At the IRET laboratories, IRET and TransMed Research researchers work alongside visiting researchers from universities and research institutions.
Founders
Luciana Giardino is a medical surgeon specialist in Endocrinology, and she is currently a Professor at the University of Bologna. She was born in Naples where she graduated. From 1988 to 1999, she was first a technical officer and then a level I executive at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Milan, moving from Pathophysiology and Pain Therapy to the Otolaryngology Clinic.
Since 1999 she has moved to the University of Bologna. From 1986 onwards she has spent numerous periods working abroad, in Sweden at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm collaborating with both Prof. Sandra Ceccatelli at the Dept. of Environmental Medicine and Prof. Tomas Hokfelt at the Dept. of Neuroscience.
In 1987, together with Prof. Laura Calzà, she founded the Center for Nervous System Pathophysiology in Modena at Hesperia Hospital, a nonprofit research association. Together with Laura Calzà, she established theoretical-practical courses on different experimental techniques in neurobiology for seven years in which researchers from all over Italy participated. She received the Steven Newburgh Foundation award upon the recommendation of Rita Levi-Montalcini.
She works on neurobiology with particular reference to the neurochemical mechanisms underlying aging, stress, anxiety, depression. She is the author of more than 150 scientific papers published in international journals and books and she has presented his results at more than 150 congresses in Italy and abroad.
She is a member of the Society for Neuroscience. She loves vegetable gardening and follows Italian wines with great interest.
Laura Calzà is a medical surgeon specialist in Endocrinology. She is a professor of Embryology, Histology and Anatomy at the University of Bologna. She completed her scientific training in neurobiology at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.
She is involved in the study of the molecular basis of degenerative diseases of the nervous system and possible reparative strategies also based on the use of stem cells. She received the Steven Newburgh Foundation Award at the recommendation of Rita Levi-Montalcini, the Beaumont-Bonelli Foundation, the Nobel Foundation Fellowships and Profilo Donna.
She is the author of more than 250 scientific papers published in international journals and books and she has presented her results in more than 250 seminars, conferences and congresses in Italy and abroad.
She is a member of Society for Neuroscience, European Federation of Neuroscience Societies, International Association for the Study of Pain. She loves reading, listening to classical music and she likes being outdoors, especially in the mountains.
Management
After graduating in mechanical engineering, Paolo Celli completed his education attending master’s courses both on management and on fund raising for nonprofit organizations.
After some years of work in his family business as marketing manager, export sales director and then managing director, he decided in 2005 to start a career as a consultant and teacher in the field of nonprofit management and fundraising, founding his own consulting firm “Centrale Etica – Value Management Studio”, located in Milan. Since then he has worked with more than 200 organizations of different sizes and sectors of activity.
For 10 years he had the role of contract professor and deputy director of a university master’s course at Bologna University, where he developed an innovative methodology to design and monitor the process of development of organizations.
He has been a member of several boards of directors and currently is vice-president of IRET Foundation and managing director of TransMed Research s.r.l.
He is also the manager of the Bologna-Ozzano “Rita Levi-Montalcini” Technopole , that belongs to the network of Technopoles and the regional Innovation Ecosystem.
The professional partnership with IRET dates back to 2008 and is focused on the development and optimization of a sustainable, nonprofit development model, aiming at excellence in scientific research.
Roberta Torricella was born in Vercelli (VC), on 05/07/1986.
In 2009 she obtained a three-year degree in Biology and in March 2012 a master’s degree in Biology of Health at the University of Bologna.
In the laboratory, she deals with the management, monitoring and reporting of research projects, covering the role of Project Manager.
She loves reading and traveling and has a penchant for good food.
Veronica Canola was born in Bassano del Grappa (VI) on 10/11/1996.
She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Linguistic and Cultural Mediation at the University of Padua and then her Master’s degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures at the University of Ferrara. She speaks six languages: Italian (native speaker), English, German, Spanish, French and Ukrainian.
She oversees social communication and internationalization of IRET Foundation, organizing events and scheduled activities, and disseminating them on websites, social networks and during regional, national and international exhibitions.
She is fond of traveling and is constantly discovering the multitude of cultures and traditions existing in the world. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, practicing sport and relaxing by savouring good food and sipping good wine.
