Dr. Mara Doimo

Curriculum Vitae

Scopus ID: 24278714700
I earned my PhD in Medical Development (Curriculum: Genetics) at the University of Padova, Italy in 2012. During my research I worked on inborn errors of mitochondrial metabolism. By employing yeast genetics, I elucidated the mechanism behind the onset of primary Coenzyme Q (CoQ) deficiencies and urea cycle disorders, and explored new therapeutic routes, specifically to bypass the impairment of CoQ biosynthesis. In 2008-2009 I was a visiting researcher at the University of Geneva, Switzerland in the laboratory of Prof. Scorrano where I expanded my knowledge about mitochondrial dynamics and cell biology.
Following my PhD, I was awarded the Marie-Slowdoska-Curie Individual Fellowship and the Wenner-Gren fellowship and moved to Umea University, Sweden, to study the processes of DNA replication and repair. My research in Umea focused on the function of non-canonical secondary structures, called G-quadruplexes (G4s), in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and their role in genome instability. During this time, I also had the opportunity to collaborate on a multidisciplinary project aimed at developing novel chemical compounds that can target G-quadruplexes (G4s). The project led to the development of a patent aimed at developing novel anti-cancer therapies. In 2022 I spent a year at the Chemical Biology Consortium Sweden (CBCS) where I was developing HTS screening for drug discoveries.
In 2022 I was awarded the PNRR-YOUNG RESEARCHER MSCA grant to start my own research group and I moved back to Italy at the Pediatric Research Institute “Città della Speranza”. More recently, I was awarded the IRP Starting Grant.
My research topic focuses on the study of the mechanisms that cause mtDNA instability, ultimately leading to mitochondrial DNA maintenance defects. My final goal is to contribute to develop therapies against these pathologies whose most severe forms manifest at birth or at early infancy with an extremely poor outcome for the patients.