Research Topics

a. Comparative in vitro and in vivo studies on the expression and regulation of xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes (P450-dependent monooxygenases, conjugative enzymes) and afflux/efflux transporters
- Importance of internal factors (e.g., sex, age, species, breed/strain, individual susceptibility)
- Identification of cytochrome P450 isoforms responsible for xenobiotic oxidative metabolism
- Effects of xenobiotic exposure (including natural compounds and diet constituents), on xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes and transporters (e.g., induction/inhibition phenomena)

b. Xenobiotic molecular and cellular toxicity (Mechanistic Toxicology)
- Xenobiotic cytotoxicity testing
- In vitro and ex vivo studies on biomolecular mechanisms of action of xenobiotics (e.g., apoptosis/necrosis, oxidative stress) on target or surrogate tissues (e.g., GI tract, liver, immune system)

c. Toxicogenomics
- Comparative studies on the effects of xenobiotics (e.g., natural toxins and anthropogenic contaminants) on the individual’s whole-transcriptome
- Studies aimed at identifying biomarkers of internal dose and/or effect to be used for screening purposes in biomonitoring

d. Nutrigenomics
- Comparative studies on the effects of nutraceuticals, additives, natural compounds and diet constituents on the individual’s whole-transcriptome

e. Ecotoxicology
- In vitro and in vivo studies, in model species of ecotoxicology such as Daphnia magna, Poecilia reticulata, Raphidocephalis subcapitata, Eisenia foetida, and Apis mellifera, on biomolecular mechanisms of action of xenobiotics on the whole individual, target and/or surrogate tissues

f. Pharmacogenetics and target anti-cancer chemotherapy
- In vitro/ex vivo studies on therapeutic targets and characterization of their bio-molecular effects
- Pet cancer patient geno- and phenotyping (pharmacogenetics and next generation sequencing approaches)

Methods and techniques

1. Biochemical techniques: subcellular fractions isolation, enzymatic activities, immunoblotting
2. Cell biology techniques: cultures and transfection of established cell lines; gene editing (CRISP-Cas9); primary cell cultures, cytotoxicity testing, enzymatic activity in culture)
3. Molecular biology techniques: DNA/RNA isolation, PCR end point, Real time PCR, cloning, sequencing, cDNA microarray, Next Generation Sequencing approaches (e.g., RNA-seq); basic in silico modelling

Research Unit Staff

Principal Investigator
- Mauro DACASTO (Full Prof., DVM, PhD, Dipl. ECVPT)

Members
- Micol CAICHIOLO (Technician, MSc, PhD)
- Francesca CAPOLONGO (Associate Prof., MSc, PhD, limited to topic a)
- Mery GIANTIN (Associate Prof., DVM, PhD)
- Silvia IORI (Researcher in Tenure Track, RTT, MSc, PhD, post-doc)
- Rosa Maria LOPPARELLI (Technician, MSc, PhD)
- Lorena LUCATELLO (Technician, MSc, PhD, limited to research topic a)
- Hanane MAGHREBI (MSc, PhD student)
- Greta MUCIGNAT (DVM, PhD student)
- Marianna PAULETTO (Associate Prof., MSc, PhD)

PROPOSED DEGREE THESES OR INTERNSHIPS

Topic
Subjects or projects for degree theses or internships are linked to Proff. Dacasto, Giantin, Iori, and Pauletto’s research topics.
In particular:
• Comparative in vitro and in vivo studies on the expression and regulation of drug metabolizing enzymes and afflux/efflux drug transporters
• Xenobiotic molecular and cellular toxicity (Mechanistic Toxicology)
• Toxicogenomics
• Nutrigenomics
• Ecotoxicology
• Pharmacogenetics, Anticancer Target Chemotherapy

Length
Variable, from 1-3 months and up to 1 year (depending from the subject, the Bachelor/Master of Science to whom the student belongs and, consequently, his/her frequency of laboratories)

Vacancy
Variable (depending on the available subjects/projects)

Requirements
• Availability to attend the Laboratories of Pharmacogenetics and Toxicogenomics and Cell Biology of the Division of Veterinary Pharmacology & Toxicology
• Interest for basic and applied pharmaco-toxicological sciences

Methodologies the student might learn
Molecular (including NGS) and cellular biology techniques

For further information, send an email to Prof. Dacasto (mauro.dacasto@unipd.it) or contact him by phone (+39.049.827.2935)