• Istituto di Biologia e Patologia Molecolari


Tel :+390649912227
Fax :+390649912500
barbara.illi@cnr.it
BARBARA ILLI
Researcher

Istitute of Molecular Biology and Pathology - National Research Council
Department of Biology and Biotecnology - Charles Darwin
Sapienza University of Rome - Edificio Fisiologia Generale P. le A.Moro 5, 00185 Roma
RESEARCH INTERESTS

I was enrolled as an IBPM researcher in 2011 and I joined Sergio Nasi’s lab, bringing my experience in the epigenetic control of gene expression, with particular regard to chromatin remodelling mechanisms regulating cell differentiation and carcinogenesis. In particular, the main interests of my research are:

  • A better understanding of those gene regulatory circuits, depending on macromolecular chromatin remodelling complexes, which are disregulated in cancer cells
  • The epigenetic control of self-renewal and tumorigenic properties of Cancer Stem Cells
  • The identification of new molecular, epigenetic partners of the Myc oncoprotein and the functional characterization of Myc-containing chromatin remodelling complexes in tumour cells

 
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1.  Resetting cancer stem cell regulatory nodes upon MYC inhibition. Galardi S, Savino M, Scagnoli F, Pellegatta S, Pisati F, Zambelli F, Illi B, Annibali D, Beji S, Orecchini E, Alberelli MA, Apicella C, Fontanella RA, Michienzi A, Finocchiaro G, Farace MG, Pavesi G, Ciafrè SA, Nasi S. EMBO Rep. 2016;17:1872-1889. PMID: 27852622
2. c-MYC inhibition impairs hypoxia response in glioblastoma multiforme. Mongiardi MP, Savino M, Falchetti ML, Illi B, Bozzo F, Valle C, Helmer-Citterich M, Ferrè F, Nasi S, Levi A. Oncotarget. 2016 Apr 22. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.8921.
3. Myc and Omomyc functionally associate with the Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) in glioblastoma cells. Mongiardi MP, Savino M, Bartoli L, Beji S, Nanni S, Scagnoli F, Falchetti ML, Favia A, Farsetti A, Levi A, Nasi S, Illi B. Sci Rep. 2015 Nov 13;5:15494. doi: 10.1038/srep15494.1.
4. Chromatin methylation and cardiovascular aging. Illi B, Ciarapica R, Capogrossi MC. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2015 Jun;83:21-31. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2015.02.011.  
5. Smad-Interacting Protein-1 and MicroRNA 200 Family Define a Nitric Oxide-Dependent Molecular Circuitry Involved in Embryonic Stem Cell Mesendoderm Differentiation. Rosati J, Spallotta F, Nanni S, Grasselli A, Antonini A, Vincenti S, Presutti C, Colussi C, D'Angelo C, Biroccio A, Farsetti A, Capogrossi MC, Illi B*, Gaetano C*. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol.  2011, 31: 898-907 (* Co-corresponding authors).
6. NO points to epigenetics in vascular development. Illi B, Colussi C, Rosati J, Spallotta F, Capogrossi MC and Gaetano C. Cardiovasc Res. Cardiovasc Res. 201
7.Nitric Oxide Determines Mesodermic Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells by Activating Class IIa Histone Deacetylases: Potential Therapeutic Implications in a Mouse Model of Hindlimb Ischemia” Spallotta F, Rosati J, Straino S, Ambrosino V, Rotili D, Valente S, Mai A, Capogrossi MC, Gaetano C and Illi B. Stem Cells, 2010; 28: 431-442.
8. HDAC2 blockade by nitric oxide and histone deacetylase inhibitors reveals a common target in Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment. Colussi C, Mozzetta C, Gurtner A, Illi B, Rosati J, Straino S, Ragone G, Pescatori M, Zaccagnini G, Antonini A; Minetti G, Martelli F, Piaggio G, Gallinari P,Steinkhuler C, Clementi E, Altucci L, Mai A, Capogrossi MC, Puri PL and Gaetano C. PNAS, 2009; 105: 19183-19187.
9. Nitric Oxide Deficiency determines global chromatin changes in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: role of class II histone deacetylases. Colussi C, Gurtner A, Rosati J, Illi B, Ragone G, Piaggio G, Moggio M, Lamperti C, D’Angelo G, Clementi E, Minetti G, Mozzetta C, Antonimi A, Capogrossi MC and Gaetano C. Faseb J., 2009; 23: 2131-2141.
10. Nitric Oxide Regulates Chromatin Folding in Human Endothelial Cells via PP2A activation and HDAC-4 Nuclear Shuttling. Illi B, Dello Russo C, Colussi C, Pallaoro M, Spallotta F, Martelli F, Biglioli P, Steinkhuler C, Gallinari P, Capogrossi MC and Gaetano C. Circ Res. 2008; 102: 51-58. 
11. Functional and morphological recovery of dystrophic muscles in mice treated with deacetylase inhibitors. Minetti GC, Colussi C, Adami R, Serra C, Mozzetta C, Parente V, Fortuni S, Straino S, Sampaolesi M, Di Padova M, Illi B, Capogrossi MC, Sartorelli V, Bottinelli R, Gaetano C, Puri PL. Nat Med 2006; 12: 1147-1150.
12. Epigenetic histones modification and cardiovascular lineage reprogramming in mouse embryonic stem cells exposed to laminar shear stress. Illi B , Scopece A, Nanni S, Farsetti A, Biglioli P, Capogrossi MC and Gaetano C. Circ Res, 2005, 96: 501-508. 
13. Shear stress-mediated chromatin remodeling provides molecular basis for flow-dependent gene expression. Illi B, Nanni S, Scopece A, Biglioli P, Farsetti A, Capogrossi MC, Gaetano C. Circ Res, 2003; 93: 155-161.
14. Nuclear factor-kappaB and cAMP response element binding protein mediate opposite transcriptional effects on the flk-1/KDR gene promoter. Illi B, Puri L, Morgante L, Capogrossi MC and Gaetano C. Circ Res. 2000; 86:1273.
RESEARCH GROUP
Luisa Salvatori - Researcher
Fiorella Scagnoli - PhD Student
Annarita Favia - Contractor
Alice Tata - Student
Sergio Nasi - Associate Researcher
COLLABORATIONS

