CALL FOR EUROPEAN RESEARCH CENTERS
INTERESTED IN RECEIVING A FELLOW
FROM ANOTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRY
Name of the Institution: Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research
Web site of the Institution: www.marionegri.it
Contact person: Prof. Giuseppe Remuzzi
Address: Via Stezzano, 87
Postal code: 24126 City: Bergamo
Country: Italy
Phone: +39 035 4213403 Fax: +39 035 319888
E-mail: giuseppe.remuzzi@marionegri.it
Synopsis on research programme in Nephrology/ Dialysis/ Transplantation (the
synopsis must not exceed 3500 character –font 12, word format only-).
The Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research is a non profit foundation for
research and education in biomedicine. In Bergamo the Institute has two centers under the
coordination of Prof Giuseppe Remuzzi: the Anna Maria Astori Center (dedicated to basic
research, where laboratory and animal facilities are available) and the Clinical Research
Center for Rare Diseases (CRCRD, dedicated to the development of clinical research
projects) The main fields of interest of either basic and clinical research are: chronic
kidney diseases, diabetes, transplant immunology, clinical pharmacology, rare diseases
and cell therapy. Research spans from molecular biology to biochemistry, analytical
chemistry and pharmacology, to tissue engineering, organ transplantation, genetics of
diseases, gene therapy up to epidemiology and statistics. The CRCRD is specifically aimed
at applying basic research into clinical practice, through clinical studies conducted in
cooperation with Italian and foreign clinical centers. Most of these studies are focused on
the study of the mechanisms of progression of chronic nephropathies, of new prevention
and intervention strategies for diabetic nephropathy, non diabetic chronic nephropathies,
chronic allograft dysfunction, of diabetic cardiovascular complications, chronic renal
disease, dialysis and transplantation.
Many of these activities are run in close cooperation with the Public/Private Department of
Immunology and Clinical Transplantation at the Ospedali Riuniti of Bergamo. This
cooperation allows prompt access to new information, and its quick transfer and
verification in everyday clinical practice. The close relationship between researchers and
clinicians also allows faster understanding of the most important clinical issues requiring
continuous research. Currently, there are 22 clinical studies ongoing at the CRCRD. They
are all collaborative projects involving numerous clinical centers for which the CRCRD is
always promoter and coordinator. This is possible because it is a unique site which offers
all the facilities for the design, preparation, conduction and evaluation of clinical research
projects in one place.
The team’s main achievements are represented by its crucial contribution in showing the
critical role of proteinuria in the progression of chronic nephropathies and in identifying
treatments capable of limiting protein trafficking through the glomerular capillary barrier
and of slowing renal disease progression to ESRD or even induce disease regression.
Among others findings the group discovered the genetic causes of certain rare diseases
such as hemolytic uremic syndrome, glomerulopathy with fibronectin deposits and steroid
resistant nephrotic syndrome and it was the first to describe improvement of renal
function and renal tubular injury associated with prolongation of animal survival in mice
with acute tubular necrosis upon infusion with human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) of
bone-marrow and umbilical cord origin and amniotic fluid stem cells.
Research results are published in some of the world’s most renowned scientific journals.
In 28 years of activity the Anna Maria Astori Center and the CRCRD have published
altogether about 1500 scientific articles, reviews and monographs.
Current lines of research.
- To understand why many kidney diseases progress over time towards end stage renal
failure to slow down and at times completely stop the progression eventually avoiding the
need for dialysis and transplantation
- To prevent diabetes complications
- To use bone marrow or cordon blood derived stem cells to regenerate a tissue which was
damaged after an acute event and extend their use to other diseases
- To teach the organism to tolerate the graft without the need of antirejection drugs
- To increase the number of available organs and the possibilities of transplantion for
many thousands of patients whose survival today is exclusively linked to the dialysis
machine
- To use gene therapy to hinder solid organ graft chronic rejection
- To develop 3D techniques of tissue analysis and riconstruction by using electron
microscope scanning and mathematical models
- To investigate the mechanisms underlying some rare diseases that help us to understand
how the most common diseases work
Research/es in which the Fellow will be involved.
The fellow can be involved in any topic mentioned above as per his/her interests and
capabilities. For most research project a stage of at least one year is advisable.
For participation in clinical studies a basic knowledge of Italian language is recommended
because they imply dealing with Italian patients.
Please consider that by submitting this Application you accept that it will be published in ERAEDTA website. This means that your e-mail address will be posted, too.
Please, return this form, as an attachment, to the following e-mail address:
fellowships@era-edta.org