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GIANLUCA OCCHI

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Position

Professore Associato

Address

VIA U. BASSI, 58/B - PADOVA

Telephone

0498276214

Education:
Degree in Biological Sciences (Magna cum laude), Padua University (2001). PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology of the Development, Padua University (2005). Board in Medical Genetics (2010).

Practical experience and position:
During PhD he was involved in project on genetics of human cardiomyopathies. In 2001 he spent 6 months at the Centre for Applied Genomics, Toronto, Canada. From 2005 to 2013 he worked as post-doc at Department of Medicine, Padua University, on project concerning Endocrinology and in particular on the pathogenesis of pituitary tumors. In 2008 visiting Researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry Munich (Germany). Since 2013 assistant Professor of Applied Biology at the Department of Biology, Padua University.
In 2017 obtained the Italian National Scientific Habilitation as Associate Professor in Applied Biology.

Teaching activities:
2015-2018: Course of Biotechnology, 2nd cycle degree in Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biology, Padua University.
2015: Co-teacher of the course of Genetics, 1st cycle degree courses in Cognitive Psychology and Psychobiology, Padua University.
2003-2014: University teaching assistant (courses of Applied Molecular Genetics, Biotechnology, Formal Genetics).

Research interest:
Doctoral: Identification of genes mutated in familial cardiomyopathies and role of nucleotide variants in phenotype determination.
Post-Doctoral: Molecular and cellular studies on the pathogenic mechanisms involved in the inherited endocrine diseases (i.e. BMAH, FIPA, MEN) with particular attention on syndrome involving the pituitary gland; evaluation of the nucleotide variants in the 5’UTRs of genes, with particular attention to sequence in regulatory regions of the CDKN1B gene and their role in pathogenesis of hereditary multiple endocrine neoplasias; evaluation of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor pathway in endocrine tumors; study of mechanisms of tumor transformation and progression in sporadic GH- and ACTH-secreting pituitary tumors, and evaluation of possible novel medical therapies for treating associated diseases (Acromegaly and Cushing’s disease).

Editorial activity:
Member of the editorial board of the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation.
Reviewer for several international journals.
Reviewer for the Barts and the London NHS Trust, the Münster University Medical School and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Research grants obtained or in which directly involved:
In 2017 he received a grant for basic research activity from the Italian Ministry of University and Research (L232/2016).
As principal investigator, “The role of uORFs in human diseases and in the response to medical therapy”, Padua University, 2012-2014.
As participant: research projects of national interest (PRIN 2009, 2010/2011); 2001 Research Grant from “Fondazione G Berlucchi”; 2010 Padua University Project; 2011 Project funded by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA).

Awards and Honours
Member of the Scientific Committee of the ENGIOI group (Young Italian Endocrinologists) within the Italian Society of Endocrinology (SIE) (2011-2013).
Member of the SIE Scientific Committee (2013-2015, 2017-present).
Member of the organizing and scientific committees of local conferences.

Publications and Presentations
Author of nearly 44 papers in international refereed scientific journals and speaks at more than 25 national, and international conferences (Total Citations: 1428, h-index: 24).

Notices

Office hours

  • at Dipartimento di Biologia - 2° Piano SUD - Stanza 11
    Il ricevimento si effettua previo accordo telefonico o email.

Publications

For a detailed list of publications see https://scholar.google.it/citations?hl=it&user=LpMJhrEAAAAJ

Research Area

- Molecular and cellular studies aimed at elucidating the pathogenetic mechanisms in inherited and sporadic endocrine diseases (BMAH, FIPA, MEN) with particular attention to the syndromes that involve the pituitary gland and specifically the GH- and ACTH-secreting forms. I recently start evaluating the role of glucose-insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) in the pathogenesis of acromegaly.
- Evaluation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway in endocrine tumors.

Thesis proposals

- The role of the gastric inhibitor polypeptide receptor (GIPR) in the pathogenesis and tumor progression in GH-secreting pituitary adenomas.

- Search for candidate genes associated with the familial predisposition to endocrine tumors.