UNI-FIND

Elena Bossi Zen.
Born in Varese on 16/11/1967.
Associate Professor of Physiology BIO/09 (05/D1 Physiology)
Habitation as Full Professor in Physiology (BIO/09) (05/D1 Physiology)
Orcid ID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9549-2153

ERC Research area: LS1-LS3-LS4
LS1_4 Protein Biology
LS1_7 Molecular biophysics, biomechanics, bioenergetics
LS4_2 Comparative physiology
LS3_4 Cell communication

Education
2001 Ph.D. in Physiology- University of Milan.
1991 Master Degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Milan.

Bibliometric data
Researcher ID: F-4730-2012
Scopus Author ID: 7005044801
Google Scholar Papers: 99 Citations: 1142 Hirsch-index: 20
WOS Papers: 75 Citations: 757 Hirsch-index: 16
Scopus Papers: 60 Citations: 886 Hirsch-index: 17

Past and current research activity
Since 1996, my research work has been focused on the structure, function and regulation of ion channels and membrane transporters. By using electrophysiological techniques, molecular biology, immunochemical, biochemical, and fluorometric techniques, several proteins involved in the membrane translocation of ions and solutes have been characterized.
From 1997 to 2001, the activity was focused mainly on the modulation of the cardiac calcium channel (L type), the potassium channel (IRK1), and the characterization of some endogenous channels of Xenopus oocytes. Since 1998, the electrogenic membrane transporters have become the main subject of my research: from KAAT1 (neutral amino acids transporter of Manduca sexta) to the SLC6a family, GAT1, GlyT1, and B0AT1 and to the SLC15a family (PEPT1 oligo-peptides transporters). In 2012, I have started to also study transporters of divalent ions of the NRAMP family, and in 2014 Membrane-Nanoparticle interactions. The current research is focused on two families: neurotransmitter transporter (SLC1 and SLC6) investigating their regulation and their interaction with molecules and substrates, and SLC15 orthologs functional characterization and comparison. The studies are mostly performed in heterologous systems: Xenopus oocytes or cell lines. The functional characterization was usually conducted by electrophysiology and more recently by uptake using fluorescent probes and HPLC methods.

The scientific career before the current position can be summarized as follows:
2000-2014 Research Associate and Assistant Professor in Physiology University of Insubria Department of Biotechnology and Science Life- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Physiology.
1998- 2000 Ph.D. at the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Physiology.
1993- 1998 Laboratory Assistant for the Laboratory of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Insubria, Varese.
1992-1993 Junior researcher at the Center for Environmental Service, Grandate Como.
1990-1992 Stagiaire at the Join Research Center- (JRC-Ispra VA), Division of Life Sciences, Environment Institute.
Fellowships and periods spent abroad
-August / September 1995 and -February / March 1997 Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, under agreements with CNR-NCRD-NCRD CNR.
-September / December 1999-Institute of Physiology, University of Zurich-Research Project: Functional study of the cotransporter intestinal Na / Pi by point mutations, analysis of the accessibility of cysteines (SCAM).
CURRENT INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY:
Group Leader of the Cellular and Molecular Physiology at the DBSV laboratory since 2014.
Coordinator of the Biotechnology Course, the University of Insubria from 2021 (2019-2021 vice coordinator)
Member of the Animal Welfare Board of the University of Insubria since 2020.
Coordinator of the departmental orientation and events commission since 2014.
Member of the Scientific Board of the Ph.D. Program, in Experimental and Translational Medicine ( from 2014); Experimental and Clinical Physiology (2009-2013), Neurobiology (2005-2012)
Member of the University Orientation Commission since 2014.
Member of the AiQua (quality assessment) commissions of course in Biotechnology since 2018.
Member of the neuroscience research center (University of Insubria)
Member of the CRIS (Successful Aging) research center

Editorial Board member: Scientific Reports
Guest Associate Editor and Review Editor for Frontiers in Physiology
Reviewer for the following journals:
British Journal of Pharmacology
PlosOne
Scientific Reports
Amino acid
Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry
BBA-Biochemical and Biophysical Acta Biomembranes,
Pharmacology and Therapeutics,
International Journal of Molecular Science,
Pflugers Archiv- European Journal of Physiology
Environmental and Pollution
Aquatic Toxicology
Cellular and Molecular Life Science

Collaborations
University of Insubria
-Giovanni Bernardini-Rosalba Gornati University of Insubria
-Michele Surace University dell’Insubria
-Marco Saroglia -Genciana Terova University of Insubria
-Loredano Pollegioni- Silvia Sacchi University of Insubria.
-Daniela Negrini-Andrea Moriondo University of Insubria.
-Antonio Spanevello and Dina Visca- Università dell’Insubria e Dr Francesca Cherubino Fondazione Maugeri IRCCS, Tradate (VA), Italy
Other Italian Collaborators
-Laura Civiero Università di Padova
-Carla Perego e Michela Castagna University of Milan.
-Salvatore Bozzaro University of Turin.
-Tiziano Verri Università del Salento (LE)
International Collaborators
-Marcal Pastor Anglada University of Barcelona Spain
-Aurelio Galli University of Birmingham Alabama USA
-Christine Ziegler University of Regensburg-Germany
-Thomas Stokcler and Harald Sitte- Medical University of Vienna-Austria
-Ivar Ronnestad Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen 5020, Norway
-Carlos Bastos, Nuno Faria, University of Cambridge UK
-Gabor Kottra Molecular Technische Universitat Munchen, Germany
-Carmen Aragon and Beatriz Lopez Corcuera-Universidad Autonoma de Madrid- Spain
-Ian Forster University of Zurich,Switzerland- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
-Natan Dascal University of Tel Aviv, Israel

Projects and Financing in the last 10 years
2019- 2024 H2020-MSCA-ITN-2019 no. 860954. Principal Investigator-
2017 Junior grant "Protein interactions and expression regulation of amino acids and peptides transporters, B0AT1 and PepT1, in physiological and pathological conditions"
2015 Focova "D-Amino acids and human pathologies: a multidisciplinary approach"