Dottorato in Fisiopatologia Medica

Contatti

Supervisore

Curriculum vitae

Tesi di dottorato

The development and validation of non-invasive tests of liver fibrosis in the MASLD population represent crucial needs in the clinical settings. Since liver fibrosis is the most relevant prognostic factor, robust and reproducible tests are widely investigated for either fibrosis stage identification (in replacement of liver biopsy) or longitudinal significance (e.g. prognostication; assessment of treatment response). In this PhD project, we will validate novel non-collagen liver fibrogenesis markers, which have been identified trough Somascan proteomic technique and developed with in-house ELISA process (Mainz, Germany). A cross-sectional validation will be performed in a combined Turin-Mainz cohort of patients with biopsy-proven MASLD for the identification of advanced fibrosis and "at-risk" MASH (steatohepatitis with significant fibrosis). A longitudinal validation will be performed in a population of patients with MASLD undergoing a randomized 6-month lifestyle intervention in order to assess a potential role in the treatment response. 

Attività di ricerca

PROJECT TITLE

Metabolic mechanisms of liver fibrosis progression and non-invasive biomarkers of fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

ATTENDED PhD CLASSES (2024)

- July 3rd, on line lecture: Genetic forms of hypertension - Paolo Mulatero

SCIENTIFIC-TEACHING ACTIVITY (November 2023 - October 2024)

 - Member of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) and of the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver (AISF)

- Member of the Editorial Board of JHep Reports as Reviewer

- Reviewer for the following journals: Liver International, Hepatology, Alimentary Pharmacoloy and Therapeutics, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology 

- Award winner of the UEG Research Fellowship 2023 with the project: “Immune activation and the liver-spleen axis in Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis”

- 2022 - current: attendance at the University Medical Center of Mainz as member of the Metabolic Liver Research Program led by Prof. Jörn M. Schattenberg. Research activity for PhD project on novel fibrogenesis markers in cooperation with the Institute for Translational Immunology led by Prof. Detlef Schuppan. Conceptualization of experimental protocols for the non-pharmacological treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). Diagnostic and prognostic role of spleen stiffness measurement in chronic compensated advanced liver disease and portal hypertension

 - 2024 - current: teaching activity at the Nursing Degree Course (ASL Città di Torino; Università di Torino - sede di Aosta); supporting teaching and tutoring activity at the School of Medicine of the University of Turin 

- October 10^th-14^th: poster presentation (poster of distinction) at AASLD (American Association for the Study of the Liver - Boston): Echocardiography-based markers of subclinical cardiac dysfunction in patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and preserved ejection fraction: interim data from a prospective cohort.

- October 2023 - October 2024 (on site in Modena and online meetings): participation to the Work Group Activities of the Lysosomial Storage Disorders (Gaucher disease and Neumann Pick disease) with the aim to create a multidisciplinary healthcare pathway for the early recognition and management in the adult population. 

- October 2023 - April 2024: participation as speaker at the Postgraduate Multidisciplinary Course "Diagnosi precoce della NAFLD/MASLD nel Diabete Mellito e nell’Obesità" (Torino). 

- November 17^th: Speech at the Congress "Il salotto di Claudio" (Albano Laziale) with a presentation entitled: "Steatosi epatica su base metabolica: elastografia transiente".

- March 2^nd: Speech at the public initiative "Just the Woman I am" in the UNITO public engagement (third mission) programme, with a presentation entitled: "La malattia da fegato grasso nella donna in menopausa".

- March 13^th-15^th: poster presentation at AISF - Annual Meeting (Rome): "Accuracy of a dedicated 100 Hz vibration-controlled spleen stiffness measurement for the detection of esophageal varices in naïve patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease: interim results from a multicentric cohort".

- May 3^rd-4^th: poster presentation at the Congress "Innovation in SLD Think-Tank 2024" (Barcelona): "Accuracy of 100 Hz transient elastography-based spleen stiffness measurement for the identification of advanced fibrosis in biopsy-proven MASLD: results from three independent cohorts".

- June 5^th-8^th: poster presentation at the EASL ILC Congress 2024 (Milan): "Prevalence and predictors of steatotic liver disease and significant liver fibrosis in an integrated hepatological and non-hepatological healthcare pathway model: preliminary results from a prospective cohort of a tertiary center".

- September 23^th-24^th: participation to the LEAP (Leadership, Expert and Awareness Programme) Congress (Frankfurt)

- October 13^th-15^th: Speech at the UEG Week 2024 Congress (Vienna) with a presentation entitled: "MetALD: a novel entity in liver disease".

- October 22^th: Speech at the Echosens Webinar "Overview sull'utilizzo della spleen stiffness negli algoritmi diagnostici dell'ipertensione portale" with a presentation entitled: "Clinical data supporting the rationale of the use of the Fibroscan probe"

- October 23^th: Speech at the Congress "MASLD: stato dell'arte e gestione multidisciplinare" (Alessandria) with a presentation entitled: "Terapie farmacologiche attuali nella MASLD".

