Staff

Organization Chart

Thanks to specific agreements with Verona, Padua and Novara Universities, several graduating and PhD students joined the lab. Moreover we regularly host High-School students for summer internships, within Work-related learning projects.

Giuseppe Astori

Biologist, Specialist in microbiology and virology. Technical Director and Qualified Person. Responsible for product release, regulatory affairs and translational research. Following his graduation in Biological Sciences (1990) at the University of Trieste, he pursued postgraduate training in Clinical Pathology. From 1994 to 1997, he specialized in Microbiology and Virology at Udine Medical School. Between 1996 and 1997, he worked as a research fellow at the German Cancer Center in Heidelberg, within the laboratory of E.M. de Villiers and H. zur Hausen. From 1998 to 2006, he joined the R&D department at Dideco-Sorin Group as Senior Research Scientist, focusing on the development of medical devices and media for stem cell selection and ex-vivo expansion. He later joined Cardiocentro Ticino in Switzerland, where he was appointed Qualified Person for the GMP facility. Under his leadership, the facility was accredited by Swissmedic—becoming the first in Switzerland to be authorized for the production of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products. In 2010, he joined the Advanced Cellular Therapy Laboratory (LTCA) of the Vicenza Hospital as Qualified Person. LTCA is part of the Department of Hematology and specializes in developing cellular therapies for the treatment of steroid-resistant graft-versus-host disease and for immunotherapy in tumor relapse and viral reactivations after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The laboratory works closely with the bone marrow transplant center, accredited by JACIE, and has an accredited laboratory for controlled contamination to ensure minimal manipulation of transplants as per Directive 2004/23/EU. In collaboration with the Transfusion center, several programs are run based on the infusion of immunomagnetic selected cells. In 2009, he was nominated "Qualified Person" by the Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco. Between 2014 and 2017, he served as a member of the European Leadership Committee of the International Society of Cellular Therapy (ISCT) and as the ISCT representative on the Joint Accreditation Committee-ISCT & EBMT (JACIE) board.

Martina Piccoli

Martina is a senior scientist with deep expertise in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. She has spent many years as a group leader at the Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica “Città della Speranza” in Padua. With extensive experience in developing 3D skeletal muscle models for congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair and drug testing, she has led multiple research projects funded by prestigious institutions. Her expertise spans biomaterials, bioprinting, and stem cell applications, contributing to groundbreaking advancements in muscle tissue regeneration. She is also a reviewer for high impact scientific journals and European research projects, further solidifying her role as a key figure in the biomedical research community. At LTCA, Martina brings her deep scientific knowledge and leadership skills to drive innovation in the field.

Martina Bernardi

Biologist, responsible for production and researcher.

Daniela Catanzaro

Master Degree in pharmaceutical chemistry and technology. PhD in pharmacology. Researcher.

Francesca Elice

Medical Doctor, Hematologist.

Anna Merlo

Master Degree in Biotechnology. Postgraduate specialization clinical biochemistry, University of Padua. Researcher. Operator in quality control area.

Olivia Marini

PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Pathology Specialized Degree in Molecular and Industrial Biotechniques

Luisa Galla

Master Degree in Biotechnology. Master Degree in Biology and Biomedical Application, Postgraduate specialization clinical biochemistry, University of Padua. Head of Quality Control.

Laura Zocca

Master Degree in Medical Biotechnology.