Alumni

Although based in Trieste, the Fondazione Italiana Fegato (FIF) is part of a global scientific and collaborative network, connecting researchers, collaborators, and international partners around the world.

The Foundation’s community reflects the continuity and strength of the work carried out over the years. Many former FIF alumni are now active in prestigious research institutes, universities, and biotechnology companies worldwide. They maintain a strong connection with the Foundation and help to promote its scientific legacy.

Through ongoing collaborations, joint projects, and mentoring initiatives, the FIF network continues to foster the growth and training of new generations of scientists dedicated to the study and treatment of liver diseases.

Dr. Calligaris pursued his PhD at the Italian Liver Foundation from 2003 to 2006.

“I shared my time in the lab with Cristina Bellarosa, Natalia Rosso, Sabrina Corsucci, and Silvia Gazzin. I truly enjoyed those years — I learned a great deal about science. Dr. Tiribelli was an excellent leader of the scientific team and a great mentor to me.”

After completing his PhD, he returned to Argentina to work at IHEM in Mendoza as an Assistant Researcher at CONICET. He later continued his research career at Universidad del Desarrollo in Santiago, Chile.

Dr. Mazzone is a researcher at CONICET specializing in neuroscience.
She earned her degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires and completed her PhD in Molecular Medicine at the University of Trieste in 2008.

From 2005 to 2007, she completed her PhD at the Italian Liver Foundation (FIF) under the supervision of Prof. Claudio Tiribelli and Dr. Igino Rigato. Her research focused on the effects of bilirubin on vascular function, nitric oxide production, and adhesion molecules.

From 2008 to 2010, she worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Neuroscience Department at the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA, Trieste), under the direction of Prof. Andrea Nistri. She then continued at SISSA as a Research Fellow until 2014.

Since 2018, Dr. Mazzone has been based at the Institute for Translational Medicine Research (CONICET–Universidad Austral, Argentina), within the Laboratory of Pain Associated with Cancer and Nervous System Injury. Her current work involves the development of experimental models of spinal cord injury, with a focus on promoting neural repair. In addition to her research activities, she serves as an Associate Professor and is a member of the Animal Care Committee at Universidad Austral.

Dr. Mediavilla is an Associate Professor of Molecular Biology at the Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas (FCByF, School of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences) of the Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR, National University of Rosario), Argentina.
She is also a Researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET) based at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Rosario (IBR).

In 1996 and 1997, Dr. Mediavilla was awarded two fellowships from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which allowed her to complete research internships at the Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Macromolecular Chemistry at the University of Trieste, under the supervision of Professor Claudio Tiribelli. Her research during this period focused on the molecular mechanisms underlying the transport of unconjugated bilirubin in isolated rat hepatocytes.

In September 2001, she returned to the same department for a short-term research stay funded by the Italy–Argentina Cooperation Agreement (Project IT 01/99/SAL). Her work during this visit focused on hepatic substance transport, with particular attention to evaluating liver functional integrity after hypothermic preservation.

Between 2005 and 2007, Dr. Mediavilla held an international fellowship awarded through a joint initiative between CONICET (Argentina) and the Trieste Scientific System, conducted at the Italian Liver Foundation. The fellowship, granted through a competitive selection process, supported collaborative research between Argentina and Italy. Under the joint supervision of Professor Claudio Tiribelli in Trieste and Dr. Edgardo E. Guibert in Argentina, her research explored the molecular impact of redox imbalance and its role in oxidative stress.

Dr. Malik earned her PhD from Monash University and she held a visiting professorship at the Italian Liver Foundation from August to September 2006.

Currently, she leads the Genome Diversity and Diseases Laboratory at the Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology and previously she headed the Lifestyle Diseases and Genetics Group as well as the National Genome Center at the Eijkman Institute. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her team played a critical role in supporting Indonesia’s Genomic Surveillance Network by leading the sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 genomes.

Dr. Malik is a co-founder of the Indonesian Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics Society and serves as Indonesia’s representative in the Asia Pacific Nutrigenomics Nutrigenetics Organization. She is also a board member of the Microbiota Vault, a global initiative aimed at preserving microbiota diversity.

Her research interests include genome diversity and disease, mobility–microbiome–evolution dynamics, the immune cell atlas of Indonesia’s populations, and the functional genomics of Bornean hunter-gatherers. She collaborates with leading research institutions in the UK, US, Australia, and New Zealand.

