Institutes

Experimental neuropathology

team-item

Group leader

Angelo Quattrini

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In the laboratory, we are interested in understanding the pathogenic mechanisms that cause neurodegeneration in the peripheral and central nervous systems and identifying useful therapies. We take advantages of animal and cellular disease models in order to gain comprehensive insight into disease processes.

Research activity

1. Defining peripheral nerve environment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: the aim of present project is to investigate the molecular pathways underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis pathogenesis within the peripheral nervous system in human motor nerve biopsies.

2. The role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) components in inflammatory and hematological malignancies-related neuropathies: we hypothesize that ECM changes influence peripheral neuropathies (PN) by modulating Schwann cells differentiation, inflammation and the environment for axonal regeneration. Knowledge on how inflammation and ECM conspire during inflammatory PN and related malignancies will provide information on potential therapeutic targets.

3. New biomaterials for nerve regeneration: we have developed in collaboration with the Salento University a new micro-patterned collagen scaffold obtained by means of low cost spinning technique, based on thermodynamic and sedimentation phenomena to control pore size gradient and orientation, without the use of any complex mold. The main purpose of our project is to assess the extent of nerve regeneration induced by novel collagen scaffold and to dissect the biological events that occur inside the conduit in nerve repair in vivo.