PUBLICATIONS INDEXED ON PUBMED (November 2023 - October 2024):

- Petta S, Armandi A, Bugianesi E. Impact of PNPLA3 I148M on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With MASLD. Liver Int. 2024 Oct 16. 

- Feng G, Mózes FE, Ji D, et al. acFibroMASH index for the diagnosis of fibrotic MASH and prediction of liver-related events: An international multicenter study. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024 Oct 1:S1542-3565(24)00863-2.

- Jachs M, Odriozola A, Turon F, et al. Spleen stiffness measurement by vibration-controlled transient elastography at 100 Hz for non-invasive predicted diagnosis of clinically significant portal hypertension in patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease: a modelling study. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024 Sep 23:S2468-1253(24)00234-6. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(24)00234-6.

- Michel M, Funuyet-Salas J, Doll M, et al. Impairment of health-related quality of life among people with type 2 diabetes and advanced liver fibrosis. Sci Rep. 2024 Sep 17;14(1):21650. 

- Zhou XD, Kim SU, Yip TC, et al. Long-term liver-related outcomes and liver stiffness progression of statin usage in steatotic liver disease. Gut. 2024 Oct 7;73(11):1883-1892. 

- Castelnuovo G, Perez-Diaz-Del-Campo N, Rosso C, et al. A Healthful Plant-Based Diet as an Alternative Dietary Approach in the Management of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease. Nutrients. 2024 Jun 26;16(13):2027.

- Pugliese N, Polverini D, Lombardi R, et al. Evaluation of ChatGPT as a Counselling Tool for Italian-Speaking MASLD Patients: Assessment of Accuracy, Completeness and Comprehensibility. J Pers Med. 2024 May 26;14(6):568. 

- Lin H, Lee HW, Yip TC, et al. Vibration-Controlled Transient Elastography Scores to Predict Liver-Related Events in Steatotic Liver Disease. JAMA. 2024 Apr 16;331(15):1287-1297. 

- Vanderschueren E, Armandi A, Kwanten W, et al. Spleen Stiffness-Based Algorithms Are Superior to Baveno VI Criteria to Rule Out Varices Needing Treatment in Patients With Advanced Chronic Liver Disease. Am J Gastroenterol. 2024 Aug 1;119(8):1515-1524. 

- Armandi A, Bespaljko H, Mang A, et al. Short-term reduction of dietary gluten improves metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease: A randomised, controlled proof-of-concept study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2024 May;59(10):1212-1222. 

- De Filippo O, Di Pietro G, Nebiolo M, et al. Increased prevalence of high-risk coronary plaques in metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease patients: A meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Invest. 2024 Sep;54(9):e14188.

- Armandi A, Bugianesi E. Dietary and pharmacological treatment in patients with metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease. Eur J Intern Med. 2024 Apr;122:20-27. 

- Armandi A, Sanavia T, Younes R, et al. Serum ferritin levels can predict long-term outcomes in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Gut. 2024 Apr 5;73(5):825-834. 

- Armandi A, Merizian T, Werner MM, et al. Variability of transient elastography-based spleen stiffness performed at 100 Hz. Eur Radiol Exp. 2023 Dec 12;7(1):79. 

- Petroni ML, Colosimo S, Brodosi L, et al. Long-term follow-up of web-based and group-based behavioural intervention in NAFLD in a real world clinical setting. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2024 Jan;59(2):249-259.

- Perez-Diaz-Del-Campo N, Dileo E, Castelnuovo G, et al. A nutrigenetic precision approach for the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Clin Nutr. 2023 Nov;42(11):2181-2187.

- Rosso C, Caviglia GP, Birolo G, et al. Impact of PNPLA3 rs738409 Polymorphism on the Development of Liver-Related Events in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023 Dec;21(13):3314-3321.e3.

- Canivet CM, Zheng MH, Qadri S, et al. Validation of the Blood Test MACK-3 for the Noninvasive Diagnosis of Fibrotic Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis: An International Study With 1924 Patients. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023 Nov;21(12):3097-3106.e10.

 PARTICIPATION TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS:

- TESEO (Traguardi di Eccellenza nelle Scienze mediche Esplorando le Omiche) Project - MIUR Dipartimenti di Eccellenza of the Department of Medical Sciences, University of Torino, under the programme “Dipartimenti di Eccellenza 2018-2022”; Project code D15D18000410001

- Clinical trial “Impact of Time-Restricted Feeding in NAFLD (NAFLD-TRF)”, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05220956

- PNRR ‘D3 4 Health—Digital Driven Diagnostics, prognostics and therapeutics for sustainable Health care’, under the Piano Nazionale per gli investimenti Complementari (PNC) al Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza – Decreto di Concessione n. 1986 del 9 dicembre 2022, Project Code MUR: PNC0000001 – CUP ENTE: B53C22006110001.

Pubblicazioni