The advanced course “Mechanisms and Pathways Controlling Nuclear and Genome Integrity” will be held at the Institute of Molecular Genetics “Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza” as part of the PhD Program in Genetics, Molecular, and Cellular Biology, from March 31 to April 11, 2025.
Professor Giovanni Maga, Director of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the CNR and former Director of the Institute of Molecular Genetics “Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza”, passed away in the late afternoon of Saturday, March 22, 2025. He was 59 years old.
Giovanni Maga’s life was deeply connected with that of our institute, where he began working during his university studies, including his master’s degree and specialization. After completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Zurich, Maga continued his career at the Pavia institute, first as a postdoctoral fellow, then as a researcher, senior researcher, research director, and head of the DNA Enzymology & Virology Section.
In 2019, he was appointed Director of the Institute of Molecular Genetics, a role he held until 2023, when he assumed the leadership of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the CNR.
Throughout his career, he authored over 200 articles in international journals, wrote books, and held several patents.
Dr. G. Maga had been working since his graduation on the enzymology of DNA replication. His research focused on the characterization of different enzymatic systems responsible for nucleotide metabolism and the duplication of genetic information in human cells and viruses. His interest was devoted both to the elucidation of basic molecular processes and to the exploitation of novel enzymatic targets for antiviral and anticancer chemotherapy.
He was particularly interested in elucidating the biochemical pathways involved in coupling the DNA replication and repair machinery in human cancer cells, with particular emphasis on the role(s) of specialized DNA polymerases; understanding the host-virus molecular interactions in order to develop broad-spectrum antiviral drugs.
All of us at the Institute of Molecular Genetics are deeply saddened by the loss of Giovanni—a scientist, colleague, and friend.
We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.
The seminar Asilomar 1975-2025: EMBO, EMBL and the Politics of Scientific Expertise, initially scheduled for February 27, will take place on Friday, March 14.
The seminar will be held by Prof. Francesco Cassata (University of Genoa and Centro Linceo “B. Segre” – Rome).
The event is scheduled for 11:30 AM in the “Arturo Falaschi” conference room at the Institute of Molecular Genetics “Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza.”
On Wednesday, February 5, at 11:00 AM, Professor Marco Foiani, Director of the IGM-CNR, will hold a seminar in the “Jucci” Conference Room of the Department of Biology and Biotechnology Lazzaro Spallanzani (Via Adolfo Ferrata, 9, 27100 Pavia PV).
The seminar will focus on “Mechanisms Controlling Nuclear and Genome Integrity.”
The staff of the “Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza” Institute of Molecular Genetics participated in the annual retreat, which took place at the “La Bellotta” center in Pontenure (PC) from January 20 to 22, 2025.
The institute’s director, Prof. Marco Foiani, outlined the future challenges, focusing on the results achieved and the goals to be pursued in the coming year. He particularly emphasized the IGM mission.
During some talks and round tables, the services and technologies available at Pavia and Bologna were presented. The recently established PhD-PostDoc association was also introduced.
The positive atmosphere fostered good relations and the exchange of ideas among the various components of the IGM structure.
The Italian newspaper “Corriere della Sera” published an article on January 13, 2025 about the Age-It project.
“We are not searching for the elixir of life. Our goal is to delay senescence, viewing it as a phase in which certain diseases can take hold,” said Fabrizio d’Adda di Fagagna, Research Director at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CNR and Principal Investigator at IFOM, an institute of molecular oncology of the AIRC Foundation.
Lamins:
Thin Filaments with Broad Impact
Ohad Medalia, PhD
Full Professor, University of Zurich
When: 10:30-11:30 pm, Wednesday, December 4th 2024
Where: CNR-IGM Bologna
Know Your Enemy:
Unraveling the Gene Regulatory
Networks of Tumor-Infiltrating CD4+
Massimiliano Pagani, PhD
IFOM – Istituto Fondazione di Oncologia Molecolare ETS
When: 12.00-1 pm, Wednesday, December 4th 2024
Where: Aula Falaschi, Ground floor, Institute of Molecular Genetics Via Abbiategrasso 207, Pavia
(Entrance in Via Ferrata 9, Campus “La Nave”, University of Pavia
Why are tubulins different?
Andrea Ciliberto, PhD
IFOM – Istituto Fondazione di Oncologia Molecolare ETS
When: 12.00-1 pm, Wednesday, October 23st 2024
Where: Aula Falaschi, Ground floor, Institute of Molecular Genetics Via Abbiategrasso 207, Pavia
(Entrance in Via Ferrata 9, Campus “La Nave”, University of Pavia
Individual G-quadruplex targeting with chemically functionalised CRISPR-Cas9 uncovers ligand-specific biological responses
Marco di Antonio, PhD
Imperial College London, Department of Chemistry, London, UK
When: 12.00-1 pm, Monday, October 21st 2024
Where: Aula Falaschi, Ground floor, Institute of Molecular Genetics Via Abbiategrasso 207, Pavia
(Entrance in Via Ferrata 9, Campus “La Nave”, University of Pavia)