Francesca Pica

Francesca Pica

Tor Vergata University, Department of Experimental Medicine

Via Montpellier, 1 – 00133 Rome, Italy

+390672596462  +393389034417    

pica@uniroma2.it 

Sex F | Date of birth 18/09/1959 | Nationality Italian 

ACADEMIC POSITION

Associate Professor at Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy

WORK EXPERIENCE

2002 – present

1995 – 2002

1989 - 1995

Associate Professor of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Tor Vergata University

Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Tor Vergata University

Researcher (ex art 36) at the Institute of Experimental Medicine, National Research Council of Italy

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

1991

1989

1983

Infectious Diseases Specialist with honour  at the University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy

PhD Experimental Medical Microbiology with honour at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

Bachelor degree with honour in Medicine and Surgery at the University “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy 

WORK ACTIVITIES

Research Activity 

Head of a Research Laboratory of Microbiology, Virology and Immunology at the Department of Experimental Medicine, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy.


Fields of research:


1. Epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinic of hospital-acquired respiratory  infections;


2. Biological and clinical aspects of the host immune response in viral infections and cancer

3. Pathogenetic, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of Herpesvirus infections

4. Immunomodulatory, anti-infectious and anti-tumor activity of natural and synthetic compounds.

Relevant roles and competences 

Member of the Board of  the Department of Experimental Medicine, Tor Vergata University

Member of the Board of  the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Tor Vergata University

President of the Scientific Committee of the Tor Vergata University Biomedical Library

Member of the Didactic Commission, Degree Course in Medicine and Surgery (ITA), Tor Vergata University

Member of the Interdepartmental Center for Research and Training of Health Professions (CIFAPPS), Tor Vergata University

Integrated Course Coordinator in the Degree Course in Medicine and Surgery in English (International Medical School, IMS) and several Degree Courses for Health Professions, Tor Vergata University, Rome Italy (details in Didactic Activity)

Grants

From1998 to present: Principal Investigator (PI) or O.U. Member in numerous Research Projects funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR), Ministry of Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), National Research Council of Italy (CNR)

Scientific Societies and Academies

Ordinary Member :  

Società Italiana di Microbiologia (SIM)

Società Italiana di Virologia Medica (SIVIM)

Accademia Medica Romana

Didactic Activity

Coordinator of Integrated Courses at the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Tor Vergata University:

Microbiology – Degree Course in Medicine and Surgery (english)

Microbiology – Degree Course in Medicine and Surgery (italian)

General Pathology and Pathophysiology – Degree Courses in Nursing and Midwifery

Microbiology and Pathology - Degree Course in Dental Hygiene

Bacteriology and General Microbiology in the following Schools of Specialization: 

“Microbiology and Virology”, “Respiratory Diseases” , “Paediatric Dentistry” and "Hygiene and Preventive Medicine".

Member of the Academic Board of the PhD in “Microbiology, Immunology, Infectious Disease and Transplants” (MIMIT) 

Teacher in the 1st  Level University Masters: “Nutrition and Cosmetics” and “ Epidemiological surveillance of Infections”

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Publications

Scopus: 91  full papers, 1754 total citations, h-Index= 27; 

Google-Scholar: 147 full papers, total citations 2483, h-Index= 31, i10-index 57

Relevant publications

*Cosio T, Pica F, Fontana C, Pistoia ES, Favaro M, Valsecchi I, Zarabian N, Campione E, Botterel F, Gaziano R. Stephanoascus ciferrii Complex: The Current State of Infections and Drug Resistance in Humans. J Fungi (Basel). 2024 Apr 18;10(4):294. doi: 10.3390/jof10040294.

* Maurici M, Pica F, D'Alò GL, Cicciarella Modica D, Distefano A, Gorjao M, Simonelli MS, Serafinelli L, De Filippis P. Bacterial Contamination of Healthcare Students' Mobile Phones: Impact of Specific Absorption Rate (SAR), Users' Demographics and Device Characteristics on Bacterial Load. Life (Basel). 2023 Jun 8;13(6):1349. doi: 10.3390/life13061349. 

*Cosio T, Gaziano R, Fontana C, Pistoia ES, Petruccelli R, Favaro M, Pica F, Minelli S, Bossa MC, Altieri A, Ombres D, Zarabian N, D'Agostini C. Closing the Gap in Proteomic Identification of Histoplasma capsulatum: A Case Report and Review of Literature. J Fungi (Basel). 2023 Oct 15;9(10):1019. doi: 10.3390/jof9101019. 

