Regional reference center for microbiological emergencies (CRREM)

Research areas:

• The study of the host immune response during arbovirus infection: i) the role of polymorphism of the genes of innate immunity in its progression and severity; ii) the characterization of the antibody response during West Nile and Toscana virus infections;

• The study of RNA persistence in the West Nile, Toscana, and Zika viruses;

• The study of of the molecular epidemiology of emerging and re-emerging viral infections (through sequencing and phylogenetic analysis);

• Serolipidemic studies of viral infections transmitted by vectors, such as those caused by the West Nile and Toscana viruses;

• Studies of the variants of SARS-CoV-2: genomic characterization and monitoring;

• The study of SARS-CoV-2 infections in immunocompromised patients;

• SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy and the immediate postnatal period: study by the Italian Obstetric Surveillance System

• Genomic characterization of strains isolated from Invasive Bacterial Disease;

• Evaluation of an experimental maternal vaccine to control the neonatal infective disease caused by streptococcus group B.

Teaching activity:

The laboratory hosts students enrolled the Schools of Specialization for Microbiology and Virology, Clinical Pathology, and Pathological Anatomy for specialized training, as well as students interning to complete their graduate thesis.

Instrumentation available:

• Vertical biohazard laminar fume hood
• Refrigerators at 4°C and freezers at -20°C and -80°C
• Optical and fluorescent microscopes
• Incubators at 37°C and CO₂
• Centrifuges and microcentrifuges, refrigerated and non-refrigerated
• Various automated systems for the extraction and amplification of nucleic acids
• Thermocyclers
• Isolated clinical bio-repositories.

CRREM has a P3 laboratory (biosafety level 3) complete with instrumentation.

Collaborators

Eva Caterina Borgatti, biology specialist, team member. 

Alessandra Primavera, biology specialist, team member. 

Malattie Infettive, Alma Mater Studiorum, Università di Bologna. 

Malattie Infettive RER (Parma, Forlì, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Ferrara). 

Neonatologia, Università di Modena. 

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia. 

Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma.