Ph.D. in Bioingegneria E Scienze Medico-chirurgiche , 36th cycle (2020-2023)
Ph.D. obtained in 2024
Dissertation:
Bioartificial scaffolds with biomimetic fibrous structure in the design of in vitro models of cardiac fibrotic and skeletal muscle tissue (Abstract)
Tutors:
Valeria Chiono Irene CarmagnolaProfile
Research topic
ENGINEERED BIOMIMETIC MICROENVIRONMENTS FOR THE IN VITRO ASSESSMENT OF NEW ADVANCED THERAPIES
Research interests
Biography
I obtained a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering (Bionanotechnologies field) at Politecnico di Torino in October 2019. Currently, I am carrying out a PhD in Bioengineering and Medical-Surgical Sciences jointly run by Politecnico di Torino and Università Degli Studi di Torino.
During the Bachelor’s Degree I carried out a curricular internship at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS) aimed at the fabrication of polyurethane-based scaffolds for tendon regeneration.
Thanks to the practical laboratory experiences provided by the specialization courses, I interfaced with the multidisciplinary field of tissue engineering (TE) strengthening my interest in scientific research.
In March 2019, I started my thesis at DIMEAS under the supervision of Full Professor Valeria Chiono and Irene Carmagnola (Ph.D.) and Alice Zoso (Ph.D.). My work, entitled "Development of an engineered fibrotic cardiac model based on electrospun bioartificial membranes" and included in the Biorecar ERC-CoG-2017 (grant agreement: 772168), concerns the design and development of in vitro models of pathological heart tissue to mimic cardiac fibrosis in the early stages of pathological remodeling.
After graduating, I started working as post graduate fellow in in the research group of Professor Valeria Chiono on "Development and characterization of fibrotic heart tissue models". I acquired knowledge in the field of additive manufacturing and strengthened my practical training in biology at the cellular laboratories of Torino and Alessandria. During this period I worked with biotechnologies and medicians, understanding the importance of a transversal and multidisciplinary perspective in the research activity.
During my PhD I developed in vitro models of healthy and pathological tissues to be proposed as platforms in order to replace or reduce animal testing according to 3Rs principle. During my PhD I worked on the design of an electrostimulation platform to provide differentiation or maturation stimuli. I also worked with 3D bioplotter instrument to create in vitro models that reproduce the three-dimensional physiological microenvironment.
During the Bachelor’s Degree I carried out a curricular internship at the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS) aimed at the fabrication of polyurethane-based scaffolds for tendon regeneration.
Thanks to the practical laboratory experiences provided by the specialization courses, I interfaced with the multidisciplinary field of tissue engineering (TE) strengthening my interest in scientific research.
In March 2019, I started my thesis at DIMEAS under the supervision of Full Professor Valeria Chiono and Irene Carmagnola (Ph.D.) and Alice Zoso (Ph.D.). My work, entitled "Development of an engineered fibrotic cardiac model based on electrospun bioartificial membranes" and included in the Biorecar ERC-CoG-2017 (grant agreement: 772168), concerns the design and development of in vitro models of pathological heart tissue to mimic cardiac fibrosis in the early stages of pathological remodeling.
After graduating, I started working as post graduate fellow in in the research group of Professor Valeria Chiono on "Development and characterization of fibrotic heart tissue models". I acquired knowledge in the field of additive manufacturing and strengthened my practical training in biology at the cellular laboratories of Torino and Alessandria. During this period I worked with biotechnologies and medicians, understanding the importance of a transversal and multidisciplinary perspective in the research activity.
During my PhD I developed in vitro models of healthy and pathological tissues to be proposed as platforms in order to replace or reduce animal testing according to 3Rs principle. During my PhD I worked on the design of an electrostimulation platform to provide differentiation or maturation stimuli. I also worked with 3D bioplotter instrument to create in vitro models that reproduce the three-dimensional physiological microenvironment.
