Costanzo Group

In our group we study the molecular mechanism at the basis of immune-mediated cutaneous disease as Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory, hyperproliferative skin disease, using the approach of epigenetic analysis (ChIP seq) and gene regulation technics to map key genes responsible of the onset of the skin hyperproliferation, and to highlight the genes that respond to the different drug therapy. We are interested in Pharmacogenetic, to correlate the response of biological drugs to the different haplotypes. INNODERM project focus on the development of an Innovative Dermatology Healthcare based on Label-Free Spectral Optoacoustic Mesoscopy.

Macro-areas of research

1) Epigenetic roadmap of keratinocytes in drug response.
In order to depict the epigenetic landscape of normal keratinocytes, that describe the enhancer repertoire of this type of cells discriminating between constitutive, poised and latent enhancer region, we performed ChIPseq analysis of Primary human epidermal keratinocytes with antibody against two histone markers: H3K27Ac (Active enhancer) and anti-H3K4me1 (Poised enhancer). The hypothesis is that drugs treatment could modulate the transcription activity of keratinocyte by changing the status of active enhancers or of latent enhancers, that are bound by TF and HM markers in response to stimulation, and retain the information to mediate a faster and strong response upon restimulation.

2) New strategies for diagnostic, therapeutic and clinical care in Skin immunological diseases. The aim of this project is to develop patentable methods based on genetic markers and functional assays to predict the response to biologics in psoriasis. Patients genotype will be correlated to clinical response to biological drugs to identify predictive markers and to characterize functional responses of T-lymphocytes to psoriasis autoantigen

3) INNODERM EU HORIZON2020 (http://innoderm2020.eu/) project is driven by leading dermatologists (Prof. Costanzo and Prof. Biedermann in TUM Munich) and market leader SMEs in optoacoustic and ultrasound technology (iThera, Rayfos, Sonaxis), to design and prototype a handheld, portable, scalable, label-free RSOM device for point-of care dermatology applications, a photonic & ultrasound technologies that will improve the use of RSOM technology in dermatology suites for fast diagnosis and skin disease monitoring. RSOM can go beyond the abilities of current optical or optoacoustic devices and offer a paradigm shift in dermatology imaging.

Group Members

• 
  Mario Valenti MD View More
• 
  Riccardo Borroni MD View More
• 
  Rebecca Favaro PhD View More