UNITOV

In Italy, the HERVCOV project will be conducted at the Laboratories of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology at the Department of Experimental Medicine of the University of Rome Tor Vergata (UNITOV) authorized and equipped for handling biohazard specimens, and supervised by Prof. Claudia Matteucci. By means of multiple methodological approaches, the feasibility of the HERVCOV project will be ensured by the expertise of an interdisciplinary team of experts in microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases, and the equipment of the laboratories involved. The research activity aimed at the characterization of the role of HERVs in the crosstalk with the inflammatory response in complex diseases. Moreover, UNITOV partner has contributed with several studies in the field of molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the action of immunomodulating, antitumor and antiviral molecules. Based on the experience of the SARS-CoV-2 infection pandemic, the research objectives are aimed at ex-vivo evaluation from blood of acute and long COVID-19 patients, to characterize the immune-dysregulation associated with cytokine storm, and the identification of early markers of SARS-CoV-2 infection with diagnostic and prognostic potential, such as CD169 and Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) expression (Balestrieri et al, 2021; Minutolo et al, 2021). The University of Rome Tor Vergata was established in 1982 and is therefore a relatively young University. It was designed on the model of Anglo-Saxon campuses: it stretches on 600 hectares and hosts important research institutions, such as National Research Council – CNR and the Italian Space Agency – ASI. Furthermore, the Campus hosts one of the most modern hospitals in Italy, i.e. Policlinico Tor Vergata hospital, a care and research centre which is a reference point for the whole Lazio region and where our Medical School is active as well. The mission of the University of Rome Tor Vergata is to contribute to people’s education and training, to scientific research and to the technological, organizational and social innovation needed to achieve a truly sustainable development in Italy, Europe and worldwide pursuant to the Sustainable Development Goals approved by the United Nations in September 2015.
 University of Rome Tor Vergata https://en.uniroma2.it/ 
Department of Experimental Medicine https://medsper.uniroma2.it/