Research programs

Research at CIBIO covers a number of topics all emphasizing experimental analysis at the various levels of biological organization, and roughly focused on three major research programs.

The first is the Neurobiology Program, whose aim is to identify and characterize genetic determinants of CNS development which could also contribute to the proposal of mechanistic explanations for the onset and progression of CNS pathologies, and of their possible novel therapies.

The second program is the Oncology Program, also characterized by a strong focus on fundamental studies directed to molecular determinants of gene expression control conducted also with a network-oriented approach. The applicative goal of this research is the description of pathways involved in cancer onset and progression, and the identification of bioactive molecules in a drug screening setting.

The third program is the Microbiology and Synthetic Biology program, conjugating the identification of genes and small molecules involved in the virulence of pathogenic microorganisms and the mechanisms of their action with the experimental investigation of the first phases of protocell evolution.

The research programs established at CIBIO are interconnected by an high degree of internal cooperation, in the setting of a vibrant experimental environment characterized by the coordinated work of young independent group leaders with that of experienced postdoctoral fellows.