Viviana Meraviglia – Curriculum Vitae
PERSONAL DATA
Name and Surname: VivianaMeraviglia
Place and Date of Birth: Legnano (Milan, Italy), 28 January 1985
Nationality: Italian
Home Address: via Montenero n°11, 20015, Parabiago (Milan, Italy)
Home Phone: 0039.0331.556310
Mobile Phone: 0039.333.4830675
Personal e-mail: vivimera@hotmail.it
Work Address: Center for Biomedicine, European Academy of Bozen (EURAC), via Luigi Galvani
31, 39100 Bolzano, Italy
Work Phone: 0039.0471. 055584
Work e-mail: viviana.meraviglia@eurac.edu
LANGUAGES
Mother tongue: Italian
Other languages: English
STUDY TITLES
2014 - Ph.D. Degree within the Ph.D. Program in Traslationaland Molecular Medicine (DIMETUniversità degliStudi-Bicocca, Milano, Italy) at the Vascular Biology and Regenerative
Medicine Laboratoty, Centro Cardiologico Monzino, Milano, Italy
2010 - 2nd Level Degree (Laurea Specialistica) in Biology (curriculum Functional and
Molecular), Università degli Studi-Bicocca, Milano, Italy.
Vote 110/110 cum laude.
Thesis title: "Characterization of mesenchymal human cells from first trimester chorionic villi".
Thesis work was carried out in the Vascular Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Centro
CardiologicoMonzino, Milan, headed by Dr. Maurizio Capogrossi, and Cytogenetic Laboratory,
Fondazione IRCCS Ca'GrandaOspedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, where I was supervised by Dr.
Alessandra Rossini and Dott. Marina Di Segni, respectively.
2007 - 1st Level Deegre (LaureaTriennale) in Medical Biotechnology, Università degli Studi,
Milano, Italy.
Vote: 110/110 cum laude
Thesis title: "First trimester chorionic villi chromosomic analysis".
Thesis work was carried out in the Cytogenetic Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale
Maggiore Policlinico, Milan on Dott. Marina Di Segni’s supervision.
2004 - Diploma Perito Chimico (High School Diploma). Vote 100/100.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Since February 2014: Senior researcher at European Academy of Bozen (EURAC), Center for
Biomedicine, Bozen, Italy.
January 2011-Dec 2014: Ph.D. student within the Ph.D. Program in Traslational and Molecular
Medicine (DIMET- Università degli Studi-Bicocca, Milano) at the
Vascular Biology and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Centro
Cardiologico Monzino, Milano, Italy.
June 2012 - Nov 2012: Graduate Student at Prof. Vincent Chen’s Laboratory, Department of
“Development and Aging”, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute,
La Jolla, California, USA.
Oct 2010-Dec 2010:
Research Assistantat the Vascular Biology and Regenerative
Medicine Laboratory, Centro CardiologicoMonzino, Milan.
May 2010-Sep 2010:
Consultant at the CytogeneticLaboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Ca'Granda
Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan.
Mar 2009-Apr 2010: 2st Level Deegre Studentat the VascularBiologyand Regenerative
Medicine Laboratory, Centro Cardiologico Monzino, Milan
and
CytogeneticLaboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Ca'Granda Ospedale
Maggiore Policlinico, Milan.
Mar 2007-Oct 2007:
1st Level Deegre Student at the Cytogenetic Laboratory,
IRCCS Ca'GrandaOspedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan.
Fondazione
TECHNICAL SKILLS
 Cell biology techniques: cell culture, growth curves, in vitro differentiation assays.
 Primary cell isolation: mesenchymal stromal cells from heart, bone marrow and skin; neonatal
rat cardiomyocytes.
 Production of human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (IPSC) obtained from fetal and adult
fibroblasts using an episomal method; IPSC expansion by colony “pick up”.
 IPSC differentiation into functional cardiomyocytes using the formation of embryoid bodies
and beating clusters.
 Flow cytometry and sorting (using BD FACSCalibur and BD FACSAria)
 Molecular biology techniques: RNA extraction, RT-PCR, agarose gel electropherosis, Real
Time PCR, microRNA profiling (TaqMan microRNA assays).
 Biochemical techniques: SDS-Page, Immunoblot.
 Immunofluorescence and immunocytochemistry.
