Dr Giovanni Pietrogrande obtained his PhD from the University of Newcastle. Here he explored how different brain processes are affected by the activation of microglia, the immune cells resident within our brain. In particular his work shows that microglia mediated inflammation has a pivotal role in neuronal loss following brain ischemic injury, and in his work he developed and proposed a new, efficient and translatable treatment for the prevention of neuronal death called Low Oxygen Post Conditioning.
In late 2019 he joined the Stem Cell Engineering lab at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Queensland. Now he uses and improves cutting-edge techniques for CRISPR-Cas9 mediated gene editing to modify the genome of induced pluripotent stem cells and generate brain and spinal cord organoids to model neurological diseases and evaluate potential treatments.
Dr. Pietrogrande has also established collaborations with biotechs and startups, employing genetic engineering to modify cells for product development and organoid-based compound screening. Additionally, he provides consultancy services for Stemcore and Phenomics Australia, both UQ-based facilities, driving advancements in stem cell research.
Journal Article: Senolytic therapy alleviates physiological human brain aging and COVID-19 neuropathology
Aguado, Julio, Amarilla, Alberto A., Taherian Fard, Atefeh, Albornoz, Eduardo A., Tyshkovskiy, Alexander, Schwabenland, Marius, Chaggar, Harman K., Modhiran, Naphak, Gómez-Inclán, Cecilia, Javed, Ibrahim, Baradar, Alireza A., Liang, Benjamin, Peng, Lianli, Dharmaratne, Malindrie, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Padmanabhan, Pranesh, Freney, Morgan E., Parry, Rhys, Sng, Julian D. J., Isaacs, Ariel, Khromykh, Alexander A., Valenzuela Nieto, Guillermo, Rojas-Fernandez, Alejandro, Davis, Thomas P., Prinz, Marco, Bengsch, Bertram, Gladyshev, Vadim N., Woodruff, Trent M., Mar, Jessica C. ... Wolvetang, Ernst J. (2023). Senolytic therapy alleviates physiological human brain aging and COVID-19 neuropathology. Nature Aging, 3 (12), 1-15. doi: 10.1038/s43587-023-00519-6
Journal Article: CRISPR-Cas9 direct fusions for improved genome editing via enhanced homologous recombination
Tabassum, Tahmina, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Healy, Michael and Wolvetang, Ernst J. (2023). CRISPR-Cas9 direct fusions for improved genome editing via enhanced homologous recombination. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24 (19) 14701, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/ijms241914701
Conference Publication: Chemogenetic modulation of human in vitro motoneuron development accelerates maturation trajectory and electrophysical properties
Morrison, Sean, Shaker, Mohammed, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Wolvetang, Ernst and Noakes, Peter (2023). Chemogenetic modulation of human in vitro motoneuron development accelerates maturation trajectory and electrophysical properties. ISN‐ESN 2023 Meeting, Porto, Portugal, 8‐11 August 2023. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
(2023–2025) NHMRC IDEAS Grants
(2022–2025) The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
(2022–2024) ELA International
Identifying the mechanism of regeneration in early brain development
Doctor Philosophy
Stem Cell Derived Models to Investigate Age-Related Diseases
(2023) Doctor Philosophy
'Safer gene editing tools in human stem cell models'
Doctor Philosophy
Senolytic therapy alleviates physiological human brain aging and COVID-19 neuropathology
Aguado, Julio, Amarilla, Alberto A., Taherian Fard, Atefeh, Albornoz, Eduardo A., Tyshkovskiy, Alexander, Schwabenland, Marius, Chaggar, Harman K., Modhiran, Naphak, Gómez-Inclán, Cecilia, Javed, Ibrahim, Baradar, Alireza A., Liang, Benjamin, Peng, Lianli, Dharmaratne, Malindrie, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Padmanabhan, Pranesh, Freney, Morgan E., Parry, Rhys, Sng, Julian D. J., Isaacs, Ariel, Khromykh, Alexander A., Valenzuela Nieto, Guillermo, Rojas-Fernandez, Alejandro, Davis, Thomas P., Prinz, Marco, Bengsch, Bertram, Gladyshev, Vadim N., Woodruff, Trent M., Mar, Jessica C. ... Wolvetang, Ernst J. (2023). Senolytic therapy alleviates physiological human brain aging and COVID-19 neuropathology. Nature Aging, 3 (12), 1-15. doi: 10.1038/s43587-023-00519-6
CRISPR-Cas9 direct fusions for improved genome editing via enhanced homologous recombination
Tabassum, Tahmina, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Healy, Michael and Wolvetang, Ernst J. (2023). CRISPR-Cas9 direct fusions for improved genome editing via enhanced homologous recombination. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24 (19) 14701, 1-17. doi: 10.3390/ijms241914701
