Maria P Santini, PhD

Dr. Maria Paola Santini graduated in Biological Sciences at University La Sapienza in Rome in 1997 studying biochemistry and apoptosis. In 1998, she moved to US to work as Research Associate in the laboratory of Professor Paolo Dotto at Mass General Hospital, Harvard Medical School on calcineurin signaling. In 2001, she started her PhD at European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany, in Professor Rosenthal's laboratory, where she studied cardiac regeneration mediated by the pro-peptide IGF-1Ea. She continued her studies on regeneration and stem cells at Imperial College London, where she was awarded two British Heart Foundation Project grants and the career support fellowship from the Magdi Yacoub Institute. In 2014, she joined the Cardiovascular Research Center at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, where she discovered the dual role of mesenchymal stromal cells during ischemic processes. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the Division of Nephrology. Her research aims to establish a translational research program focusing on therapeutic utilization of mesenchymal stromal cells and regulation of multiorgan fibrosis. To achieve this goal, she will develop multidimensional integrative genomics approaches and transgenic in vivo technologies for manipulating the efficiency and efficacy of genes and cells to induce organ revascularization and reverse fibro-adipogenic chronic diseases in the heart and kidney.

Dr. Santini has authored manuscripts and reviews on regenerative studies in high profile journals and attracted the interest for dissemination and promotion of medical research among scientists and the public.