Services

CABGen: CENTER OF BIOINFORMATIC ANALYSIS FOR GENOMICS
Staff: Silvia Bione, Antonella Lisa, Roberta Carriero, Paolo Cremaschi

CABGen is involved in bioinformatics applied to life sciences (medicine, biology, molecular biology, pharmacology, genetics) and it is specialized in providing services from the design to the research running of bioinformatics analysis. The bioinformatics center can be contacted at any stage of the project offering one, some or all the services necessary to perform the research.
The services offered include:
- analysis of expression data from microarrays experiments;
- analysis of Next Generation Sequencing data (RNAseq, ChIP Seq, DNAseq, exome sequencing);
- development of tools for data collection and study-design;
- design and construction of databases;
- development of tools for querying databases;
- independent revision of the bioinformatics part in scientific projects and papers;
- accounting for the use of cluster computing facilities.


IMMUNOLOCALIZATION OF SUBNUCLEAR COMPARTMENTS
Staff involved: Alessandra Montecucco (curator of the research service), Fiorenzio Peverali, Simone Sabbioneda.

In recent years the application of imaging techniques associated with approaches of molecular biology has allowed the identification of various functional domains present in the nucleus of mammalian cells. Contrary to the bodies in the cytoplasm, the sub-sectors are not surrounded by a nuclear membrane and are characterized by a constant flow of proteins. Consequently nuclear bodies show a particularly dynamic behavior and undergo drastic rearrangements in response to signals extra- and intra-cellular. A growing number of proteins associated with these sub-nuclear compartments are involved in genetic diseases. Moreover, this segregation is functional to the spatial and temporal regulation of the biochemical processes that occur in the nucleus (replication, transcription and splicing). Our group has made a significant contribution to this type of analysis.

This service offers our expertise for the characterization of nuclear proteins involved in genetic diseases.
Services offered:
1. Analysis of immunolocalization of nuclear proteins for conventional and confocal microscopy.
2. Immunolocalization of an antigen of interest in cells stained with antibodies against specific markers of sub-nuclear compartments (replication factories, transcription factories, speckles, Cajal bodies, heterochromatic domains, nuclear membrane, apoptotic bodies).
3. We can assist users in selecting the best strategy to study the distribution of proteins in overexpression experiments (vectors and proteins fused to tags or fluorescent proteins).


MORPHOFUNCTIONAL AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE NUCLEAR ENVELOPE AND CHROMATIN
Staff involved: Giovanna Lattanzi, Stefano Squarzoni, Cristina Capanni, Elisabetta Mattioli, Vittoria Cenni, Rosalba Del Coco.

In recent years the use of optical microscopy associated to molecular biology has led to the identification of several functional domains that constitute the nucleus of mammalian cells. The analysis of the distribution of proteins in the nucleus is particularly interesting given that the space-time regulation of the biochemical processes in eukaryotes is obtained thanks to a high degree of compartmentalization. Over 10 hereditary disorders have recently been associated with mutations in nuclear envelope proteins or related proteins. These diseases have been defined as Laminopathies. With this service we want to offer our expertise in support of research groups who work occasionally or who want to start studying nuclear proteins involved in genetic diseases.


SCANNING TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
Staff: Elisabetta Mattioli, Giovanna Lattanzi, Cristina Capanni, Vittoria Cenni, Rosalba Del Coco.

The use of electron microscopy associated to molecular biology has led to the identification of sub-nuclear domains involved in the organization and chromatin remodeling, in DNA replication and RNA production. The ultrastructural analysis has allowed the identification of alterations in the nuclear pathologies with defect of nuclear lamina and in some muscular dystrophies of different origin.
The analysis of very high resolution transmission electron microscopy of muscle tissue allows the identification of ultrastructural abnormalities in hereditary and acquired muscular disorders, including the muscular dystrophies.
The use of electron microscopy associated with cell biology has led to the identification of some of the mechanisms of stem cell growth on biomaterial implant.
The use of scanning electron microscopy associated with microanalysis is used for the analysis of wear for orthopedic implants.


FLUORESCENCE SPECTROSCOPY, NEAR UV- VISIBLE
Staff: Anna Cleta Croce

The technique allows the detection of excitation/ emission spectra in the respective intervals of 200-800, 210-900nm from fluorescing substances in aqueous of ethanol solutions. In general, and depending on the properties of the substances to be analyzed, the amount required is less then a mg.


PRIMARY CELL CULTURES
Staff: Elisabetta Mattioli, Giovanna Lattanzi, Cristina sheds, Victoria Cenni, Rosalba Del Coco.

IGM-CNR has a laboratory for the preparation, expansion and stortage of cell cultures from human biopsy tissues. Cultured myoblasts, muscle and skin fibroblasts, pre-adipocytes can be produced. The cultures are tested for mycoplasma contamination. The storage of samples occurs in liquid nitrogen.


CONSULTANCY AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF GENETIC AND EPIDEMIOLOGIC DATA
Staff: Antonella Lisa, Ornella Fiorani, Ginevra Biino

Our laboratory is involved in statistics applied to life sciences (medicine, biology, molecular biology, pharmacology and genetics) and is specialized in providing services regarding projecting, research running, statistical analysis and scientific communication. The statistical consultancy can be requested in any phase of the research project.
Services: Research design, development of instruments for data collection; planning out of database for data filing, development of tools for database mining and querying, statistical analysis from designed experiments, surveys or observational studies, reporting, scientific communication arrangement, independent reviews of reports with a statistical component, accurate bibliographic and specialized database searching.
Expertise:
- Clinical Epidemiology (cross-sectional studies, cohort studies, case-control studies, clinical trials)
- Environmental Epidemiology
- Genetic Epidemiology (association studies, heritability analysis, linkage analysis)
- Psychometry (development and validation of psychometric instruments)