* Matteucci C, Nepravishta R, Argaw-Denboba A, Mandaliti W, Giovinazzo A, Petrone V, Balestrieri E, Sinibaldi-Vallebona P, Pica F, Paci M, Garaci E. Thymosin α1 interacts with Galectin-1 modulating the β-galactosides affinity and inducing alteration in the biological activity. Int Immunopharmacol. 2023 May;118:110113. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110113. Epub 2023 Apr 5. 

*Maurici M, D'Alò GL, Fontana C, Santoro V, Gaziano R, Ciotti M, Cicciarella Modica D, De Filippis P, Sarmati L, De Carolis G, Pica F. Microbiology and Clinical Outcome of Hospital-Acquired Respiratory Infections in an Italian Teaching Hospital: A Retrospective Study. Healthcare (Basel). 2022 Nov 12;10(11):2271. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10112271.

*Pistoia ES, Cosio T, Campione E, Pica F, Volpe A, Marino D, Di Francesco P, Monari C, Fontana C, Favaro M, Zampini P, Orlandi A, Gaziano R. All-Trans Retinoic Acid Effect on Candida albicans Growth and Biofilm Formation. J Fungi (Basel). 2022 Oct 5;8(10):1049. doi: 10.3390/jof8101049. 

*Gaziano R, Pistoia ES, Campione E, Fontana C, Marino D, Favaro M, Pica F, Di Francesco P. Immunomodulatory agents as potential therapeutic or preventive strategies for COVID-19. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2021 Jun;25(11):4174-4184. doi: 10.26355/eurrev_202106_26061.  

*Ciotti M, Maurici M, Santoro V, Coppola L, Sarmati L, De Carolis G, De Filippis P, Pica F. Viruses of Respiratory Tract: an Observational Retrospective Study on Hospitalized Patients in Rome, Italy. Microorganisms. 2020 Apr 1;8(4):501. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms8040501.

*D'Alò GL, Cicciarella Modica D, Maurici M, Mozzetti C, Messina A, Distefano A, De Filippis P, Pica F. Microbial contamination of the surface of mobile phones and implications for the containment of the Covid-19 pandemic. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2020 Sep-Oct;37:101870. doi: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101870. Epub 2020 Sep 2.

*Cicciarella Modica D, Maurici M, D'Alò GL, Mozzetti C, Messina A, Distefano A, Pica F, De Filippis P. Taking Screenshots of the Invisible: A Study on Bacterial Contamination of Mobile Phones from University Students of Healthcare Professions in Rome, Italy. Microorganisms. 2020 Jul 19;8(7):1075. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms8071075. 

*Gaziano R, Campione E, Iacovelli F, Pistoia ES, Marino D, Milani M, Di Francesco P, Pica F, Bianchi L, Orlandi A, Marsico S, Falconi M, Aquaro S. Antimicrobial properties of the medicinal plant Cardiospermum halicacabum L: new evidence and future perspectives. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2019 Aug;23(16):7135-7143. doi: 10.26355/eurrev_201908_18759. 

*Zorzoli E, Pica F, Masetti G, Franco E, Volpi A, Gabutti G. Herpes zoster in frail elderly patients: prevalence, impact, management, and preventive strategies. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2018 Jul;30(7):693-702. doi: 10.1007/s40520-018-0956-3. Epub 2018 May 2. 

*Pica F, Gaziano R, Casalinuovo IA, Moroni G, Buè C, Limongi D, D'Agostini C, Tomino C, Perricone R, Palamara AT, Sinibaldi Vallebona P, Garaci E. Serum thymosin alpha 1 levels in normal and pathological conditions. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2018 Jul;18(sup1):13-21. Doi: 10.1080/14712598.2018.1474197.

*Pica F, Chimenti MS, Gaziano R, Buè C, Casalinuovo IA, Triggianese P, Conigliaro P, Di Carlo D, Cordero V, Adorno G, Volpi A, Perricone R, Garaci E. Serum thymosin α 1 levels in patients with chronic inflammatory autoimmune diseases. Clin Exp Immunol. 2016 Oct;186(1):39-45. doi: 10.1111/cei.12833.

*Pica F, Ciotti M, Maurici M, Buè C, Nardi P, Lucà G, Moroni G, Rogliani P, Perno CF, Volpi A. Clinical features and outcome of hospitalized patients with HSV-1 DNA in the lower respiratory tract. New Microbiol. 2017 Apr;40(2):107-112. Epub 2017 Apr 3. PMID: 28368075. 

