Basic Sciences

Morphological aspects of subcortical structures and the cerebellum of domestic animals

Development and use of models for the study of veterinary and comparative physiopathological processes, including allergic manifestations and tissue repair.

Morphological aspects of the central nervous system that may be related to domestication and investigations into the effects of molecules active against skin mast cell degranulation.

Assessment of stress and welfare status through physiological, endocrine, and behavioral parameters.

Study of the human-animal relationship, with particular reference to dogs and horses, through physiological, endocrine, and behavioral parameters.

Study of brain aging in dogs and horses and the search for biological markers.

The horse and the dog as models for the study of cognitive-behavioral disorders and pathologies.

Development of methods and/or validation of new physiological (e.g., cardiac variability) and endocrine (e.g., hair cortisol, serotonin, oxytocin) parameters.

Research activities focus on the study of testicular function in species of veterinary interest, both domestic and wild, through the integrated use of endocrine and molecular markers, in order to understand the regulatory mechanisms of male reproductive function.

Study of the physiology of aquatic species with particular attention to reproductive processes and the physiology of the gastrointestinal tract, also in relation to environmental adaptations.

Development, characterisation, and application of animal models for Translational Medicine, from a comparative physiology perspective and in compliance with the principles of the 3Rs, with particular emphasis on porcine and rabbit models.

Immunohistochemical characterization, development of classification criteria, evaluation of malignancy markers and their possible prognostic and therapeutic implications of breast neoplasms, melanomas and soft tissue tumors

Study of spontaneous viral, bacterial and parasitic pathologies of hares, wild boars and wild ruminants, living both in protected areas and on the free territory of the Tuscany region

Histopathological and immunohistochemical aspects of skin diseases in dogs and cats, with particular reference to immune-mediated diseases, such as allergic dermatitis, and to infectious and neoplastic diseases

Studies conducted on dogs, cats, horses and domestic ruminants

Development and application of novel diagnostic tests for the presence of viral pathogens in domestic and wild animals, with a particular focus on emerging zoonotic viral infectious diseases. These studies are conducted using both molecular biology and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques.

Development and production of recombinant proteins through the generation of baculoviruses applicable in virological diagnostics.

Studies on the presence of viral agents responsible for food poisoning in bivalve molluscs.

Study of bee viruses

Evaluations of the antiviral properties of essential oils and natural products.

Leptospirosis in domestic and wild animals

Study of pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance factors of salmonellae isolated from animals and foods of animal origin.

Study of pathogenicity and antibiotic resistance factors in bacteria isolated from biological samples taken from pathological pets.

Spread of paratuberculosis in domestic and wild ruminants. Spread of zoonotic bacterial pathogens in domestic and wild birds and their antibiotic resistance.

Study of the antibacterial activity of natural products such as essential oils and bioactive molecules of various origins and bacteriophages to combat multidrug-resistant animal pathogens.

Study of the probiotic potential of commensal microorganisms from the animal intestine

Epidemiology of endoparasites and ectoparasites in domestic, wild, and non-conventional animals, with a particular focus on zoonotic parasitic diseases. Studies are conducted using basic parasitological, serological, and molecular techniques.

Evaluations of the antiparasitic properties of essential oils and products of natural origin.

Epidemiological studies of arthropod-borne protozoa (Leishmania, Babesia, Theileria, Hepatozoon, and Cytauxzoon) and Toxoplasma gondii, gastrointestinal and cardiorespiratory helminths, arthropods, and fungi, evaluated serologically, molecularly, and immunologically in domestic, wild, and non-domestic animals. The in vitro and in vivo susceptibility of nematodes, fungi, and arthropods to synthetic molecules, extracts, and pure natural ingredients is also assessed both in vitro and in vivo. Research is conducted on parasites of human concern in developing countries, with particular attention to zoonotic aspects from a One Health perspective.

Parasites of aquatic animals, farmed and wild, in fresh and marine waters, with particular attention to species with zoonotic potential and their impact on aquatic ecosystems and farms.

Development and validation of HPLC, immunochemical, and electrochemical sensor analysis methods (voltammetric methods) for the determination of xenobiotics in biological matrices (biological fluids, foods of animal origin, feed).

Detection of mycotoxins and chemical contaminants in animal matrices and foods.

Blood and tissue kinetics of veterinary drugs

Evaluation of the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship of veterinary drugs (PK/PD).

Study of the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in pathogens of veterinary interest.

Analytical methods applied to the analysis of animal doping.

Studying the impact of xenobiotics on aquatic ecosystems: environmental chemistry and ecotoxicology

Effect of environmental contamination at different levels of biological organization: from molecules to individuals

Extraction and study of bioactive substances from marine organisms

Study of fouling communities, evaluation of environmental sustainability and effectiveness of innovative anti-fouling and fouling-release polymeric materials

Studying environmental impact through monitoring the diversity of benthic macrofauna

Fish and invertebrate cell cultures, biochemical markers of exposure and effect, biological assays, study of the expression of genes of interest (RT-PCR and NGS)

Nutrigenomic studies, particularly the role of dietary changes on the fate of honey bee larvae (queen or worker). Study, identification, purification, and characterization of proteins and proteases involved in the early stages of queen-to-worker differentiation in honey bees using a proteomic and immunoproteomic approach.

Study of the proteins of some bee products such as royal jelly, honey and pollen and their role in the larval development of bees, in the containment of some important bee and vertebrate diseases, in human nutrition and in animal husbandry.

Research on the role of some food polymers and some non-protein amino acids in modulating the innate immune system of honeybees and some solitary Apoidea.

Faunistic, ecological, and ethological research, with particular emphasis on the biology of porcupines and wolves in nature and on Apoidea populations in seven National Parks, in light of the sustainability of livestock farming, animal production, and agriculture in protected areas.