 Cytogenetic analysis techniques: chromosomic preparation, cell observation with
fluorescence microscopy, metaphase analysis and karyogramm reconstruction.
SCIENTIFIC INTEREST
 Mesenchymal stromal cells
 Cell reprogramming into pluripotent stem cells and cardiomyogenic differentiation
 MicroRNA and their involvement in cardiomyogenic differentiation
 Effects of chronic electrical stimulation on cardiac cells
ABSTRACTS
V. Meraviglia, M. Vecellio, G. Di Rocco, D. Coviello, M. Di Segni, M.C. Capogrossi, C. Gaetano,
G. Pompilio, A. Rossini. Human mesenchymal cells from first trimester chorionic villi: determination
of in vitro plasticity and differentiation potential. Oral presentation at Annaul ABCD Meeting on
“Stem Cells, Development and Regenerative Medicine”, 9-10 April 2010, Parma, Italy.
V. Meraviglia, M. Vecellio, M. Baccarin, G. Di Rocco, D. Coviello, M.C. Capogrossi, C.
Gaetano, G. Pompilio, A. Rossini, M. Di Segni. Characterization of human mesenchymal cells from
first trimester chorionic villi. E-poster: XIII National Congress Italian Society of Human Genetics,
14-17 October 2010, Florence, Italy.
V. Meraviglia, V. Azzimato, R. K. Kesharwani, M. C. Capogrossi, C. Gaetano, G. Pompilio, G. I.
Colombo, A. Rossini. Analysis of microRNA expression profiling of syngeneic cardiac and bone
marrow stromal cells exposed to different media. Oral presentation at “MicroRNA: from basic
research to therapeutic applications”, 16-17 September 2013 Ferrara, Italy.
V. Azzimato, V. Meraviglia, M. C. Florio, M. Prelogar, D. Salerno, M. C. Capogrossi, C. Gaetano,
G. Pompilio, I. Rivolta, A. Rossini. Chronic Electrical Pacing Inhibits Gap Junction-Mediated Cellto-Cell Communication by Promoting Cx43-Acetylation. Oral presentation at XIX National Congress
Italian Society of Cardiovascular Research 17-19 October 2013, Imola, Italy.
V. Meraviglia, V. Azzimato, R. K. Kesharwani, M. C. Capogrossi, C. Gaetano, G. Pompilio, G. I.
Colombo, A. Rossini. Syngeneic Cardiac and Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Display Tissue-specific
microRNA Signatures and microRNA Subsets Restricted to Diverse Differentiation Processes. Poster
at “American Heart Association Scientific Sessions”, 16-20 November 2013, Dallas, Texas, USA.
K. K. Shah, V. Meraviglia, E. Sommariva, C. Tondo, J. E. Marine, C. A. James, H. Calkins, D. P.
Judge, A. Rossini and H-S. V. Chen. Exaggerated adipogenesis of mesenchymal stromal cells derived
from ARVD/C patient-specific iPSCs. Poster at 35th Heart Rhythm Scientific Session, 7-10 May 2014,
San Francisco, California, USA.
V. Meraviglia, J. Wen, L. Piacentini, G. Campostrini, C. Wang, V. Azzimato, J. Wong, C. Gaetano,
G. Pompilio, A. Barbuti, D. DiFrancesco, P. P. Pramstaller, G. I. Colombo, H-S. V. Chen, A. Rossini.
High cardiac differentiation properties are evident in long term cultured induced pluripotent stem
cells obtained from atrial mesenchymal cells. Oral presentation at “6th Meeting of the Forum of
Italian Researchers on Mesenchymal and Stromal Stem Cells”, 12-13 may, 2014, Milan, Italy.
V. Azzimato, V. Meraviglia, C. Colussi, M.C. Florio, A. Panariti, C. Gaetano, P.P., M.C. Capogrossi,
G. Pompilio, F. Recchia, I.Rivolta, A. Rossini. Electrical Pacing Inhibits Gap Junction-Mediated
Cardiac Cell -Cell Communication by Promoting Cx43-Acetylation. Poster at “American Heart
Association Scientific Sessions”, 15-19 November 2014, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
