Developed skills and lines of research

Marco Emilio Bianchi graduated in 1980 in Biological Sciences, from the University of Milan. He then worked at Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA, as a Research Associate in the Departments of Human Genetics, Biophysics and Molecular Biochemistry. Since November 2000, he has been Full Professor of Molecular Biology at the University Vita Salute San Raffaele Institute in Milan, Italy. He is a leader in the study of HMGB proteins, nuclear proteins that are accidentally released from dead cells and promote inflammatory, immune and regenerative responses in damaged tissue. Because of their activities they are called “alarmins” or Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs). He and his colleagues recently demonstrated that HMGB1 is involved in epilepsy and inflammation-associated tumor development. His expertise is centered in molecular and cellular biology, but extends to immunology and the biology of tumors and tissue regeneration. In cystic fibrosis, he is involved in preclinical testing of molecules already on the market and repositioned for treatment in CF. In particular, a molecule that inhibits the nuclear protein HMGB1 and already in use for other therapeutic purposes is proposed as a new anti-inflammatory.

Projects funded by FFC Ricerca as Principal Investigator or as Research Manager

FFC#22/2018
Preclinical testing in cystic fibrosis of a repurposed molecule targeting HMGB1