TECMED Lab | People

Staff

Michele Miragoli, Ph.D., HEAD

Dr. Michele Miragoli is Associate Professor in Experimental and Applied Medical Technologies at the Department of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Parma, member of the CERT, Center of Excellence for Toxicological Research and associate Researcher at the Humanitas Research Center in Milan. Currently, he holds the position of Honorary Research Associate at the Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research at the National Research Council of Italy (CNR). He is part of the Executive Member Committee of the Italian Society of Cardiovascular Research. He is Director's delegate for Department Research and Director's Delegate for Departmental Research Quality. He graduated in Biological Sciences at the University of Parma, Italy, and completed a PhD program in Pathophysiology at the Institute of General Physiology, Parma. After his PhD, he spent six years at the Institute of Physiology, University of Bern, Switzerland, learning the technique of optical recording of impulse propagation with a focus on the cellular bases of cardiac arrhythmia and the role of cardiac myofibroblasts in their pathogenesis. In March 2008 he joined the National Heart and Lung Institute at the Imperial College London with the aim to combine hopping probe scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM), with the optical recording of impulse propagation, in order to study functional and structural cellular remodelling. This unique non-invasive system permitted to investigate cardiac excitability at the nanoscale, opening a new avenue for the cardiac nanomedicine. In 2011, Dr. Miragoli achieved the Young Research Grant from the Ministry of Health, allowing him to come back to Italy at the University of Parma and establishing his research group. In the meantime, he was appointed as Junior Group Leader at Humanitas Research Center in Milan. For more info about his work, please see the overview of scientific publications and research. For the information how to contact Prof. Michele Miragoli please visit the contact page.

Dr. Stefano Rossi, Ph.D, Senior Research Assistant

Dr. Stefano Rossi obtained his Ph.D in 2006 at University of Parma and became a Postdoc at the Department of Biologia Evolutiva e Funzionale from the same University. He spent one year as foreign student at the CVRT , Utah University (USA) under the supervision of Prof. Bruno Taccardi. Dr. Rossi' expertise is focused on in-vivo cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmia mechanisms. He currently collaborates in several projects, in particular related to nanotoxicology and nanomedicine. He is author of more than 40 indexed publications, H index=15 and he acts as reviewer for several international journal in the cardiac physiology field. He was awarded with the Kenichi Harumi Young Investigator's Award 2006 at the International Congress on Electrocardiology. He is member of the Italian Society of Cardiovascular Research, Italian Society of Translational Research and Health Professional and European Society of Cardiology (WG in cellular electrophysiology). He is working as senior research assistant and Laboratory manager at the Experimental and Applied Medical Technology Laboratories. Please visit the contact page
Contact: stefano.rossi@unipr.it

Prof. Giovanna Maria Pelà, M.D., Cardiologist

Prof. Giovanna Maria Pelà is Professor of Sport Medicine at University of Parma and Cardiologist at the Azienda-Ospedaliera Universitaria di Parma. Specialized in Cardiology, Internal Medicine and Sport Science. More than 30 years of experience in cardiology. The field of interests are sports Cardiology and cardiac performance in non-professional athlete and childern, systemic hypertension, cardiomyopathy, cardiovascular physiology, physical exercise and heart disease. Please visit the contact page
Contact: giovanna.pela@unipr.it

Dr. Nicolò Salvarani, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow.

Dr. Nicolò Salvarani achieved the MSc. in Biological Science at the University of Parma and the Ph.D in collaboration with University of Bern (Switzerland). He joined as postdoc the National Research Council of Italy (IRGB) in 2014 and so the Miragoli's Lab at the Humanitas Research Center. Nicolò has a long experience in patch-clamp technique, especially dedicated to heterocellular coupling and double whole-cell coupling. Nicolò achieved several prize and project during his career with H index = 12 and first authorship in leading scientific journals. Nicolò has been appointed as Research Fellow in Cardiac Physiology at the National Research Council in January 2022.
Contact: nicolo.salvarani@humanitasresearch.it

Dr. Rosario Statello, Ph.D., PostDoc.

Dr. Rosario Statello achieved the MSc. in Biological Science at the University of Parma and the Ph.D in Neuroscience at the same University. He did a junior postdoctoral project at University of Cagliari in collaboration with the TecMed Lab working on a project related to Hearty Rate Variability in obstructive sleep Apneas. He has been renewed in 2024 for the PRIN project, by dissecting the role of neuromodulators in the arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. Rosario achieved several prize and project during his career and bring all the requirements for experimental in-vivo projects.
Contact: rosarioignazio.statello@unipr.it

Eng. Margherita Burattini, Research Fellow.

