The next Ri.MED Research Seminar will be held on Tuesday 12th September at 3.30 pm at IRCCS ISMETT by Prof. Massimo Pinzani, University College London.
The Hepatic Matrisome: From Regenerative Hepatology to Drug-Discovery
Massimo Pinzani, MD, PhD, FRCP, FAASLD, MAE
Emeritus Professor of Medicine
University College London (UCL), Royal Free Hospital
London, United Kingdom
ABSTRACT: The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a fundamental component of multicellular organisms that provides mechanical and chemical cues that orchestrate cellular and tissue organization and functions. Increasing attention is dedicated to the matrix proteome, or “matrisome” of normal and diseased tissues as a source of mechanistic insights in disease pathophysiology and of biomarkers and drug targets. Indeed, the matrisome is the protein expression of an ensemble of genes encoding ECM and ECM-associated proteins which are significantly affected by chronic inflammatory diseases and cancer. Major recent advancements are derived from decellularization technologies which allow to obtain a structurally and biochemically conserved ECM scaffold from healthy or diseased tissue. ECM scaffolds can be employed for two main uses: a) regenerative medicine (i.e., cell repopulation to create tissue implants), and b) matrisome analysis, 3D tissue disease models and development of bio-inks for 3D printing and high-throughput research. These latter approaches can overcome many of the limitations of the current methodologies for drug target screening since most screening cascades employ nonhuman species, raising the concern that animal disease models currently in use do not recapitulate human disease and, therefore, are of limited translational predictive value.
The seminar will illustrate about ten years of work of my laboratory, starting from projects with a primary approach for regenerative Hepatology and continuing with the introduction of all-human 3D model for drug target and biomarker discovery for fibrogenesis in chronic liver diseases and the foundation of a successful UCL spin-out dedicated these applications.
Attendance is free, but registration is required.
Please confirm your attendance by September 11, 2023, filling out the registration form below.
N.B.: in the section “Other” please select the date and then select how you want to participate – in presence or on remote.
For info: adonath@fondazionerimed.com