Rita Cacace
Post-Doctoral Researcher
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0180-3687
Science
Dr. Rita Cacace holds a PhD
in biomedical sciences and studies Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Her work focuses on understanding the functional consequences of rare genetic variants
to the disease etiopathogenesis. Her research is based on the genetic
discoveries obtained throughout her PhD and postdoctoral studies.
Dr. Cacace has a broad range
of expertise from genetics to functional biology and disease models. Particularly
in data mining of whole-genome and whole exome sequencing data for disease genes identification. As well as design and analysis of high-throughput gene-based
sequencing assays.
Dr. Cacace’s in vitro
expertise includes, but is not limited to, expression studies on both RNA and
protein level; design and development of in vitro assays (cloning
techniques, overexpression studies, immunocytochemistry, etc.); handling and
manipulation of both cancer cell lines and human-induces pluripotent stem cells
(iPSC), CRISPR-based genome editing and directed differentiation of iPSC into
cortical neurons. Dr. Cacace gained expertise also in in-vivo disease
models, obtaining a certified FELASA-C certificate from the University of
Antwerp. Dr. Cacace is currently developing in-vitro iPSC-derived disease
models as tools to identify novel therapeutic targets in neurodegenerative
brain diseases.