Carmen Giordano is one of the researchers financially supported by Tech Europe Foundation, a Professor at Politecnico di Milano and a leading scientist at the TechnoBiology Labs within the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta.”
With a young and passionate team (average age just 30) Carmen is pushing the boundaries of biomedical research. Together, they are developing a multi-organ technological platform capable of replicating the complex molecular mechanisms that regulate the two-way communication between the gut microbiota and the brain.
Their mission is as ambitious as it is impactful: to uncover the mechanisms behind brain diseases and pave the way for new, more personalized treatments, taking into account each patient’s genetic background and gender differences.
We sat down with Carmen to learn more about her journey, and how scientific eccellence, talent and determination can bring research closer to real-world impact.
Where are you from and how did the idea originate?
The idea originated from a frontier European project, the ERC project “MINERVA”, funded by the European Research Council (ERC) and led by me at the Politecnico di Milano: the ERC “MINERVA”. The goal of “MINERVA” was to create a multi-organ technological platform capable of replicating the molecular mechanisms that regulate the bidirectional interaction between the gut microbiota and the brain. The platform simulated several organs involved in this interaction, including the brain itself.
Thanks to close collaboration with Diego Albani, a neurogeneticist at the “Mario Negri” Institute of Pharmacological Research, we developed and patented an innovative technological device with a highly versatile design. This device can be interconnected in a multi-organ configuration to simulate complex biological interactions and support the development of new therapeutic strategies for diseases affecting various organs that currently lack effective treatments.
The device was used in the ERC project “PROMETEO” to develop new industrial probiotics, demonstrating its potential in nutraceutical research and personalized medicine. In the “PEGASO” project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR), the device was employed to develop a new liver model and obtain a personalized multi-organ platform for studying new drugs targeting selected patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
In the ERC project “DIANA”, we developed a platform aimed at simulating the dialogue between the blood–brain barrier and the brain, which was validated in an industrial context for drug screening for brain disorders, thereby consolidating the pathway that led us to the project presented at the TEF.
If you had to describe your project to someone who knows nothing about your field, what would you say?
The goal of the project is to develop a human cell–based technological platform capable of reproducing in the laboratory the cellular components of the human brain and its protective barrier, the blood-brain barrier, in order to study the mechanisms underlying brain diseases and to identify potential new drugs to treat them.
Compared to other available platforms, our system relies on cutting-edge technologies and customizable cellular models. In particular, within our project we will develop a system that takes into account individual genetic differences and sex-based distinctions (male/female), which are known to influence individual drug responses. This approach aims to improve the effectiveness of drug screening, reduce side effects, and decrease the failure rate in clinical trials, resulting in significant social and economic benefits.
The expected outcomes include the development of protocols and methods for cellular models with defined genetic profiles, and the creation of an advanced, validated brain technological platform for testing new therapeutic strategies.
What real-world problem do you want to solve? And why is now the right time to do it?
The main problem we aim to address is the need to personalize therapies and experimental evaluations required for drug approval before clinical use, particularly by considering sex differences between males and females. The difference in drug response between men and women is not surprising, given that female biological and hormonal complexity results in greater variability compared to males.
In a global context where the prevalence of severe brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, continues to rise, and where disease patterns differ by gender, it is clear that so-called “gender medicine” is becoming an increasingly relevant and urgent priority. This is especially true in the field of neuroscience, where the need to integrate sex and genetic differences into therapeutic research is critical.
We believe that now is the right time to take on this challenge, thanks to recent advances in cellular models and available technologies, which make it possible to design more accurate, personalized, and effective approaches to studying and treating brain diseases.
What truly sets you apart from other similar projects?
Our proposal is highly innovative because it involves the development of a cutting-edge technological platform capable of representing the key cellular components of the human brain, while taking into account the genetic profiles, whether based on sex or even individual-level differences, within a personalized medicine perspective for studying new brain-targeted therapies.
This approach represents a significant breakthrough in the field of drug development, considering that even a single variation in a key gene involved in a drug’s mechanism of action can affect its efficacy or side effects in specific groups of patients.
In brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease, it is common to observe variable responses to treatment, even between male and female patients. This highlights the importance of not overlooking either sex or individual genetic background when designing therapies.
Our goal is to tackle this technological and scientific challenge to generate new, essential knowledge that can improve the current drug development process and support the creation of standardized regulatory protocols, especially for degenerative brain disorders, where a patient’s genetic profile or sex can make the difference between the success or failure of a new treatment.
If everything went as you hope, what impact would your work have on the real world?
The use of a technological platform that reflects patients’ genetic profiles will make it possible, in the future, to refine the inclusion criteria for clinical trials of new drugs. This approach would enable personalized medicine, helping to identify the patients most likely to respond positively, thereby reducing the overall costs of drug development and increasing therapeutic efficacy.
The platform has the potential to accelerate the current drug development process, lowering the risk of failure and reducing potential side effects in patients. It will allow in vitro testing of new drugs while considering both sex and individual genetic differences.
Its technological impact lies in being the first platform capable of true personalization. Thanks to its versatility, it could also be applied to precision medicine for diseases beyond the brain, or used to study the effects of other substances such as pesticides or probiotics.
Given that research and development costs are extremely high for pharmaceutical companies, it is becoming increasingly clear that personalized yet affordable treatments are essential for national healthcare systems, including those in low-income countries. Both of these challenges, meaningreducing costs and improving accuracy in drug development, can be effectively addressed through the approach proposed by our project.
How important do you think external support like TEF is for turning research into something concrete?
The technological approach of our project has deep roots in the three frontier projects funded by the European Research Council, through which it has already demonstrated its innovative potential with significant and tangible impacts on the national entrepreneurial landscape, not only in the pharmaceutical field, but also in other sectors such as nutraceuticals.
The involvement of TEF in an advanced research area like ours is essential to ensure that the technological innovation resulting from our scientific work contributes to creating an ecosystem that attracts and retains young talent, promotes youth entrepreneurship, and strengthens Italian and European leadership in technological innovation.
A continuous collaboration between our project team and TEF, particularly with regard to the young researchers involved, will make it possible to accelerate the technological transfer of research outcomes, effectively building a bridge between the laboratory and the market, to the benefit of society and the entrepreneurial fabric of our country.
What would you say to someone with a brilliant idea but too many doubts to get started?
The path that takes a brilliant idea from concept to reality must be walked with passion and determination. It is made up of many small steps and countless doubts, each of which can open doors to new opportunities in a continuous process that strengthens the project over time.
In research, one should never be afraid of making mistakes and starting over, because this is a natural part of innovation. After all, even penicillin was discovered by mistake!
Finally, it’s important not to fear engaging with people from different backgrounds from the very beginning of a project. Only through a constant and constructive dialogue among scientists, investors, and entrepreneurs we can “adjust our course” and make the transfer of research results to the market a realistic and achievable goal.
Innovation is an exciting team adventure!