Immacolata Zollo (2B1D-1AA7-1F21)

Curriculum Vitae

Immacolata Zollo

My career as biomedical researcher started in 2014, when I enrolled in Health Biotechnologies course as BSc degree. During these three years I had the opportunity to get in touch for the first time with lab work and the research field that contributed to broadening my curiosity and strengthening my passion for cellular and molecular biology. My one-year-BCs internship focused on the study of the role of microRNAs and other non-coding RNAs in thyroid tumorigenesis. Later, during my MSc I changed my research topic, focusing on genetic diseases. In particular, I studied the role of CFTR in Cystic Fibrosis (CF). In the beginning I deepened the pre- and post-transcriptional regulation of CFTR gene. Then, I expanded my knowledge towards the development of diagnostic techniques and the investigation of possible therapeutic strategies for CF, mainly based on CRISPR/Cas approaches. Lastly, my PhD in Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology at the University of Naples (Italy), was crucial to further improve my technical skills and especially my critical thinking. During this period, I not only investigated personalized therapeutic strategies based on ex vivo CF-cell models, but I also gave my contribute to different scientific projects, on different topics, that allowed me to have a multidisciplinary approach to research. My PhD project, for instance, was based on the development of optical biosensors as new diagnostic tools for a first-level, rapid and economical screening of women with endometrial cancer. Additionally, I partecipated in the characterization of a new putative therapeutic target for endometrial cancer and leukemia at the University of Roehampton, London (UK), where I spent six months in 2022 as a visiting PhD student. Currently, I am a Postdoc Researcher at the University of Lisbon, within the Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI). The project I’m working on, funded by Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, is based on the development of a novel split-ABE tool that allows temporospatial control of the editing as a way to reduce off-target/bystander effects (main limitation in the potential use of base editing).

Read full resume ↓

Identification

Personal identification

Full name: Immacolata Zollo

Citation names

Zollo, Immacolata
Zollo, I.

Author identifiers

Ciência ID: 2B1D-1AA7-1F21
ORCID iD: 0009-0006-1021-9550
Scopus Author Id: 57226029052

Email addresses

izollo@ciencias.ulisboa.pt (Professional)
immacolata.zollo@gmail.com (Personal)

Addresses

Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande - Edifício C8, Gabinete 8.4.55, 1749-016, Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal (Professional)

Knowledge fields

Medical and Health Sciences - Medical Biotechnology
Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Cell Biology
Natural sciences - Biological Sciences - Molecular Biology
Medical and Health Sciences - Medical Biotechnology - Gene-based Diagnostics and Therapeutic Interventions
Medical and Health Sciences - Basic Medicine - Immunology
Medical and Health Sciences - Health Sciences - Infectious Diseases

Languages

Language	Speaking	Reading	Writing	Listening	Peer-review
English	Advanced (C1)	Advanced (C1)	Advanced (C1)	Advanced (C1)	Advanced (C1)
Portuguese	Elementary (A2)	Intermediate (B1)	Elementary (A2)	Intermediate (B1)
Italian (Mother tongue)

Education

	Degree	Classification
2019/11 - 2023/04/28 Concluded	Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology (Dottorato di Ricerca) Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Italy "The role of biomarkers in Endometrial Cancer: first steps towards large-scale screening and personalized therapy" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	Approved with final grade of Excellent
2019/10/25 Concluded	Medical Biotechnology (Laurea Magistrale) Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Italy "CRISPR/Cas9: single helper-dependent adenoviral vector as novel delivery system in Cystic Fibrosis" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	110/110 summa cum laude with a special mention for the career
2017/09/27 Concluded	Health Biotechnologies (Bachelor) Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Italy "Analysis of RP5-1024C24.1 effect on cell migration through transwell assay" (THESIS/DISSERTATION)	110/110 summa cum laude

Affiliation

Science

	Category Host institution	Employer
2023/09/11 - Current	Postdoc (Research)	Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Biossistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Portugal

2018/03 - 2019/10	Research Trainee (Research)	Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Italy

2016/10 - 2017/09	Research Trainee (Research)	Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Italy