Taherian Fard, Atefeh, Leeson, Hannah C., Aguado, Julio, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Power, Dominique, Gómez-Inclán, Cecilia, Zheng, Huiwen, Nelson, Christopher B., Soheilmoghaddam, Farhad, Glass, Nick, Dharmaratne, Malindrie, Watson, Ebony R., Lu, Jennifer, Martin, Sally, Pickett, Hilda A., Cooper-White, Justin, Wolvetang, Ernst J. and Mar, Jessica C. (2023). Deconstructing heterogeneity of replicative senescence in human mesenchymal stem cells at single cell resolution. GeroScience, 46 (1), 1-17. doi: 10.1007/s11357-023-00829-y
Neural epidermal growth factor-like like protein 2 is expressed in human oligodendroglial cell types
Shaker, Mohammed R., Kahtan, Amna, Prasad, Renuka, Lee, Ju-Hyun, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Leeson, Hannah C., Sun, Woong, Wolvetang, Ernst J. and Slonchak, Andrii (2022). Neural epidermal growth factor-like like protein 2 is expressed in human oligodendroglial cell types. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 10 803061, 803061. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2022.803061
Zalewska, Katarzyna, Hood, Rebecca J., Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Sanchez-Bezanilla, Sonia, Ong, Lin Kooi, Johnson, Sarah J., Young, Kaylene M., Nilsson, Michael and Walker, Frederick R. (2021). Corticosterone administration alters white matter tract structure and reduces gliosis in the sub-acute phase of experimental stroke. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22 (13) 6693, 6693. doi: 10.3390/ijms22136693
Zhao, Zidan, Hood, Rebecca J., Ong, Lin Kooi, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Sanchez Bezanilla, Sonia, Warren, Kirby E., Ilicic, Marina, Kluge, Murielle G., TeBay, Clifford, Ottersen, Ole P., Johnson, Sarah J., Nilsson, Michael and Walker, Frederick R. (2021). Exploring how low oxygen post conditioning improves stroke-induced cognitive impairment: a consideration of amyloid-beta loading and other mechanisms. Frontiers in Neurology, 12 585189, 1-14. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.585189
Rapid and efficient generation of myelinating human oligodendrocytes in organoids
Shaker, Mohammed R., Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Martin, Sally, Lee, Ju-Hyun, Woong, Sun and Wolvetang, Ernst J. (2021). Rapid and efficient generation of myelinating human oligodendrocytes in organoids. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 15 631548, 1-11. doi: 10.3389/fncel.2021.631548
Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Zalewska, Katarzyna, Zhao, Zidan, Johnson, Sarah J., Nilsson, Michael and Walker, Frederick R. (2018). Low oxygen post conditioning as an efficient non-pharmacological strategy to promote motor function after stroke. Translational Stroke Research, 10 (4), 402-412. doi: 10.1007/s12975-018-0656-5
Urokinase receptor promotes skin tumor formation by preventing epithelial cell activation of Notch1
Mazzieri, Roberta, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Gerasi, Laura, Gandelli, Alessandro, Colombo, Piergiuseppe, Moi, Davide, Brombin, Chiara, Ambrosi, Alessandro, Danese, Silvio, Mignatti, Paolo, Blasi, Francesco and D'Alessio, Silvia (2015). Urokinase receptor promotes skin tumor formation by preventing epithelial cell activation of Notch1. Cancer Research, 75 (22), 4895-4909. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-15-0378
D'Alessio, Silvia, Correale, Carmen, Tacconi, Carlotta, Gandelli, Alessandro, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Vetrano, Stefania, Genua, Marco, Arena, Vincenzo, Spinelli, Antonino, Peyrin-Biroulet, Laurent, Fiocchi, Claudio and Danese, Silvio (2014). VEGF-C-dependent stimulation of lymphatic function ameliorates experimental inflammatory bowel disease. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 124 (9), 3863-3878. doi: 10.1172/JCI72189
Morrison, Sean, Shaker, Mohammed, Pietrogrande, Giovanni, Wolvetang, Ernst and Noakes, Peter (2023). Chemogenetic modulation of human in vitro motoneuron development accelerates maturation trajectory and electrophysical properties. ISN‐ESN 2023 Meeting, Porto, Portugal, 8‐11 August 2023. Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
(2023–2025) NHMRC IDEAS Grants
(2022–2025) The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
(2022–2024) ELA International
Exemplification of new and safer gene editing tools for cultured meat production in Australia
(2021–2023) UQ Knowledge Exchange & Translation Fund
Identifying the mechanism of regeneration in early brain development
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
'Safer gene editing tools in human stem cell models'
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors:
Understanding neuromuscular synaptic loss in motor neuron disease
Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Stem Cell Derived Models to Investigate Age-Related Diseases
(2023) Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor
Other advisors: