Alessandra Gentilini

Biography

SUPERIOR AND UNIVERSITY EDUCATION Diploma: Diploma of Maturita 'Scientifica, 1985. Degree: Degree in Biological Sciences obtained at the University of Florence in July 1990 with a vote: 110/110 and praise with encomium. Thesis title: "Purification and characterization of a turkey skeletal muscle acylphosphatase". EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR POSTUNIVERSITY School of Specialization: School of Specialization in Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry started in 1991 and suspended for the second year for the admission to the Doctoral Program (four years). It was then resumed in 1995 and finished with the highest marks in November 1998. Title of thesis: "Effects of pentoxyphyllin on the synthesis and degradation of collagen in starred cells isolated from human liver". Ph.D. in Clinical Physiopathology: From December 1991 to December 1995 under the supervision of Dr. Massimo Pinzani at the Institute of Internal Medicine of the University of Florence directed by Prof. Paolo Gentilini. Ph.D. achievement on 8/1/1996 with the following thesis: "Expression and regulation of binding proteins for insulin-like growth factors in perinusogenous star cells isolated from human liver". Research Fellowship: From November 1994 to May 1996 at the Department of Nephrology at the University of Texas Health Science Center headed by Prof. Hanna E. Abboud. Postdoctoral Research in Clinical Physiopathology: Started in August 1997 at the Institute of Internal Medicine of the University of Florence, completed in August 1999. Research Topic: "Existing biological relationships between hepatocarcinoma cells and the extracellular matrix that constitutes the stroma of the tumor ".

Research Interest

1) Adjustment of expression of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) subunits by the transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) in human CSP. 2) Expression and pathophysiologic-prognostic role of expression of the platelet-derived growth factor and its relative subunits undergoing active liver fibrogenesis. 3) Role of the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3- (PI 3-) kinase in mitogenesis and chemotaxis induced by platelet-derived growth factor in human CSP. 4) Adjustment of gene expression for type 1 procollagen by lipid-peroxidative mechanisms and reactive human aldehyde CSPs. 5) Expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in the human and cirrhotic liver and biological effects of ET-1 in human CSP. 6) Characterization and regulation of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) in human CSPs. He started a project on the expression of IGF-I and IGFBPs in the normal, cirrhotic and neoplastic human liver, at the Department of Medicine at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas, under the direct supervision of Dr. Sherry Abboud which was later terminated at the Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory of Internal Medicine in Florence coordinated by Prof. M.Pinzani. It still carries out research in the field of IGF I signaling at the same laboratory, especially in the cell growth and cell survival activity of this cytokine.