The application of reproductive biotechnologies to shorten generational intervals and to propagate selected genotypes in cattle breeding.
Involved in Tasks 5.2.2 and 5.3.2 of the PNRR-AGRITECH project “Shortening the generations intervals – male perspective”.
Assisted Reproduction Technologies (ARTs) are used in livestock to increase the rate of genetic improvement in desired traits by selective breeding. The use of genomic information has in fact accelerated the rate of genetic progress and coupled with the new developments in ARTs, such as the recovering of spermatogonial stem cells from neonatal animals and maturing them in vitro to obtain spermatids, will potentially reduce the generation time to identify elite sires. This project moves along these lines; its overarching aim is to adapt/exploit to the ruminant species the cutting-edge ART technologies validated in model animals, like the production in vitro of developmentally competent male gametes from testicular progenitor cells. The gametes will be used to generate in vitro embryos, whose epi/genetic status will be thoroughly assessed.
The main objectives of the project will be achieved through a series of separated tasks, as follows:
- Separating and characterizing the different cell types found in the seminiferous tubules of bovine adult testis from spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) to round spermatids.
- Injecting elongated spermatids into mature oocytes to test their developmental competence.
- Isolating spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) from neonatal testis and developing the culture conditions required for differentiating them into haploid spermatids.
- Developing a testicular 3D extracellular matrix-based scaffold using bovine testis and assess whether this may constitute a suitable niche for ex vivo culture of SSCs.
From 2022 to present, PhD Student Intersectoral Innovation under the supervision of Prof. Fulvio Gandolfi and Dr. Rolando Pasquariello.
2021-2022, Scholarship of six months at University of Veterinary Science (Bangkok, Thailand), funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreements No. 734434 DRYNET, project title: “Setting an interdisciplinary/sectorial/international research network to explore dry storage as an alternative strategy for cells/germplasm biobanking” under the supervision of Prof. Theerawat Tharasanit.
2021-2022, Scholarship of one month at Biotalentum tudasfejleszto kft (BIOT) (Hungary), funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreements No. 734434 DRYNET, project title: “Setting an interdisciplinary/sectorial/international research network to explore dry storage as an alternative strategy for cells/germplasm biobanking” under the supervision of Prof. Dr. András Dinnyés.
2019-2021, Master’s Degree in Reproductive Biotechnologies, Università degli Studi di Teramo, thesis titled “Use of small molecules to improve blastocyst quality in sheep” under the supervision of Prof. Marta Czernik and Prof. Pasqualino Loi.
2014-2018 bachelor’s degree in biotechnology, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Thesis titled “Methods for continuous glucose monitoring on biosensors integrated into contact lenses”. under the supervision of Prof. Roberto Giacominelli Stuffler and Prof. Annalaura Sabatucci.
