CARUSO Carla

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Curriculum

Curriculum vitae Prof. Carla Caruso Date and place of birth: April 22, 1956; Benevento, Italy Nationality: Italian Current position: Associate Professor in Biochemistry, Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo Academic Education and training July 1977/June 1979 Naples (Italy), University Federico II, master degree student in the Biochemistry Laboratory of Prof. Giuseppe D’Alessio. Thesis project: Substrate-induced aggregation of Ribonuclease A. June 1979 Master degree in Biological Sciences. Final mark 110/110 cum laude. July 1979/Oct 1981 Naples (Italy), post-doctoral fellow in the Biochemistry Laboratory of Prof. Giuseppe D’Alessio. Field of interest: Structural-functional characterization of ribonucleases. Nov 1981/Sept 1983 Naples (Italy), CNR Post-doctoral fellowship to the Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, National Research Council (CNR). Field of interest: Biochemical characterization of rabbit phosphorylase b. Oct 1983/Dec 1984 London (UK), Welcome Trust Post-doctoral fellowship to Biochemistry Department, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine. Research activity in collaboration with Prof. Steve A. Baldwin. Field of interest: Isolation and characterization of human erythrocyte glucose transporter. Feb 1985/Oct 1988 Naples (Italy), CNR Post-doctoral fellowship to the Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, National Research Council (CNR). Field of interest: Biochemical characterization of antarctic fish hemoglobins. Mar 1997/Apr 1997 West Lafayette (Indiana U.S.A), Horticulture Department-Center for Plant Environmental Stress Physiology, Purdue University. Visiting scientist in the Laboratory of Prof. Ray A. Bressan. Field of interest: Plant defence mechanisms: cloning of a PR4 gene involved in plant resistance against pathogens. Feb/Mar 2014 Visiting scientist to the Polish Antarctic base Arctowski, King Geroge Island, Antarctic peninsula. Field of interest: Cold and warm adaptation of the Antarctic plant Colobanthus quitensis. Jan/Feb 2018 Visiting scientist to the Polish Antarctic base Arctowski, King George Island, Antarctic peninsula. Field of interest: Increasing temperature and nitrogen availability as challenging elements for Colobanthus quitensis survival: molecular basis of their fitness. Feb/Mar 2020 Visiting scientist to the Polish Antarctic base Arctowski, King George Island, Antarctic peninsula. Field of interest: Impact of climate change on plant-microbe interaction: a focus on tripartite plant-fungus-virus relationship and on their bioactive compounds. Employment Nov 1988/Jan1991 Naples (Italy), staff scientist as researcher at the Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, National Research Council (CNR). Field of interest: Structural-functional characterization of antarctic fish hemoglobins. Feb 1991/Oct 2001 Viterbo (Italy), staff scientist as researcher at the Department of Agrobiology and Agrochemistry, University of Tuscia. Field of interest: Plant defence mechanisms: resistance against biotic stresses. Nov 2001/to present Viterbo (Italy), associate professor at the Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia. Field of interest: Plant defence and resistance mechanisms. Research experience During her scientific career, Prof. Carla Caruso has accumulated experience in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Plant Physiology and Genetic Engineering. Since many years, one of her main field of interest is the study of the structural/functional relationship of several proteins and genes of remarkable importance. In the last years she have also acquired experience in plant genetic transformation and molecular characterization of plant resistance genes. She focused on the isolation and molecular characterization of PR genes and their regulators. The major recognized contributions from her scientific research on this topic have been: 1. The definition of the action mechanism of the antifungal activity of a PR4 from wheat kernel; 2. The expression study of several resistance genes following biotic and abiotic stresses; 3. The isolation of new resistance genes and their molecular characterization; 4. The isolation and characterization of several transcription factors involved in plant resistance. 