Carmen Gianfrani

Dr Gianfrani’s research is focused on mucosal immunity in health and disease, in particular on:

• interaction between food proteins, microflora and gastrointestinal immune system in health and disease;
• cellular and molecular mechanisms of gluten-induced enteropathy (celiac disease) and of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in adult and childhood age;
• immunomodulatory strategies to recover oral tolerance to gluten;
• impact of environmental contaminants on immune system development and function.

The research leader has also contributed to develop a biochemical strategy to detoxify wheat gluten that is currently in clinical trials. More specifically, the research is currently interested on:

• Repertoire of gluten immunodominant peptides stimulating CD4+ T-mediated inflammatory response in celiac patients;
• Role of HLA class I-restricted CD8+ T cell response in celiac disease;
• Role of HLA risk gene expression in autoimmunity;
• Searching of ancient wheat crops with reduced content of toxic gluten sequences, for prevention of celiac disease;
• Etiopathogenesis of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease;

The inflammatory role of plastic contaminant, (e.g bis-phenol A) on T and dendritic cells maturation and function.