Environmental pollutants; nanomaterials; genetic ecotoxicology; DNA damage; anti-genotoxicity; cell death (apoptosis)
Theme 2 - Evaluating
Our research group has gained experience in various fields including areas such as genetic ecotoxicology, cytogenetics, systematics, and evolutionary biology, and is organized in three main topics: 1) Genetic Ecotoxicology, 2) Animal and Human Cytogenetics 3) Molecular Cell Biology. In particular: 1) assessment of in vivo and in vitro genotoxic effects induced by environmental pollutants, included nanoparticles; evaluation of the antigenotoxic properties of some naturally occurring antioxidant molecules on human cells (sperms and amniocytes) as well as on embryos and adult individuals of zebrafish; 2) comparative cytogenetics using conventional and molecular (cytogenomic) techniques; 3) analysis of numeric and structural chromosome alterations also in relation with fertility and/or subfertility.
DiSTABiF research collects numerous groups and many dedicated laboratories, favouring the creation and growth of collaboration networks both on the territory and at national and international level.
All components are engaged in research activities ranging in the multidisciplinary fields of Environmental Sciences and Technologies, Biological and Biomolecular Sciences, Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnologies developed for the protection of human health as well as in the biotechnological, biological, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical sector, agri-food and in the field of monitoring the environment and its biodiversity. DiSTABiF's research is articulated, in fact, on specific themes of the fields of the basic discipline up to the most advanced biotechnological applications. Studies aimed at understanding the biology of living organisms and their interactions with the environment are accompanied by research on the structural characterization of biomolecules and their biological properties, as well as research in the area of industrial and plant biotechnology, drugs, human and environmental health.