Cell death processes during insect metamorphosis
Cell death phenomena occur extensively during insect development and are mainly related to the removal of tissues and organs that are useful only in embryonic or larval life. Although the prominent role of apoptotic cell death in insect remodelling has been described in several insect orders, the involvement of autophagy has been unambiguously recognized only in the last fifteen-twenty years. Our aim is to increase the current knowledge of cell death processes in Lepidoptera and Coleoptera, by revealing the underlying regulatory pathways and disclosing the complex relationships between apoptotic and autophagic cell death in different larval organs, such the midgut and the fat body.
Insect-mediated bioconversion of organic waste
The valorization of waste and byproducts is of enormous importance since we are facing the loss of a third of what is produce as food. The black soldier (BSF) fly, Hermetia illucens, is a potential candidate that can help to address these challenges. In fact, the saprophagous larvae of this insect can reduce a wide array of organic waste, bioconverting them into valuable biomolecules, such as proteins, lipids, and chitin, that can be used for different biotechnological applications. In this context, our attention is focused at studying different biological aspects of BSF larvae (nutrient digestion and absorption, lipid accumulation, immune response) to improve qualitatively and quantitatively the mass rearing of this insect in production plants.
Bio-inspired strategies for the control of pest insects
The continuous and inappropriate use of chemical pesticides for pest control has raised major concerns as they affect ecosystems, non-target species, groundwaters, air quality, and human health, contributing to the diffusion of pest resistance. Integrated Pest Management is an approach to crop protection that consists in the combination of sustainable management tools and strategies that strongly relies on the use of insect natural antagonists and toxic molecules they produce for the biocontrol of pest insects. In this scenario, our research aims at investigating the use of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) and their products (enzymes, toxins, and metabolites), as well as genes and molecules with insecticide activity derived from the natural enemies of insects, as biopesticides for the control of pest species among Lepidoptera.
Immunity, wound healing and angiogenesis in Hirudinea
A variety of stimuli including surgical wounds, grafts and the administration of modulators of neovascularization (activators of vascular cell growth) can induce a prompt biological response in the leech Hirudo medicinalis, leading to the formation of an extensive blood vessel network. An increasing body of evidence indicates the involvement of botryoidal tissue cells (a peculiar tissue of Arhyncobdellids) in neo vessel formation. Leech angiogenic process shares a surprising degree of similarity with neovascularization in vertebrates, both at the cellular and at the biochemical levels: in fact, it involves similar growth factors/growth factor receptors (in particular we have characterized the existence of a VEGF-VEGF receptor system), and relies on analogous cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions.