Team members
The clinical microbiology laboratories are “living“ entity fed by the enthusiasm of its members that are inspired by the curiosity to discover new things every day.
Prof. Roberto (Maria Antonio) Di Marco, MD, PhD
Degree in medicine and surgery (MD)
Resident in Microbiology and Virology
Resident in Clinical Pathology
PhD in Microbiological Sciences
Group Leader
Full Professor of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology
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roberto.dimarco@unict.it
Skype: roberto.dimarco
+ 39 095 738 4253
WebFax +39 1782210619
www.linkedin.com/pub/roberto-di-marco/1b/33/627
www.researchgate.net/profile/Roberto_Di_Marco/
Researcher RTA MED/07
Skills:
Molecular microbiological diagnostics;
antibiotic sensitivity testing;
cell culture set-up;
microbial genetics;
mycological diagnostics and culture
illumina sequencing; bioinformatic and statistical data analysis
Dott. Giulio Petronio Petronio, PhD
BSc in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology
PhD in Microbiological Disciplines
Head of Clinical Microbiology Laboratory at Unimol (Molise)
Prof.ssa Daria Nicolosi, PhD
Master’s Degree in Pharmacy
PhD in Microbiological Disciplines
Head of Clinical Microbiology Laboratory at Unict (Catania)
Associate Professor MEDS-03/A
Skills:
Microbiological diagnostics
Antibiotic sensitivity testing
Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of extracts of natural origin
Dott.ssa Irene Magnifico, PhD
Bachelor in Scienze Biologiche
Master in Biologia Molecolare e Cellulare
PhD in Translational and Clinical Medicine
Post-Doc
Skills:
Isolation, culture, and characterization of major aerobe and anaerobe microorganisms from clinical samples;
preparation of cell cultures;
extraction of bacterial genetic material and amplification via PCR;
cloning into plasmid vectors;
bacterial transformation.
Post-Doc
Skills:
Good Practice for the Preparation;
galenic preparations;
Expert in Galleria mellonella model;
cell culture preparation;
expert in Phyto extracts;
regulatory Affairs.
Dott. Marco Cutuli, PhD
Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology
PhD in Translational and Clinical Medicine
Dott. Antonio Guarnieri
Bachelor degree in Biological Sciences
Master’s degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology
PhD Student in Translational and Clinical Medicine
Skills:
Cell culture setup;
Cultural techniques: isolation, identification, and characterization of microorganisms from matrices of various natures;
Antibiotic susceptibility testing;
Utilization of alternative animal models such as Galleria mellonella, Limacus flavus, and Tenebrio molitor;
Advanced molecular biology techniques: extraction of nucleic acids and proteins from biological samples; amplification of genetic markers and genes of interest (PCR, NESTED-PCR, Amplicon PCR and 16S Library Preparation Workflow); electrophoretic resolution of amplified nucleic acids and extracted protein samples;
Extraction of microbial extracellular vesicles;
Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) testing;
Evaluation of microbial biofilm formation and disruption.
Skills:
Chemical and green synthesis of gold nanoparticles
Nanoparticle Characterization (UV spectra, FTIR, XRD, SEM, DLS)
BSL3 Lab experience for MTB H37RV Strains
Media Preparation and tissue culture
Pathology and Cytotoxicity analysis
Dott.ssa Farwa Mukhtar
Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology
Master’s degree in Biotechnology
PhD Student in Translational and Clinical Medicine
Dott.ssa Natasha Brancazio
Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences
Master’s degree in Biology
PhD Student in Translational and Clinical Medicine
Skills:
Cell culture setup;
Molecular biology techniques: extraction of nucleic acids and proteins from cell lysate;
Electrophoretic resolution of nucleic acids and extracted protein samples (Monodimensional electrophoresis, Western Blot, SDS-PAGE);
Immunochemical assays (ELISA);
Cultural techniques: isolation, identification, and characterization of microorganisms from matrices of various natures;
Antibiotic susceptibility testing;
Extraction of microbial extracellular vesicles.
