Carla Montesano, PhD Dipartimento di Biologia – Università di Roma Tor Vergata
- Professore Associato di Patologia Generale e Immunologia per il SSD MED/04 Patologia generale presso il Dipartimento di Biologia dell'Università di Roma Tor Vergata (2024)
-Ricercatrice a tempo indeterminato di Patologia Generale e Immunologia (2007)
- Dal 2023 è Presidente della Cattedra Interdisciplinare UNESCO in Biotecnologie e Bioetica, di cui è membro dal 2000.
Attività di ricerca CM ha una lunga e specifica attività di ricerca nel campo dell'immunologia, dell'interazione ospite-patogeno e delle sue implicazioni nello sviluppo di strategie diagnostiche e vaccinali, nonché nel campo della regolazione dell'espressione genica mediata da microRNA, in particolare nell'analisi degli effetti dei microRNA di origine vegetale sulla salute umana, sul cancro e sulla risposta immunitaria.
Corsi Patologia generale, Immunologia, Immunologia applicata e attività a scelta "Salute, nutrizione e sviluppo sostenibile" per i corsi di laurea magistrale in "Biologia molecolare e cellulare e scienze biomediche", "Biotecnologie mediche", "Farmacia" e "Biotecnologie" (questi ultimi due come corsi in lingua inglese).
Progetti rilevanti - Coordinatrice del progetto H2020 "Science with and for Society" della Commissione Europea Progetto STARBIOS2 Structural Transformation to Attain Responsible BIOSciences (2016-2020) sulla ricerca e l'innovazione responsabili. - Coordinatore del progetto H2020 "Science with and for Society" della Commissione Europea Progetto RESBIOS - Responsible Research in Biosciences (2020-2023) sulla ricerca e l'innovazione responsabili (2020-2023). - Progetto H2020 - WIDESPREAD-2018-2020 "CANVAS- Enhancing Cancer Vaccine Science for New Therapy Pathways". CANVAS (2022-2025) - Progetto H2020"Science with and for Society" STEPCHANGE "Science Transformation in EuroPe through Citizens involvement in HeAlth, coNservation and enerGy rEsearch - Citizen Science Initiative on COVID-19 and other infectious disease outbreak in Italy on Infectious disease outbreak preparedness" (2021-2024). - Progetto Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR), Missione 4 Istruzione e Ricerca, Dalla Ricerca all'Impresa, 'Ecosistemi di Innovazione', finanziato dall'UE - NextGeneration EU: 'Rome Technopole'. "Out-reach, public engagement, lifelong learning" (2022-oggi) - Programma H2020 CE "Swafs". Progetto DIOSI - Developing and Implementing hands on training on Open Science and Open Innovation for Early Career Researchers (2021-23) - Coordinatore del Progetto "Progetti Gruppi di Ricerca 2020" LazioInnova "Immunizzazione facile da usare contro il COvid-19" ETICO (2021-2023)
Progetti per l'organizzazione e il potenziamento di laboratori diagnostici e di ricerca e per la formazione di personale biomedico e studenti in Africa: - Programma di dottorato in collaborazione tra l'Università di Roma Tor Vergata e l'Università Evangelica del Camerun con titolo riconosciuto da entrambe le università (2017-oggi) - Programma di emergenza in Sierra Leone per combattere l'epidemia di Ebola finanziato dalla Conferenza Episcopale Italiana e dal Ministero degli Affari Esteri - Cooperazione Internazionale - MAECI e in collaborazione con ONG locali e italiane (2015-2018). - "Piano d'azione di Bengasi per l'organizzazione e la riqualificazione del Centro di Bengasi per le malattie infettive e l'immunologia" e il trattamento dell'infezione pediatrica da HIV Bengasi Libia finanziato dall'UE (2005-2008). - Progetto di cooperazione Italia-Marocco L.212/92 - Institut National d'Hygiène finanziato dal Ministero degli Affari Esteri (2004-2006).
