Advancements in Genetic Engineering
Open Access

Massimo Conese

Biography

Dr. Massimo Conese is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Foggia, Italy. Dr. Conese obtained his M.D. degree in 1987 and Specialization in Oncology in 1990 from the University of Bari, Italy (field of interest; macrophages and the control of coagulation in health and disease), and his Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathology in 1995 from the Second University Medical School, Naples, Italy (field of interest: role of the urokinase/urokinase receptor in pericellular fibrinolysis and cell migration/differentiation). During the Ph.D. program, he spent one year and half in the Institute of Microbiology, Copenhagen, Denmark. Dr. Conese performed postdoctoral research as Research Assistant at the Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, DIBIT, H. S. Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy (1997-2001) and was appointed Group Leader of the Institute for Experimental Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis in the same Institute (2001-2007).

Research Interest

Gene therapy of cystic fibrosis: Pre-clinical evaluation of nonviral (polymers and copolymers) and viral (HIV-1-derived lentivirus) vectors for CFTR gene delivery into airway epithelial cells in vitro and in murine models.
Cellular therapy of cystic fibrosis: evaluation of different sources of stem cells (bone marrow, amnios) for homing to the lung and correction of the disease.
CFTR “interactome”: CFTR interaction with scaffold proteins and influence on the actin cytoskeleton and tight junctions in airway epithelial cells.
Pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis lung disease: Gene expression profile of blood and sputum polymorphonuclear granulocytes (PMN) in cystic fibrosis patients and role of microparticles derived from PMN.