ANNA REALE

Current Position
Associate Professor in Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology (Bios-9A)
Specialist in Clinical Pathology
Department of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
Sapienza University of Rome

Education and Training
• 1985: Degree in Pharmacy, cum laude – Sapienza University of Rome
• 1991: Postgraduate Specialization in Clinical Pathology, cum laude – Sapienza University of Rome
• 1992-1993: Postgraduate Courses at the University of Glasgow- Topics: Oncogenes: Cell Transformation and Cancer; Viruses and Diseases; Use of Molecular Biology in Biotechnology

Memberships in Scientific Societies
• Member of the Epigenetics Society (previously the DNA Methylation Society, 1994–2003)
• Member of the Italian Group “I Processi di ADP-ribosilazione” (1990–2015)

Editorial Duties
• Reviewer for several journals published by Spandidos and MDPI
• Reviewer of research projects for the National Science Centre, Kraków, Poland

Scientific Activity

Researcher (1995–2004) Main Research Focus: DNA Methylation and Chromatin Structure
Key Studies:
1. Characterization of chromatin proteins involved in gene expression and the study of post-translational modifications that affect their binding to DNA.
2. Investigating the inhibitory role of H1 histone and its variants on DNA methylation and their effect on chromatin condensation.
3. Catalytic activity and specificity of murine DNMT1 (DNA Methyltransferase 1).
4. Exploring the connection between poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation and DNA methylation

Associate Professor (2005–Present) Main Research Focus: Regulation of Epigenetic Profile by PARylation; Epigenetic Changes in Aging and Endocrine/Metabolic Diseases
Detailed Studies:
1. PARylation in DNA Damage Response: The PARylation of Che-1, a key factor in DNA damage signaling, leads to its nuclear accumulation, promoting cell cycle arrest and allowing DNA repair.
2. PARylation in Cancer: PARylation regulates the levels of Snail, a transcription factor crucial for Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in the context of breast cancer.
3. PARylation in Inflammation in Bovine Models: Investigating the role of PARylation in inflammation in bovine species.
4. PARylation and DNA Methylation Deregulation in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Studying how PARylation contributes to the deregulation of DNA methylation in Type 2 diabetes.
5. Epigenetic Alterations in Aging and Metabolic-Endocrine Diseases: Investigating the role of epigenetic changes in the aging process and in metabolic and endocrine diseases.