Others

	Category Host institution	Employer
2019/11 - 2023/04	PhD Student	Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Italy
	CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate Franco Salvatore, Italy
2022/07 - 2022/12	Visiting PhD Student	University of Roehampton, United Kingdom

Projects

Grant

	Designation	Funders
2023/09/11 - Current	Temporal-Spatial CRISPR Base Editing to Identify Target Cells for CFTR Repair UIDB/04046/2020 10.54499/UIDB/04046/2020 Post-doc Fellow FCiênciasID Associação para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento de Ciências, Portugal Universidade de Lisboa Instituto de Biossistemas e Ciências Integrativas, Portugal Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Portugal Universidade do Minho, Portugal Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Portugal	Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Ongoing
2019/11 - 2023/02	The role of biomarkers in Endometrial Cancer: first steps towards large- scale screening and personalized therapy DOT1318092 PhD Student Fellow	Governo Italiano Ministero dell'Istruzione dell'Universita e della Ricerca Concluded

Other

	Designation	Funders
2021 - 2023	Theratyping of Cystic Fibrosis 2022FRSS2H Researcher	Governo Italiano Ministero dell'Istruzione dell'Universita e della Ricerca
2021 - 2022	CEINGE Task Force COVID-19 FESR 2014/2020 Researcher	Regione Campania
2020 - 2021	Peptide-nucleic acids as potential CFTR amplifier molecules for cystic fibrosis treatment FFC#1/2020 Researcher	Italian Cystic Fibrosis Research Foundation

Outputs

Publications

Conference poster

Zollo, Immacolata; Santos, Lúcia; Alves, Joana; Coroadinha, AS; T Harrison, Patrick; Carlos M. Farinha. "Development of a novel Adenine Base Editor with temporospatial control of the editing". Paper presented in 20th ECFS Basic Science Conference, 2025.
Zollo, Immacolata; Santos, Lúcia; Alves, Joana; T Harrison, Patrick; Carlos M. Farinha. "CRISPR-ABE: a new strategy for the temporospatial control of editing to correct the W1282X mutation in the CFTR gene". Paper presented in 19th ECFS Basic Science Conference, 2024.
Valeria Rachela Villella; Zollo, Immacolata; Speranza Esposito; Antonella Miriam Di Lullo; Monica Gelzo; Filippo Scialò; Gustavo Cernera; et al. "Ex Vivo hNEC model to predict CFTR function profile: our laboratory experience". Paper presented in XVIII Conference of the Italian Society of Cystic Fibrosis (SIFC), 2022.
Monica Gelzo; Filippo Scialò; Annalisa Longobardi; Valeria Rachela Villella; Zollo, Immacolata; Speranza Esposito; Gustavo Cernera; et al. "CFTR Modulators effects on cholesterol metabolism in Cystic Fibrosis". Paper presented in XVIII Conference of the Italian Society of Cystic Fibrosis (SIFC), 2022.
Speranza Esposito; Zollo, Immacolata; Filippo Scialò; Valeria Rachela Villella; Gustavo Cernera; Monica Gelzo; Federica Zarilli; Giuseppe Castaldo; Felice Amato. "Targeting Cystic Fibrosis with CRISPRa to enhance CFTR mRNA level". Paper presented in XVIII Conference of the Italian Society of Cystic Fibrosis (SIFC), 2022.
Zollo, Immacolata; Scialò, Filippo; Giordano, Sonia; Salemme, Nunzia; Visconte, Feliciano; Cernera, Gustavo; Esposito, Maria Valeria; et al. "Detection and functional characterization of an ALU insertion in the CFTR gene". Paper presented in National Ph.D. Meeting, 2022.
Zollo, Immacolata; Filippo Scialò; Sonia Giordano; Nunzia Salemme; Feliciano Visconte; Gustavo Cernera; Maria Valeria Esposito; et al. "Detection and functional characterization of an ALU insertion in the CFTR gene". Paper presented in 17th ECFS Basic Science Conference, 2022.
Zollo, Immacolata; Filippo Scialò; Sonia Giordano; Nunzia Salemme; Feliciano Visconte; Marika Comegna; Maria Valeria Esposito; et al. "Detection and functional characterization of an ALU insertion in the CFTR gene". Paper presented in XVII Conference of the Italian Society of Cystic Fibrosis (SIFC), 2021.
Marika Comegna; Federica Tricarico; Alessandra Potenza; Zollo, Immacolata; Noemi Falcone; Gustavo Cernera; Federica Zarrilli; Giuseppe Castaldo; Felice Amato. "A screening system to test novel modulator drugs of CFTR gene transcriptional regulation". Paper presented in XV Conference of the Italian Society of Cystic Fibrosis (SIFC), 2019.

