Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma

Participant's Lead

Project Staff

Partner Presentation

UCBM (www.unicampus.it) is a recently founded academic Institution created in 1994, characterized by a highly dynamic research and clinical environment. The contiguity of a Medical School and a School of Engineering has fostered translational programs implementing for the first time in the EU unique robotic-based surgical approaches and neocortically-driven artificial hands (CyberHand). Within this context, autism has been one of the main focuses of investigation since the beginning. UCBM in this regard has established itself as one of the leading Institutions in the country. In particular, Prof. Antonio M. Persico has coordinated since 1997 a network which has collected DNA, biomaterials and clinical data from over 550 Italian families with an autistic proband. He shall provide expertise in autism genetics, biological markers of autistic disorder, clinical subgrouping of autistic patients, and clinical psychopharmacology. In addition, Prof. Persico has designed and is leading the UCBM Center for Pervasive Developmental Disorders, which was inaugurated on March 23, 2011 in Milan. This Center, covering 2800 sq. meters, is organized to provide out-patient and semi-residential clinical services for autism spectrum disorders from early childhood into adulthood. Its most innovative aspect, however, consists in the presence within the Center of a dedicated clinical and research laboratory, where (a) advanced autism genetics/genomics will be performed using two microarray platforms (Agilent array-CGH and Illumina iScan), and three DNA sequencing platforms (Illumina HiSeq2500, Illumina MiSeq, and ABI3500) and (b) a stem cell program for individualized phenotyping, pharmacology and toxicology will be developed. Clinical and laboratory activities are scheduled to begin in September 2012 and January 2013, respectively.