Dr. Malik also contributes to scientific publishing as Co-Editor of the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Associate Editor for Nutrigenomics and PeerJ.

Dr. Chavez Tapia is a specialist in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, holding a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from the University of Salamanca and a Doctorate in Biological and Health Sciences from Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana.
In the 2008, he completed his postdoctoral fellowship in Translational Hepatology at the Italian Liver Foundation.

Currently, Dr. Chavez Tapia serves as Director of the Department of Translational Research and Head of Gastroenterology at Medica Sur Clinic Foundation. He mentors master’s and doctoral students and holds academic positions as an adjunct professor for the gastroenterology subspecialty and associate professor for the internal medicine specialty.

Recognized as a National Researcher Level 2 by the National System of Researchers of CONACYT, he has published over 200 articles in high-impact journals and serves as Editor-in-Chief of Annals of Hepatology.

Dr. Robert holds a degree in Biotechnology from the Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCByF) at the National University of Rosario. She earned her PhD in Molecular Biomedicine from the Università degli Studi di Trieste, conducting her research at the Italian Liver Foundation (FIF) from 2009 to 2011 under the supervision of Dr. Claudio Tiribelli and Dr. Silvia Gazzin.

She subsequently completed postdoctoral research at the Binational Center for Clinical and Applied Cryobiology Research (CAIC) — a collaborative Argentina–Italy initiative — at the National University of Rosario, working under the guidance of Dr. Joaquín Rodríguez. At the end of 2018, she was appointed Associate Researcher at CONICET within the same center.

Currently, Maria Celeste Robert is an Associate Researcher in the Molecular and Cellular Lipid Biology Group, led by Dr. Claudia Banchio, at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Rosario (IBR-CONICET). Her research focuses on the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke (IS).

Dr. Qaisiya is a biomedical scientist and academic leader with extensive experience in medical research and higher education. He graduated from the University of Trieste, Italy, specializing in Molecular Biomedicine and developing expertise in molecular and cellular biology. During his Master’s (2009-2010) and PhD (2011-2013) research, Dr. Qaisiya worked at the Italian Liver Foundation, focusing on cellular signaling and contributing to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying bilirubin neurotoxicity.

Currently, Dr. Qaisiya is Head of the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences at Hebron University, where he leads academic programs, supervises research projects, and mentors students in laboratory sciences. His research interests include genetics, proteomics, and molecular pathways involved in metabolic and neurodevelopmental disorders. Passionate about advancing biomedical education and research, Dr. Qaisiya is dedicated to bridging scientific discovery with clinical applications to improve healthcare outcomes.

From 2011 to 2014, Dr. Gambaro completed her doctoral studies at the Italian Liver Foundation, earning her PhD under the supervision of Dr. Claudio Tiribelli and Dr. Silvia Gazzin.
Following her PhD, she undertook a postdoctoral fellowship at Fundación Favaloro – University Hospital, under the mentorship of Dr. Gabriel Gondolesi, where she conducted research on the immunology of liver transplantation.

In 2015, she returned to the FIF for a research stay with Dr. Natalia Rosso, focusing on the identification of plasma biomarkers with potential diagnostic applications in hepatic fibrosis.

In 2016, Dr. Gambaro returned to Argentina to continue her postdoctoral research at the Laboratory of Metabolism and Adipose Tissue at the Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular.

She is currently a researcher at CONICET, where her work focuses on the metabolic regulation of adipose tissue under various pathophysiological conditions, including obesity and insulin resistance.

From 2018 to 2022, Dr. Jayanti pursued her PhD at the Italian Liver Foundation (FIF) – Università degli Studi di Trieste. Under the supervision of Dr. Silvia Gazzin and Prof. Claudio Tiribelli, her research focused on the untapped potential of bilirubin—investigating its neuroprotective effects in ex vivo models of Parkinson’s disease, exploring nanobubble-based systems for targeted delivery, and examining curcumin’s protective role against neurotoxicity and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. These multidisciplinary projects enhanced her expertise in experimental design, disease modeling, and translational research, while also fostering personal growth in resilience, adaptability and creative problem-solving.

