Address book
Contacts
LUCIA MANNI
Position
Professoressa Associata
Structure
Address
VIA U. BASSI, 58/B - PADOVA
Telephone
0498276252

Academic Position
Associate Professor– Department Biology, Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy
Education
1988 Graduated Degree in Biology (summa cum laude), Universita' degli Studi di Padova.
1993 Ph.D. Degree in Evolutionary Biology, Universita' degli Studi di Padova.
Professional Experience
• November 1990 / August 1991 Stage at Laboratory of Biologie Cellulaire - Universitè Paris XI under the supervision of Prof. A. Adoutte
• April 2004 / May 2004 Stage at Friday Harbor Laboratories - University of Washington under the supervision of Prof. G. Mackie
• 21/12/1998 University researcher Università degli Studi di PADOVA
• Since 01/11/2010 Associate professor Università degli Studi di PADOVA
• 2014: Member of the PhD Collegiate of the PhD School in Biosciences, curriculum Cell Biology and Physiology
• 13/01/2015: Qualification for the Position of Full professor in the Subject Area 05/B2 - Comparative anatomy and Cytology
• 2017-2021 President of the Degree Course (first cycle degree) in Natural Science (Class: L-32 - Sciences and Technologies for Environment and Nature) and of the Degree Course (Second cycle degree) in Science of Nature (LM-60 – Sciences of Nature)
Reviewer activity for journals
Biological Bullettin, Developmental Biology, European Journal of Histochemistry, The Journal of Experimental Biology, Journal of Experimental Zoology part B Molecular and Developmental Biology, Invertebrate Biology, Nanotoxicology, Scientific Reports, Zoological Science, Zoomorphology, Journal of Morphology.
Editorial activity
Co-traslator of the book Evolution by Douglas J. Futuyma, SinauerAss Inc., 2005 (Italian Edition, L’evoluzione, Zanichelli, Bologna, 2008).
Topic Editor of the Research Collection “Tunicates in Evolutionary Developmental Biology” in Frontiers I Ecology and Evolution, section Evolutionary Developmental Biology. 2023
Scholar source (02-05-2023)
Documents by author: 150
H index 29, Citations: 2590
From 2018: H index: 17, Citations: 1304
i-10-index: 69, from 2018: 52
Scientific activities
Principal Investigator of the research group of Developmental Biology and Morphogenesis of the Department of Biology, University of Padova.
Current topics of specific interest:
1) Developmental pathways in ascidians and stem cells
2) Nervous system and sensory organ evolution, development and aging in ascidians
3) Exploiting tunicates as sustainable, alternative resource for producing biomolecules
Teaching activity
Teacher of Form and Function of Vertebrates I (first level degree in Natural and Environmental Sciences) and Development, Environment and Society (second level degree in Environmental Sustainability and Education).
Tutor Activity
Tutors of more than 60 thesis of first level and 38 thesis of second level; co-tutor and tutor of PhD thesis. Since 2014, member of the PhD Collegiate of the Doctorate School in Bioscience, curriculum Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Padova; actually tutor of a PhD Student.
Member of several PhD examining commissions both national and international.
Notices
Office hours
Monday from 11:00 to 13:00
at Dipartimento di BIologia, 1° piano Sud
Teachings
- ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIETY, AA 2024 (SCQ2101599)
- VERTEBRATE MORPHOLOGY AND FUNCTION, AA 2024 (SCQ2101502)
- ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIETY, AA 2023 (SCQ2101599)
- VERTEBRATE MORPHOLOGY AND FUNCTION, AA 2023 (SCQ2101502)
- COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, AA 2022 (SC03100241)
- ECO-EVO-DEVO: ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, AA 2022 (SCP8085021)
- COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, AA 2021 (SC03100241)
- ECO-EVO-DEVO: ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, AA 2021 (SCP8085021)
- COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, AA 2020 (SC03100241)
- ECO-EVO-DEVO: ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, AA 2020 (SCP8085021)
- COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, AA 2019 (SC03100241)
- ECO-EVO-DEVO: ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT, AA 2019 (SCP8085021)
- COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, AA 2018 (SC03100241)
- DEVELOPMENT AND EVOLUTION, AA 2018 (SCO2045691)
- COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, AA 2017 (SC03100241)
- MULTIDISCIPLINARY EXCURSION, AA 2017 (SCL1004536)
- DEVELOPMENT AND EVOLUTION, AA 2017 (SCO2045691)
- MORE SKILLS, LANGUAGE, AA 2017 (SCL1004567)
- COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, AA 2016 (SC03100241)
- DEVELOPMENT AND EVOLUTION, AA 2016 (SCO2045691)
- COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, AA 2015 (SC03100241)
- DEVELOPMENT AND EVOLUTION, AA 2015 (SCO2045691)
- COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, AA 2014 (SC03100241)
- DEVELOPMENT AND EVOLUTION, AA 2014 (SCO2045691)
- COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, AA 2013 (SC03100241)
- DEVELOPMENT AND EVOLUTION, AA 2013 (SCO2045691)
- COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, AA 2012 (SC03100241)
- DEVELOPMENT AND EVOLUTION, AA 2012 (SCO2045691)
Research Area
Principal Investigator of the research group of Developmental Biology and Morphogenesis of the Department of Biology, University of Padova.
