura Casalino
Researcher
Floriana Della Ragione
Technologist

Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro (UMG) participants have consolidated expertise in generating 3D brain organoids (3D-BO) from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) reprogrammed from lymphocytes obtained from patients affected by progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare brain disorder with no effective treatment.

Gennarina Arabia
Full professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche

Giovanni Cuda
Full professor

Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica

Maurizio Morelli
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche

Elvira Immacolata Parrotta
Researcher RTD-B

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche

Marco Gaspari
Full professor

Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica

Valeria Lucchino
Researcher RTD-A

Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e clinica

University of Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA) participants have consolidated experience in the study of neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS and Alzheimer’s, with a special interest in the biology of Aquaporins.

Marco Tatullo
Associate Professor
Marta Simone
Researcher
Grazia Paola Nicchia
Full Professor
Maura Buttiglione
Researcher
Antonio Frigeri
Full Professor
Michele Di Battista
Associate Professor
Simona Lobasso
Associate Professor
Claudia Palazzo
Researcher RTD-A
Mariangela Mastrapasqua
Research Fellow

University of Bologna (UNIBO) combines a complete set of basic, translational, and clinical expertise for tackling neurodevelopmental disorders using nanostructured RNAzymes that target specific exosomal miRNAs and gene-editing with CRISPR-based technologies for previously characterized monogenic disorders.

Elena Bonora
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche – DIMEC

Duccio Maria Cordelli
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche – DIMEC

Patrizia Hrelia
Full professor

Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie – FABIT

Elena Maestrini
Full professor

Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie – FABIT

Francesca Massenzi
Researcher RTD

Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie – FABIT

Barbara Monti
Full professor

Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie – FABIT

Emanuele Panza
Researcher RTD

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche – DIMEC

Marta Viggiano
Researcher RTD-A

Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie – FABIT

Chiara Diquigiovanni
Researcher RTD-A

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche – DIMEC

Sherin Ramadan
Phd student

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche – DIMEC

Manon Elise C. Libotte
Phd student

Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie – FABIT

University of Florence (UNIFI) participants have relevant expertise in the adoption and development of in vitro and in vivo models of neurodegeneration with a special interest in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) homeostasis.
Maria Grazia Giovannini
Associate professor
Domenico Edoardo Pellegrini-Giampietro
Full professor
Anna Maria Pugliese
Associate professor
Alberto Chiarugi
Full professor
Guido Mannaioni
Full professor
Alessio Masi
Researcher RTD-A
Elisa Landucci
Researcher RTD-A
Andrea Lapucci
Researcher RTD-A
Parham Farahvachi
Phd student

University of Milan (UNIMI), thanks to strong basic and clinical research in Neuroscience, has developed cellular and animal models for the study of Huntington’s, ALS, Alzheimer’s, and motor neuron disorder, as well as the development of NA-based therapeutic tools and innovative delivery methods.
Francesca Romana Pia Buccellato
Researcher RTD

Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Chirurgiche ed Odontoiatriche

Giacomo Pietro Comi
Full professor

Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti

Stefania Corti
Full professor

Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti

Valeria Crippa
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari

Riccardo Cristofani
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari

Mariarita Galbiati
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari

Daniela Galimberti
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Chirurgiche ed Odontoiatriche

Angelo Poletti
Full professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari

Dario Ronchi
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti

Paola Rusmini
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari

Nicola Ticozzi
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti

Paola Pramaggiore
Phd student

Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari

Luisa Ottobrini
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti

Barbara Tedesco
Researcher RTD-A

Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari

Veronica Ferrari
Researcher RTD

Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari

Elisa Pagliari
Research Fellow

Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti

Francesca Sironi
Research Fellow

Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti

University of Naples Federico II (UNINA) participants have a well-proven background in the identification and validation of miRNAs as theranostic agents in stroke and other neurodegenerative diseases, as well as the delivery of miRNA/small drugs combination through nanocarriers, and gene therapy products for cerebral and retinal sphingolipidoses (Tay–Sachs and Sandhoff diseases).

