Research Associate
IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Italy
During her PhD course in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Pathology at the University of Verona, Italy, Dr. Cristina Cigana (Infections and Cystic Fibrosis Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milano, Italy) trained in the field of the host inflammatory response in cystic fibrosis at the Cystic Fibrosis Center of Verona, directed by Prof. Assael. She discussed her PhD thesis in 2007 on the non-bactericidal roles of azithromycin in cystic fibrosis. She then expanded her knowledge on cystic fibrosis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection during her post-Doc course in the “Infection and Cystic Fibrosis Unit”, headed by Dr. Alessandra Bragonzi, at San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
Her main interest is the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus lung infections in cystic fibrosis. She is involved in projects that aim to dissect the host innate and adaptive immune response, to study the inflammatory response and the tissue remodelling caused by infection and to identify potential off-targets of CFTR modulators by using in vitro, in vivo and ex-vivo models. As post-doc fellow in the team, she is involved in training and mentoring young scientists (undergraduate and PhD students).