The ACT Lab’s core research areas include:
1. Cellular Ageing and Stem Cell Biology: Unravelling the molecular mechanisms driving stem cell exhaustion and dysfunction during aging.
2. RNA-Based Therapeutics: Developing miRNA-based interventions for regenerative medicine, particularly targeting vascular and musculoskeletal systems.
3. Extracellular Vesicle Biology: Utilizing EVs as a source of biomarkers in diverse age-related conditions, and for the delivery of functional molecules to enhance tissue repair and regeneration.
Our Work
The ACT Lab is dedicated to tackling significant health challenges in regenerative medicine, with a primary focus on improving outcomes in wound healing, bone regeneration, and metabolic diseases. To achieve this, we employ:
1. Advanced cellular models to faithfully mimic the complexity of target tissues and organs in vitro to facilitate detailed mechanistic investigations into the cellular and molecular determinants underlying both normal tissue homeostasis and disease pathogenesis.
2. High-throughput screening (HTS) technologies to investigate the potential of small molecules and microRNAs (miRNAs) as novel therapeutic targets that can modulate cellular behavior and promote regeneration.
3. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) to investigate their potential as a rich source of biomarkers for early disease detection and monitoring, as well as their utility as sophisticated drug delivery systems to precisely target therapeutic molecules to sites of injury or disease.
Our overarching goal is to develop innovative technologies that can enhance regeneration specifically in challenging contexts such as aged or metabolically compromised settings. By bridging fundamental discoveries with translational applications, we aim to create effective regenerative therapies that improve the health and well-being of individuals facing these debilitating conditions.