Journal article

Esposito, Speranza; Zollo, Immacolata; Villella, Valeria Rachela; Scialò, Filippo; Giordano, Sonia; Esposito, Maria Valeria; Salemme, Nunzia; et al. "Identification of an ultra-rare Alu insertion in the CFTR gene: Pitfalls and challenges in genetic test interpretation". Clinica Chimica Acta 558 (2024): 118317. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cca.2024.118317.
10.1016/j.cca.2024.118317
Kleinfelder, Karina; Lotti, Virginia; Eramo, Adriana; Amato, Felice; Lo Cicero, Stefania; Castelli, Germana; Spadaro, Francesca; et al. "In silico analysis and theratyping of an ultra-rare CFTR genotype (W57G/A234D) in primary human rectal and nasal epithelial cells". iScience 26 11 (2023): 108180. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2023.108180.
10.1016/j.isci.2023.108180
Lo Cicero, Stefania; Castelli, Germana; Blaconà, Giovanna; Bruno, Sabina Maria; Sette, Giovanni; Pigliucci, Riccardo; Villella, Valeria Rachela; et al. "Correction to: L1077P CFTR pathogenic variant function rescue by Elexacaftor–Tezacaftor–Ivacaftor in cystic fbrosis patient-derived air–liquid interface (ALI) cultures and organoids: in vitro guided personalized therapy of non-F508del patients". Respiratory Research 24 1 (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12931-023-02535-x.
10.1186/s12931-023-02535-x
Lo Cicero, Stefania; Castelli, Germana; Blaconà, Giovanna; Bruno, Sabina Maria; Sette, Giovanni; Pigliucci, Riccardo; Villella, Valeria Rachela; et al. "L1077P CFTR pathogenic variant function rescue by Elexacaftor–Tezacaftor–Ivacaftor in cystic fibrosis patient-derived air–liquid interface (ALI) cultures and organoids: in vitro guided personalized therapy of non-F508del patients". Respiratory Research 24 1 (2023): http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12931-023-02516-0.
10.1186/s12931-023-02516-0
Passariello, Margherita; Esposito, Speranza; Manna, Lorenzo; Rapuano Lembo, Rosa; Zollo, Immacolata; Sasso, Emanuele; Amato, Felice; De Lorenzo, Claudia. "Comparative Analysis of a Human Neutralizing mAb Specific for SARS-CoV-2 Spike-RBD with Cilgavimab and Tixagevimab for the Efficacy on the Omicron Variant in Neutralizing and Detection Assays". International Journal of Molecular Sciences 24 12 (2023): 10053. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms241210053.
10.3390/ijms241210053
Cortese, Paolo; Amato, Felice; Davino, Antonio; De Franchis, Raffaella; Esposito, Speranza; Zollo, Immacolata; Di Domenico, Marina; et al. "The Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in a Cohort of Family Pediatricians from Southern Italy". Cells 12 11 (2023): 1447. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells12111447.
10.3390/cells12111447
Berni Canani, Roberto; Comegna, Marika; Paparo, Lorella; Cernera, Gustavo; Bruno, Cristina; Strisciuglio, Caterina; Zollo, Immacolata; et al. "Corrigendum: Age-Related Differences in the Expression of Most Relevant Mediators of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Human Respiratory and Gastrointestinal Tract". Frontiers in Pediatrics 9 (2021): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fped.2021.790285.
10.3389/fped.2021.790285
Berni Canani, Roberto; Comegna, Marika; Paparo, Lorella; Cernera, Gustavo; Bruno, Cristina; Strisciuglio, Caterina; Zollo, Immacolata; et al. "Age-Related Differences in the Expression of Most Relevant Mediators of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Human Respiratory and Gastrointestinal Tract". Frontiers in Pediatrics 9 (2021): http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fped.2021.697390.
10.3389/fped.2021.697390
Comegna, Marika; Terlizzi, Vito; Salvatore, Donatello; Colangelo, Carmela; Di Lullo, Antonella Miriam; Zollo, Immacolata; Taccetti, Giovanni; Castaldo, Giuseppe; Amato, Felice. "Elexacaftor–Tezacaftor–Ivacaftor Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis Patients with The F508del/Unknown Genotype". Antibiotics 10 7 (2021): 828. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10070828.
10.3390/antibiotics10070828