5. Elucidation of the transcriptome of the Antarctic pearlwort Colobanthus quitensis. In the last years she has been involved in the role of plant hormones in the onset of plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses by transcriptomic and proteomic approaches as well as in the study of cold adaptation and climate change in the Antarctic plant Colobanthus quitensis by transcriptomic and proteomic approaches. Moreover, new interests are on the impact of climate change on plant-microbe interaction: a focus on tripartite plant-fungus-virus relationship and on their bioactive compounds. Patent Patent n. RM2001A000257 – May 2001. “Renaturation, hydrolysis and production of recombinant PR proteins”. Teaching Activity Apr 1983 Teacher at the theoretical-practical course on HPLC for PhD students at the Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, National Research Council (CNR), Naples. Dec 1987 Teacher at the advanced course on “Biotechnological application of molecules” at University of Federico II, Surgery and Medicine Faculty, Naples. Feb 1991/Sept 1995 Assistant lecturer for Biochemistry, Enzymology and Biochemical Methodology courses for students of Biological Sciences Degree Course, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences of the Tuscia University. Oct 1995/June 1998 Lecturer of Cellular Biochemistry for students of Biological Sciences Degree Course, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences of the Tuscia University. Oct 1998/June 2000 Lecturer of Plant Physiology for students of Biological Sciences Degree Course, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences of the Tuscia University. Oct 2000/June 2001 Lecturer of Cellular Biochemistry for students of Biological Sciences Degree Course, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences of the Tuscia University. Oct 2001/June 2003 Associate Professor of Cellular Biochemistry for students of Biological Sciences Degree Course, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences of the Tuscia University. Oct 2003/June2011 Associate Professor of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Laboratory for students of Molecular and Cellular Biology Master Degree, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences of the Tuscia University. Oct 2003/June 2012 Associate Professor of Cell Cycle and Apoptosis for students of Molecular and Cellular Biology Master Degree, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences of the Tuscia University. Oct 2004/ June 2012 Associate Professor of Protein Engineering for students of Applied Biocatalysis Master Degree, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences of the Tuscia University. Oct 2011/June 2014 Associate Professor of Biochemistry for students of Environmental Sciences Degree Course, Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences of the Tuscia University. Oct 2011/to present Associate Professor of Cellular Biochemistry for students of Molecular and Cellular Biology Master Degree, Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences of the Tuscia University. Oct 2012/to present Associate Professor of Biochemistry for students of Biological Sciences Degree Course, Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences of the Tuscia University. Other educational activities Oct 2000/Sept 2003 Viterbo (Italy). Member of the PhD course in “Design and use of biotechnological relevant molecules”. Collaboration between University of Tuscia, Viterbo and Second University of Naples (SUN). Oct 2003/2013 Viterbo (Italy). Member of the PhD course in “Genetics and Cellular Biology”. University of Tuscia, Viterbo. Oct 2014/2017 Viterbo (Italy). Member of the PhD course in “Ecologia e Gestione Sostenibile delle Risorse Ambientali”. University of