Carmela Bravaccio
Full professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Traslazionali

Filippo Causa
Full professor

Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale

Angela Corvino
Researcher RTD-A

Dipartimento di Farmacia

Ornella Cuomo
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Neuroscienze e Scienze Riproduttive ed Odontostomatologiche

Giuseppe De Rosa
Full professor

Dipartimento di Farmacia

Giuseppe Pignataro
Full professor

Dipartimento di Neuroscienze e Scienze Riproduttive ed Odontostomatologiche

Beatrice Severino
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Farmacia

Enrico Maria Surace
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Traslazionali

Maurizio Taglialatela
Full professor

Dipartimento di Neuroscienze e Scienze Riproduttive ed Odontostomatologiche

Gaetano Terrone
Full professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Traslazionali

Rosa Maritato
Research Fellow

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Traslazionali

Rosa Sparaco
Research Fellow

Dipartimento di Farmacia

Giorgia Andreozzi
Phd student

Dipartimento di Farmacia

Alessia Medugno
Phd student

Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Traslazionali

Giorgia Magliocca
Phd student

Dipartimento di Neuroscienze e Scienze Riproduttive ed Odontostomatologiche

Alessia Angelillo
Phd student

Dipartimento di Farmacia

University of Padua (UNIPD) Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (CESNE) holds multidisciplinary competencies as a world leader in the genetic, neurophysiological, and phenotypic characterization of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease as well as of rare genetic conditions including triplet diseases. They are Italian leaders in Phase II and III clinical trials in neurodegenerative conditions.

Angelo Antonini
Full professor
Graziano Martello
Associate professor
Paola Pizzo
Full professor
Nicola Elvassore
Full professor
Luigi Bubacco
Full professor
Elisa Greggio
Associate professor
Anna Urciuolo
Researcher RTD-A
Marta Campagnolo
Researcher RTD-A
Miryam Carecchio
Researcher RTD-B
Annamaria Gambetta
Research Fellow
Rachele Ghirardo
Phd student
Sonia Amato
Phd student
Andrea Guerra
Researcher RTD-A
Salvatore Novello
Researcher RTD-A
Annamaria Lia
Researcher RTD-A

University of Pisa (UNIPI) participants have well-proven experience in identifying early molecular biomarkers of neural diseases and developing new therapeutic strategies to restore RNA homeostasis by using murine models of ALS and AD and human brain organoids.

Maurizio Cammalleri
Associate Professor

Dipartimento di Biologia

Giovanni Casini
Associate Professor

Dipartimento di Biologia

Massimo Dal Monte
Full Professor

Dipartimento di Biologia

Carolina Filipponi
PhD Student

Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia

Maria Claudia Gargini
Full Professor

Dipartimento di Farmacia

Giovanni Palermo
Researcher RTD-A

Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale

Carolina Pellegrini
Researcher RTD-B

Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale

Mauro Pistello
Full Professor

Dipartimento di Ricerca Traslazionale e delle Nuove Tecnologie in Medicina e Chirurgia

Giulia Ricci
Researcher RTD-B

Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale

Gabriele Siciliano
Full Professor

Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale

Sapienza University of Rome (UNIROMA1) participants have a well-proven experience in the biology of non-coding and circular RNAs and their therapeutic applications to treat muscular or neurodegenerative diseases with a special interest in ALS.
Alessandro Rosa
Associate professor
Irene Bozzoni
Emeritus Professor
Monica Ballarino
Associate professor
Carlo Presutti
Associate professor
Danilo Toni
Full professor
Tullio Scopigno
Full professor
Raffaele Dello Ioio
Associate professor
Giorgio Camilloni
Associate professor
Livia Perfetto
Researcher RTD-B
Sabrina Venditti
Researcher
Svetlana Lorenzano
Researcher RTD-B
Paolo Ricci
Associate professor
Arianna Rinaldi
Associate professor
Gianluca Terrin
Associate professor
Alessandro Palma
Researcher RTD-A
Adriano Setti
Researcher RTD-A
Margherita Medici
Phd student
Angelo D’Angelo
Research Fellow

University of Turin (UNITO) participants have a well-proven experience in identifying and studying long non-coding RNAs and their protein interaction networks in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
Salvatore Oliviero
Full professor

Dipartimento di Scienze Della Vita E Biologia Dei Sistemi

Alessandro Bertero
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Molecolari e Scienze per la Salute

Serena Bovetti
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Silvia De Marchis
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Giacomo Donati
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Andrea Lauria
Researcher RTD-A

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Ivan Molineris
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Francesco Neri
Associate professor

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Valentina Proserpio
Researcher RTD-B

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Elisa Balmas
Technologist

Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Molecolari e Scienze per la Salute

Chiara Bugelli
Phd student

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Claudia Vaccari
Phd student

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Livia Caizzi
Researcher

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Davide Selleri
Research Fellow

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Annalaura Tamburrini
Research Fellow

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Marco Fogli
Research Fellow

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi

Marco Gaspari
Phd student

Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi