Professor Paolo Garagnani
Institution: University of Bologna
Biography:
During a long and independent research career Paolo has acquired technical, methodological, theoretical skills on genomics and epigenomics eventually applied to the study bio-pathology of aging.
In particular he has:
- developed and standardized methodologies for analyzing epigenetic (DNA methylation) at whole genome (Illumina HumanMethylation27 and HumanMethylation450 BeadChip) and at candidate gene level (Sequenom MassARRAY platform);
- developed an original method for the statistical analysis of DNA methylation data obtained with the above mentioned methodologies;
- identified the strongest markers of chronological age in humans i.e. the age related hypermethylation of the ELOVL2 and FHL2 genes;
- identified an "epigenetic signature" of Down syndrome, and demonstrated the accelerated epigenetic aging of many tissues (brain, blood, saliva and circulating leukocytes) in this syndrome.
- developed and standardized techniques for next generation sequencing platforms: Illumina MiSeq, HiSeq1000 and 2000 Genome Analyzer IIx; Life technologies Ion Torrent;
- proposed for the first time and validated the model of centenarians as a "super-control" for the study of the genetic basis of age-associated diseases;
- used the most advanced technology of DNA sequencing ("ultra-deep sequencing") to quantify the accumulation of heteroplasmic mtDNA mutations and to study its inheritance path.
- studied ribosomal DNA methylation to deepen the knowledge of the role of ribosome biogenesis in neoplastic growth;
- conceptualized the complex role of the colon micro-environment in the growth and progression of colon cancer, offering an integrated view of multiple components pathogenic often treated in a piecemeal fashion as aging, inflammation, diet/intestinal microbiota and epigenetic alterations.
Contact: paolo.garagnani2@unibo.it
Supervisor to: Noemie Gensous