Ph.D. candidate in Bioingegneria E Scienze Medico-chirurgiche , 36th cycle (2020-2023)
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS)
Research Assistant
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS)
Docente esterno e/o collaboratore didattico
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (DIMEAS)
Profile
PhD
Thesis title
Bioartificial scaffolds with biomimetic fibrous structure in the design of in vitro models of cardiac fibrotic and skeletal muscle tissue
Research topic
ENGINEERED BIOMIMETIC MICROENVIRONMENTS FOR THE IN VITRO ASSESSMENT OF NEW ADVANCED THERAPIES
Tutors
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.
Teaching
Teachings
Master of Science
- 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. 2023/24, 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
- Formazione pratica in nanotecnologie biomediche e terapie avanzate. A.A. 2022/23, INGEGNERIA BIOMEDICA. Collaboratore del corso
- Ingegneria per la medicina rigenerativa. A.A. 2021/22, INGEGNERIA BIOMEDICA. Collaboratore del corso
- Formazione pratica in nanotecnologie biomediche e terapie avanzate. A.A. 2021/22, INGEGNERIA BIOMEDICA. Collaboratore del corso
Research
Research groups
Publications
Latest publications View all publications in Porto@Iris
- Marcello, Elena; Zoso, Alice; Ruocco, Gerardina; Chiono, Valeria (2024)
Alginate and Gelatin-based hydrogels for 3D bioprinting of skeletal muscle tissue. In: Annual Meeting of the Italian Society for Biomaterials
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - 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) - Marcello, Elena; Ruocco, Gerardina; Sanna, Francesca; Zoso, Alice; Carmagnola, Irene; ... (2024)
Nano-fiber reinforced hydrogels for 3D bioprinting of anisotropic tissue. In: 12th World Biomaterials Congress, WBC2024, Daegu, Korea, 26-31/05/2025
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Coletto, Martina; Ruocco, Gerardina; Nicoletti, Letizia; Paoletti, Camilla; Zoso, Alice; ... (2024)
Biomimetic In Vitro Model of Human Cardiac Replacement Fibrosis: a Preclinical Testing Platform to assess the Safety and Target Efficiency of Precision Nanomedicine for Cardiac Regeneration. In: 2024 Summer Immersion on Innovative Approaches in Science, Washington DC (USA), May 30 - June 1, 2024
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