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Maurizio MANDALA' - Professori Associati

Maurizio MANDALA'

Professori Associati

Fisiologia (BIOS-06/A)

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M.S., Biology, 110/110, UNICAL, Italy (1995) Ph.D., Physiology UNICAL (IT)-UIB (NO) 1999 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dept. of Physiology, UIB, Norway (2000); Postdoctoral Research Fellow., Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UVM, USA(2001) Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dept. of Neurochemistry, INSERM, Strasburgo, France (2002) Professional appointment Assistant Professor at the University of Calabria, Italy (2002-present). Awards & Honors Inovio Award for the best oral presentation, Norwegian Physiological Meeting. 2002. Norwegian-italian government grant for research at University of Bergen, Norway (Sept/97-Jan-98). “Inner Weel International” Grant for the best master thesis of the year (1996). Teaching experience Cell Physiology, UNICAL, IT Nutrition, UNICAL, IT Laboratory Courses on Respiration system and Autonomic Nervous System, UIB (NO) Research interests His research has been focused on vascular physiology, beginning with studies using primary endothelial cells culture in culture and later by using intact resistance arteries isolated from a different rat regional circulations such as brain, uterus, and mesentery. His current research is focused to understand the signals, pathways and patterns of uterine vascular remodeling in normal pregnancy, and to identify the cellular changes induced by gestational hypertension that lead to altered vascular reactivity in the uterine circulation, but also in the splanchnic (mesenteric) vessels that are a principal site of peripheral resistance and blood pressure regulation.
Education M.S., Biology, 110/110, UNICAL, Italy (1995), Thesis in Physiology: “Effect of papaverine on synaptosomal membrane potential” Ph.D., Physiology (1996-97 University of Calabria, Italy, 1997-1999 University of Bergen, Norway, Dissertation: “Interation of chromogranin A with bovine aorta endothelial cells”. Past positions Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dept. of Physiology, University of Bergen, Norway (1999-2000, Dec-Sept/2002); Postdoctoral Research Fellow., Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Vermont, USA (July 2000/Nov. 2001); Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Marie Curie grant, Dept. of Neurochemistry, Strasburgo, France (Oct.2002-Feb.2003) Professional appointment Assistant Professor at the University of Calabria, Italy (Dec/2002-present). Visiting Appointments Visiting Professor: Dept. of Physiology, University of Bergen, NO (Sept/03-Jan/04; Dept. od Pharmacology University of Vermont, USA (Feb/04 – Marc/04), Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Vermont, USA (July-Sept./2005, Dec.2006-Jan. 2007,January-April/2008, April 2010-2012, Feb-May/2015). Awards & Honors "Inovio Award" for the best oral presentation, Norwegian Physiological Meeting. 2002. Norwegian-italian government grant for research at University of Bergen, Norway (Sept/97-Jan-98). “Inner Weel International” Grant for the best master thesis of the year (1996). "Giorgio Pardi Foundation Award" for the best abstract for Society Reproductive Investigation (SRI) meeting, Vancouver, Canada, March 2020 Adjunct Associate Professor, Dept. of Obstetrics, Gynecolgy and Reproduction Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA, 2020. Editorial Board: ISRN (International Scholarly Research Network)Hypertension Journal Frontiers Cell & Developmental Biology Journal Teaching experience University of Calabria, Italy. Courses: Cell Physiology (2002-present); Nutrition (2004-2010) and Physiology and Pathophysiology of nutrition (2016-present) University of Calabria, Italy. Course for PhD students : Cell signals trasduction (2008-present) University of Bergen, Norway. Laboratory Courses on Respiration system and Autonomic Nervous System, (1999 and 2002) Supervisor (2004-present) Master Thesis in Physiology PhD Thesis in Cell Biology Research interests His research has been focused on vascular physiology, beginning with studies using primary endothelial cells culture in culture (Ph.D thesis project) and later (from post-doctoral associate to his present faculty position) by using a more physiological approach involving a video-electronic system specially designed for the study of intact resistance arteries isolated from a different rat regional circulations such as brain, uterus, and mesentery. The study of endothelial cells in culture was coupled to the following measurements: a) measurement of membrane potential with using a fluorescent probe (Rhodamine 6G) technique and assessing cellular binding and internalization processes by the incorporation of radioactive tracer (125I). This study was the first to elucidate the interaction of the polypeptide Chromogranin A and derived peptides with the endothelium, and suggested a new mechanism of interaction between the peptide and the endothelial cell membrane. Later, this study was extended to intact cerebral and mesenteric arteries by using confocal microscopy and electron microscopy techniques that allowed him to investigate the interaction of Chromogranin A and derived peptides with the vascular wall, specifically, with endothelial and smooth muscle cells. The study pointed out a role for the Chromogranin A derived peptides in the regulation of smooth muscle function, and in the protection of the endothelial barrier against the disruptive effects of anti-inflammatory agents such Tumor necrosis factor –alpha (TNF-α). His post-doc research was focused on investigating reactivity (vasoconstriction/vasodilation) mechanisms in uterine and cerebral arteries. By using a specialized arteriograph and video dimension analyzer technique, in which small vessels are cannulated and studied under pressurized conditions that preserve the natural geometry of vascular wall. His studies have documented the effects of pregnancy on changes in uterine artery reactivity, and the relative contribution of endothelial and smooth muscle cells to this effect. They also showed that gestational adaptations in uterine artery structure and function differ with vessel type, and are quite localized. His research on cerebral arteries, which are vulnerable to stroke, investigated the interaction between transmural pressure and primary changes in vascular smooth muscle intracellular calcium signalling using a fluorescent probe (fluo-4) and laser scanning confocal microscopy to provide new insights into the cellular signalling mechanism for vasodilators such as nitric oxide, and to evaluate their contribution to the autoregulation of blood flow. His current research is focused on understanding the principal mechanisms underlying the physiological changes of the uterine vascular structure (remodeling) and function (reactivity) during pregnancy. Uterine vasculature adaptation plays a crucial role in the regulation of the utero-placental blood flow and is essential for a normal pregnancy outcome. The clinical relevance of maternal uterine vascular adaptation during pregnancy is underscored by the fact that its aberrance is associated with several common gestational pathologies, including intrauterine growth restriction, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. By using a model of hypertension (nitric oxide synthase inhibition with L-NAME) in rat, a recent tudy showed that endothelial nitric oxide plays a key role in uterine vessels outward circumferential remodeling during pregnancy. And by using a rat model in which pregnancy is surgically restricted to one uterine horn (single-horn gravid rat), it was shown that the role of the local (fetoplacental) factors was predominant over systemic (endocrine) influences on uterine vascular remodeling during pregnancy. One of the local influences that has been identified in his study is the Placental Growth Factor, a member of the VEGF family, since it induces vasodilation. Importantly, an attenuation of VEGF/PlGF signaling by placental secretion of an excess of a soluble PlGF/VEGF receptor [soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (sVEGFR-1, also called soluble Fms-related tyrosine Kinase-1(sFlt-1)] is well documented in preeclamptic women, and over-expression of sFlt-1 in animals results in a gestational syndrome (hypertension, proteinuria and endothelial glomerulosis) that closely mimics preeclampsia. In summary, Dr. Mandala’s research seeks to understand the signals, pathways and patterns of uterine vascular remodeling in normal pregnancy, and to identify the cellular changes induced by gestational hypertension that lead to altered vascular reactivity in the uterine circulation, but also in the splanchnic (mesenteric) vessels that are a principal site of peripheral resistance and blood pressure regulation. Bibliometric index Paper in the last 10 years: 36 Citations: 791 h-index: 16
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