About
Summary
Filomena Massa, PhD
Mobile: +39 347 37 07 438
Email: [email protected]
Positions
Telethon Research Fellow 2023 -
San Raffaele Scientific Institute
Principal Investigator - Prof. Giorgio Nevio Casari
Research Project - Regulating the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) for treating hereditary spastic paraplegia type 7 (SPG7)
Scientific Committee member for TIGEM retreat abstract evaluation May 2022 - May 2022
Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM)
Evaluation of abstracts for the choice of scientific program and speakers during the TIGEM retreat
Master’s thesis an technitian former and supervisor Apr 2021 - Oct 2022
Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM)
Master student: Rosa Saurino
Technicians: Marta Molinari and Claudia Crina
Telethon Postdoctoral Research Fellow 2020 - 2022
Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM)
Principal Investigator - Dr. Alessia Indrieri
Research Project – Evaluation of miR-181a/b as new therapeutic targets for mitochondria-related optic neuropathies (Autosomal Dominant Optic Neuropathy-ADOA, Leber’s Hereditary Optyc Neuropathy- LHON, Glaucoma and Parkinson’s Disease-PD)
Telethon Postdoctoral Research Fellow 2020 - 2020
Principal Investigator - Prof. Luca Scorrano
Research Project – Identification of Optic atrophy 1 dependent signals in retinal ganglion cells
Master’s thesis and Technician former and supervisor Mar 2018 - Dec 2019
Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM)
Master student: Giulia Gentile (Università di Bologna)
Technician: Lorenzo Patanella
Telethon Postdoctoral Research Fellow 2018 - 2020
Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM)
Principal Investigator - Prof. Giorgio Nevio Casari
Research Project – Neurodegeneration of mitochondrial origin
Education
University of Naples Federico II, Italy
Field of study: Medical Biotechnology
Degree: Master Degree - 110/110
Master student in cell biology- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Naples (NA), Italy
Supervisor - Prof. Brunella Franco
Research Project - Characterization of the role of OFD1 protein, responsible of Oro-facio-digital syndrome type 1, in neuronal differentiation.
Thesis title: OFD1 regulates the degradation of specific intracellular signaling mediators: implications for ciliopathies and Oro-Facio-Digital type1 syndrome
PhD - European School of Molecular Medicine – SEMM (Università degli Studi “Federico II”, Naples, Italy, and Università degli studi di Milano, Italy) 2014 - 2018
Field of study: PhD in Systems Medicine (curriculum in Human Genetics)
Degree: Excellent
Supervisor - Prof. Brunella Franco
Research Project - Study and characterization of the role of Ubiquitin specific protease 14 (Usp14) in cilia biology and Hedgehog signaling transduction
Thesis title: The Ubiquitin-Specific protease USP14 controls ciliogenesis and the hedgehog pathway
Skills
Technical Skills
Hands on experience in a broad variety of in vitro techniques of molecular and cellular biology:
Eukaryotic cell cultures, gene silencing and transfection
Generation of engineered stable cell line
Immunoprecipitation and subcellular fractionation
Mitochondria isolation from tissues and cells
Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) analysis
Mitochondria morphology analysis
Western Blotting in cells and tissues to analyze cellular and mitochondrial signaling pathway (i.e. mitochondria dynamics and biogenesis, mitophagy)
Immunofluorescence analysis in cells and flatten retina
Confocal microscopy techniques
Cloning techniques
Embryonic Stem Cell Cultures and differentiation in embryoid body and neuronal cells
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) , Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Prism,
EndNote
Murine in vivo techniques:
Basic animal manipulation
Optic nerve crush
Retina extraction from pups and adult mice eyes
Professional interests
My main research interest is focus on the study of molecular players and signaling cascade involved in mitochondrial dysfunctions with the aim to identify new therapeutic targets for Mitochondrial Diseases (i.e. Autosomal Dominant Optic Neuropathy (ADOA), Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), Glaucoma, Parkinson Disease (PD) and Spastic Paraplegia type 7 (SPG7)). I have a background in human genetics, analysis of signaling pathways and mitochondrial biology (including mitochondria dynamics, mitophagy and mito-biogenesis), with specific training and expertise in key research areas, including molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, and murine mouse models. In addition, my training plan is improving my mentoring ability by student coaching, grant writing and participation to workshops and congresses, thus whising to become an independent investigator.
Keywords: Cell culture and protein analysis (WB, IF, IP, FACS), Cellular and mitochondrial signaling , iPSC differentiation, Mitochondria-associated process and diseasesCV
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