Regenerative Medicine Area

Neuromuscular Engineering

Dr. Anna Urciuolo

Junior Principal Investigator

Research Activity

Our group results from the multidisciplinary integration of different expertise in skeletal muscle and stem cell biology, extracellular matrix and biomaterial engineering. Our current research project aims at generating 3D models of human skeletal muscle equipped with a neuronal network. To do so, we integrate stem cell biology and extracellular matrix/biomaterial engineering to derive in the lab patient-specific multicellular microtissues and organoids that reproduce the human neuromuscular system. Such 3D in vitro models are used to mimic the structural/functional properties of human skeletal muscle and neuromuscular junction, for the identification of cellular and molecular players involved in neuromuscular genesis and maintenance in healthy and disease, with particular interest in neuromuscular disorders, dystrophies and cancer-induced muscle cachexia.

Team Members

Dr. Anna Urciuolo – Junior Principal Investigator
Dr. Beatrice Auletta – PhD Student
Dr. Pietro Chiolerio – PhD Student​
Dr. Luigi Sartore – Research Fellow
Dr. Michela Venier – Research Fellow​
Dr. Govinda Decarli – Research Fellow

Selected Publications

• Urciuolo*# A., Giobbe* G.G., Dong* Y., Michielin F., Luca B., Magnussen M., Gagliano O., Selmin G., Scattolini V., Raffa P., Caccin P., Shibuya S., Scaglioni D., Wang X., Qu J., Nikolic M., Montagner M., Galea G. L., Clevers H., Giomo M., De Coppi P., Elvassore N. Hydrogel-in-hydrogel live bioprinting for guidance and control of organoids and organotypic cultures. Nature Communications, Dec 2023.
• Cesare* E., Urciuolo* A., Stuart* A. T., Torchio E., Gesualdo A., Laterza C., Gagliano O., Martewicz S., Cui M., Manfredi A., Di Filippo L., Sabatelli P., Squarzoni S., Zorzan I., Betto R. M., Martello G., Cacchiarelli D., Luni C., Elvassore N. 3D ECM-Rich Environment Sustains the Identity of Naïve Human iPSCs. Cell Stem Cell, 2022.
• Raffa P., Scattolini V., Gerli M. FM., Perin S., Cui M., De Coppi P., Elvassore N., Caccin P., Luni C., Urciuolo# A. Decellularized skeletal muscles display neurotrophic effects in 3D organotypic cultures. Stem Cells Translational Medicine, 2020.
• Urciuolo* A., Poli I., Brandolino L., Raffa P., Scattolini V., Laterza C., Giobbe G.G., Zambaiti E., Selmin G., Magnussen M., Brigo L., De Coppi P., Salmaso S., Giomo M., Elvassore N. Intravital 3D bioprinting. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2020.
• Urciuolo A.*, Urbani L.*, Perin S., Maghsoudlou P., Scottoni F., Gjinovci A., Collins-Hooper H., Loukogeorgakis S., Tyraskis A., Torelli S., Germinario E., Fallas M.E.A., Julia-Vilella C., Eaton S., Blaauw B., Patel K., De Coppi P. Decellularised skeletal muscles allow functional muscle regeneration by promoting host cell migration. Scientific Reports, 2018.