Gruppi di Ricerca

Patogeni emergenti e riemergenti, opportunistici, respiratori e infezioni in gravidanza - Gruppo di Ricerca

REFERENTE - GROUP LEADER

Prof. BALDANTI Fausto

CURRICULUM VITAE REFERENTE

GROUP MEMBERS

Alice Bonetti, Patrizia Cambieri, Milena Furione, Daniele Lilleri, Maurizio Parea, Daniela Barbarini, Antonella Bruno, Giulia Campanini, Caterina Cavanna, Giuditta Comolli, Marta Corbella, Roberta Maserati, Cristina Merla, Vincenzina Monzillo, Stefania Paolucci, Antonio Piralla, Francesca Rovida, Antonella Sarasini, Jessica Bagnarino, Irene Cassaniti, Federica Zavaglio, Stefano Gaiarsa, Ambra Vola, Paola Zelini, Dalila Mele, Daniela Sartori, Federica Giardina, Josè Camilla Sammartino.

RESEARCH PROJECTS

Clinical and translational research activity is focused on: i) development and clinical validation of novel molecular, serological and immunological assays for diagnosis and monitoring of viral diseases; ii) study of pathogenetic aspects of viral infections during pregnancy and identification of prognostic parameters; iii) study of pathogenesis of viral opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals and identification of markers of disease risk and progression; iv) molecular epidemiology of emerging (Arboviruses, Picornaviruses, HEV etc.), re-emerging (rubella, measles etc.) and respiratory (Influenzaviruses, Coronaviruses, Picornaviruses, Paramixoviruses etc.) viral infections; v) pathogenesis of virus-related tumors; vi) molecular mechanisms of bacterial and viral drug-resistance; vii) antimicrobial stewardship and molecular surveillance of multi drug resistant microorganisms.
5 BEST PAPERS
- Piralla A et al. Fulminant echovirus 11 hepatitis in male non-identical twins in northern Italy, April 2023. Euro Surveill. 2023 Jun;28(24):2300289. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.24.2300289. PMID: 37318763; PMCID: PMC10318938.
- Cassaniti I et al. Preliminary results on an autochthonous dengue outbreak in Lombardy Region, Italy, August 2023. Euro Surveill. 2023 Sep;28(37). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.37.2300471. PMID: 37707980.
- Gervais A et al. Autoantibodies neutralizing type I IFNs underlie West Nile virus encephalitis in ∼40% of patients. J Exp Med. 2023 Sep 4;220(9):e20230661. doi: 10.1084/jem.20230661. Epub 2023 Jun 22. PMID: 37347462; PMCID: PMC10287549.
- Lilleri D et al. Prevalence, Outcome, and Prevention of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection in Neonates Born to Women With Preconception Immunity (CHILd Study). Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Feb 8;76(3):513-520. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac482. PMID: 35717635; PMCID: PMC9907511.
- De Gasparo R et al. Bispecific IgG neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 variants and prevents escape in mice. Nature. 2021 May;593(7859):424-428. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03461-y. Epub 2021 Mar 25. Erratum in: Nature. 2021 Sep;597(7874):E2. PMID: 33767445.
AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY

NGS, flow cytometry, maldi-tof, ELISPOT, BSL3 labs.
RUNNING FUNDS
- Ricerca Finalizzata RF-2019-12370797 «Novel prediction markers for preventing Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) reactivation in the era of game changer inhibitors of viral packaging and egress”, 15/06/2021-14/06/2024;
- Bando CCM 2022 SURVEID “Studio pilota per la sorveglianza di potenziali minacce da malattie infettive emergenti (EIDs) di origine virale mediante una piattaforma diagnostica basata sul sequenziamento metagenomico di nuova generazione (mNGS), 9/12/2022-8/12/2024;
- Progetto Europeo Horizon 2020 “Antibody therapy against coronavirus (COVID-2019)”, ATAC, 1/04/2020-31/7/2023;
- Ricerca Finalizzata PE-2016-02362470 “Signature of immune protection from human cytomegalovirus infection and their application to a vaccine design”, 01/12/2018-30/11/2023;
- Ricerca Corrente 80728 “Characterization of the role of innate immune cells in SARS-CoV2 infection: an integrated multidisciplinary approach” 01/07/21- 30/06/2024;
- Ricerca Corrente 80206 “Sorveglianza ed epidemiologia molecolare delle infezioni da virus emergenti”, 01/01/2015-31/12/2023;
- Ricerca Corrente 5x1000 cod. 90000X120A «In vitro model for the study of SARS-CoV-2 infection of lung. Acronym: VISION», 01/07/2021-01/07/2024;
- Ricerca Corrente 80222 “Real-Time bioinformatic surveillance of nosocomial infections and multidrug resistant bacteria to improve infection control”, 01/07/2018-30/06/2024;
- Ricerca Corrente 08074822 «Correlation of Toxoplasma gondii serotypes circulating in Italy and clinical manifestations”, 01/01/2023-31/12/2024;
- Ricerca Corrente 08068122 “Phylogenetic characteristics of different Candida species and their impact on the clinical picture of patients with Invasive Candidiasis. What has changes during the COVID pandemic?”, 01/01/2023-31/12/2024;
- Ricerca Corrente 08073922 “Evaluation of molecular and phenotypic testing of non-tuberculous Mycobacteria isolates, with emphasis on newly available drugs”, 01/01/2023-31/12/2024.
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL STRATEGIC COLLABORATIONS

CovidNET (National epidemiologic and virologic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2; InfluNet (National surveillance of Influenza virus and diagnosis of respiratory viral infection in ICU patients in Lombardy); MoRoNet (National surveillance of measles and rubella infections) GLAIT (National network on infections in transplanted patients); GLITRAVE (National network on infections in pregnancy); GLIVE (National network on emerging viral infections); GLIVIRE (National network on respiratory viral infections); EVD-LabNet (international network on diagnosis and surveillance of emerging and re-emerging viral infections in Europa); CYMAF (Antibody Mediated Control of Cytomegalovirus at the Materno-Fetal Interface); VIRONET-C (HCV Virology Italian Resistance Network Study Group); Italian HIV DNA network; ENPEN (European Enterovirus Non-Polio European Network); MaBI (Italian network on invasive bacterial diseases); EARS-Net (European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network); ENTER-NET (Italian Enteric Pathogen Network); ESGREV (European Study Group for Respiratory viruses).