Awards and Honors
- Premio per la miglior presentazione presso "WINTER SCHOOL OF BIOPRINTING, From 3D printing set-up to laboratory analysis", Università di Pavia. (2020)
- Premio per la miglior presentazione in occasione del PhD Day 2023. (2023)
- Journal Cover Art per l'articolo in rivista "Biomimetic Electrospun Scaffold-Based In Vitro Model", pubblicato presso ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering (8 Giugno 2023). https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.3c00483 (2023)
- Travel Award finalizzato alla partecipazione al congresso EUSAAT2024. (2024)
Teaching
Teachings
Master of Science
- Ingegneria per la medicina rigenerativa. A.A. 2021/22, INGEGNERIA BIOMEDICA. Collaboratore del corso
- Ingegneria per la medicina rigenerativa/Bioreattori (modulo di Ingegneria per la medicina rigenerativa). A.A. 2022/23, INGEGNERIA BIOMEDICA. Collaboratore del corso
- Ingegneria per la medicina rigenerativa/Bioreattori (modulo di Ingegneria per la medicina rigenerativa). A.A. 2023/24, INGEGNERIA BIOMEDICA. Collaboratore del corso
- Formazione pratica in nanotecnologie biomediche e terapie avanzate. A.A. 2021/22, INGEGNERIA BIOMEDICA. Collaboratore del corso
- Formazione pratica in nanotecnologie biomediche e terapie avanzate. A.A. 2022/23, INGEGNERIA BIOMEDICA. Collaboratore del corso
- Formazione pratica in nanotecnologie biomediche e terapie avanzate. A.A. 2023/24, INGEGNERIA BIOMEDICA. Collaboratore del corso
Research
Research groups
Publications
Works published during the Ph.D. View all publications in Porto@Iris
- Ruocco, Gerardina (2024)
Bioartificial scaffolds with biomimetic fibrous structure in the design of in vitro models of cardiac fibrotic and skeletal muscle tissue. relatore: CHIONO, VALERIA; CARMAGNOLA, IRENE; , 36. XXXVI Ciclo, P.: 203
Doctoral Thesis - Ruocco, Gerardina; Marcello, Elena; Paoletti, Camilla; Zoso, Alice; Carmagnola, Irene; ... (2024)
"Engineered fiber-based anisotropic microenvironments for 2D and 3D in vitro models of skeletal muscle tissues". In: SIB2024-Faenza
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Ruocco, Gerardina; Zoso, Alice; Mortati, Leonardo; Carmagnola, Irene; Chiono, Valeria (2023)
Biomimetic Electrospun Scaffold-Based In Vitro Model Resembling the Hallmarks of Human Myocardial Fibrotic Tissue. In: ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. ISSN 2373-9878
Contributo su Rivista - Spedicati, Mattia; Ruocco, Gerardina; Zoso, Alice; Mortati, Leonardo; Lapini, Andrea; ... (2022)
Biomimetic design of bioartificial scaffolds for the in vitro modelling of human cardiac fibrosis. In: FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 10. ISSN 2296-4185
Contributo su Rivista - Spedicati, Mattia; Carmagnola, Irene; Zoso, Alice; Ruocco, Gerardina; Chiono, Valeria (2021)
3D IN VITRO MODELS OF EARLY AND LATE HUMAN CARDIAC FIBROSIS BY TUNING 3D ARCHITECTURE OF BIOARTIFICIAL SCAFFOLDS. In: Termis 6th world congress, Maastricht (NL), 15-19 novembre 2021, pp. 140-140
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Spedicati, Mattia; Carmagnola, Irene; Zoso, Alice; Ruocco, Gerardina; Chiono, Valeria (2021)
3D In Vitro Model of Early-Stage Human Cardiac Fibrosis Based on Bioartificial Scaffold. In: Cell-Matrix Interaction and Mechanobiology in Regenerative Medicine, BRNO (CZ), 10-11 giugno 2021, pp. 36-36
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Carmagnola, I.; Chiono, V.; Ruocco, G.; Scalzone, A.; Gentile, P.; Taddei, P.; ... (2020)
Plga membranes functionalized with gelatin through biomimetic mussel-inspired strategy. In: NANOMATERIALS, vol. 10, pp. 1-17. ISSN 2079-4991
Contributo su Rivista - Carmagnola, Irene; Zoso, Alice; Paoletti, Camilla; Tarricone, Giulia; Spedicati, Mattia; ... (2020)
Biomimetic scaffolds and multifunctional materials in the regeneration of pathological cardiac tissue. In: NICE – 2020 International Conference, Nizza (FR), October 12 – 14, 2020
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Spedicati, Mattia; Ruocco, Gerardina; Zoso, Alice; Carmagnola, Irene; Chiono, Valeria (2020)
In vitro models of fibrotic cardiac tissue as a potential tool for testing cardioprotective therapies for cardiovascular diseases related to COVID-19. In: Virtual FISV Symposium on SARS-CoV-2 Biology and COVID-19: Current research and perspectives. ISBN: 978-88-943891-2-8
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Spedicati, Mattia; Ruocco, Gerardina; Zoso, Alice; Carmagnola, Irene; Chiono, Valeria (2020)
In vitro models of human pathological cardiac tissue via bioartificial scaffolds. In: Winter School of Bioprinting: From 3D printing set-up to lab analysis, Università di Pavia, Pavia
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Carmagnola, Irene; Zoso, Alice; Spedicati, Mattia; Ruocco, Gerardina; Chiono, Valeria (2020)
Tissue-engineered models of human pathological cardiac tissue through bioartificial scaffolds. In: 11TH World Biomaterials Congress, virtuale, 11 - 15 December 2020
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Spedicati, Mattia; Ruocco, Gerardina; Zoso, Alice; Carmagnola, Irene; Chiono, Valeria (2020)
Design of in vitro model of fibrotic cardiac tissue. In: Trainee Symposium for Organoids & Organs-on-a-chip, Online Webinar, 11/08/2020
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Zoso, Alice; Carmagnola, Irene; Ruocco, Gerardina; Spedicati, Mattia; Chiono, Valeria (2020)
In vitro models of human cardiac fibrotic tissue on ‘bioartificial’ scaffolds. In: BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, vol. 3, pp. 35-35. ISSN 2531-9892
Contributo su Rivista