Developed skills and lines of research

Loretta Ferrera graduated in Biology in 1998 from the University of Genoa and obtained her PhD in 2004 at the Department of Biology and Genetics in the same university. Since 2009, she has been qualified as a Researcher at the National Research Council (CNR) in the field of Physical Sciences. Since 2019, she has worked at the CNR as a scientific collaborator. She also worked at the Gaslini Institute in Genoa, focusing on the functional evaluation of pharmacological CFTR modulators.

Since 2012, she has been involved in the “Primary Epithelial Cell Cultures” project at the U.O.C. Medical Genetics Unit, Gaslini Institute. Her latest project for the FFC Ricerca aims to develop new formulations based on Esc(1-21) and/or its analog, and to create polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) to optimize their delivery through bronchial mucus. The goal is to produce NPs incorporating the peptide in the form of inhalable powders, offering a simpler and faster route of administration.

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

FFC#12/2016
Properties of airway mucus in cystic fibrosis: their modification by changes in the activity of CFTR and after application of bicarbonate

Projects financed by FFC Ricerca as a partner

FFC#15/2017
Frog skin-derived peptides for treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection and bronchial epithelial repair: advanced in vitro and in vivo characterization and development of polymeric nanoparticles for lung delivery