*Pica F, Gatti A, Divizia M, Lazzari M, Ciotti M, Sabato AF, Volpi A. One-year follow-up of patients with long-lasting post-herpetic neuralgia. BMC Infect Dis. 2014 Nov 1;14:556. doi:10.1186/s12879-014-0556-6. 

*Griffiths SJ, Koegl M, Boutell C, Zenner HL, Crump CM, Pica F, Gonzalez O, Friedel CC, Barry G, Martin K, Craigon MH, Chen R, Kaza LN, Fossum E, Fazakerley JK, Efstathiou S, Volpi A, Zimmer R, Ghazal P, Haas J. A systematic analysis of host factors reveals a Med23-interferon-λ regulatory axis against herpes simplex virus type 1 replication. PLoS Pathog. 2013;9(8):e1003514. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003514.

*Pica F, Volpi A. Public awareness and knowledge of herpes labialis. J Med Virol. 2012 Jan;84(1):132-7. doi: 10.1002/jmv.22233. Epub 2011 Oct 25. PMID: 22028143. 

*Volpi A, Gatti A, Pica F, Bellino S, Marsella LT, Sabato AF. Clinical and psychosocial correlates of post-herpetic neuralgia. J Med Virol. 2008 Sep;80(9):1646-52. doi: 10.1002/jmv.21254.

*Pica F, Volpi A, Gaziano R, Garaci E. Interferon-lambda in immunocompetent individuals with a history of recurrent herpes labialis. Antivir Ther. 2010;15(5):737-43. doi: 10.3851/IMP1610.

*Gatti A, Pica F, Boccia MT, De Antoni F, Sabato AF, Volpi A. No evidence of family history as a risk factor for herpes zoster in patients with post-herpetic neuralgia. J Med Virol. 2010 May;82(6):1007-11. doi: 10.1002/jmv.21748.

*Pica F, Volpi A. Transmission of human herpesvirus 8: an update. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2007 Apr; 20(2):152-6. doi: 10.1097/QCO.0b013e3280143919.

*Volpi A, Gatti A, Serafini G, Costa B, Suligoi B, Pica F, Marsella LT, Sabato E, Sabato AF. Clinical and psychosocial correlates of acute pain in herpes zoster. J Clin Virol. 2007 Apr;38(4):275-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jcv.2007.01.010.

*Gentile G, Capobianchi A, Volpi A, Palù G, Pica F, Calistri A, Biasolo MA, Martino P. Human herpesvirus 8 DNA in serum during seroconversion in allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2005 Jul 6;97(13):1008-11. doi: 10.1093/jnci/dji177.

*Pica F, Palamara AT, Rossi A, De Marco A, Amici C, Santoro MG. Delta(12)-prostaglandin J(2) is a potent inhibitor of influenza A virus replication. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2000 Jan;44(1):200-4. doi: 10.1128/AAC.44.1.200-204.2000. 

*Pica F, Volpi A, Serafino A, Fraschetti M, Franzese O, Garaci E. Autocrine nerve growth factor is essential for cell survival and viral maturation in HHV-8-infected primary effusion lymphoma cells. Blood. 2000 May 1;95(9):2905-12. PMID: 10779438.

*Pica F, Serafino A, Garaci E, Volpi A. Cidofovir on HHV-8 in BCBL-1 cells. Antivir Ther. 2004 Oct;9(5):823-5. PMID: 15535421. 

*Pica F, Volpi A, Barillari G, Fraschetti M, Franzese O, Vullo V, Garaci E. Detection of high nerve growth factor serum levels in AIDS-related and -unrelated Kaposi's sarcoma patients. AIDS. 1998 Oct 22;12(15):2025-9. doi: 10.1097/00002030-199815000-00014. 

*Conti C, Mastromarino P, Tomao P, De Marco A, Pica F, Santoro MG. Inhibition of poliovirus replication by prostaglandins A and J in human cells. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1996 Feb;40(2):367-72. doi: 10.1128/AAC.40.2.367.

*Pica F, De Marco A, De Cesare F, Santoro MG. Inhibition of vesicular stomatitis virus replication by delta 12-prostaglandin J2 is regulated at two separate levels and is associated with induction of stress protein synthesis. Antiviral Res. 1993 Mar;20(3):193-208. doi: 10.1016/0166-3542(93)90020-j. 

According to law 679/2016 of the Regulation of the European Parliament of 27th April 2016, I hereby express my consent to process and use my data provided in this CV

                      Prof.ssa Francesca Pica