Network - Presidente della Cattedra Interdisciplinare UNESCO in Biotecnologie e Bioetica per il Programma UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs dell'UNESCO per la promozione della cooperazione interuniversitaria internazionale e del networking per il miglioramento delle capacità istituzionali attraverso la condivisione delle conoscenze e il lavoro Cofondatrice dell'International Network for Responsible Biosciences, uno spazio per la comunità delle bioscienze per condividere le conoscenze nell’ambito della Ricerca e Innovazione Responsabili e della Scienza Aperta/Open Science, e incoraggiando approcci multi-, inter- e trans-disciplinari. - Membro del 'Gruppo Europeo di Biotecnologie del Parco Scientifico di Tor Vergata' Eurobiopark, associazione no-profit formata da professori e ricercatori del mondo della ricerca e della formazione di Roma per il trasferimento tecnologico verso i Paesi in via di sviluppo - Programmi di diffusione della cultura scientifica e di sensibilizzazione ai temi della salute nelle scuole superiori e sul territorio.
Pubblicazioni recenti rilevanti · Ka'e AC et al. Inflammatory profile of vertically HIV-1 infected adolescents receiving ART in Cameroon: a contribution toward optimal pediatric HIV control strategies. Front. Immunol. (2023) 14:1239877. · Aissatou A et al. Pre-existing immunity to SARS-CoV-2 before the COVID-19 pandemic era in Cameroon: A comparative analysis according to HIV status. Front. Immunol. (2023) 14:1155855. · Roglia V, Exogenous miRNAs from Moringa oleifera Lam. recover a dysregulated lipid metabolism. Front. Mol. Biosci.(2022) 9:1012359 · Minutolo A et al. Plant microRNAs from Moringa oleifera regulate immune response and HIV infection Front. Pharmacol. Front Pharmacol. (2021) 11:620038. · Potestà, M et al. Effect of microvesicles from Moringa oleifera containing miRNA on proliferation and apoptosis in tumor cell lines. Cell Death Discovery (2020) 6(1),43 · Minutolo A et al. Olea europaea small RNA with functional homology to human miR34a in cross-kingdom interaction of anti-tumoral response. Sci Rep. (2018) 17;8(1):12413. · Glynn JR et al. Asymptomatic infection and unrecognised Ebola virus disease in Ebola-affected households in Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional study using a new non-invasive assay for antibodies to Ebola virus. Lancet Infect Dis.(2017) 17(6):645-653.
Carla Montesano, PhD
Department of Biology - University of Rome Tor Vergata
Office: +39 06 72594237
montesano@uniroma2.it
· Associate Professor of General Pathology and Immunology MED/04-General Pathology at the Department of Biology - University of Rome Tor Vergata
· Since 2023 CM is President of the UNESCO Interdisciplinary Chair in Biotechnology and Bioethics of which she has been a member since 2000.
Research activity
CM has a long specific track of research activities in the field of immunology, host-pathogen interaction and their implications in the development of diagnostic and vaccine strategies as well as in the field of microRNA-mediated gene expression regulation, particularly in the analysis of the effects of plant-derived microRNAs on human health, cancer and immune response.