Beyond the laboratory, her time in Trieste and at FIF offered a deep immersion into Italian life:
“My time at FIF remains one of the most memorable chapters of my life. I built lasting friendships, discovered new perspectives, and found a second home in Trieste. Even now, our collaborations continue to thrive across borders—proof that both science and friendship extend far beyond the lab.”

Dr. Do is originally from Vietnam and, thanks to an international fellowship, he had the opportunity to work at the Italian Liver Foundation from September to December 2019.
During his time at FIF, he conducted a pilot study on mRNA and protein expression in hepatocellular carcinoma, analyzing both cancer cell lines and patient-derived samples. His work was carried out under the close supervision of Professor Claudio Tiribelli and Dr. Caecilia Sukowati, a senior researcher at the laboratory.

Since 2020, Dr. Do has been working as a Research and Development Technician at Nanogen, a Vietnamese biotechnology company specializing in the production of therapeutic recombinant proteins.

Reflecting on his experience, Dr. Do shares:
“FIF left a lasting impression on me as a model of professionalism in biomedical research. It gave me a deeper appreciation for the role of translational studies in bridging basic science and clinical application. Beyond the lab, Trieste was a wonderful city—I enjoyed strolling through its peaceful streets and sharing ice cream with friends after work.”

Dr. Cabral has been dedicated to the field of molecular medicine since 2006.
Her career began at St. Luke’s Medical Center, where she focused on biomarker discovery for various cancers, as well as chromosome analysis, epigenetic profiling, and biobanking. In 2015, she earned a Master’s degree in Molecular Medicine from St. Luke’s College of Medicine, supported by a scholarship from the DOST–Science Education Institute.

From 2019 to 2022, Dr. Cabral pursued her PhD at the Italian Liver Foundation (FIF) in Trieste,  specializing in molecular and cellular biomarkers and experimental models for hepatocellular carcinoma. Her doctoral studies were supported by the DOST–Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD).

Upon returning to the Philippines in 2023, Dr. Cabral was appointed Science and Technology Fellow at the Institution Development Division of PCHRD. In this role, she plays a key part in establishing the Philippine Liver Research Network (PLRN) and the ASEAN Liver Research Initiative (ALRI), as well as in harmonizing biobanking initiatives within the Philippine health research system.

Her ongoing collaboration with FIF highlights her strong commitment to international scientific partnerships and to advancing liver research on both national and global fronts.

 

Dr. Salvoza is a physician-scientist with expertise in molecular medicine and translational research.
He earned his PhD in Molecular Biomedicine cum laude from the University of Trieste in 2023, with his research conducted at the Italian Liver Foundation (FIF) from 2019 to 2023. His doctoral work focused on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), employing a multidisciplinary approach that integrated in silico modeling, in vitro systems, 3D organoids, in vivo animal models, and ex vivo explant studies.

Currently, Dr. Salvoza serves as a Science and Technology Fellow at the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST–PCHRD), where he plays a key role in developing both the Philippine and ASEAN Liver Research Networks.

His broader research interests span viral hepatitis, dengue, chikungunya, and natural product-based therapeutics. Committed to mentorship, science diplomacy, and global collaboration, he has presented and published his work internationally.

Outside of science, Dr. Salvoza is an avid traveler, having explored all 20 regions of Italy and 38 countries—and counting—around the world.

Dr. Aquino is a physician-scientist trained at the University of the Philippines Manila – College of Medicine.
She is part of the fifth cohort of MD-PhD in Molecular Medicine scholars under the joint program of UP Manila and the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST–PCHRD). She completed her clinical internship at the Philippine General Hospital and passed the Philippine Physician Licensure Examination in 2020.

Through the DOST–SEI Research Enrichment Program, Dr. Aquino conducted her PhD dissertation at the Italian Liver Foundation (FIF) in Trieste, Italy, under the supervision of Dr. Devis Pascut. Her research focused on the role of microRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Her academic and research interests include hepatocellular carcinoma, biomarker discovery, infectious diseases, and liver diseases. She is currently a second-year pediatric resident at the Philippine General Hospital, where she is committed to integrating clinical care with translational research to improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Ansari is a pharmaceutical scientist and postdoctoral researcher with expertise in drug delivery systems, nanomedicine, and formulation science. He pursued his PhD at the Italian Liver Foundation in 2021.

He is currently a Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND Postdoctoral Fellow at Sabancı University’s Nanotechnology Research and Application Center in Istanbul, Turkey. His research focuses on developing nanocarriers combined with focused ultrasound to overcome the blood-brain barrier for the treatment of glioblastoma.

