Scientific Director: Mario Condorelli – MD Ph.D
Prof. Mario Condorelli is Full Professor of Internal Medicine at the Università Federico II of Naples. Author of many publications on cardiology, internal medicine, endocrinology rheumatology and clinical immunology. Public Healthcare Gold Medal, Culture Gold Medal. Former Chair of the Italian Internal Medicine Society, of which he currently is honorary chair. Former Chair of the of Internal Medicine Full Professors’ Board. He is a member of the most important national and international Scientific and cultural Academies. Member of the National Bioethics Committee. Cavaliere di Gran Croce al Merito della Repubblica (Knighthood).
Current Chair of the Consiglio Superiore di Sanità (Healthcare Senior Board).
Senator of the Italian Republic in the IX, X and XI Legislations, elected in the 1° Collegio di Napoli, formerly Vice President of the Commissione Sanità (Healthcare Commission) and Member of the Public Education Commission. Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Healthcare of the Dini Government. Primary subscriber of numerous bills related to scientific research, healthcare staff education, university reform.
Appointed Chief Medical Office of the MultiMedica’s IRCCS In June 2006.
Overview:
The Scientific Department was established to help consolidate research projects managed with external partners and to provide additional impulse to the basic research applicable to that clinic.
The Scientific Department's objectives are to promote, coordinate and manage MultiMedica research projects, while integrating the departments’ activities within the organization’s scientific operation.
Research areas
Genetic predisposition to cardiovascular diseases
Molecular treatment for cardiac decompensation and for major heart diseases based on the individual’s genetic profile is to be expected in forthcoming years. Research programs focusing on identifying the genes causing the predisposition to cardiovascular diseases have been created also by leveraging expertise existing within the Dulbecco Foundation. In fact, a biology database for ischemic myocardial diseases is under development to be used for genome-wide screening and gene studies, to identify the genes responsible for complex diseases. The results of these studies will be ratified also by creating models of genetically modified animals in which the disease can be recreated within the lab. This will allow experimenting new drugs tailored to the diseased gene.
Another research area within genetic predisposition is ageing, managed by Annibale Puca - MD recently returned from Harvard University where he acquired extensive knowledge of complex disease genetics. Dr. Puca can rely on a Dna bank of centenarians from all over the world and will perform studies aiming to identify longevity genes.
Stem cells for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases
In this sector we are working on two areas of research. The first is related to adult stem cells, the second covers embryonic stem cells.
Adult stem cell research is already in the application phase, while as regards embryonic stem cells research is at base level – of great interest but still far from a clinical testing phase.
Together with MultiMedica clinicians we are implementing standard research protocols to define the angiogenesis capacity as an independent cardiovascular risk factor, while for therapies with adult stem cells it is possible to expect the implementation of a protocol within a few months following the start of the first project.
Our commitment focuses on defining the capacity of individuals with different cardiovascular diseases to generate the precursors of endothelial cells.
Professor Paolo Madeddu, MD, of the Bristol Heart Institute, University of Bristol, UK, and a member of the IRCCS team, studies the role of embryonic stem cells in tissue repair in diabetic patients.
The goal of embryonic stem cell research is generate new cardiomyocytes (cells managing the heart's contractility). We are looking for a method of generating an adequate amount of test tube cardiomyocytes to achieve a therapeutic result in experimental cardiac decompensation models. This study is performed in collaboration with the University of California San Diego Department of Medicine.
Cardiomyocyte signal transduction of the failing heart and cardiac decompensation molecular treatment
We are studying certain molecules responsible for the cardiomyocyte's contractility. Through the generation of genetically modified animals we have been able to determine that in a failing heart these molecules are altered. Therefore, our research focuses on identifying drugs capable of interacting with these cells, and modifying their function in order to improve the cardiac functionality of a failing heart. This area of research is also conducted in collaboration with University of California San Diego.
