UNIPD Team

Milena is Professor of Genetics at the University of Padova (Italy) and Leiden University Medical Center (The Netherlands). Her research focuses on human iPSC technology to model inherited cardiac diseases. She develops advanced 2D and 3D cardiac models to investigate molecular mechanisms of arrhythmias. Integrating genetics, electrophysiology, and tissue engineering, her team aims to identify novel therapeutic targets and develop platforms for safety pharmacology. During her career, she has been granted with a Marie Curie fellowship (2012), FEBS Anniversary Prize for outstanding achievements in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2016), and an ERC Consolidator Grant (2020). 

milenabellin@unipd.it

Nataša earned her PhD degree in Molecular Medicine in Graz, Austria and is a postdoctoral researcher in the Stem Cells and Cardiac Disease Laboratory in Padova. Nataša has a strong background in molecular and functional characterization of cardiac remodeling, specifically, excitation contraction coupling in murine and human specimens. As part of her Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship, she focused on establishing an advanced human in vitro model of hiPSC-derived cardiac microtissues (CMTs) to understand and treat LMNA dilated cardiomyopathy (LMNA-DCM).

natasa.dalinac@unipd.it

Amparo earned her PhD in Translational Medical and Surgical Sciences from the University of Parma and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Stem Cells and Cardiac Disease Laboratory, University of Padova. She has extensive experience in stem cell differentiation, 3D model development and video-based methods to assess cardiac functionality in vitro. Her main project explores the role of the autonomic nervous system in cardiomyopathies using hiPSC-derived models, and within the team she refines functional characterization of cardiac and neuronal cultures.

amparo.guerrerogerboles@unipd.com

Federica recently obtained her PhD in Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics from the Department of Biology (DiBio) at the University of Padova, in the Stem Cells and Cardiac Disease laboratory. Her research focuses on advanced tissue and disease modelling using hiPSC-derived cardiac cells and innovative 3D multicellular cardiac systems, such as cardiac microtissues. She studies the mechanisms driving cardiomyopathy linked to Friedreich’s ataxia to improve understanding of the condition and support the development of targeted therapies.

federica.dettorre@unipd.it

Emma is a medical biotechnologist and Bioscience PhD student at the University of Padova. Since April 2025, she has been a visiting PhD student at the Department of Anatomy and Embryology at the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) in the Netherlands. Her main research interests include disease modeling, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. Her current work focuses on the generation and characterization of 2D and 3D hiPSC-derived cardiac models to study and treat arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.

emma.zanella.2@phd.unipd.it

Carola obtained her MSc in Biomolecular, Genomic and Cellular Sciences at the University of Parma, where she developed a strong interest in genome editing and molecular mechanisms underlying human diseases. She is a PhD student in the Stem Cells and Cardiac Disease Laboratory at the University of Padua, with expertise in hiPSC line generation. Her project focuses on classifying variants of uncertain clinical significance in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, assessing their phenotype in 2D and 3D hiPSC-derived cardiac models.

carola.carlini@phd.unipd.it

Diego obtained his MSc in Medical Biotechnologies at the University of Padova, where he is now pursuing a PhD in the Stem Cells and Cardiac Disease Laboratory. During this time, he has developed a strong interest and solid expertise in the field of genome editing and hiPSCs culture and differentiation. His current work focuses on applying advanced genome editing technologies to treat inherited cardiac diseases using 2D and 3D hiPSC-derived cardiac models.

diego.berionni@studenti.unipd.it

Enrico obtained his MSc in Biomedical Engineering at the Polytechnic of Turin, where he developed a strong interest in bionanotechnologies and advanced disease modeling. In 2024 he carried out his Master’s thesis at the Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) in Hamburg within the Department of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology. Since November 2025 he has been a PhD student in Biosciences at the University of Padua, working on hiPSC-derived cardiac microtissues to study a rare genetic cardiac disease.

enrico.castorina@phd.unipd.it

Gemma is a biotechnologist with an MSc in Bioengineering. She specializes in CRISPR/Cas9 base-editing in hiPSCs and is skilled in culture, single-cell cloning, line characterization, western blotting and immuno-fluorescence. This work has allowed her to develop a strong combination of gene-therapy–oriented lab skills and disease-modeling expertise, and enjoys lab problem-solving and workflow optimization.

gemma.solerteixidor@unipd.it

Simone obtained his MSc in Industrial Biotechnology at the University of Padova. Following an experience in a small biotech company in Graz (Austria), he became Lab manager of the Stem Cells and Cardiac Disease lab in Padova. For the past three years, he has been in charge of the laboratory supplies and instruments, as well as the administrative and organisational side of everyday research.

simone.dinon@unipd.it

Caterina graduated from the University of Padua, where she also specialized in Clinical Pathology. She currently works as a research technician at DiBio, dividing her time between research in the Bellin group and managing the Sorter and Microarray Facilities. Caterina is the head of DiBio's Facility sector. Her expertise spans molecular biology (RT-PCR, library construction, microarrays, in situ hybridization) and cell biology (flow cytometry and cardiac stem cell cultures). Her current focus is on macrophages. 

caterina.millino@unipd.it

Research Technician with a Biology degree from the University of Padua, with hands-on experience in molecular and cellular biology. I support research activities in the Bellin Laboratory and contribute to the operation and management of the Microarray and Flow Cytometry Facilities.

beniamina.pacchioni@unipd.it