Stem Cell Laboratory

Team leader:

Dr. Yvan Torrente - e-mail: yvan.torrente@unimi.it
He joined the University of Medicine and Surgery of Milan, while during the 1989/1990 academic school year he also intern at the Institute of Clinical Neurologica of Milan. Graduated in Medicine and Surgery on 19 July 1995 with the highest marks (110/110) and the publication of the thesis. He then followed the specialisation in Neurology at the University of Milan in November 2002 with the publication of the thesis.
During the first years when he attends the school specialties in neurology he won a PhD in muscular dystrophies at the Laboratory of Human Genetics led by Prof. JP Tremblay (University of Quebec, Canada).
In September 2003 he receives a PhD for a CEE study at the University of Paris, of the analysis of the factors inducening the differentiation of stem cells from muscle origin.
In 2005 he gets as a co-author and coordinator of the project Phase I Clinical validation of stem cell transplantation in patients dystrophic named “Man project” approved by the ethics committee at the Milan Polyclinic and the Superior Institute of Health, and in 2002 he was entrusted with the coordination of the Laboratory of Stem Cell Center Dino Ferrari, Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Milan.
Since 2005 is leading researcher in the Department of Neurological Sciences at the University of Milan. In the same year he was appointed to the Foundation IRCCS Policlinico di Milano as structured neurologist at the Unit of Neurology, a place where you conduct clinical activity of outpatient department and activities for neuromuscular diseases and is assigned the task as part of the scientific technical committee-The Superior Institute of Health for the evaluation of clinical trials in experimental use of stem cells.

Yvan Torrente is co-founder of the Interdepartmental Centre for Research in Stem Cell (UNISTEM) of the University of Milan.
Collaborate with the Center Dino Ferrari of the University of Milan as an author and head of research projects.
He is responsible for two projects in collaboration with the France Association against les Myopathies related to cell therapy in distrofinopatie.
Of which:
1999-2000. "Study of chimerism muscle in mice with a new experimental method of in utero embrionic cells transplantation"
2000-2003. "Study of a new strategy to restore dystrophin expression in mdx mouse muscles by an intra-arterial injection of purified normal muscle-derived stem cells"
2001-2003. "Study of a new strategy to obtain alternative sources of neurons and glia from muscle-derived stem cells"
He is also the author and coordinator of funding and current research aimed ministerial pertaining to the Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Milan
Of which:
1998-2000 "Implementation of a new cell therapy in intra-uterine transplant in dystrophic mice MDX: miogenic assessment of the potential of embryonic stem cells in gene therapy somitic of Duchenne muscular dystrophy"
2000-2002 "Identification and use of stem cells in therapeutic strategies of muscular dystrophies"
2001-2003 "Using the potential of somatic stem cells as a new therapeutic approach to neurodegenerative diseases"
2003-2005 "In the tissue regeneration neoangiogenesis neuromuscular diseases"
2006-2008 "MYOAMP" Draft Framework Programme VII European
Community

Staff:
Laboratory:
- Dr. Marzia Belicchi, Technical graduated at University of Milan
- Dr. Mirella Meregalli, university contract
- Dr. Andrea Farini, doctor of Research in Molecular Medicine, fellow university
- Dr.ssa Claire Navarro, university contract
- Dr. Simona Maciotta, university contract
- Dr. Daniele Parolini, university contract
- Dr. Federica Colleoni, university contract
- Dr. Paola Razini, fellow university
- Ms. Silvia Erratico, graduating Biotechnology
- Ms. Serena Barilla, graduating Biotechnology
- Mr. Alberto Lerario, graduating Medicine and Surgery

Dr. Marzia Belicchi - e-mail: marzia.belicchi@unimi.it
Degree in Biology at the University of Milan in 1999, while during the 1996/1999 academic school year she also intern at the Laboratory of Applied Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology.
From January 2000 to July 2005 carries out research, as a fellow, winning every year the competition for the scholarship research at the stem cells Laboratory of neurological Clinic of Ospedale Maggiore in Milan.
In 2005 performs research activities, at the Laboratory of Stem Cell of the Department of Neurological Sciences Maggiore Policlinico of Milano. In the same year is winning the competitive university for the post of technical graduate of the University of Milan (Class D1), at the Laboratory of Stem Cell of the Department of Neurological Sciences Maggiore Policlinico of Milano.
Since 2004 Dr. Belicchi charge of the Cell Culture Laboratory at the Stem Cell headed by Dr. Yvan Torrente at Ospedale Maggiore in Milan
She is co-author of many publications on reviewed and various communications scientific presentation


Dr. Mirella Meregalli - e-mail: mirella.meregalli@unimi.it
Degree in Biology in 1998 at University of Milan with thesis: “Effect of somatostatin and BIM-23014 in human cancer cells line “, during the years of study she was student in Department of “Pharmacology” of Biology Faculty , University of Milan with the project: “Evaluation of the effects of somatostatin on proliferation of human cancer cells line”.
After the degree she took part in many workshop and master:
From September 1998 to January 2003 Dr. Meregalli was Resident in toxicology in Department of Internal Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico di Milano under the supervision of Dott M. Sampietro with the project “Hemochromatosis and iron overload, genetic and molecular characterization”.
From February 2003 she’s carry out research activity in “Stem Cell Laboratory” under the supervision of Dott. Torrente. for her project “Characterization of murine and human stem cells from muscle, blood and neural origin”.
Dr. Meregalli wrote a great number of publications and abstracts.