Academic courses
General Pathology, Immunology, Applied Immunology and elective course “Health, Nutrition and sustainable development” for MSc degree courses in “Molecular and Cellular Biology and Biomedical Science”, “Medical Biotechnology”, “Pharmacy” and “Biotechnology” (the latter two as international courses in English language)
Most relevant projects
– Coordinator of the H2020 “Science with and for Society” Program of European Commission Project STARBIOS2Structural Transformation to Attain Responsible BIOSciences project (2016-2020) on Responsible Research and Innovation
– Coordinator of the H2020 “Science with and for Society” Program of European Commission Project RESBIOS – Responsible Research in Biosciences project (2020-2023) on Responsible Research and Innovation (2020-2023)
– WIDESPREAD-2018-2020 “CANVAS- Enhancing Cancer Vaccine Science for New Therapy Pathways”. CANVAS (2022-2025)
– H2020 EC “Swafs” Program. STEPCHANGE Project “Science Transformation in EuroPe through Citizens involvement in HeAlth, coNservation and enerGy rEsearch – Citizen Science Initiative on COVID-19 and other infectious disease outbreak in Italy on Infectious disease outbreak preparedness” (2021-2024)
– Progetto Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza (PNRR), Mission 4 Education and Research, From Research to Enterprise, 'Innovation Ecosystems', funded by the EU – NextGeneration EU: 'Rome Technopole'. "Out-reach, public engagement, lifelong learning" (2022-today)
– H2020 EC “Swafs” Program. DIOSI Project - Developing and Implementing hands on training on Open Science and Open Innovation for Early Career Researchers (2021-23)
– Coordinator of the "Progetti Gruppi di Ricerca 2020" LazioInnova Project “ Easy-To-use Immunization against COvid-19” ETICO (2021-2023)
Projects for the organization and upgrading of diagnostic and research laboratories and of training for biomedical personnel and students in Africa:
– Cooperation Italia-Marocco Project L.212/92 - Institut National d’Hygie?ne funded by Ministery of Foreign Affairs (2004-2006).
– "Benghazi Action Plan for organization and re-qualification of Benghazi Centre for Infection Diseases and Immunology” and the treatment of HIV pediatric infection Benghazi Libya funded by EU (2005-2008).
– Emergency Program in Sierra Leone to fight the Ebola epidemics funded by Italian Episcopal Conference and Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - International cooperation – MAECI and in collaboration with local and Italian NGOs (2015-2018)
– Collaborative PhD programme between the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the Evangelical University of Cameroon with title recognized by both universities (2017-today)
Networks
· Chair holder of UNESCO Interdisciplinary Chair in Biotechnology and Bioethics for the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme of UNESCO for promoting international inter-university cooperation and networking to enhance institutional capacities through knowledge sharing and collaborative work (Chair holder since 2023-today; member since 2000)
· Co-founder of the International Network for Responsible Biosciences, a space for the bioscience community to share knowledge using the Responsible Research and Innovation and Open Science framework, and encourage multi-, inter- and trans-disciplinary approaches (2022-today)
· Member of 'European Biotechnology Group of the Tor Vergata Science Park' Eurobiopark, a non-profit association formed by professors and researchers from research and training in Rome for technology transfer to developing countries. (2019-today)
· Programs for disseminating scientific culture and raise awareness of health issues in high schools and city districts.
Recent Relevant Publications
· Ka'e AC et al. Inflammatory profile of vertically HIV-1 infected adolescents receiving ART in Cameroon: a contribution toward optimal pediatric HIV control strategies. Front. Immunol. (2023) 14:1239877.
· Aissatou A et al. Pre-existing immunity to SARS-CoV-2 before the COVID-19 pandemic era in Cameroon: A comparative analysis according to HIV status. Front. Immunol. (2023) 14:1155855.
· Roglia V, Exogenous miRNAs from Moringa oleifera Lam. recover a dysregulated lipid metabolism. Front. Mol. Biosci.(2022) 9:1012359
· Minutolo A et al. Plant microRNAs from Moringa oleifera regulate immune response and HIV infection Front. Pharmacol. Front Pharmacol. (2021) 11:620038.
· Potestà, M et al. Effect of microvesicles from Moringa oleifera containing miRNA on proliferation and apoptosis in tumor cell lines. Cell Death Discovery (2020) 6(1),43
· Minutolo A et al. Olea europaea small RNA with functional homology to human miR34a in cross-kingdom interaction of anti-tumoral response. Sci Rep. (2018) 17;8(1):12413. · Glynn JR et al. Asymptomatic infection and unrecognised Ebola virus disease in Ebola-affected households in Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional study using a new non-invasive assay for antibodies to Ebola virus. Lancet Infect Dis.(2017) 17(6):645-653.