Unipd coordinates the first international guidelines on cellular communication

The University of Padua coordinated the drafting of the first international guidelines on cellular communication, published in the journal «Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology» as an "Expert Recommendation". The team, made up of Tito Calì from the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Marisa Brini from the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, in collaboration with Rosario Rizzuto from the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Luca Scorrano from the Department of Biology of the Paduan University, with contributions from leading international experts, focused on Membrane Contact Sites (MCS), which are crucial for cellular signalling and the internal balance of cells.

MCS enable the direct exchange of ions, lipids and metabolites between organelles, influencing how cells adapt. The guidelines provide fundamental parameters for studying communication between organelles in real time, which are essential for developing innovative therapies for complex diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders. 

«After more than ten years of development, our sensors have proved fundamental in opening up a new field of study and intensive research, making it possible to visualise the molecular proximity between the two membranes, – explains Tito Calì, coordinator of the work and lecturer at the Department of Biomedical Sciences of the University of Padua – This approach is proving crucial not only for gaining an in-depth understanding of new molecular mechanisms underlying diseases, but also for the development of targeted and personalised drugs. The implications are enormous, ranging from the possibility of intervening precisely at points where communication between organelles fails to the design of innovative therapeutic strategies for complex conditions such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes and metabolic disorders».

«The scientific community has recognised our important role in this field of research thanks to the results we have achieved with these sensors, – adds Marisa Brini, coordinator of the work and lecturer at the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences of the Paduan University – We are particularly proud that this prestigious journal entrusted us with coordinating the drafting of an article in the “Expert Recommendation” format».

The “Expert Recommendation” is in fact a milestone for the international community because it defines benchmark scientific standards in keeping with the scientific tradition of the University of Padua.