Dr. Barbara Testoni, Barbara Testoni is a PI in the “Viral Hepatitis” team at CRCL – INSERM -Lyon

HBV is a small non-cytopathic DNA virus that is associated with a persistent infection in the majority of cases, giving rise to a series of complications that collectively represent a leading cause of death worldwide. In spite of universal vaccination programs, chronic HBV infection (CHB) affects more than 250 million people worldwide, which are at higher risk of developing liver cancer. Available therapeutic regimens require indefinite treatment to maintain viral suppression and prevent the virological relapse that usually occurs after treatment discontinuation, since therapies do not achieve elimination of the virus from the infected liver. Thus, CHB is an unmet medical need that requires a continuous effort to develop novel molecules, combination therapies and methods for their characterization in order to achieve the goal of HBV elimination. New in vitro and ex vivo models, as well as new clinical biomarkers are therefore needed to assist the development of new therapeutic strategies aiming at targeting the intrahepatic viral reservoir.

CV.: Barbara Testoni obtained her PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology at the University of Milan in 2005, working on eukaryotic transcriptional regulation in the setting of skin development. Then, she moved to the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, where she began to work on liver disease and type-I interferon signaling. She particularly focused on the epigenetics mechanisms at the basis of Hepatitis C virus-driven Interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) deregulation in liver biopsies from HCV infected patients. At present, she is a PI in the “Viral Hepatitis” team at CRCL – INSERM U1052 in Lyon. Her research interests mainly include the investigation of the epigenetic mechanisms at the basis of host and viral gene regulation during HBV infection, with particular focus on the transcriptional regulation of the HBV minichromosome. She is also involved in translational studies, to the aim of understanding the relationships between HBV persistence and intrahepatic innate immunity perturbations and to characterizing new serum biomarkers for intrahepatic cccDNA activity. She is an active member of the International Coalition to Eliminate HBV (ICE-HBV) and member of the Emerging Scientific and Medical Advisory Board (eSMAB) of the Hepatitis B Foundation.

Host: Dr. Francesca Cortese, Microbiology (VHIR)

Online Connection:  https://gencat.zoom.us/j/98670640161