• Prof. Patrizia D’Amelio, group leader
• Dr. Ilaria Buondonno, research fellow

• Patrizia D’Amelio – Service of Geriatric Medicine and Geriatric Rehabilitation, University of Lausanne Hospital Centre, Mont-Paisible 16, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland
• Headquarters: Via Santena 5 bis, third floor, room 5. ilaria.buondonno@unito.it

• Prof.ssa Patrizia D’Amelio

Laboratory’s research activity is devoted to study the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying skeletal pathologies and, more generally, aging.

The research projects are translational type and use cells from patients in most cases, in a minority of experiments cell cultures from lineage cells are used. The main techniques used are: primary and line cell cultures; isolation and culture of osteoblasts and osteoclasts and evaluation of their activity (BAP, TRAP and Von Kossa stains; in vitro resorption activity); immunohistochemistry; immunofluorescence; Real-Time PCR, flow cytometry; ELISA; ELISPOT; SDS-PAGE; Western Blot; extraction of mitochondria and analysis of the respiratory chain.

From 2020 Patrizia D’Amelio moved to Lausanne where she is director of the Acute Geriatric Unit and of the laboratory for the study of aging and aging related diseases, the two labs collaborate in projects on the role of mitochondria on healthy aging.

• List of publications of the last 3 years

• Treatment with intermittent PTH increases Wnt10b production by T cells in osteoporotic patients. D’Amelio P, Sassi F, Buondonno I, Fornelli G, Spertino E, D’Amico L, Marchetti M, Lucchiari M, Roato I, Isaia G C. Osteoporos Int. 2015;26:2785-91. doi: 10.1007/s00198-015-3189-8
• IL-17A is increased in humans with primary hyperparathyroidism and mediates PTH-induced bone loss in mice. Li J*., D’Amelio P *, Robinson J, Walker LD, Vaccaro C, Luo T, Tyagi AM, Yu M, Reott M, Sassi F, Buondonno I, Adams J, Weitzmann MN, Isaia GC, Pacifici R. Cell Metabolism 2015;22:799-810. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2015.09.012. * these authors contributed equally to the paper
• Vitamin D and immunomodulation in early rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. Buondonno I, Rovera G, Sassi F, Rigoni MM, Lo Mater C, Parisi S, Pellerito R, Isaia GC, D’Amelio P. PLoS One 2017 Jun 5;12(6):e0178463. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178463. eCollection 2017
• Regulatory T cells are expanded by teriparatide treatment in humans and mediate intermittent PTH-induced bone anabolism in mice. Yu M, D’Amelio P, Tyagi AM, Vaccaro C, Li J, Hsu E, Buondonno I, Sassi F, Adams J, Weitzmann M. N, DiPaolo R, Pacifici R. EMBO Rep. 2018 Jan;19(1):156-171
• From mitochondria to healthy aging: The role of branched-chain amino acids treatment: MATeR a randomized study.  Buondonno I., Sassi F., Carignano G., Dutto F., Ferreri C., Pili FG., Massaia M., Nisoli E., Ruocco C., Porrino P., Ravetta C., Riganti C., Isaia GC, D'Amelio P. Clin Nutr2020 Jul;39(7):2080-2091. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2019.10.013

• 2021-2022. P. D’Amelio PI. Primary HYPerparathyrOidism and Gut Microbiota unravelling an unexpected relationship: the HYPOGeUM study. Novartis foundation (58893 CHF)
• 2019-2024 P. D'Amelio is WP5 leader with NOVAICOS srl in the project "Active aGeIng and Osteoporosis: The next challenge for smarT nanobIOmaterials and 3D technologies" (GIOTTO) Prof. C. Vitale-Brovarone PI (5,650 million euro)
• 2017-2020 partner in "Role of the ICOS / ICOSL system in Frailty Syndrome" (380000 Euro)
• 2014-2016 monocentric project "Autoreactive T cells in peripheral blood of patients affected by severe form of osteoporosis". (60000 Euro)
• 2012-2014 monocentric project "The role of T cells in postmenopausal bone loss: focus on autoreactive T cells in peripheral blood of patients affected by severe form of osteoporosis". (50000 Euro)
• 2008-2010 monocentric project "Study of circulating osteoblast lineage cells in relation with teriparatide therapy" (20,000 Euro)
• 2008-2011 monocentric project "Effect of in vivo alendronate on in vitro spontaneous osteoclastogenesis in postmenopausal osteoporosis" (20,000 Euro)
• 2010-2012 monocentric project "Energy metabolism and the skeleton: reciprocal interplay" (90000 Euro)
• 2007-2009 monocentric project “Osteocytes and bone structure in osteoporotic fractures”. (40000 Euro)
• 2007-2010 monocentric project "Evaluation of cut out risk in femoral prostheses" (50000 Euro)
• 2010-2013 monocentric project "Effects of cholecalcipherol on T cells and osteoclasts formation in early rheumatoid arthritis" (50000 Euro)