Skills:
Cell culture setup;
Use of specific software for image analysis (ImageJ, Fiji, and Ilastik);
Design and implementation of algorithms for digital image processing;
Bioinformatic analysis and statistical analysis with R;
Data classification using traditional statistical methods (Principal Component Analysis, PCA) and advanced statistical methods (Machine Learning);
Cultural techniques: isolation, identification, and characterization of microorganisms from matrices of various natures;
Antibiotic susceptibility testing;
Extraction of microbial extracellular vesicles.
Dott.ssa Marilina Falcone
Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences
Master’s degree in Biology
PhD Student in Translational and Clinical Medicine
Skills:
Molecular technique for vector biology
DNA, RNA and Protein Extraction
Mosquito bioassay
Entomological survey
Mosquito colony maintenance
Dott.ssa Addis Temie Worku
BSc. in Biology
MSc. in Clinical Anatomy
MSc. in Applied Entomology (on going)
PhD Student in Translational and Clinical Medicine
Skills:
Preparation and characterization of biological vectors (liposomes, virosomes, and microvesicles);
Advanced molecular biology techniques: nucleic acid and protein extraction and quantification, SDS-PAGE, Western Blotting, ELISA, Single Radial Immunodiffusion, Dynamic Light Scattering/Zeta Potential, Sucrose Gradient, Chromatography;
Isolation of cells from blood and spleen for the analysis of humoral, cellular, and mucosal immune responses, including local IgA and systemic IgG analysis;
Antibiotic susceptibility testing on microbial cultures;
Cell culture: setup and maintenance of primary cells, including Mouse PBMCs;
Animal experimentation: administration of substances via intranasal, intradermal, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, and intramuscular routes; blood collection via intracardiac and retro-orbital puncture; spleen excision;
Bioinformatics analysis of biological data.
Dott.ssa Maria Di Naro
BSc in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology
PhD Student in Translational and Clinical Medicine
Alumni
Giovanna Salvatore, PhD
Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Sciences and Technologies
Master’s degree in Agricultural Sciences and Technologies
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Doctor Europaeus in Agricultural Technologies and Biotechnologies
Post-doc
Skills:
Advanced molecular biology techniques: extraction of nucleic acids from biological samples;
amplification of genetic markers and genes of interest;
electrophoretic resolution of nucleic acid amplifications;
microbial genetics;
Illumina sequencing; genotyping; bioinformatic and statistical analysis of data;
utilization of machine learning analysis and predictive modeling.
PhD student
Skills:
Enzyme immunoassays
Extraction and amplification by PCR of bacterial nucleic acids from different matrices.
Research, quantification and identification of microorganisms.
Nitric oxide and MPO production dosages.
Cell culture preparation and bacterial adhesion assays of
potentially probiotic strains in vitro and in vivo.
Use of the experimental animal model Galleria mellonella.
Dr. Noemi Venditti, PhD
Bachelor’s degree in Medical Biotechnology
Master’s degree in Biology
PhD in Translational and Clinical Medicine
Dott.ssa Laura Pietrangelo, PhD
Bachelor degree in Bioanalytical Sciences and Technologies
Master’s Degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology
PhD and Doctor Europaeus in General Microbiology
Post-doc
Cultivation techniques:
isolation, identification and characterization of microorganisms from various types of matrices;
Advanced Molecular Biology Techniques:
extraction of nucleic acids and proteins from biological samples;
amplification of genetic markers and genes of interest (PCR, NESTED-PCR, Amplicon PCR and 16S Library Preparation Workflow);
electrophoretic resolution of amplified nucleic acids and extracted protein samples (one-dimensional electrophoresis, western-blot, DGGE, 2d SDS-PAGE);
molecular cloning;
lights sequencing;
bioinformatic and statistical analysis of data (R, FPquest, PDquest, PICRUSt, STAMP, Cytoscape)