The major goal of my research is to study the cell biology of biliary epithelial cells and apply this knowledge to understand the pathophysiology of biliary tree diseases (cholangiopathies). This goal is pursued within two specific areas of interest:
1. Genetic and immune-mediated cholangiopathies, as models of liver disease to study:
a) liver repair mechanisms, with focus on the role of ductular reaction as it relates to the progression of chronic biliary damage
b)epithelial-mesenchymal interactions and cross-talk mechanisms, with focus on the involvement of macrophages and fibrocytes in liver fibrosis

2. Cholangiocarcinoma, with main focus on mechanisms of cancer invasiveness, by unravelling:
a) tumor-stroma interactions and pro-invasive role of tumor reactive stroma
b) characterization of tumor biomarkers of enhanced invasive phenotype as tool for molecularly targeted therapies
c) development of animal models linking chronic inflammation to cancer

My scientific and professional interests extend to: 1) clinical management of rare liver diseases, 2) definition and application of outcome indicators (value-based medicine in hepatology) in immune-related liver diseases (AIH, PBC, PSC).

1) Gender-related differences in biliary repair: analysis of animal models and clinical correlates with human pathologies.
2) Unravelling the mechanisms of lymphatic dissemination in Cholangiocarcinoma: the role of tumor reactive stroma.
3) Phenotyping of Non Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)-associated Cholangiocarcinoma.