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Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology - FABIT

Molecular toxicology, Coordinator: Paolini

The scientific mission that the group aims is to investigate the toxicological (co-mutagenesis, co-carcinogenesis) or beneficial effects (chemoprevention) of the modulation of the drug metabolism and anti-oxidant enzymes by xenobiotics in the animal model (healthy or pathological).

Areas: Drug discovery and development Nutrition and health

Research themes

In vivo studies of the possible toxicological (co-mutagenesis, co-carcinogenesis) or beneficial (chemoprevention) effects associated with the modulation of antioxidant enzymes and drug metabolism by xenobiotics in the animal model, with particular interest in the toxic effects associated with chronic intake of essential nutrients, micro and macro elements as food supplements.

Development and protective role of new antioxidant molecules in chronic degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, diabetes and EAE.

Study of the toxicological effects associated with the use of electronic devices for the release of nicotine (DERN), with particular interest in the oxidative damage to macromolecules and the modification of the expression of some proteins that play a fundamental role in chronic obstructive diseases and in tumors progression.

Lab members

Moreno Paolini - Full Professor

Donatella Canistro - Assistant Professor

Fabio Vivarelli - RTDa

Silvia Granata - PhD student

Camilla Morosini - PhD student

Internship projects

We accept internship trainees belonging to the first degree courses in Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences (Website) and Biological Sciences (Website); to the second cycle courses in Pharmacy-LMCU (Website), in Health Biology (Website) and Molecular and Cellular Biology (Website).

The internship projects will focus on the group's research themes.

Main publications:

  • Vivarelli F, Canistro D, Cirillo S, Elias RJ, Granata S, Mussoni M, Burattini S, Falcieri E, Turrini E, Fimognari C, Buschini A, Lazzaretti M, Beghi S, Girotti S, Sangiorgi S, Bolelli L, Ghini S, Ferri EN, Fagiolino I, Franchi P, Lucarini M, Mercatante D, Rodriguez-Estrada MT, Lorenzini A, Marchionni S, Gabriele M, Longo V, Paolini M. Unburned Tobacco Cigarette Smoke Alters Rat Ultrastructural Lung Airways and DNA. Nicotine Tob Res. 2021; 23(12):2127-2134.
  • Vivarelli F, Canistro D, Cirillo S, Papi A, Spisni E, Vornoli A, Croce CMD, Longo V, Franchi P, Filippi S, Lucarini M, Zanzi C, Rotondo F, Lorenzini A, Marchionni S, Paolini M. Co-carcinogenic effects of vitamin E in prostate. Sci Rep. 2019; 9(1):11636.
  • Canistro D, Vivarelli F, Cirillo S, Babot Marquillas C, Buschini A, Lazzaretti M, Marchi L, Cardenia V, Rodriguez-Estrada MT, Lodovici M, Cipriani C, Lorenzini A, Croco E, Marchionni S, Franchi P, Lucarini M, Longo V, Della Croce CM, Vornoli A, Colacci A, Vaccari M, Sapone A, Paolini M. E-cigarettes induce toxicological effects that can raise the cancer risk. Sci Rep. 2017; 7(1):2028.
  • Passerini N, Albertini B, Sabatino MD, Corace G, Luppi B, Canistro D, Vivarelli F, Cirillo S, Soleti A, Merizzi G, Paolini M. Development of microparticles for oral administration of the non-conventional radical scavenger IAC and testing in an inflammatory rat model. Int J Pharm. 2016; 512(1):126-136.
  • Canistro D, Boccia C, Falconi R, Bonamassa B, Valgimigli L, Vivarelli F, Soleti A, Genova ML, Lenaz G, Sapone A, Zaccanti F, Abdel-Rahman SZ, Paolini M. Redox-Based Flagging of the Global Network of Oxidative Stress Greatly Promotes Longevity. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2015; 70(8):936-43.

Contacts