Laboratory of nephrology and kidney transplantation

The research areas cover the three main branches of nephrology:

Transplantation

• Study of immunological processes before and after transplantation, clinical-biological evaluation of immunosuppressive and nephrotoxic drug treatments, and transplant outcome prediction (TreaT-assay, serum and histological diagnostics of rejection, serum and urinary nanovesicles, virome).
• Ischemia/reperfusion injury in kidney transplantation and combined transplantation through Luminex analysis.
• Molecular profiling of miRNAs related to cancer risk and extracellular vesicle analysis in kidney transplant patients.
• LDL apheresis in chronic obliterative arteriopathy of patients on the kidney transplant waiting list.
• Use of low immunological impact dialysis membranes in Delayed Graft Function after kidney transplantation.
• Development of non-invasive diagnostic and monitoring models and treatment of bone disease in the solid organ transplant patient.
• Diagnosis and treatment of antibody-mediated "chronic active" rejection with Tocilizumab: innate and adaptive immune response.
• TreaT-Assay: the new frontier for the diagnosis of acute rejection in kidney transplantation.
• Machine learning for optimization and prediction of outcomes in kidney transplantation.
• Recurrence of glomerulonephritis after kidney transplantation: a worldwide multicenter TANGO study.
  
  

Dialysis

• Biomarkers of mineral metabolism and endothelial damage in the peripheral blood of hemodialysis patients.
• Development of mathematical models for the prediction of electrolyte kinetics in dialysis patients at high cardiovascular risk, in order to prevent dysionic arrhythmias by modulation of dialysis bath ion concentration.
• Study of the immunomodulatory effect of NGAL on lymphocyte populations derived from hyperimmune patients on hemodialysis.
• Toxin removal and modulation of inflammatory status during online hemodiafiltration.
• Characterization of lymphocyte and monocyte subpopulations by specific surface markers in patients undergoing dialysis treatment.
• Effects of a single session with innovative dialysis technologies on the removal of medium molecular weight uremic toxins (FGF23 and inflammatory cytokines, beta-2-microglobulin). Comparing techniques: Supra-HFR vs online hemodiafiltration.
  
  

Nephrology And Related Chronic Pathologies

• Early biomarkers of acute and chronic renal damage and glomerular nephropathies.
• Development of diagnostic protocols by NGS for the molecular diagnosis of genetic nephropathies, such as molecular diagnostics of polycystic kidney disease.
• Aspects of translational medicine in nephrology and transplantology for the identification of new molecular pathways.
• Characterization of Covid-19 coagulopathy as a form of secondary thrombotic microangiopathy: prospective observational study on a cohort of hospitalized patients with different clinical severities.
• Worldwide ,multicenter observational study on the incidence of COVID infection in nephropathic patients-- particularly with glomerulonephritis (IRoc-GN).
• Clinical and research studies related to the morphological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical characterization of MGRS and complementary pathologies.

Teaching activities:

Practical and residency internships are carried out for students’ theses in Medicine and Surgery, Biotechnology and Biology, specializations in Nephrology Sciences, PhD in Specialist Medical Sciences.

Available technologies

• Biological fume hood: Esco Labculture Class II Type A2 (LA2) (Esco Technologies s.r.l., Roma, Italy)
• Chemical hood: Asalair, Carbo 900 Exhaust (ASAL s.r.l., Cernusco, Milano, Italy)
• Centrifuge: ALC, 4236 Centrifuge (LabEvolution, Portici, Napoli, Italy)
• Freezer -20°C: Angelantoni, Ekofrigolab 1500 (Angelantoni Life Science s.r.l., Massa Martana, Perugia, Italy)
• Freezer -80°C: Angelantoni, Platilab 500 V-3-STD (Angelantoni Life Science s.r.l.)
• Freezer cabinet +4°C (Angelantoni Life Science s.r.l.)
• Microcentrifuge: Centrisart A-14C (Sartorius Lab Instruments GmbH, Goettingen, Germany)
• Microscope: Nikon, Eclipse Ci-L (100-240V) Enquiry Type (Nikon Instruments Europe BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands)
• Luminex: xMAP technology (Luminex Corporation, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands)
• Cytofluorometer: Partec, CyFlow Space (Partec® Gmbh, Munster, Germany)
• AGE Reader (BV DiagnOptics Technologies BV, Groningen, Netherlands)
• Pulse Wave Velocity: Complior SP (Artech Medical, Pantin, France)
• ISE probe (ion selective electrode) for K+ potassium dosage (perfectION™, Mettler Toledo, Milan, Italy)
• Cryogenic container for nitrogen: MVE Cryosystem 6000 (Chart Italy s.r.l., Padova, Italy)
• Cell Separator: MultiMACS (Miltenyi Biotec s.r.l., Calderara di Reno, Bologna, Italy)
• Incubator: Esco, Cell culture CO2 incubator (Esco Technologies s.r.l., Rome, Italy)

Other members

• Valeria Aiello

• Lorenzo Gasperoni

• Valeria Pizzuti

Collaborators

• Francesco Alviano
• Massimimiliano Bonafè
• Laura Bonsi
• Antonietta D’Errico
• Rita Golfieri
• Gianandrea Pasquanelli
• Matteo Ravaioli
• Piera Versura

Representative collaborations in international networks include:

• Columbia University and Mount Sinai of New York, University of Alabama, Miami University (USA)
• Monash University of Melbourne (Australia)
• Hôpital di Le Mans di Parigi (Francia)
• King’s College of London (UK)
• Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona (Spagna).