Prior to this, Dr. Ansari worked at the Università degli Studi di Messina, where he contributed to the development of biomaterials for drug delivery in pediatric nervous system disorders. He also gained significant industry experience at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories in India, specializing in the design and optimization of oral, topical, and injectable pharmaceutical formulations.

He holds a PhD in Complex Systems for Life Sciences from the University of Turin, with a focus on nanocarrier-based therapies for neurological diseases.
Dr. Ansari has published over ten peer-reviewed articles, contributed a book chapter, and holds two German patents in innovative drug delivery technologies.

Passionate about advancing effective therapeutic solutions, he is committed to scientific innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Dr. Agustiningsih is a first-year PhD student at Monash University and a member of the Cellular Response to Disease and Vaccination Group, led by A/Prof. Michelle Boyle at the Burnet Institute.
Her current research focuses on understanding immune responses to malaria re-infection in a controlled human infection model.

From 2022 to 2023, she was a postdoctoral researcher at the Italian Liver Foundation (FIF), where she continued her work on the molecular mechanisms of liver diseases. Prior to that, she served as a researcher at the Eijkman Research Centre for Molecular Biology, under the National Agency of Research and Innovation (BRIN) in Indonesia. There, her research centered on viral hepatitis and liver cancer, including studies on the role of Src Family Kinases in hepatocarcinogenesis, conducted in collaboration with FIF. She was also involved in research on influenza and other respiratory viruses.

“My passion for science, particularly host-pathogen interactions, stems from the urgent need for innovative strategies to combat infectious diseases, which continue to pose significant health challenges in Indonesia. Through my research, I hope to make meaningful contributions to science, health, and education.”

 

Dr. Badea is a Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Transilvania University of Brașov (UNITBV), Romania, where she teaches biochemistry and laboratory techniques and coordinates the Research Centre for Fundamental Research and Preventive Strategies in Medicine.

She holds PhDs in Chemistry (2005) and Medicine (2021), as well as a Habilitation in Medicine. Her academic training includes fellowships at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Università degli Studi di Milano, and Université de Perpignan Via Domitia.

Since 2019, Dr. Badea has been a member of the PhD faculty in Nutritional Sciences at the University of Milan. Her research focuses on (bio)analytical methods and diagnostics within the scope of global health.

In 2024, supported by the Romanian Ministry of Education, she completed a three-month fellowship at the Italian Liver Foundation (FIF), where she worked on organoid models and antioxidant studies in hepatocytes.

“Returning to UNITBV, I now share this expertise with young researchers and medical students, fostering collaboration between my team and FIF.”

Dr. Obelar, from Porto Alegre, Brazil, is a PhD candidate at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), working under the supervision of Professor Fátima Guma at Gumalab.

From 2024 to 2025, she joined the Liver Cancer Research team at the Italian Liver Foundation, led by Professor Claudio Tiribelli, as a CAPES-funded fellow through the Doctoral Sandwich Program Abroad (PDSE). Her project investigated the potential of metformin, a widely used type II diabetes drug, to enhance the efficacy of sorafenib, the standard treatment for aggressive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Using a 3D mixed-cell spheroid model (HepG2 and LX-2), she studied gene expression and cellular behavior under hypoxic conditions, supervised by Dr. Caecilia Sukowati.

“This fellowship was a unique opportunity to expand my skills, apply innovative methodologies, and contribute to the search for improved therapeutic strategies against HCC.”

Dr. Matilde Clarissa Malfatti holds a PhD in Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences and is currently a postdoc researcher at the Italian Liver Foundation (FIF), collaborating on multiple projects with the Molecular Biology and DNA Repair laboratory of Prof. G. Tell at the University of Udine (UniUD).

Since 2012, she has contributed to several basic and translational research projects focused on DNA damage and repair across various oncology fields, including breast, liver, and colon cancers. Her work has been supported by funding from NIH, FISR, and AIRC. During her PhD, Dr. Malfatti completed a six-month research stay at the School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, USA, in the laboratory of Professor F. Storici.

She currently co-supervises two PhD students at UniUD.

“My passion for science and dedication to cancer research have driven me to work diligently in this field, as reflected in my high-impact publications in journals such as Nucleic Acids Research and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.”

 

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