Staff and Guest Scientists
Vito Antonio Baldassarro was born in Foggia (FG) on 07/04/1987. In 2011 he achieved his master’s degree in biotechnology at the University of Bologna, performing his Master thesis project at the Department of Biotechnology of the University of Lausanne (CH), mainly focused on cellular reprogramming.
In the same year he started following his research path, with a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology and different post-doc contracts at the University of Bologna and at the Institute of Genetic and Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC; University of Strasbourg; FR).
His main research topic skills involve in vitro models, molecular biology, imaging, and image analysis. He is currently working as Junior Researcher at the Department of Veterinary Medical Science at the University of Bologna.
He is also a professional illustrator and comic book drawer, and an amatorial musician.
Valentina Burato was born in Bologna (BO) on 20/08/1982. Her studies included Biological Sciences Degree (2006) and Biological Sciences Specialist Degree with a Health specialization (2009) at the University of Bologna.
She worked for 10 years in an analytical chemistry laboratory as a researcher developing methods based on analysis in liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry detection for the determination of veterinary drugs in different biological matrices.
At IRET she performs multiparametric assays using the Luminex platform and traditional ELISA on biological fluids. She is quality assurance for the accreditation of industrial research laboratories and innovation centers. In her free time, she enjoys reading, gardening and traveling with her family.
Maura Cescatti was born in Trento (TN) on 10/10/1980. In 2005 she graduated in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at the University of Bologna. In 2011 she obtained the PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Bologna.
From 2005 to 2015 she held scholarships and research grants at the Neuropathology laboratory, coordinated by prof. Piero Parchi, dealing mainly with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (or prion diseases).
She has been part of the research group of the IRET Foundation since 2015. In the laboratory, she deals in particular with protein dosages with immunoenzymatic methods and with certified studies. She likes travelling, reading and to spend time with her family.
Lucia di Caporiacco was born in Bagno a Ripoli (FI) on 07/02/2001.
In March 2025 she graduated cum laude in Medical Biotechnology at the University of Bologna, with a thesis based on the use of human endothelial cells to induce the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells.
In the laboratory, she mainly works with cell cultures, immunocytochemistry and molecular biology.
She loves nature in all its aspects, and during her free time she loves reading and dedicating to her plants care.
Manuela Galeotti was born in Faenza (RA) on 17/12/1999.
In March 2024, she graduated in Animal Biotechnology at the University of Bologna with an experimental thesis at the Department of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Ghent (BE) concerning the isolation and characterisation of porcine mesenchymal stem cells.
In the laboratory, she mainly works on cell cultures, in particular on the development of cell platforms for drug delivery on neural models.
Manuela is a lover of mountains and nature; she also enjoys reading and taking long walks with friends.
Alessandro Giuliani was born in Rivoli (TO) on 09/01/1971. He is currently Graduated Technician, technical-scientific area (EP category) at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Bologna.
In 1998 he graduated in Biological Sciences at the University of Modena.
In 2003 he obtained PhD Title in Biotechnological Application in Neuromorphophysiology at the University of Bologna.
From 2003 to February 2006, he was a “research fellow” at the faculty of Veterinary Medicine at University of Bologna.
In 1999, together with Dr.Luciana Giardino, he received an award in Paris for “poster presentation” at the Workshop “Neurocognitive impairment in Schizophrenic and Alzheimer’s disorders: Therapeutics Approaches”.
From May 2003 until January 2004, he obtained a “post-doc position” at Karolinska Instituttet, Dept of Enviromental medicine at the laboratory of Prof.S anda Ceccatelli, of the in Stockholm, Sweden.
In the laboratory, he deals with imaging techniques (image acquisition and analysis) in traditional and confocal laser scanning microscopy, animal modelling for the study of neurodegenerative diseases, microsurgery, behavioral tests and biology techniques in cells culture.
Marco Gusciglio was born in Bologna (BO) on 05/10/1974.
He has worked for several years at the laboratory where he is responsible for housing experimental animals and routine maintenance of the equipment that supports the enclosure for its operation. He is also supportive in the behavioral tests that take place in the laboratory.
He is married to Alessandra and has a daughter named Sara.
