Uppsala, Uppsala County, Sweden
My research focuses on epigenetic changes triggered by environmental stressors during development and their long-lasting and multi-generational effects.
I investigate how early-life stress modulates small non-coding RNAs in the limbic brain regions of chickens and how these changes contribute to long-term effects. My research advances the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying early stress exposure and provides insights into stress-related processes in the avian brain, with implications for animal welfare.
Following the completion of my PhD, I was awarded an Erasmus+ research mobility fellowship. During this period at the University of Turin, Italy, I designed and conducted a project investigating epitranscriptomic modifications in zebrafish gonads and early embryos in response to contaminant exposure. I oversaw all stages of the study, from experimental design and animal handling to dissection, molecular analyses, and histological processing.
My PhD project investigated epigenetic mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental and multigenerational alterations induced by real-life exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), focusing on a human-relevant mixture (SELMA Mixture N1) and PFOS/PFBS. Research focus: - DNA methylation and gene expression alterations in the adult hippocampus following prenatal exposure (mouse and in vitro human & mouse models) - Transcriptomic changes induced by developmental exposure to PFOS/PFBS in zebrafish including inter- and transgenerational effects on gene expression and DNA methylation. - Early-life RNA content and m6A epitranscriptomic alterations following ancestral PFOS exposure. - Data analysis linking molecular alterations to behavioral outcomes. Technical expertise: - Bisulfite Pyrosequencing - Oxford Nanopore Technology (DNA/RNA methylation; wet-lab protocol optimization of RNAm pipeline) - Gene expression analysis - Human and mouse stem cell culture - Zebrafish early developmental models - Data integration to correlate epigenetic, transcriptional, and behavioral datasets
I contributed to a project investigating epigenetic changes in the developing human blood-brain barrier caused by exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (BPA, BPF, and BPS), with a focus on the BCRP transporter. My work involved bisulfite pyrosequencing and qPCR analysis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8197233/
As part of a PRIN-funded collaborative project with the University of Siena, I contributed to the collection and processing of biological samples, including blood, urine, milk, placenta, and umbilical cord tissues. I was also involved in RNA extraction from human placental samples and supported participant recruitment activities.