Biotechnologies applied to reproduction

L’Unità di Embriologia svolge attività di ricerca nell'ambito della biologia dello sviluppo e delle biotecnologie applicate alla riproduzione nelle specie animali domestiche e selvatiche, con un focus particolare sui piccoli ruminanti.

Le principali linee di ricerca includono: 

• Tecniche di Riproduzione Assistita (ART): produzione e manipolazione embrionale in vitro, comprese tecniche di Fecondazione In Vitro (IVF), di Iniezione Intracitoplasmatica dello Spermatozoo (ICSI) e di congelamento degli embrioni.
• Stoccaggio di cellule allo stato anidro: studio dell'induzione di disidratazione reversibile in gameti, embrioni e cellule.
• Riprogrammazione nucleare: ricerca sulla clonazione animale utilizzando cellule somatiche.
• Cellule Staminali Embrionali nel modello animale ovino
• Programmazione epigenetica guidata da variazioni metaboliche durante lo sviluppo.
• Identificazione di Markers autofagici di selezione follicoli ovarici in ovino e suino.

• Pasqualino Loi, Professore Ordinario (PO) in Fisiologia Veterinaria

• Marta Czernik, Professore Associato (PA) in Fisiologia Veterinaria

• Domenico Iuso, PA in Anatomia degli Animali Domestici

• Luisa Gioia, PA in Fisiologia Veterinaria (Dipartimento di Bioscienze)

• Luca Palazzese, Assegnista di Ricerca in Fisiologia Veterinaria

• Margherita Moncada, Dottoranda in Fisiologia Veterinaria

• Martina Lo Sterzo, Dottoranda in Fisiologia Veterinaria

• Francesca Boffa, Dottoranda in Fisiologia Veterinaria

• Aurora Scuderi, Borsista di Ricerca Post-Laurea in Fisiologia Veterinaria

L’Unità di Embriologia è coinvolta nell’attività della società innovativa Millio Srl, fondata nel 2023 all'interno dell'Università da Pasqualino Loi, Marta Czernik, Luca Palazzese e Domenico Iuso.

• Sivestre Sampino, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Warsaw, Poland
• Teruhiko Wakayama, University of Yamanashi, Japan.
• Saadi Khochbin, Institute of Advanced Biosciences, Grenoble, France
• Atsuo Ogura, RIKEN BioResource Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
• Thomas Hildebrandt, The Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
• Michael Clinton, Roslin Institute, Edinburgh, UK
• Katsuhiko Hayashi, Kyushu University, Japan
• Paolo Ajmone Marsan, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
• Robert Feil, IGMM, CNR, Montpellier, France
• John Williams, University of Adelaide, Australia
• Alessandra Stella, CNR, Italy
• Lawrence Reynolds, North Dakota State University, USA
• Josef Fulka, Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic
• Kazutsugu Matsukawa, Kochi University, Japan
• Takahiro Kikawada, Institute for Insect Biology, NIAS, Tsukuba, Japan
• Cesare Galli, Avantea srl, Cremona, Italy

• Loi, EU Horizon Europe, MSCA-2022-SE-01 “WhyNotDry”, 2023-2027
• Loi, EU Horizon 2020, MSCA RISE, “Drynet” GA, 2016-2021
• Loi EU Horizon2020, MSCA-IF-2’16, “Drystore” GA 749537, 2017-2019
• Loi EU Horizon 2020, Twinning action, “EraofArt”, GA 698165, 2016-2019
• Czernik, NCN, Poland, Deregulated expression of mitochondrial proteins affects development of cloned embryos: a rescue strategy. 2016/21/D/NZ3/02610 - Sonata
• Czernik NCN, Poland, Protaminization of somatic cells nuclei as a model for nuclear reprogramming in somatic cell nuclear transfer, 2019/35/B/NZ3/02856 - Opus
• Loi , 2022 PRIN Understanding Centriole Dominance-Repression using Androgenetic Embryos as a Model Prot. 2022CSHPAS
• Loi: 2022 PRIN PNRR, Exploring dry storage as an alternative sustainable and secure strategy for spermatozoa biobanking: from animal studies to human application, Prot. P2022FA79R
• Iuso, NCN, Poland, Impact of lipid metabolism on histone acetylation during mouse development. 2022/47/O/NZ3/03398 - Preludium-bis
• Iuso, 2022 PRIN PNRR, Impact of AcetylCoA METAbolism on cell FATE determination during embryo development (METAFATE). P20225KJ5L_01

