CV

Summary

Tenure-track Assistant Professor, independent investigator, and head of the Biological Nanoparticles Laboratory within the Nanomedicine and Drug Targeting Unit at the Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy. Independent and driven researcher with proven results in the isolation, characterization, loading, and engineering of biological cell-derived nanoparticles, in particular, extracellular vesicles.

Professional Experience

Tenure Track Assistant Professor University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands (11/2024 - Present)

  • Head of the Biological Nanoparticles Laboratory within the Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery Unit.
  • Coordinates independent research lines on the role of cancer-derived EVs in lung and breast to brain metastasis and the pre-metastatic niche.
  • Researches the loading and engineering of EV-mimetics as biocompatible actively targeted drug delivery vehicles.
  • Oversees lab operations, acts as Lab Safety Officer, and mentors Ph.D. and MSc students.

Postdoctoral Fellow Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (06/2020 - 10/2024)

  • Advised by Prof. Marsha Moses.
  • Coordinated research on the early steps leading to breast to brain metastasis.
  • Developed novel engineering methods for EVs and EV-mimetics to target cancer cells.

Postdoctoral Fellow Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL (06/2019 - 05/2020)

  • Advised by Prof. Joy Wolfram.
  • Executed research on the interaction between cancer-derived EVs, circulating low-density lipoproteins, and monocytes.

Education

Ph.D. in Health Technology University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (11/2015 - 03/2019)

  • Advised by Prof. Paolo Bergese and Prof. Marco Rusnati.
  • Included a Visiting Ph.D. Student Fellowship at Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL (2018).

M.S. in Medical Biotechnology (with honors) University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (10/2013 - 10/2015)

  • Advised by Prof. Paolo Bergese.

B.S. in Biomedical Sciences / Biomedicine and Clinical Science (with honors) University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy (10/2008 - 11/2011)

  • Advised by Prof. Rossana Bussani.

Funding & Awards

  • Postdoctoral Fellow in a T32 Institutional Training Program: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Harvard Medical School (08/2021 - 09/2024).
  • Best Poster Award: Dana Farber Breast & Gynecologic Cancer Symposium (04/2023).
  • AACR-Breast Cancer Research Foundation Scholar-in-Training Award: (04/2022).
  • Ph.D. Fellowship: Italian Ministry of Education (11/2015 - 11/2018).

Leadership & Mentoring

  • Leading Member / Organizer: Local Organization Committee for the Annual Meeting of the Netherlands Society of Extracellular Vesicles (2024 - Present).
  • Co-Chair: Boston Children’s Hospital Postdoc Association Mentoring Committee (2020 - 2024).
  • Co-Chair: Boston Children’s Hospital Green Lab Recycling Committee (2020 - 2024).