ERC: Graziano Martello

Graziano Martello began his career at the University of Padua, where he earned a degree in Medical Biotechnology and subsequently a PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology of Development. He furthered his training with a postdoctoral fellowship at the prestigious University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, working within a research team focused on embryonic stem cells. In 2014, Martello returned to Italy, supported by the Telethon Dulbecco Programme and a Career Development Award from the Armenise Harvard Foundation. He is currently a Full Professor of Molecular Biology and leads a research group at the Department of Biology of the University of Padua. His research focuses on pluripotent stem cells, combining cellular and molecular biology approaches with computational analysis. One primary line of research, supported by the Telethon Foundation, involves studying Huntington's disease models developed from stem cells, with the aim of creating innovative therapies. This research led to the 2024 launch of DNAswitch, a spin-off of the University of Padua. A second research area, supported by various funding bodies including an ERC Starting Grant, examines the molecular processes occurring during the early stages of embryonic development through the use of pluripotent stem cell models.