His hobbies are: gardening, eating some good food and long walks, possibly in our beautiful mountains.
Luca Lorenzini was born in Bologna (BO) on 30/12/1978. He graduated in Veterinary Medicine and Specialized in laboratory animal science and medicine. He worked as a researcher at the University of Bologna and as a veterinarian for pharmaceutical companies and public research institutes. Since December 2021 he is Associate Professor at the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences of the University of Bologna.
The main focus of his scientific activity is represented by the study of lesions and degenerative diseases of the nervous system, in particular strategies to counter early pathogenic phenomena such as neuroinflammation and the interference of environmental pollutants with neurodevelopment. Further activities aim at “replacement” in animal experimentation, through the development of advanced 3D culture systems, also starting from embryonic and neural stem cells.
He loves reading and sports. He has the goal of completing the six most important marathons in the world (Abbott Majors) by 2025 before stopping running and dedicating himself exclusively to bike adventures.
Marzia Moretti was born in Turin (TO) on 28/04/1992.
She is currently a PhD student in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Bologna. In 2020, she obtained her master’s degree at the University of Bologna with honors in Animal Biotechnology. In the laboratory, she deals with animal models including contusion spinal cord injury and microscopy techniques like confocal microscopy.
She loves trekking, reading and has a passion for photography.
Corinne Quadalti was born in Bologna on 25/07/1988. She earned her Master’s degree in Animal Biotechnology in 2013 and her Ph.D. in Clinical Veterinary Sciences in 2017 from the University of Bologna.
She conducted her doctoral research at AVANTEA srl and spent her study abroad period at the MRC-MBU in Cambridge.
From 2017 to 2019, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Hematology-Oncology Center of Perugia (CREO) after winning an AIRC Fellowship focused on generating models of acute myeloid leukemia using CRISPR/Cas9 technology.
From 2020 to 2023, she was a postdoctoral researcher at the Neuropathology Laboratory of the IRCCS-ISNB in Bologna, where she focused primarily on synucleinopathies and Alzheimer’s disease.
In the lab, she primarily works on creating 2D and 3D in vitro models using induced pluripotent stem cells and gene editing.
She loves spending her free time with her dog, going on long walks, reading, and tending to her collection of succulents.
Michele Sannia was born on 18/04/1990 in Lima (PE). He obtained a master’s degree in Animal Biotechnology at the University of Bologna in 2017.
He finished his studies with a dissertation project about the course of Alzheimer’s disease in its preclinical phase, specifically in its histopathological and behavioral aspects, in order to try to counteract the progression of pathology.
In the laboratory he is responsible for animal modeling in the study of neurodegenerative diseases, but he also deals with neurological, behavioral, locomotor testing and microsurgery.
Michele is a great sea lover, he really likes Sardinia and sports in general. He has played football for several years, even on a professional level.
Emily Satanassi was born in Bentivoglio (BO) on 02/07/1999.
In December 2023 she graduated in Biotechnology for Translational Medicine at the University of Ferrara, with an experimental thesis on the evaluation of gene expression and immunomodulation of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells, during osteogenic differentiation.
In the laboratory, she is mainly involved in the development of cellular platforms for drug delivery on human and murine primary cell cultures.
In her spare time, she enjoys playing sports and reading detective stories and thrillers.
Ottavia Veronesi was born in Bologna on 24/11/2001.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and Animal Production Technologies from the University of Parma and subsequently a master’s degree in Animal Biotechnology from the University of Bologna. She completed her studies with a thesis project focused on the characterization of a new GRIN2A mouse model.
She is currently a research fellow at DIMEVET at the University of Bologna and works at the IRET Foundation.
In the lab, she primarily conducts in vivo experiments.
She loves the mountains and animals, especially exotic ones. She spends her free time reading manga, watching horror movies, or building with LEGO.
Alessandro Vitola was born in Castrovillari (CS) on 30/04/1994.
In 2024, he graduated in Animal Biotechnology at the University of Bologna with a thesis on the application of ALCOA and FAIR principles in animal experimentation.
He is currently a research fellow at CIRI SdV-University of Bologna and works at Fondazione IRET.
In the laboratory, he is mainly involved in in vivo experimentation.
