Research: Mitotic factors and neurodevelopmental defects
Ludovica Altieri - Curriculum Studiorum
SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION
7 Nov – 15 Dec 2023 Course in Soft Skills training “formazione trasversale sulle soft skills - Sapienza 2023”, La Sapienza University of Rome.
25-26 October 2023 Theoretical-practical course “Workshop on Public Speaking – Science Communication” Organized by PhD School in Genetics and Molecular Biology for the PhD School of Biology and Molecular Medicine (BeMM), La Sapienza University of Rome.
10-11 October 2023 Theoretical-practical course “Imaging 3D cellular models for biomedical applications”, Organized by PhD School in Genetics and Molecular Biology for the PhD School of Biology and Molecular Medicine (BeMM), La Sapienza University of Rome.
30-31 January 2023 Course “From Ramon y Cajal to CryoEM – Course for Advanced Microscopy” Organized by PhD School in Life Sciences for the PhD School of Biology and Molecular Medicine (BeMM), La Sapienza University of Rome.
16-25 January 2023 Theoretical-practical course in "Bioinformatics: theory and applications from genomes to drugs" Organized by PhD School in Biochemistry and Life Sciences for the PhD School of Biology and Molecular Medicine (BeMM), La Sapienza University of Rome.
13-14 July 2022 Theoretical-practical course in "Cellular microscopy and image analysis", PhD School in Genetics and Molecular Biology for the PhD School of Biology and Molecular Medicine (BeMM), La Sapienza University of Rome.
6-13 May 2022 Course “Preparing artwork for scientific papers getting started in scientific illustration” Organized by PhD School in Biochemistry for the PhD School of Biology and Molecular Medicine (BeMM), La Sapienza University of Rome.
November 2021 – ongoing Winner of the 37° cycle admission competition to the PhD School in Genetics and Molecular Biology (part of the PhD School in Biology and Molecular Medicine - BeMM), with PhD fellowhip - La Sapienza University of Rome. Title of Research: “Mitotic factors and neurodevelopmental defects”
Aim of the Research is to study the regulation of mitotic factors and microtubules regulators putting the molecular basis for the investigation of their implication in neurodevelopmental disorders and of the balance between cell division and autophagy which is particularly important during neuronal tissue growth and brain development. Supervisor: Dr. Patrizia Lavia; Tutor: Dr. Daniela Trisciuoglio
March 2021 – July 2021 Winner of Excellence Plan of the Master of Science in Genetics and Molecular Biology - La Sapienza University of Rome
Title of the thesis: “Organoids: a 3D system for modeling human pathologies - Focus on 3D bioprinting and brain organoids”
Topic of the thesis: In-depth study of development and characterization of in vitro cell systems in 3D for the study of physiology and pathologies of the central nervous system with a written report on the use and new technologies developed to obtain self-assembled brain organoids and biofabricated systems using 3D printers. Supervisor: Prof. Silvia Di Angelantonio
July 2020 – July 2021 Master of Science in Genetics and Molecular Biology Internship at Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology - CNR and Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, La Sapienza University of Rome. Via degli Apuli, 4 – 00185 Roma (Supervisor Dr. Patrizia Lavia)
with grade 110/110 cum laude discussing an experimental thesis from the title: “The regulation of CENP-F protein in mitotic division and cell differentiation”
Topic of the thesis: In the framework of the studies on mitotic regulation through the investigation of the functions of mitotic genes of interest and their protein products, the thesis work has explored the study of the CENP-F protein, regulator of chromosomes segregation in mitosis, and the effect of CENP-F gene mutations identified in clinically relevant neurodevelopmental defects.
Acquired skills: stable cell culture set up and maintenance (normal and tumoral, human and murine, adhesion and suspension), primary cultures of murine cortical neurons; cell cycle synchronization methods, protocols for induction of neurodifferentiation; preparation of cell lysates and protein extracts, protein electrophoresis and Western Blot; Immunofluorescence and software analysis of signal intensity, Proximity Ligation Assay (PLA), high-resolution microscopy and high-content imaging, single-cell analysis of cellular fates on videorecorded cells (live-imaging).
Academic year 2019-2020 Enrollment at La Sapienza University of Rome – Master of Science in Genetics and Molecular Biology
January 2019 – October 2019 Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences Internship at Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology - CNR and Dept. of Biology and Biotechnology “Charles Darwin”, La Sapienza University of Rome. Via degli Apuli, 4 – 00185 Roma (Supervisor Dr. Patrizia Lavia) with grade 110/110 cum laude discussing an experimental thesis from the title: “Characterization of new molecules with therapeutic potential in cancer cells”
Topic of the thesis: The internship was carried out in collaboration with the Dept. of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology of La Sapienza University of Rome (Prof. Romano Silvestri) and concerned the characterization of the effects of new molecules directed against microtubules in different human cell lines to investigate their effectiveness as potential antimitotic and antitumoral agents.
Acquired skills: stable cell culture set up and maintenance (normal and tumoral, human, adhesion and suspension); treatments with con chemical compounds in plate; Flow Cytometry (FACS) and sample preparation for cell cycle analysis (Propidium Iodide as DNA intercalanting), apoptosis analysis (Annexin-V test) and analysis of the result with specific software of analysis; single-cell analysis of cellular fates on videorecorded cells (live-imaging).