V. Meraviglia, J. Wen, L. Piacentini, G. Campostrini, C. Wang, V. Azzimato, J. Wong, C. Gaetano,
G. Pompilio, A. Barbuti, D. DiFrancesco, P. P. Pramstaller, G. I. Colombo, H-S. V. Chen, A. Rossini.
Higher cardiac differentiation properties are evident in long term cultured induced pluripotent stem
cells obtained from atrial mesenchymal cells compared to skin mesenchymal cells. Poster at
“American Heart Association Scientific Sessions”, 15-19 November 2014, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
E. Sommariva, S. Brambilla, C. Carbucicchio, A. Dello Russo, M. Casella, G. Pontone, V.
Meraviglia, A. Rossini, M.C. Capogrossi, G. Pompilio, C. Tondo. Role of Cardiac Stromal Cells in
the pathogenesis of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy. Oral presentation at
“American Heart Association Scientific Sessions”, 15-19 November 2014, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
FULL LENGHT PUBBLICATION
V. Meraviglia, M. Vecellio, A. Grasselli, M. Baccarin, A. Farsetti, M.C. Capogrossi, G. Pompilio,
D. Coviello, C. Gaetano, M. Di Segni, A. Rossini. Human Chorionic Villus Mesenchymal Stromal
Cells Reveal Strong Endothelial Conversion Properties. Differentiation. 2012 Jun;83(5):260-70.
Epub 2012 Mar 31.
M. Vecellio, V. Meraviglia, S. Nanni, A. Barbuti, A. Scavone, D. DiFrancesco, A. Farsetti, G.
Pompilio, G. Colombo, M.C. Capogrossi, C. Gaetano, A. Rossini.
In vitro Epigenetic Reprogramming of Human Cardiac Mesenchymal Stromal Cells into Functionally
Competent Cardiovascular Precursors. PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e51694. Epub 2012 Dec 17.
D. Ami, M. Di Segni, M. Forcella, V. Meraviglia, M. Baccarin, S. M. Doglia, G. Terzoli. Role of
water in chromosome spreading and swelling induced by acetic acid treatment: a FTIR spectroscopy
study. Eur J Histochem. 2014 Feb 11;58(1):2330.
C. Piubelli, V. Meraviglia, G. Pompilio, Y. D’Alessandra, G. I. Colombo, A. Rossini. MicroRNA
and cardiac cell fate. Cells 2014 Aug 5;3(3):802-23.
V. Meraviglia, V. Azzimato, L. Piacentini, M.Chiesa, R.K. Kesharwani, C. Frati, M.C. Capogrossi,
C. Gaetano, G. Pompilio, G.I. Colombo, A.Rossini. Syngeneic Cardiac and Bone Marrow Stromal
Cells Display Tissue-specific microRNA Signatures and microRNA Subsets Restricted to Diverse
Differentiation Processes. PLoS One. 2014 Sept 18; 10.1371/journal.pone.0107269.
A. Rossini, V. Meraviglia, G.I. Colombo. microRNAs are important players at the intersection of
stromal cell differentiation fate. Synopsis on www.epibeat.com (Section: Developmental Biology &
Stem Cells), 2014 Dec 03.
TRAVEL GRANTS
September 2014: Travel award for young investigator supported by American Heart Association’s
Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology (ATVB).
October 2013: Travel grant supported by Fondazione Cariplo for financing Congresses for Ph.D.
student in Traslational and Molecular Medicine Ph.D. Program (DIMET).
May 2012: Travel grant supported by Fondazione Cariplo for financing Training abroad for Ph.D.
student in Traslational and Molecular Medicine Ph.D. Program (DIMET).
AWARD
May 2014: 1st prize for best presentation in “Young Researchers” contest at 6th Meeting of the Forum
of Italian Researchers on Mesenchymal and Stromal Stem Cells.
“AD HOC” REVIEWER FOR THE FOLLOWING JOURNALS.
PLoS One
Cytotherapy
WORKSHOPS
“BD FACSAria Operator Training Course”, Centro CardiologicoMonzino, Milan, 27-28-29
February 2012.
“Safe handling of Liquid Nitrogen course”, Centro CardiologicoMonzino, Milan, 6 June 2011.
“Cell colture training course”, PBIinternational, Milan, 30-31 March 2011.
“BD FACSCaliburOperator Training Course”, BD Biosciences,Buccinasco (Mi), 17-18
November 2010.
“Current technology in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC)”, Milano, 9 Settembre
2010.