Tuscia, Viterbo. Oct 2018 to present Viterbo (Italy). Member of the PhD course in “Scienze delle Produzioni Vegetali e Animali” University of Tuscia, Viterbo. Feb 2003 External PhD examiner, Biochemistry PhD course, University Federico II, Naples, Italy. Feb 2004 External PhD examiner, Biotechnology PhD course, University Federico II, Naples, Italy. May 2007 External PhD examiner, Biochemistry PhD course, University of Verona, Italy. Oct 2007 Responsible of UE-Socrates bilateral agreements with the University of Madrid (Spain). Students’ theses supervision -Supervisor of 16 PhD student in “Progettazione ed impiego di molecole di interesse biotecnologico”, “Cellular Biology and Genetics” and "Ecologia e Gestione Sostenibile delle Risorse Ambientali" (since 2000). -Supervisor of 60 theses in Biochemistry (1st level course) (since 2010) -Supervisor of 45 theses in Biochemistry (2nd level course) (since 2010). Research Grants Since early years of her research activity, she has been involved in several national research projects as leader and team member. -2000-2002. PRIN Project (MIUR): “Effetto di induttori chimici esogeni sulla espressione di proteine PR: utilizzo di frumento e di linee di pomodoro trasformato con geni di resistenza come sistemi modello”. Responsable of local Unit. -2000-2002. CIB Project: “Espressione in E. coli di proteine "pathogenesis related" (PR) da frumento dotate di attività antifungina e loro caratterizzazione strutturale e funzionale”. Scientific responsable. -2001-2003. MIPA Project: “Geni e prodotti genici coinvolti nei meccanismi di resistenza a funghi fitopatogeni”. Task responsable. -2001-2003. FIRB Project (MIUR): “Genomica funzionale dell’interazione tra piante e microorganismi (patogeni, antagonisti o simbiotici): determinanti coinvolti nella produzione agricola e protezione dell’ambiente”. Task responsable. -2004-2006. PRIN Project: “Sviluppo di sistemi ossidativi per nuovi bioprocessi”. Team member. -2004-2006. CIB Project “Identificazione di promotori vegetali e loro potenzialita’ biotecnologiche”. Scientific responsable. -2007-2010. PON Project (MIUR): “Laboratorio di genomica per l’innovazione e la valorizzazione della filiera pomodoro”. Team member. -2007-2009. PRIN Project: “Caratterizzazione molecolare di geni coinvolti nel catabolismo di sostanze xenobiotiche”. Responsable of local Unit. -2013-2016. PNRA Project (MIUR): “Basi molecolari dell’adattamento alle basse temperature e al riscaldamento di piante antartiche di Colobanthus quitensis mediante un approccio integrato di trascrittomica e proteomica”. National coordinator. -2016-2019. PNRA project (MIUR): “Basi molecolari dell’adattamento di Colobanthus quitensis all’aumento della temperatura e alla disponibilità di azoto”. National coordinator. -2019-2021. PNRA project (MIUR): Impact of climate change on plant-microbe interaction: a focus on tripartite plant-fungus-virus relationship and on their bioactive compounds. Team member. -2019-2021. PRIN project (MIUR): “Plant multitROphic interactions for bioinspired Strategies of PEst ConTrol (PROSPECT)”. Team member. Institutional appointments From 1996 to 1999 member of the Accademic Senate on behalf of Resercher (first charge). Decreto Rettorale N. 8866 From 1999 to 2001 member of the Accademic Senate on behalf of Resercher (second charge). Decreto Rettorale N. 1159/99. From 2008 to 2001 member of the Accademic Senate on behalf of Associated professor (first charge). Decreto Rettorale N. 287/09. From 2012 to 2015 member of the Accademic Senate on behalf of Associated professor (second charge). Decreto Rettorale N. 287/09810/12. From 2002 to 2012 Coordinator of the Interfaculty laboratory of Biochemistry. From 2005 to 2016 Coordinator of the Cellular and Molecular Biology course. From 2010 to 2016 Coordinator of the Biological Sciences course. From 2011 to June 2014 Vice-Director of the Ecological and Biological Sciences Department with responsibility for Teaching organization. From Oct 2017 to October 2019 pro-Rector for educational program. From Apr 2017 to present member of the Quality