Dr. Monica Pighini

Anagraphic data: Piacenza, IT, August the 1st 1968.

Academic preparation

• 03/1995 Degree in Biological Science at the Pisa University, 110/110
1996 Advanced fellowship “Dott. G.Guelfi” for Biology at the National Academy of Lincei
• 1996 Specialization School in “Vegetal Biotechnologies” at Pisa University.
• 1996-98 PhD in Protistology (Sperimental Biology on unicellular organisms) at the Genetic Division of Department of Agricultural Plants Biology.
• 1997 Master in “Food Hygiene: epidemiology and prophylaxis” Pisa University.
• 1998 Master in “Industrial Medicine and occupational security” Pisa University
• 2001 Formation Course for the implementation of the Enterprise Quality System in conformity to the UNI EN ISO 9001:1994.

Professional Experience

• 9/00 - now Technobiochip SCaRL, Marciana (LI) Molecular Biology Lab. Director.
• 1998 - 2000 Post-doc Senior Researcher at the Biotechnology Unit of the Advanced Biotechnology Department (DiBit) of the San Raffaele Hospital, Milan.
• 1998 Docent to the “Genetic Engineer” course at the “Specialization School in Vegetal Biotechnology” at the Pisa University.
• 1996 - 1998 Researcher at the Genetic Division of the Department of Agricultural Plants Biology

Other scientific activity

• 9/00- now Project Manager in the National Research Plan for the Oncology, theme 4° “Microchips for the revelation of genetic alterations in human cancers”, MIUR
• 04/01-now Responsible of the formation courses, in the National Researcher Plan for the Oncology, theme 4°
• 2002 Project Manager of the MIUR project: “The Protein-chip: development of microchips for diagnostic markers revelation”
• 1998-2000 Project Manager in the CEE project “Elimination of N-glycolyl Neuraminic Acid in Recombinant Proteins”.

• “Procedure for the revelation of nucleic acids by capacitive sensor to cells matrix”
  Patent N° RM2001A000774, 28/12/2001.
  Inventors: Cocco M., Pighini M., Sinopoli S. (2001)
• “Detection procedure of the genetic mutations which cause serious pathologies, by nanogravimetric sensor”
  At the patent office.
  Inventors: Pighini M. (2002)

Selected Publications

1. Sunna S., Simone M.R.,Scaruffi P., Tonini G.P., Pighini M. (2002). Electrochemical DNA Sensor For The Detection of Genetic Mutations Related To Human Diseases. Understanding the Genome: Scientific Progress and Microarray Technology. Genoa 2002
2. Pighini M. Dini F. (2001). Insights into the basis of variation among populations of Caulerpa taxifolia.
   Fourth International Workshop on Caulerpa taxifolia. Gravez V., Ruitton S., Boudouresque C.F. (ed.), GIS Posidonie Publ., Fr., 23-29
3. Pighini M., Piras L., Fenu S., Longo L., Tonini G.P., Cocco M. (2000). Development of DNA-sensors for the detection of genetic mutations associated with the human cancer presence. Sensors and microsystems. Di Natale C., D’Amico A., Dario P.(ed.), 15-20
4. Fontana O., Covini N., Pighini M., Carpani D., Buono P., Soria M. R., Monaco L. (1999). Elimination of N-glycolylneuraminic acid residues in recombinant glycoproteins: a gene knock-out approach. European Society for Animal Cell Technology XVI Meeting
5. Pighini M. (1999). Biogeography of Caulerpa taxifolia (Chlorophyta) based on comparisons of nuclear rDNA ITS sequences.
   J. Eukaryotic Microbiology, 46(1): 19A
6. Pighini M., Dini F., Durante M. (1998). Nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) define a discrete biogeographic groups in Caulerpa taxifolia (Chlorophyta). Ass. Gen. Ital. 1998, vol. XLIII, pag. 109
7. Durante M., Bernardi R., Bruschi P., Pighini M., Sassoli O., Bartolini G. (1998). Molecular markers for the study of olive synonyms. IV Congresso Nazionale Biodiversità: germoplasma e sua valorizzazione
8. Durante M., Pighini M., Sassoli O., Bernardi R. (1998). Characterization of olive (Olea europaea L.) genome and cultivar identification. ACTA Horticulturae 22, 6, 54
9. Pighini M., Durante M., Dini F. (1998). RFLP analysis of taxa comprising the Euplotes vannus group.
   J. Euk. Microbiol. 45, 1, 23a
10. Dini F., Guella G., Pighini M., Pietra F. (1996). Structural, functional and phylogenetic comparative analysis of the secondary metabolites producted by Antartic and word-wide distributed ciliate protists in the genus Euplotes. Proceedings of the third meeting on Antartic Biology. Prisco G., Focardi S., Luporini P. (ed.), 141-146
11. Dini F., Capovani C., Durante M., Pighini M., Ricci N., Tomei A., Pietra F. (1996). Principles of operation of the toxic system of Caulerpa taxifolia that undertook a genetically conditioned adaptation to the Mediterranean Sea. Second International Workshop on Caulerpa taxifolia. Boudouresque C.F.,Meinesz A. & Gravez V. (ed.), GIS Posidonie Publ., Fr., 355-364
12. Pighini M., Dini F., Durante M. (1995). Genome characterization of the seaweed Caulerpa taxifolia (Chlorophyta). Atti Ass. gen. Ital. 1995, vol. XLI, pag. 167.