Giulia Blasi
PhD Student
Curriculum Vitae
| July 2022 | Ph.D. Student, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz Preliminary title: "Investigating parasite interference in regulation of host gene expression".Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Susanne Foitzik. |
|
Jan 2022- June 2022 |
Research Awarded Scholarship, University of Padua (Italy) Title: "Expression and co-expression analysis of genes involved in the antiviral response of marine invertebrates".Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Paola Venier. |
| 2019 - 2021 | M.Sc. in Marine Biology, University of Padua (Italy) Thesis Title: “ZNFX1 helicases in the antiviral response of aquaculture mollusks and Metazoa”.Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Paola Venier. |
| 2016 - 2019 | B.Sc. in Biological Sciences, University of Milan Bicocca (Italy) |
Research interest
After completing my master's degree in Marine Biology, during which I conducted research on transcriptomics data to explore the interactions between marine mollusks and viruses, my focus has shifted to studying host-parasite interactions. I plan to delve into the epigenetic modifications in ants due to cestode-parasite infections and establish connections with changes in gene expression.
PhD Project
Parasites with complex life cycles often manipulate the phenotypes of their intermediate hosts to increase their chances of reaching their final hosts. My PhD research focuses on the parasitic cestode Anomotaenia brevis, which alters the phenotype of its intermediate host, the ant Temnothorax nylanderi, to facilitate its transfer to its final host, woodpeckers. Infection occurs when ant larvae consume cestode eggs, leading to significant behavioral and physical changes in the ants. Infected ants become less active and exhibit reduced cuticle pigmentation. We have also observed distinct differences in gene expression between infected and uninfected ants, notably an upregulation of genes associated with immunity and aging in the infected ants. However, our understanding of how these parasites influence host gene regulation remains limited.
My study aims to bridge this gap by comparing the epigenetic patterns of infected and uninfected ants to uncover the mechanisms underlying gene regulation in this host-parasite system. Specifically, we are analyzing histone modifications (CUT&Tag) and DNA methylation (WGBS) and linking these epigenetic changes to alterations in gene expression (mRNA-seq) within the host.
Publications
Giulia Blasi, Enrico Bortoletto, Matteo Gasparotto, Francesco Filippini, Chang-Ming Bai, Umberto Rosani, Paola Venier. A glimpse on metazoan ZNFX1 helicases, ancient players of antiviral innate immunity. Fish and Shellfish Immunology, 2022.