Cecilia BUCCI

Cecilia Bucci is a Full Professor of Applied Biology (BIO/13) at the University of Salento's Department of Experimental Medicine. She holds a degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Calabria (1986) and has conducted research at institutions like Stanford University (USA), the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (Germany), and the University of Copenhagen (Denmark). Her expertise spans cellular biology, cell cultures, and biotechnologies. She has served in leadership roles, including Deputy Director of the University's Strategic Planning Center (2024) and Rector's Delegate for Research (2013). Her research focuses on Rab GTPases' roles in cellular processes, neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., ALS, Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathies), and cancer progression. She has coordinated numerous national and international projects (PRIN, Telethon, AIRC) and chairs the Italian Association of General and Molecular Biology and Genetics (AIBG). Her administrative roles include membership in the DHitech Board and research valorization committees.

• Education: Laurea cum laude in Biological Sciences (University of Calabria, 1986)
• Research Themes: Rab proteins, phagocytosis, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer biology

Her recent projects address ALS molecular pathology via iPSC-derived motor neurons, Rab7's role in cancer chemoresistance, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathies' mitochondrial-lysosomal contributions. She has contributed to personalized gene therapy development for ALS and elucidated tumorigenic mechanisms linked to RAB7.

Affiliations: Member of the American Society of Cell Biology (ASCB), Biochemical Society (UK), and Italian Association of General and Molecular Biology and Genetics (AIBG, current President). She has reviewed for high-impact journals, NSF, Wellcome Trust, and clinical projects for University College London Hospitals.