Academic Year 2016-2017 Enrollment at La Sapienza University of Rome – Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences
PARTICIPATION TO RESEARCH PROJECTS
July 2020- ongoing AIRC Project (Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro) - cod. progetto IG2020-ID24942 (cod. DSB.AD006.313 - CUP B89C20004200007) from the title “Exploring the role of Alpha-tubulin N-acetyltransferase 1 in cancer: from molecular mechanisms to therapeutic targets” (Scientific Director: Daniela Trisciuoglio)
July 2020- ongoing PRIN 2017 - 2017FNZRN3_005- LS2 entitled "Microtubule and centrosome dynamics, from Omics to neurodevelopmental disorders of Central Nervous System" (Scientific Director: Patrizia Lavia, with Daniela Trisciuoglio and Cecilia Mannironi)
July 2020- ongoing PON PROGETTO CIR01_00021 IMPARA - Support to the Department of Biomedical Sciences of the CNR entitled "LEARN - imaging from molecules to preclinics" (Scientific Director: Patrizia Lavia, with Lia Asteriti and Giulia Guarguaglini)
OTHER ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
25 November 2022 Qualification as a Professional Biologist “Esercizio della Professione di Biologo” (albo A) – State exam done at La Sapienza University of Rome
February 2022 Association with the IBPM - Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology of the CNR
March 2019 Certificate in Advanced English (level C1, grade C) “Cambridge English Level 2 Certificate in ESOL International (Advanced)” obtained at International House – Accademia Britannica (Viale Manzoni, 22 – 00185 Roma)
PROFESSIONAL MEMEBERSHIP
Member of: SIBBM – The Italian Society of Biophysics and Molecular Biology; SINS – Italian Society for Neuroscience
PATRICIPATION AND CONTRIBUTES IN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSES
- November 2023 Altieri L, Mancini M, Marzi M, Damizia M, Rovella P, Costanzo V, Ilari A, Morea V and Lavia P. “Regulation of CENP-F mitotic localization and stability by the nuclear import vector Importin beta” (Poster) International Congress “Life and Death of Proteins 2023”, UBIMOTIF ETN Consortium, Rome (IT) 16-17 Nov 2023 https://sites.google.com/uniroma1.it/life-death-proteins-2023
- May 2023 Altieri L, Costanzo V, Marzi M, Gasparini S, Mannironi C, Cirigliano P, Brighi C and Lavia P. “The relocalization of the mitotic protein CENP-F during ciliogenesis and neuronal differentiation” (Poster and Flash Talk) International Congress Meeting “Imaging Cell Dynamics”, Journal of Cell Science and The company of Biologists, Lisbon (PT) 14-17 May 2023 https://www.biologists.com/meetings/celldynamics2023/
- March 2023 Costanzo V, Altieri L, Marzi M, Gasparini S, Brighi C, Mannironi C, Lavia P. “Artificial Intelligence-based analysis of commitment towards neuronal differentiation in living pluripotent cells over time” (Poster) Conference EMBO Workshop: Visualizing biological data (VIZBI 2023), 28 - 31 March 2023, EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/vzb23-01/
- December 2022 Altieri L, Costanzo V, Rovella P, Mancini M, Marzi M, Damizia M, Trisciuoglio D, Gasparini S, Mannironi C and Lavia P. “CENP-F roles in mitosis, in microcephaly and in the neurodevelopment” (Presentazione orale) Congress: “Microtubule and centrosome dynamics, from Omics to neurodevelopmental disorders of Central Nervous System” organized by Human Technopole, Milan, 5 December 2022 – Online workshop
- October 2022 Gasparini S and Altieri L. “Microscopia confocale di neuroni primari corticali murini” (Poster)
Scientific photographic exhibition "MOLECOLE", organized by the youth association Laboratorio11 as part of the VitaminaG project, in collaboration with “Charles Darwin” Department of Biology and Biotechnology (BBCD), the PhD School in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, the library of the BBCD Department and the Saperi&Co inter-departmental center of Sapienza. 13-14 October 2022. Container, via degli Etruschi, 15 Rome https://bbcd.bio.uniroma1.it/bbcd/archivionotizie/molecole-13-e-14-ottobre-degli-etruschi-n-5-san-lorenzo-dalle-ore-1800-mostra
- January 2022 Altieri L and Lavia P. “Roles of microtubules in mitosis and developing neurons” (Oral presentation) Congress “Microtubule and centrosome dynamics, from Omics to neurodevelopmental disorders of Central Nervous System”. Organized by CIBIO, Trento University, 28 January 2022– Online workshop
- July 2021 Altieri L, Rovella P, Gasparini S, Damizia M, Mancini M, Marzi M, Mannironi C and Lavia P. “CENP-F, a mitotic kinetochore protein implicated in microcephaly” (Oral presentation) National Conference “Mechanistic Insights into Neurological Disorders and New Therapeutic Strategies” Organized by CNR, 7-8 July 2021, Rome https://dsb.cnr.it/contributions/AbstractsByTag?tag=dsb-luglio2021