Committee of Tuscia University. Societies Member of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Society since 1981; Member of the Plant Pathology Society since 2004. Meetings and public lectures Since the beginning of her scientific career Prof. Caruso attended several International and National Meetings presenting a number of papers and communications, being also invited speaker in some of them. She also gave public lectures in several Italian University. Reviewer Activity Reviewer of several International Journals in Plant science, with focus on Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics and Biotechnology. Prof. Caruso published 82 papers in international journal of good impact, 7 publications in books, 29 publication in Proceedings of International Meetings and more than 100 Communications in International and National Meetings. Total IMPACT FACTOR: about 230, total citations: about 3200 and an H index: 23. Recent Publications * Indicates corresponding authorship 1. Roberti R, Veronesi AR, Cesari A, Cascone A, Di Berardino I, Bertini L, CARUSO C*. Induction of PR proteins and resistance by the biocontrol agent Clonostachys rosea in wheat plants infected with Fusarium culmorum, Plant Science (2008) 175, 339-347. 2. Bertini L, Proietti S, Caporale C, CARUSO C*. Molecular characterization of a wheat protein induced by vernalisation. Protein J. (2009) 28, 253-262. DOI 10.1007/s10930-009-9190-3. 3. Bertini L, Caporale C, Testa M, Proietti S, CARUSO C*. Structural basis of the antifungal activity of wheat PR4 proteins. FEBS Letters (2009) 583, 2865-2871. 4. Bertini L, Proietti S, Caporale C, Mondello F, Cassone A and CARUSO C*. Therapeutic potential of plant bioactive molecules. J. Biotechnol. (2010) 150 Suppl.1, 463. 5. Proietti S, Bertini L, Van der Ent S, Leon-Reyes A, Pieterse CMJ, Tucci M, Caporale C, CARUSO C*. Cross activity of orthologous WRKY transcription factors in wheat and Arabidopsis. J. Exp. Bot. (2011) 62 (6), 1975–1990. doi: 10.1093/jxb/erq396. 6. Bertini L, Proietti S, Aleandri MP, Mondello F, Sandini S, Caporale C, CARUSO C*. Modular structure of HEL protein from Arabidopsis reveals new potential functions for PR-4 proteins. Biol. Chem., (2012) 393 (12), 1533-1546. ISSN (Online) 1437-4315, ISSN (Print) 1431-6730, DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2012-0225. 7. Bertini L, Cafaro V, Proietti S, Caporale C. Capasso P, CARUSO C*, Di Donato A. Deepening TOL and TOU catabolic pathways of Pseudomonas sp. OX1: cloning, sequencing and characterization of the lower pathways, Biochimie (2013) 95 (2), 241-250. ISSN: 0300-9084 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2012.09.018. 8. Švecová E, Proietti S, CARUSO C, Colla G, Crinò P. Molecular analysis of PR genes activation by treatment with Vitex Agnus-Castus extract and Phythium ultimum inoculation in tomato. Crop protection (2013) 43, 223-230. ISSN: 0261-2194 9. Proietti S., Bertini L., Timperio A.M., Zolla L., Caporale C., CARUSO C*. Crosstalk between salicylic acid and jasmonate in Arabidopsis investigated by an integrated proteomic and transcriptomic approach. Molecular Biosystems (2013) 9, 1169-1187. 10. Proietti S., Giangrande C., Amoresano A., Pucci P., Molinaro A., Bertini L., Caporale C., CARUSO C*. Xanthomonas campestris lipooligosaccharides trigger innate immunity and oxidative burst in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol. Biochem. (2014) 85, 51-62. ISSN: 0981-9428 11. Bertini L., Proietti S., CARUSO C*. Transcriptome sequencing of the Antarctic Colobanthus quitensis (Kunth) Bartl (Caryophillaceae) Molecular Ecology Resources (2015) 15(4), 1014-1015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12419. 12. Lenzi L., CARUSO C., Bianchedi PG., Pertot I., Perazzolli M. Laser microdissection of grapevine leaves reveals site-specific regulations of the transcriptional response to Plasmopara viticola. Plant and Cell Physiology (2016) 57 (1), 69-81. doi:10.1093/pcp/pcv166. 