CURRICULUM VITAE of Angela Risso
Born in Genova (Italy) on december 9th, 1949.
Language ability: English (written, spoken), French (written, spoken), German (spoken).
Education
1968-1971: student in Biology at the University of Genoa. Scientific training at the Institute of Biochemistry of the School of Medicine
1972: predoctoral training at the Department of Animal Biology, in the Molecular Embryology Laboratory ("Station de Zoologie", Geneva University). Research interest: regulation of gene expression in embryos of Xenopus laevis.
1972: "laurea" in Biology (Genoa University). Thesis: Effect of Riphamycin on the phenotypic expression of R factors in E. Coli.
1973-1976: post-doctoral training at the Laboratory of Immunology directed by Prof. B. Pernis (Institute of Environmental Health, Genoa University). Research interests: membrane immunoglobulins in human lymphocytes from normal individuals and patients with lymphoid leukemias, receptor for immunoglobulins and process of Ig secretion.
1973-1976: postgraduated at the School of Medicine, Genoa University; topics: “Medical Microbiology”.
Professional experience
1976-1981: part-time researcher at the Biochemistry Institute (Genoa University). Research interests: production and characterization of murine monoclonal antibodies directed to membrane antigens of human lymphocytes.
1981-1984: full-time researcher at the Biochemistry Institute Research interests: identification, separation and functional characterization of human T cell subsets both in normal and in pathological conditions, biochemical analysis of human T cell antigens.
1984: short term research fellowship at the Immunology Department of Budapest University. Research interests: activation of human B lymphocytes by anti-human IgD and IgM monoclonal antibodies.
1985-1991: researcher at the Immunobiology Laboratory, National Institute for Cancer research (Genoa University). Research interests: human T lymphocyte activation, biochemical and functional analysis of antigens related to the alternative pathways of human T cell activation.
1986: short term research fellowship at the Immunology Department of Budapest University. Research interests: proliferation and immunoglobulin production by human B cell subsets in response to different stimuli.
1987-1988: sabbatical year spent at the Immunology Department of the German Cancer Institute of Heidelberg (laboratory directed by prof. W.Droege). Research interest: biochemical mechanisms of signal transduction in activated lymphocytes.
1992-2002: researcher at the Biotechnology Department (1992-2000) and at the Biology and agro-industrial economics Department ( 2001-2003) of the University of Udine, then at the Department of agricultural and environmental sciences (University od Udine) up today. Research interests: apoptosis in human thymocytes, cytotoxic effects on human normal and malignant lymphoid cells of synthetic peptides with microbicidal activity, biochemical functions of mitochondria during apoptosis, lymphocyte activation in clinorotation, lifespan of red blood cells and neocytolysis
Scientific Societies:
SIB, Società Italiana di Biochimica, since 1993.
ASM, American Society of Microbiology 2001-2003.
Teaching experience:
Dr Risso has been teaching Biochemistry since 1983 at the Schools of medicine (University of Genova and then University of Udine) either in laboratory biochemistry techniques courses or in formal courses as assistant professor.
Honors and awards: short term fellowships by CNR (Italian National Research Council) in 1984, 1986 and 1990, long term fellowship by DKFZ (German Centre for Cancer Research) in 1988, short term fellowship by UICC in 1987 (International Union Against Cancer)
Grant:
principal investigator of a research project funded by A.S.I. ( Italian Space Agency),
Contract Code : I/R/360/02. Title of the project: Effects of microgravity on human lymphocyte activation: study on stimulation mediated by CD69 molecule and proteomic analysis of protein expression profile during activation in mimicked g0.
List of publications (only papers related to blood cell biology)
1 M.E. Cosulich, A. Risso, W. Canonica and A. Bargellesi.(1986). Functional characterization of a regulatory human T cell subpopulation increasing during autologous MLR. Immunology. 57, 265-273
2 M.E. Cosulich, A. Rubartelli, A. Risso, F. Cozzolino and A. Bargellesi. (1987). Functional characterization of a new antigen involved in an early step of T cell activation. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 4205-4209.
3 A. Risso, M.E. Cosulich, M. R. Mazza and A. Bargellesi (1987) Functional and biochemical characterization of a human T cell antigen related to the T3-Ti activation pathway. Cell.Immunol. 110, 413-424.