Margherita Burattini graduated in Bioengineering at University of Pavia. Currently she is a PhD student at the Experimental and Applied Medical Technologies Lab at University of Parma and at University of Verona (co-tutoring). Margherita is interested in applying in-vitro modelling to investigate the electromechanical coupling by revisiting the cardiac memory concept, using Artificial Intelligence, computer vision technology, and Tissue Engineering approaches. From the 1st of October Margherita joins the position of Research Fellow at University of Parma in the TecMed Lab.
Contact: margherita.burattini@univr.it

Dr. Eng. Flavia Bonalumi, Ph.D., PostDoc.

Dr Flavia Bonalumi graduated in 2016 in biomedical engineering with a MSc in tissue engineering at Politecnico di Milano. She obtained her PhD in 2021 at the University of Brighton with a thesis regarding the engineering of biofunctionalised, macroporous scaffolds for the development of a bioartificial liver. She worked for 18 months as laboratory scientist at Tissue Click Ltd startup leading a project funded by Innovative UK for the developing of a kit for the diagnosing of COVID19. She then joined the TECMED lab in July 2022 as post doc as part of the YIRG 2021 grant for the development of cardiac organ-on-a-chips from iPSC derived from patients with cardiac pathologies. Contact at: flavia.bonalumi@unipr.it

Dr.Eng. Mirko Hu, Ph.D. , PostDoc.

Dr Mirko Hu obtained a BSc in Automation and Control Engineering at Politecnico di Milano in 2014 and graduated at Imperial College of London with a MSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering with Process Systems Engineering in 2017. To maintain his multidisciplinarity, he continued his studies in complex systems at IMT School for Advanced Studies in Lucca in the NETWORKS unit, where he obtained his PhD in 2022, with a thesis that investigated the network analysis of microbiota in inflammatory bowel diseases. During his PhD, he worked at Digitiamo, a startup that provides machine learning solutions to small and big businesses. He joined TECMED Lab in July 2022 as post doc as part of the YIRG 2021 grant. Contact: mirko.hu@unipr.it

Dr. Alessia Caputo Ph.D. , PostDoc.

Dr. Alessia Caputo graduated in 2018 in Molecular Biology with 110 cum laude with a thesis on the study regarding human DNase IIβ for its possible use in the enzyme therapy of Cystic Fibrosis, characterising the enzyme by bioinformatics and biochemical analysis at the University of Parma. She obtained her PhD in 2022 at the University of Parma with a thesis on antibacterial compounds targetingthe DNAPolymeraseIII Holoenzyme. She worked for 12 months as a research fellow in the laboratory of Professor Barbara Montanini continuing her research on her PhD project and spent a month at the Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IBMC) in Strasbourg. In March 2023, she joined the TECMED laboratory as a post-doc in the framework of the YIRG2021 grant for molecular and bioinformatics analysis.

M.Sc. Silvia Berrettoni, Ph.D. Student.

Silvia graduated in 2022 in Biology and Biomedical Application at the University of Parma. She was recipient of a Scholarship and worked in Dr. Rota’s laboratory for 9 months in New York Medical College, in the settings of an International Cooperation between NYMC and the University of Parma. She was focused on a project directed to the evaluation of rhythm disturbances of the heart following myocardial infarction, using experimental animals. She wanted to understand the mechanisms underlying adverse events occurring in the patient population suffering from heart attack. Currently she is a PhD student at the Experimental and Applied Medical Technologies Lab at University of Parma. She would like to take advantage of the novel avenue of cardiac nanomedicine and study a new approach for atrial and ventricular fibrillation treatment, by interrupting tissue fibrillation using injectable conductive materials. Contact: silvia.berrettoni@unipr.it

Filippo Gerbino, Postdoc.

Dr. Filippo Gerbino achieved a BSc in Aerospace Engineering at University of Palermo in 2009, followed by a MS. During his MSc he worked 9 months at DESTEC department as laboratory scientist, gaining extensive knowledge on experimental activities and data analysis. Such work eventually led to the publication of his first academic paper on an indexed journal, based on the findings of his master thesis regarding the investigation of two-phase flow in mini-channels. His academic career continued at University of Brighton (UK) where he gained his PhD in 2022 with a project focused on the application of Computational Fluid Dynamics to model spray atomisation in combustion engines, and extending his research to biomedical applications. Thanks to these experiences Filippo gained an extensive knowledge about numerical computation, programming and engineering software. In 2023 he moved to Parma where he worked as math teacher in high school and later as host and supervisor of the FabLab Parma. From April 2024 he became a Research Fellow at TECMED lab joining the "Organ-on-a-chip" project to develop a screening system of cardiac organoids. Contact: filippo.gerbino@unipr.it

Undergraduate Students

Vittoria Meneghini (UNIPR). Cardiac memory revisited in rare disease using iPSC-derived cardiomyopathy

Antonella Ciliberti (UNIPR). Methodical Differentiation of hiPSC exposed to environmental stress.

Anna Ruffo (POLIMI). Investigating mechanoelectric coupling with organ-on-a-chip technology.