1. Iuso D, Garcia-Saez I, Couté Y, Yamaryo-Botté Y, Boeri Erba E, Adrait A, Zeaiter N, Tokarska-Schlattner M, Jilkova ZM, Boussouar F, Barral S, Signor L, Couturier K, Hajmirza A, Chuffart F, Bourova-Flin E, Vitte AL, Bargier L, Puthier D, Decaens T, Rousseaux S, Botté C, Schlattner U, Petosa C, Khochbin SNucleoside diphosphate kinases 1 and 2 regulate a protective liver response to a high-fat diet.Sci Adv. 2023 Sep 8;9(36):eadh0140.
2. Palazzese L, Czernik M, Matsukawa K,Loi PSomatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Using Freeze-Dried Protaminized Donor Nuclei.Methods Mol Biol. 2023;2647:211-224
3. Fulka H,Loi P, Czernik M, Surani A, Fulka JOmne vivum ex ovo: the oocyte reprogramming and remodeling activities.Reproduction. 2023 Jan 12;165(3):R75-R89
4. Gioia L, Festuccia C, Colapietro A, Gloria A, Contri A, Valbonetti LAbundances of autophagy-related protein LC3B in granulosa cells, cumulus cells, and oocytes during atresia of pig antral follicles.Anim Reprod Sci. 2019 Dec;211:106225.
5. Czernik M, Winiarczyk D, Sampino S, Gręda P, Parillo S, Modliński JA,Loi PMitochondrial function and intracellular distribution is severely affected inin vitrocultured mouse embryos.Sci Rep. 2022 Sep 27;12(1):16152. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-20374-6
6. Capra E, Toschi P, Del Corvo M, Lazzari B, Stella A, Williams JL, Loi P, Ajmone Marsan P.Maternal undernutrition during periconceptional period affects whole-genome ovine muscle methylation in adult offspring.J Anim Sci. 2022 Aug 1;100(8):skac180
7. Fulka H,Loi P, Palazzese L, Benc M, Fulka Jr J JrNucleus reprogramming/remodeling through selective enucleation (SE) of immature oocytes and zygotes: a nucleolus point of view.J Reprod Dev. 2022 Jun 1;68(3):165-172.
8. Comizzoli P, Loi P, Patrizio P, Hubel A. Long-term storage of gametes and gonadal tissues at room temperatures: the end of the ice age?J Assist Reprod Genet. 2022 Feb;39(2):321-325
9. Fulka H,Loi P, Palazzese L, Benc M, Fulka Jr J Jr Nucleus reprogramming/remodeling through selective enucleation (SE) of immature oocytes and zygotes: a nucleolus point of view.J Reprod Dev. 2022 Jun 1;68(3):165-172
10. Anzalone DA, Palazzese L, Czernik M, Sabatucci A, Valbonetti L, Capra E, Loi P Controlled spermatozoa-oocyte interaction improves embryo quality in sheep. Sci Rep. 2021 Nov 19;11(1):22629
11. Hildebrandt TB, Hermes R, Goeritz F, Appeltant R, Colleoni S, de Mori B, Diecke S, Drukker M, Galli C, Hayashi K, Lazzari G,Loi P, Payne J, Renfree M, Seet S, Stejskal J, Swegen A, Williams SA, Zainuddin ZZ, Holtze S. The ART of bringing extinction to a freeze -History and future of species conservation, exemplified by rhinos.Theriogenology. 2021 Jul 15;169:76-88.
12. Capra E, Toschi P, Del Corvo M, Lazzari B, Stella A, Williams JL, Loi P, Ajmone Marsan P Short Communication: Maternal undernutrition during peri-conceptional period affects whole genome ovine muscle methylation in adult offspring. J Anim Sci. 2022 May 17:skac180. doi: 10.1093/jas/skac180
13. Dahlen CR, Borowicz PP, Ward AK, Caton JS, Czernik M, Palazzese L,Loi P, Reynolds LP Programming of Embryonic Development.Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Oct 28;22(21):11668
14. Rychtarova J, Langerova A, Fulka H,Loi P, Benc M, Fulka J Jr Interspecific ICSI for the Assessment of Sperm DNA Damage: Technology Report.Animals (Basel). 2021 Apr 26;11(5):1250
15. Loi P, Palazzese L, Scapolo PA, Fulka J, Fulka H, Czernik M 25th ANNIVERSARY OF CLONING BY SOMATIC-CELL NUCLEAR TRANSFER: Scientific and technological approaches to improve SCNT efficiency in farm animals and pets.Reproduction. 2021 Jun 11;162(1):F33-F43
16. Ressaissi Y, Anzalone DA, Palazzese L, Czernik M,Loi PThe impaired development of sheep ICSI derived embryos is not related to centriole dysfunction.Theriogenology. 2021 Jan 1;159:7-12
17. Palazzese L, Anzalone DA, Turri F, Faieta M, Donnadio A, Pizzi F, Pittia P, Matsukawa K, Loi P Whole genome integrity and enhanced developmental potential in ram freeze-dried spermatozoa at mild sub-zero temperature. Sci Rep. 2020 Nov 2;10(1):18873
18. Helena Fulka, Jana Rychtarova & Loi P. The nucleolus-like and precursor bodies of mammalian oocytes and embryos and their possible role in post-fertilisation centromere remodelling. Biochemical Society Transactions, 2020, pii: BST20190847. doi: 10.1042/BST20190847
19. Czernik M, Fidanza A, Luongo FP, Valbonetti L, Scapolo PA, Patrizio P, Loi P. Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins confer water stress tolerance to mammalian somatic cells. Cryobiology. 2020 Jan 14. pii: S0011-2240(19)30232-9
20. Saragusty J, Anzalone DA, Palazzese L, Arav A, Patrizio P, Gosálvez J, Loi P. Dry biobanking as a conservation tool in the Anthropocene. Theriogenology. 2020 Jan 13. pii: S0093-691X(20)30028-5.
21. Toschi P, Capra E, Anzalone DA, Lazzari B, Turri F, Pizzi F, Scapolo PA, Stella A, Williams JL, Ajmone Marsan P, Loi P. Maternal peri-conceptional undernourishment perturbs offspring sperm methylome. 2020 May;159(5):513-523