4 A. Risso, M.E. Cosulich, A. Rubartelli, M. R. Mazza and A. Bargellesi.(1989) MLR3 molecule is an activation antigen shared by human T, B lymphocytes and T cell precursors. Europ. J. of Immunol. 19, 323-328
5 M.E. Cosulich, A. Risso, M.R. Mazza, D. Smilovich, M.C. Capra, A. Massa, S. Costanzi, I. Baldissarro, W. Droege and A. Bargellesi (1989) Functional and biochemical characterization of the activation antigen defined by MLR3 mab. Leukocyte typing IV. Eds. Knapp, Dorken, Gilks, Rieber, Schmidt, Steim, von den Borne. Oxford University Press (Oxford), 432-435.
6 S. Mihm, A. Risso, M. Stoer, F. Oberdorfer, W. Droege. (1989). Down regulation of T cell growth factor production by ornithine decarboxylase and its product putrescine: D,L a -difluoro- methylornithine suppresses general protein synthesis but augments simultaneously the production of interleukin 2. Experimental cell research 180,383-398.
7 A. Risso, D. Smilovich, M.C. Capra, I. Baldissarro, G. Yan , A.Bargellesi, M.E. Cosulich. (1991). CD69 in resting and activated T lymphocytes: its association with a GTP binding protein and biochemical requirements for its expression. Journal of Immunology 146, 4105-4114.
8 Gavioli R., Spisani S., Giuliani A.L., Cosulich M.E., Risso A., Traniello S. (1991). CD 16 and CR3 receptors distinguish between the two mechanisms of tumour cytotoxicity in neutrophils. Br.J Haematol. 1991,79: 170-178.
9 R. Gavioli, A. Risso, D. Smilovich, I. Baldissarro, M.C. Capra, A. Bargellesi and E. Cosulich (1992). CD69 molecule in human neutrophils: its expression and role in signal transducing mechanisms. Cellular Immunology: 162, 186-196.
10 M.Tiso, R. Gangemi, A. Bargellesi Severi, S. Pizzolitto, M. Fabbi and A. Risso. (1995) Spontaneous apoptosis in human tymocytes. Am. Journal of Pathology 147, 434-444.
11 Skerlavaj B, Gennaro R, Bagella L, Merluzzi L, Risso A and Zanetti M(1996) Biological characterization of two novel cathelicidin-derived peptides and identification of structural requirements for their antimicrobial and cell lytic activities. J. Biol. Chem. 271: 28375-28381
12 Risso A., Zanetti M. and Gennaro R. (1998) Cytotoxicity and apoptosis mediated by two peptides of innate immunity. Cell. Immun. 189,107-115.
13 Skerlavaj B., Benincasa M., M. Scocchi, A.Risso, Zanetti M., Gennaro R.. (1999) SMAP-29: a potent antibacterial and antifungal peptide from sheep leukocytes. FEBS Letters, 463, 58-62.
14 Risso A. Leukocyte antimicrobial peptides: multifunctional effector molecules of innate immunity. (2000) Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 68, 785-792.
15 Skerlavaj B., Scocchi M., Gennaro R., Risso A., Zanetti M. Structural and functional analysis of horse cathelicidin peptides. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (2001)
16 Astori G, Malangone W, Adami V, Risso A, Dorotea L, Falasca E, Marini L, Spizzo R, Bigi L, Sala P, Tonutti E, Biffoni F, Rinaldi C, Del Frate G, Pittino M, Degrassi A.(2001) A novel protocol that allows short-term stem cell expansion of both committed and pluripotent hematopoietic progenitor cells suitable for clinical use. Blood Cells Mol Dis., 27, 715-24; discussion 725-7.
17 Risso A, Braidot E, Sordano MC, Vianello A, Macri F, Skerlavaj B, Zanetti M, Gennaro R, Bernardi P. (2002) BMAP-28, an antibiotic peptide of innate immunity, induces cell death through opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Mol Cell Biol 22, 1926-35.
18 Rapozzi V, Cogoi S, Spessotto P, Risso A, Bonora GM, Quadrifoglio F, Xodo LE. (2002) Antigene effect in K562 cells of a PEG-conjugated triplex-forming oligonucleotide targeted to the bcr/abl oncogene. Biochemistry., 41, 502-10.
19 Risso A., Tell G., Vascotto C., Costessi A., Arena S., Scaloni A., Cosulich M.E. (2005) Activation of human T lymphocytes under conditions similar to those that occur during exposure to microgravity : a proteomics study. Proteomics, 5, 1827-1837.
20 Adami V, Malangone W, Falasca E, Marini L, Risso A, Crini S, Toniutti E et al.(2005). A closed system for the clinical banking of umbilical cord blood. Blood Cells Mol Dis., 35: 389-97.