Indicare le collaborazione con i Membri universitari associati all’IBPM (per primi): 

 

Within IBPM:

  1. Elisa Caffarelli (IBPM-CNR, Rome, ITALY)

With other institutions:

  1. Carlo Gaetano, Goethe University, Frankfurt, DE
  2. Antonella Farsetti (IBCN-CNR, Rome, ITALY)
  3. Antonello Mai (Istituto Pasteur Fondazione Cenci-Bolognetti, Dipartimento di Studi Farmaceutici, Università di Roma Sapienza, Rome, ITALY)
  4. Enza Maria Valente (Istituto Santa Lucia, Rome, ITALY)
  5. Ruth Gershoni (RAMBAM Health Care Campus, Tel Aviv, Israel
  6. Colin Johnson (Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, Leeds, UK
  7. Joseph G. Gleeson (University of California, La Jolla, CA, USA)
  8. Clara Balsano (Università dell'Aquila, Italy)
CV

 

EDUCATION

1989: Classical studies (60/60) 

1995: degree certificate in Biological Sciences (110/110 with honours) 

1998: Board in Biology 

2008: specialist in Medical Genetics, (70/70 with honours)

 

LABORATORY EXPERIENCE 

Current position: Researcher, CNR-IBPM, Rome, ITALY

2009-2011: Senior Scientist, Neurogenetics Unit, CSS-Mendel Institute, Rome, Italy

2006-2009: Senior Scientist, Laboratory of Vascular Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Centro Cardiologico Fondazione "I. Monzino", Milan, Italy. 

2001-2006: Research Scientist, Laboratory of Vascular Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Centro Cardiologico Fondazione "I. Monzino", Milan, Italy. 

2007: research collaborator, New York Medical College, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Valhalla, NY, (NY, U.S.A.) in dr. Piero Anversa laboratory.

1999: contractor, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institute of Health, Bethesda (U.S.A.), in dr. Keiko Ozato laboratory. 

1997-2001: PhD in the Laboratory of Vascular Pathology Laboratory, IDI-IRCCS, Rome, ITALY 

 

1992-1996: training at the Centre of studies for 

Nucleic Acids, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Rome, "La Sapienza", in dr. Sergio Nasi laboratory.