RICERCA ITALIANA     

Biomedicine and Biotechnology Center: study of animal models of human diseases.

Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II"

Abstract

Within several Departments of the University of Naples ‘Federico II' various research groups, developed through the collaboration with prestigious international research institutes, e.g. NIH (Bethesda, USA) and the EMBL (Heidelberg, EU), have long been working on projects related to the molecular basis of human disorders using experimental animal models. The short-term aim of the proposed Center is to create the structures whereby ongoing research projects can be optimally developed. At the same time, the aim is to establish the conditions to promote contacts with other scientific expertises in the University. Consequently, all cultural resources will be directed towards achieving the aims of convergent research; this will also allow the use of innovative instrumental methodologies.

The medium-long-term aim of the Center is to create in addition a service structure that contains the equipment and expertise for the analysis of the anatomical/functional and/or molecular phenotypes of genetically modified mice. Public and private research institutes and industries working in the field of medical and pharmaceutical biotechnology will certainly found such services invaluable. Another intermediate aim of the Center is to recruit new research groups led by young researchers, who will have access to the structures and resources necessary to set-up and develop research activity. This aim is of prime importance for the selection of new teachers and researchers for the>>>

Principal Investigator

Francesco SALVATORE Università degli Studi di NAPOLI "Federico II"

International Relationship

This proposal is based on the integration of highly specialized multidisciplinary competence in the field of advanced biotechnologies. Both for its structure and organization, this proposal takes into account the current trend of the bioindustry that, at present, is using technologies resulting from a great number of disciplines and that are, in the meanwhile, highly specific in particular biotechnological fields.

Thus, the development of the bio-industry will be characterized, in the future, by a growing demand for multidisciplinary biotechnologies with definite sectorial ingredients and, however, that are set in a framework of advanced training.

Moreover, the new Center is part of a modern strategy of the industrial biotechnological research in the field of pharmacology and diagnosis. In order to reduce the time and the costs necessary for the development of new products, such strategy resorts to the study of the disease and of its mechanisms as well as to the analysis of genomic and/or proteomic data banks with the purpose of detecting new therapeutically active molecules and diagnostic procedures that are actually innovative and highly specific.

Therefore in relation to what above, the founding of the proposed Center would offer some opportunities for research-industry partnerships that are particularly important, also on the basis of the experiences and the pre-existing co-operation between the proposing research groups and>>>

Research Objectives

The short-term aim of the Center of Biomedicine and Biotechnology is to provide equipment and expertise for the research groups of various Departments of the University of Naples ‘Federico II' who are studying the molecular basis of various human diseases using experimental models in genetically modified animals, and who are implementing innovative procedures to use in the evaluation of the molecular and anatomic-functional phenotypes of the animals being studied.

The medium-term aim is to provide a service of analysis of animals genetically modified, both anatomo-functionally (Mouse Clinical Center) and molecularly (Proteomic Laboratory), for the national and international scientific community working in public and private institutes and for industry. Another medium-term aim is to recruit new research groups led by young investigators interested in the scientific problems that characterise the activity of the Center.

The Center will be directed by a Scientific Council constituted by representatives of each University Department involved in the Center, and by three external members appointed by the Rector from a list of national and international experts proposed by the University Departments. The Scientific Council will appoint a Coordinator to serve for three years, and will prepare an annual activity report, which will include the evaluation of the results obtained and indicate the scientific aims for the following year. The>>>