Biochemistry & Analytical Biochemistry

Livia Visai

Livia Visai

Biography

Livia Visai is presently a Lecturer in Chemistry and Biochemistry and a Research Assistant in Biochemistry at the Medicine Faculty of the University of Pavia.
Dr Visai received her degree in Biology at the University of Pavia in 1985 discussing a thesis entitled A study of the collagens interaction with hepatocytes and bacteria. In 1985-1987, She had been working at the Connective Tissue Laboratory, Department of Bochemistry at University of Alabama in Birmingham, USA, where her research interest was focused to studying the mechanisms of bacterial adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins. In 1989, L.V. received a Ph.D in Biochemistry at the Biochemistry Department of Pavias University discussing a thesis entitled A study of the interactions of collagens with strains of S.aureus Cowan 1 and E.coli B34289c. In 1989-1990, She received a fellowship at University of Pavia and in 1991-1992 She was trained as Post-Doctoral fellow in Biochemistry. In 1992 She received the Title of "European Biologist" from the Biologist Association of the European Community. In 1994 She obtained a position of Research Assistant in Biochemistry at the University of Pavia, Medical School. Since 1997 She is a Lecturer in Biochemistry and Chemistry at the Medicine Faculty and at the InterFaculty of Biotechnology in Pavia University. In 2001 and 2009, Dr Visai spent few months in the Center for Extracellular Matrix Biology at the Institute of Bioscences and Technology of the Texas A&M University System Health Science Center in Houston to complete a project involving the characterization of the binding of bacterial adhesins to fibronectin and collagen.

Research Interest

Her main scientific interests involve analysis of the immunological and biochemical properties of bacterial adhesins for components of the extracellular matrix proteins. Recently, She has focused her research interest to study the interaction of various biomaterials and 3D scaffolds such as polyurethanes and titanium foams with cells such as mesenchymal stem cells, adipose stem cells, osteoblasts, fibroblasts, platelets and macrophages. She is also involved in studying novel treatments for biomaterial surface modifications that are quite important to improve cell-material interactions and to reduce bacterial adhesion.
In 2006, Dr Visai has created a Center for Tissue Engineering CIT, whose research project was funded in 2007 FIRB at University of Pavia. She is vice-director of CIT.