13. Pompili L., Porru M., CARUSO C., Biroccio A., Leonetti C. Patient-derived Xenografts: a relevant preclinical model for drug development (2016) Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research, 35, 189. DOI: 10.1186/s13046-016-0462-4. 14. De Palma M., D’Agostino N., Proietti S., Bertini L., Lorito M., Ruocco M., CARUSO C., Chiusano ML., Tucci M. Suppression Subtractive Hybridization analysis provides new insights into the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) response to the plant probiotic microorganism Trichoderma longibrachiatum MK1. Journal of Plant Physiology (2016) 190, 79-94. 15. Carabeo M., Simeone MC., Cherubini M., Mattia C., Chiocchini F., Bertini L., CARUSO C., La Mantia T., Villani F., Mattioni C. Estimating the genetic diversity and structure of Quercus trojana Webb populations in Italy by SSR: implications for management and conservation. Canadian Journal of Forest Research (2017) 47(3) 331-339. DOI: 10.1139/cjfr-2016-0311. 16. Porru M., Pompili L., CARUSO C., Leonetti C. (2018) Xenograft as In Vivo Experimental Model. In: Papaccio G., Desiderio V. (eds) Cancer Stem Cells. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1692, 97-105. Humana Press, New York, NY doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7401-6_9. 17. Porru M., Pompili L., CARUSO C., Biroccio A., Leonetti C. (2018) Targeting KRAS in metastatic colorectal cancer: current strategies and emerging opportunities. Journal of Experimental and Clinical Cancer Research. 37, 57-66. doi.org/10.1186/s13046-018-0719-1 18. Nibert ML, Austin R, Manny AR, Debat HJ, Firth AE, Bertini L, CARUSO C*. A barnavirus sequence mined from a transcriptome of the Antarctic pearlwort Colobanthus quitensis. Archives of Virology (2018) 163 (7), 1921-1926. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-018-3794-x 19. Bertini L, Proietti S, Focaracci F, Sabatini B, CARUSO C*. Epigenetic control of defense genes following MeJA-induced priming in rice (O. sativa). J Plant Physiology (2018) 228, 166-177. 20. Giannattasio S, Giacovazzo G, Bonato A, CARUSO C, Luvisetto S, Coccurello R, Caruso M. Lack of cyclin D3 induces skeletal muscle fiber-type shifting, increased endurance performance and hypermetabolism. Scientific Report (2018) 8, 12792-12810. DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-31090-5 21. Micheli L, Ceccarelli M, D'Andrea G, Costanzi M, Giacovazzo G, Coccurello R, CARUSO C, Tirone F. Fluoxetine or Sox2 reactivate proliferation-defective stem and progenitor cells of the adult and aged dentate gyrus. Neuropharmacology (2018) 141, 316–330. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.08.023 22. Bertini L, Focaracci F, Proietti S, Papetti P, CARUSO C*. Physiological response of Posidonia oceanica to heavy metal pollution along Tyrrhenian coast. Functional Plant Biology (2019) in press 23. Bertini L., Palazzi L., Proietti S., Pollastri S., Arrigoni G., Polverino de Laureto P., CARUSO C*. (2019). Proteomic analysis of MeJa-induced defense responses in rice against wounding. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 20(10), 2525. doi:10.3390/ijms20102525. 24. Proietti S*§, Falconieri GS*, Bertini L*, Baccelli I, Belardo A, Timperio AM, CARUSO C (2019) GLYI4 plays a role in methylglyoxal detoxification 
and jasmonate-mediated stress responses in Arabidopsis thaliana. Biomolecules 9, 635-652. 25. Gabriel I. Ballesteros, Cristian Torres-Díaz, León A. Bravo, Karen Balboa, Carla CARUSO, Laura Bertini, Silvia Proietti, Marco A. Molina-Montenegro (2020) In silico analysis of metatranscriptomic data from the Antarctic vascular plant Colobanthus quitensis: responses to global warming scenario through changes in fungal gene expression level. Fungal Ecology 43, 100873. DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.funeco.2019.100873 26. D’Andrea G., Ceccarelli M., Bernini R., Clemente M., Santi L., CARUSO C., Micheli L., Tirone F. (2020) Hydroxytyrosol stimulates neurogenesis in aged dentate gyrus by enhancing stem and progenitor cell proliferation and neuron survival. FASEB J. 34, 4512-4526. 27. Bertini L, Proietti L, Focaracci F, Canini F, Bravo Ramirez LA, Rabert C, CARUSO C* (2020) Polar Biology, in press.