Current topics of specific interest:
1) Stem cells, asexual reproduction and regeneration in ascidians
2) Nervous system differentiation in ascidians
3) Mechanoreceptors and evolution of neural placodes in chordates
4) Tunicates as alternative resource for biomolecule production.
In last years, her researches on a novel ascidian mechanoreceptor, the coronal organ, composed of hair cells, supported a revision of theories on hair cell evolution. She revealed the presence in ascidians of structures sharing similarities with vertebrate neural placodes, shedding new light on the main theory on vertebrate evolution, which hypothesizes that neural placodes, together with neural crest, are responsible of main novelties of this group.
In 2013-2014, she coordinated a working group formed of researchers from Stanford University (USA), Keio University (Japan), Laboratoire de Biologie du Developpement de Villefranche-sur-mer (France), and Bioself Communication, Marseille (France) for the publication of the ontology of development and anatomy of the colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri (Manni et al., 2014, PLoS One)
In 2013-2017, she coordinated a working group formed of researchers from the Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia, Venezia (Italy), University of Milan (Italy), University of Bari (Italy), University of Oxford, (UK), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (Germany), McGill University (Canada), and University of Vienna (Austria) for the taxonomic revision of the model ascidian Ciona intestinalis, evidencing that under this name two criptic species (Ciona robusta and Ciona intestinalis) were hidden (Brunetti et al., 2015 J Zoolog Syst Evol Res ; Pennati et al., 2015 PLos One; Gissi et al., 2017 Zool Scripta). She involved the tunicate community in the discussion and in being aware of the topic, coordinating the Round Table “Taxonomy of Ciona sp” at the 8th International Tunicate Meeting. Aomori (Japan).
In recent years, she is involved in the projecy TUNICA, aimed at using tunicates as alternative and sustainable resource for producing biomolecules for industrial applications. The project was second at the Start Cup CVeneto 2021 competition, first in the category GreenTech&Energy.
Since 2022, she coordinates a European project financed by JPI Oceans for the study of noise impact on marine invertebrates. The project involves researchers from Italy, Spain, Norway and Romania.
Since 2022, she is involved in the study of ascidian biodiversity in a project financed by PNRR.
Past and active scientific collaborations:
- N.J. Lane (University of Cambridge, UK)
- M.C. Thorndyke (Kristineberg Marine Research Station, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Sweden)
- J.S. Joly (CNRS Gif-sur-Yvette, France)
- G.O. Mackie (University of Victoria, Canada)
- S. Shimeld (University of Oxford, UK)
- T. Stach (University of Berlin, Germany)
- K. Hotta (Keio University, Japan)
- A. Voskoboynik (Stanford University, USA)
- P. Lemaire (CNRS, France)
- D. Dauga (CNRS, France)
Thesis proposals
PROGETTO 1: DeuteroNoise, marine underwater noise pollution and its effects on ascidians
This project offers the possibility of studying the effects of low-frequency underwater noise on sea squirts (ascidians) of the Venice Lagoon, in a multidisciplinary and international context. Sea squirts are a group of marine invertebrates, sister group of vertebrates, potentially able to perceive underwater noise. The latter is an emerging pollutant affecting our seas; however, its effects on invertebrates are still mostly unknown. The European Project DeuteroNoise, coordinated by the proponent, has the aim of revealing these effects from a morphological, behavioral, molecular and developmental point of view. Results will contribute at improving the sea management and the environmental health.
PROGETTO 2: Characterization of stem cells and their niches in a colonial ascidian
Among chordates, ascidians are marine invertebrates with astonishing regenerative abilities mediated by stem cells. In the colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri, we aim: to characterize the candidate stem cells and their niches; to identify and isolate circulating stem cells with new molecular markers and study their contribution in development and regeneration; and to study in-depth the JAK/STAT pathway, by identifying its components and verifying their expression in different tissues. We will use several molecular techniques such as PCR, RT-qPCR and in situ hybridization. These aspects will be evaluated focusing on asexual reproduction, regeneration and in aging.
PROGETTO 3: Ascidian biodiversity of the Lagoon of Venice
The study of biodiversity of the Lagoon of Venice is important because the Lagune is affected by different stressors of anthropogenic origin and is considered a hotspot for the introduction of alien, potentially invasive, species. We propose to study the ascidian biodiversity of the lagune, in the frame of the National Biodiversity Future Center Project, financed by PNRR. We will sample organisms, fix them for morphological and molecular analysis, and determine them using DNA barcoding (sequencing of a fragment of the mitochondrial gene CO1). The qualitative analysis will be integrated by a quantitative analysis of the species, to monitor their expansion over the time.
PROGETTO 4: Brain evolution: analysis of spatial-temporal gene expression patterns in a simple chordate brain
Did you know that there is an animal that has multiple brains that undergo weekly neurogenesis and neurodegeneration? This animal is Botryllo, it is a colonial marine organism, and it belongs to tunicates, our closest invertebrate relatives. By studying these brains that are developed weekly and then destroyed by the colony itself, we found that they share the expression of many genes expressed in human neurodegenerative diseases, have a lower number of neurons, simpler performance, and express many genes related to neural stem cells. Our goal now is to study the spatiotemporal expression of some of the most highly expressed genes through a multiplexed, quantitative, high-resolution RNA imaging. Throughout the project, the student will gain experience in selecting candidate genes through single-cell data analysis, designing primers for in situ hybridization, conducting in-situ hybridization chain reaction experiments, and analyzing the results using confocal microscopy.