Ricerc@Sapienza

The reciprocal interplay between the circadian clock machinery and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis has been largely demonstrated: the circadian clock may control the physiological circadian endogenous glucocorticoid (GC) secretion and action; GCs, in turn, are potent regulators of the circadian clock and their inappropriate replacement has been associated with metabolic and immune impairment.

The research group aim to study cellular, molecular and functional aspects of the adipose tissue/endocrine system homeostasis/biology with particular focus on interplay with the immune system.

Due to sensorimotor dysfunctions, falls are frequent and dire in older type 2 diabetes patients (T2D). Susceptibility to falls results from multiple interacting and environmental factors. Three common microvascular complications of diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, retinopathy and vestibulopathy, are established contributors to increased postural sway and falls. Hypoglycemia itself can also cause falls in these patients.

People with autoimmune diabetes (AD) are at higher risk of death due to the development of its acute and long-term sequelae. The process towards a cure for AD should encompass the identification of new pathways to prevent beta-cell failure and complications. A deep knowledge of AD heterogeneity is essential to understand and tackle the processes leading to disease onset and progression.

A consistent group of subjects with autoimmune diabetes (AD) is affected by a slowly progressive form of the disease, known as Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA). This suggests that progression towards absolute insulin deficiency is not ineluctable. We hypothesize that LADA may offer a novel model to search for endogenous disease modifiers.

Le malattie cardiovascolari rappresentano la principale causa di morbilità e mortalità nei soggetti affetti da diabete mellito di tipo 2 (DM2). La differenziazione dei monociti verso un fenotipo osteoblasto-simile sottoforma di cellule mieloidi calcificanti (CMC) ha dimostrato di contribuire alla patogenesi delle malattie cardiovascolari e alla calcificazione vascolare nel diabete mellito.

L'Istituto di Scienza dell'Alimentazione è stato istituito nel 1971. Fino al 1986 ha utilizzato, per lo svolgimento delle attività di ricerca e di assistenza, i locali presso l'Ospedale S.Gallicano in Via della Lungaretta 60, Roma; dall'a.a. 1986-87 a tutt'oggi i locali dell'Istituto sono ubicati al piano terreno dell'Edificio di Fisiologia umana - Chimica biologica. Ha avuto come Direttori, dal 1971 al 1986, il prof. Luigi TRAVIA e, dal 1987 al 2006, il prof. Carlo CANNELLA.