Dott. Andrea Farini - e-mail: andrea.farini@unimi.it
Degree in Biological Science at University of Milan in October 2004 and National Abilitation for Biologist in June 2005. During the years of preparation of his thesis: “Isolation of suppressors of the phenotypes caused by GTPases over-activation in Caenorabditis elegans”, he was responsible for the isolation and characterization of GTPases-dependent phenotypes in IFOM (FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology) Università degli Studi di Milano.
From 2004 to 2005 he has a fellow at Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Mangiagalli e Regina Elena of Milan, Stem Cell Lab.
In January 2006 he won a PhD in Molecular Medicine at University of Milan, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Mangiagalli e Regina Elena di Milano, Stem Cell Lab with the thesis: “Miogenic potential of human progenitors in a murine model of muscular dystrophy”.He is responsible for the characterization of human cellular subpopulations isolated from the blood of both dystrophic and healthy patients and transplanted in the murine model of DMD.

Dott.ssa Claire Navarro
June 1991 Baccalauréat S, speciality Biology Lycée Thiers (Marseille, France).
July 2002 Master 1 in Cellular biology and physiology, speciality Genetics University of la Méditerranée (Marseille UIII, France)
July 2003 Pre-PhD degree (French “D.E.A” or Master 2) in Biology, speciality Biology of the Eukaryotes at University of La Méditerranée (Marseille UII, France)
May 2007 PhD in Biology, speciality Biology of the Eukaryotes University of La Méditerranée (Marseille UII, France) with the dissertation: “Functional and genetic studies of progeroid syndromes.”
Currently PostPhD trainee at Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano performing work on the exon-skipping technique on stem cells.


Dott.ssa Simona Maciotta
From July 2005 to October 2006 in Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche dell’Università degli Studi di Milano - Laboratory Stem Cell biology of Dr. Elena Cattaneo as student she performed her experimental thesys that had the aim to identify a possibile biomarker in Huntington Disease (HD): “Study in HD patient of BDNF levels as a potential peripheral biomarker of the disease” .
In October 2006: Degree in Pharmacological Biotecnology - Università degli Studi di Milano.
In January 2007 in Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Mangiagalli e Regina Elena di Milano: she’s responsible of the project microRNA in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Currently she is titular of a check of search for the activity collaboration of search of biennial duration, for the scientific-disciplinary area of the medical Sciences at the department of neurological sciences and under the guide of the prof. Torente from the title "AMPLIFICATION OF HUMAN MYOGENIC STEM CELLS In CLINICAL CONDITIONS"

Dott. Daniele Parolini
Degree in 2006 at the University of Milan, with a thesis on experimental myogenic potential of turning human progenitors circulating at this laboratory. In the same year he obtained a scholarship entitled "Study of therapy protocols in cell-mediated neurodegenerative diseases and muscular dystrophies." From February 2007 holds cheque collaborative research at the University of Milan.
Currently deals with the characterization of CD133 + cells in normal muscle tissue and distrofic from the point of view of the mechanisms for reporting and of the intracellular receptor.

Dott.ssa Federica Colleoni
Degree in Biological Sciences in 2002, address pathophysiological preparing the thesis "Study of the effects of molecules on antiangiogenic lines through cancer tests proliferation, angiogenesis and invasion in vitro, and immunohistochemical analysis on textiles . "in the Departments of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Chemotherapy-Medical University of Milan.
From September 2003 to January 2004 with a scholarship "Toll-like receptors" carries on business at the Department of Pharmacology, chemotherapy and medical toxicology at the University of Milan. In November 2004 she obtained the qualification of Biologist for the profession.
From January 2004 to December 2007 has scholarship renewed annually "Angiogenesis and invasion of experimental human gliomas (immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analysis aimed at understanding the mechanisms of vascular murine models of glioma) at Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Mangiagalli, Regina Elena.
From January 2008 carries on research at the Laboratory Dr. Yvan Torrente MD U.O. Neurology Maggiore Policlinico Hospital, Mangiagalli, Regina Elena with research grant biennial "Isolation and characterization in vitro and in vivo neurosphere isolated from samples bioptic of brain tumors at different stages."

Dott.ssa Paola Razini
Graduated in Molecular Biotechnology in February 2005 after practicing the stage at the Laboratory of Molecular modelling of the University of Milano-Bicocca.
Achievement of Advanced Degree in Industrial Biotechnology (Educational drug-genomics) in December 2007 at the University of Milan-Bicocca.
From March 2008 holder of a scholarship at the Laboratory "stem cells", Department of Neurological Sciences, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano and she takes care of cellular cultivations and cytofluorimetry characterization of cellular populations.