NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES / Cardiovascular Disorders
Research Interests
Cell-cell interactions and cross-talk in angiogenesis, cancer and cardiac disease
Description of Research
Research projects focus on cardiovascular diseases, with a major interest in the cross-talk between multiple cell types in the heart. In particular, the Group studies the parallelism between cardiac and vascular regeneration to develop novel therapies for cardiac ischemia. Thanks to established collaborations with multiple clinical units, the laboratory is dedicated to using cellular and animal models of human diseases, as well as of viral and non-viral gene transfer approaches.
A second interest of the Group is in the field of cancer. Based on the evidence that the heart is rarely affected by cancer, the lab is investigating the role of mechanical forces in preventing the proliferation of both cardiac and cancer cells, and identifying novel molecules and mechanical stimuli that can be exploited for both cardiac regeneration and cancer therapy.
Recent Publications
Paillard M, Abdellatif M, Andreadou I, Bär C, Bertrand L, Brundel BJJM, Chiva-Blanch G, Davidson SM, Dawson D, Di Lisa F, Evans P, Giricz Z, Hausenloy DJ, Kleinbongard P, Lezoualc’h F, Liehn E, Maack C, Maguy A, Murphy E, Perrino C, Pesce M, Rainer PP, Streckfuss-Bömeke K, Thielmann M, Tian R, Tocchetti CG, Van Der Velden J, Van Linthout S, Zacchigna S, Krieg T. Mitochondrial targets in ischaemic heart disease and heart failure, and their potential for a more efficient clinical translation. A scientific statement of the ESC Working Group on Cellular Biology of the Heart and the ESC Working Group on Myocardial Function. Eur J Heart Fail. 2025 May 4
Spazzapan M, Pegoraro S, Vuerich R, Zito G, Balduit A, Longo E, Pascolo L, Toffoli M, Meshini G, Mangogna A, Ros G, Buonomo F, Romano F, Lombardelli L, Papa G, Piccinni MP, Zacchigna S, Agostinis C, Bulla R, Ricci G. Endothelial cell supplementation promotes xenograft revascularization during short-term ovarian tissue transplantation. Bioact Mater. 2025 Apr 16;50:305-321
Volf N, Vuerich R, Colliva A, Volpe MC, Marengon M, Zentilin L, Giacca M, Ruth Ring NA, Vodret S, Braga L, Zacchigna S. Endothelial to mesenchymal transition enhances permissiveness to AAV vectors in cardiac endothelial cells. Mol Ther. 2024 Aug 21:S1525-0016(24)00537-9
Ciucci G, Braga L, Zacchigna S. Discovery platforms for RNA therapeutics. Br J Pharmacol. 2024 May 17. doi: 10.1111/bph.16424
Cappelletto A, Alfì E, Volf N, Vu TVA, Bortolotti F, Ciucci G, Vodret S, Fantuz M, Perin M, Colliva A, Rozzi G, Rossi M, Ruozi G, Zentilin L, Vuerich R, Borin D, Lapasin R, Piazza S, Chiesa M, Lorizio D, Triboli L, Kumar S, Morello G, Tripodo C, Pinamonti M, Piperno GM, Benvenuti F, Rustighi A, Jo H, Piccolo S, Del Sal G, Carrer A, Giacca M, Zacchigna S. EMID2 is a novel biotherapeutic for aggressive cancers identified by in vivo screening. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2024 Jan 10;43(1):15. doi: 10.1186/s13046-023-02942-4
Gioia U, Tavella S, Martínez-Orellana P, Cicio G, Colliva A, Ceccon M, Cabrini M, Henriques AC, Fumagalli V, Paldino A, Presot E, Rajasekharan S, Iacomino N, Pisati F, Matti V, Sepe S, Conte MI, Barozzi S, Lavagnino Z, Carletti T, Volpe MC, Cavalcante P, Iannacone M, Rampazzo C, Bussani R, Tripodo C, Zacchigna S, Marcello A, d’Adda di Fagagna F. SARS-CoV-2 infection induces DNA damage, through CHK1 degradation and impaired 53BP1 recruitment, and cellular senescence. Nat Cell Biol. 2023 Mar 9. doi: 10.1038/s41556-023-01096-x
Group Leader
Serena Zacchigna
ICGEB Trieste, Italy
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +39-040-3757354/214
Group Leader CV
Group Members
Andrea Colliva, Research Associate
Mauricio Budini, Research Scientist
Giuseppe Di Mauro, Research Scientist
Cristina Fernetti, Research Scientist
Sharad Saxena, Research Scientist
Maria Pachetti, Research Scientist
Daniela Lorizio, Visiting Scientist
Gaia Salina, Visiting Scientist
Mariagiulia Spazzapan, Visiting Scientist
Marina Maurizio, Postdoc
Nicoletta Carmela Giulia Bartoloni, PhD Student
Giulia Colussi, PhD Student
Ilaria Del Giudice, PhD Student
Yosef Eshetie Amare, PhD Student
Maryen Vasyna Vasanthakumar, PhD Student
Alessandra Centore, Graduate Student (UniTS)
Francesco Longo, Graduate Student (UniTS)
Sofia Fiorino, Graduate Student
Marco Pedrotti, Graduate Student (UniTS)
Andrea Tesolin, Undergraduate Student
Sara Sain, Undergraduate Student