Lung diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with over 550 million people affected by chronic respiratory diseases.
The University of Verona participates in the research Unraveling the impact of Pseudomonas aeruginosa microRNAs on microbe-host interaction and drug response in chronic respiratory diseases, with Giovanni Malerba, professor of Medical Genetics in the department of Surgical, Odontostomatological and Maternal-Child Sciences, who plays the role of partner of the project.
Young Principal Investigator and head of international collaboration is Laura Veschettifrom the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University of Milan, already a doctoral student at the Scaliger university, who obtained approximately 200 thousand euros for this project from the Cariplo Foundation in the context of a loan to accompany young research doctors in the initial stages of their careers. Partners of the project are Alessandra Bragonziresearcher at the Infections and Cystic Fibrosis Unit of the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan, who also plays the role of mentor, and Mohsen Ghanbariprofessor of the Epidemiology department of the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam.
Chronic respiratory diseases are still incurable and recurrent infections, such as those from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, contribute to a worsening of the clinical prognosis. Human microRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial in regulating the immune response, and methods based on their therapeutic use could resolve refractory or drug-resistant bacterial pneumonias. Recently it has been highlighted key role of human miRNAs in regulating the immune response and determining the outcome of bacterial pneumonia. The proposed research project aims to characterize bacterial miRNAs and their possible interactions with the host during infections through innovative approaches, thus highlighting possible new therapeutic targets.
Specifically, Giovanni Malerba will take part in the development and implementation of bioinformatic processes for the analysis of bacterial miRNA sequences, and will then contribute to the validation phase of candidate miRNAs as possible therapeutic targets together with the researcher. Cristina Patuzzo of the Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine and Movement.
In this context, the proposed project will have a long-term health, technological and socioeconomic impact for the benefit of patients suffering from chronic respiratory diseases, improving their quality of life and potentially offering new therapeutic approaches.
Elisa Innocenti
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