Other

Other output

305 Development of an adenine base editing-based strategy to allow temporospatial control of correction of W1282X-CFTR. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis. 2024. Zollo, Immacolata; Santos, Lúcia; Alves, Joana; T Harrison, Patrick; Carlos M. Farinha. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1569-1993(24)01145-7.
10.1016/s1569-1993(24)01145-7
623 Preliminary assessment of nasal and colon-derived primary cells theratyping for a personalized medicine approach in people with cystic fibrosis carrying ultra-rare genotypes. Journal of Cystic Fibrosis. 2022. Sorio, C.; Kleinfelder, K.; Amato, F.; Conti, J.; Lotti, V.; Farinazzo, A.; Baldisseri, E.; et al. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1569-1993(22)01313-3.
10.1016/s1569-1993(22)01313-3
Comparative Evaluation of Nasal and Small Intestine Expression of ACE2, TMPRSS2 and ACE1 and in Children and in Adults. SSRN Electronic Journal. 2020. Canani, Roberto Berni; Comegna, Marika; Paparo, Lorella; Cernera, Gustavo; Bruno, Cristina; Strisciuglio, Caterina; Zollo, Immacolata; et al. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3714641.
10.2139/ssrn.3714641

Activities

Oral presentation

	Presentation title	Event name Host (Event location)
2025/03	Development of a novel Adenine Base Editor with temporospatial control of the editing	20th ECFS Basic Science Conference (Lido di Camaiore, Italy)
2025/02	CRISPR-ABE: a new strategy for the temporospatial control of editing to correct the W1282X mutation in the CFTR gene	18th European Cystic Fibrosis Young Investigator Meeting (EYIM) (Paris, France)
2024/03	CRISPR-ABE: a new strategy for the temporospatial control of editing to correct the W1282X mutation in the CFTR gene	19th ECFS Basic Science Conference (Valletta, Malta)
2021/10	Detection and functional characterization of an ALU insertion in the CFTR gene	XVII Conference of the Italian Society of Cystic Fibrosis (SIFC) (Naples, Italy)

Event participation

	Activity description Type of event	Event name Institution / Organization
2022/10/25 - 2022/10/25	Participation in the symposium at The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK Symposium	5th Annual London Stem Cell Network symposium The Francis Crick Institute, United Kingdom Imperial College London, United Kingdom King's College London, United Kingdom University College London, United Kingdom Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom
2022/10/04 - 2022/10/05	Participation in the event at ExCeL Exhibition Centre, London, UK Conference	Drug Discovery 2022 ELRIG - European laboratory research & innovation group, United Kingdom
2022/09/20 - 2022/09/20	Workshop attendance at The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK Workshop	Modelling development and disease in organoids STEMCELL Technologies Inc, Canada
2022/09/07 - 2022/09/07	Participation in the annual event at Wellcome Collection, London, UK Seminar	Leukemia UK Annual Event - Celebration of Life Changing Research Leukemia UK, United Kingdom

Distinctions

Award

2025	Young Fellows Travel Award European Cystic Fibrosis Society, Denmark
2024	Young Fellows Travel Award European Cystic Fibrosis Society, Denmark
2022	Best Poster Award SIFC - Società Italiana per lo studio della Fibrosi Cistica, Italy
2021	Best Poster Award SIFC - Società Italiana per lo studio della Fibrosi Cistica, Italy