Giovanni Pertosa

Giovanni Battista Pertosa, M.D. graduated in 1976 from The University of Bari. Specialist degree in Nephrology (1994), Oncology (1983) and Infectious Medicine (1979). Associate Professor of Nephrology at the University of Bari, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation (DETO), Renal, Dialysis and Transplant Unit. From 2015 to 2019 Director, Postgraduate School in Nephrology University of Bari “Aldo Moro ”Division of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, University Hospital Policlinico Consorziale Piazza Giulio Cesare, 11 Bari 70124, Italy Since 2017 Head of Extracorporeal Therapeutic Techniques and Apheresis Unit He is the Nephrology lecturer for the University Courses in Physiotherapy and Nursing and the Coordinator of the Master Program in Nephrology and Dialysis for Nurses at the University of Bari. Referee for 4 international journals (Kidney International, Journal of Nephrology, Nephrology Dialysis and Transplantation, American Journal of Kidney Disease). From 1999 to 2005 he was a member of the Editorial Board of the Giornale Italiano di Nefrologia. From 2010 he is a member of the Editorial Board of the journal of ‘Tecniche Nefrologiche & Dialitiche’. He organized 11 national and 3 international scientific meetings and was a Member of the Scientific Committee of the 46th National Meeting of the Italian Society of Nephrology (Montesilvano May 4-7, 2005). Prof. Pertosa has been involved in several national and local research projects which have been funded by the University of Bari (1994-2012) and private institutions. In 2003 he was awarded as principal investigator the PRIN (COFIN) grant [from Ministero dell’Istruzione dell’Università e della Ricerca (MIUR)] for the research project entitled “MIA syndrome in hemodialysis: the role of different dialytic membranes”. In 2005 he was awarded as principal investigator the PRIN (COFIN) grant for the research project entitled "Role of vascular calcification in the pathogenesis of accelerated atherosclerosis in chronic renal failure". Visiting Professor at the Laboratory of Immune Therapy, University of Pittsburgh directed by Prof. WJ Storkus (15.10.1998-13.11.1998). During this period Prof. Pertosa focused his attention on the role of dendritic cells in hemodialysis biocompatibility. Author of 361 scientific publications, 176 of which in international (Total Impact Factor 195.972; Mean Impact Factor 4.66; 2366 citations without self-citations ; H Index 24 ISI Web of Knowledge) and 185 in Italian journals. His scientific interests include: -immunopathogenesis of primary and secondary glomerulonephritides and biocompatibility in hemodialysis focusing especially on the biomolecular mechanisms underlying cytokine production. - Molecular biology studies to evaluate the gene and protein expression of different proinflammatory cytokines, including TNF, IL-6 and MCP-1 and their specific cell or soluble receptors, by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from chronic uremic patients on hemodialysis treatment using different dialysis membranes. -Studies of the mechanisms responsible for the activation of intracellular signals (Tyrosine kinase, JNK and p38MAP kinase) in PBMC from hemodialysis patients. In more detail, this includes in vivo and in vitro studies to test the capacity of some substances, induced by hemodialysis oxidative stress, like iNOS, and procoagulant factors, like FXa, to activate the intracellular transduction signals and to induce gene transcription especially of those genes codifying some proinflammatory cytokines and MCP-1. - Microarray analysis. Currently, his main fields of interest are: -Studies on dialytic membrane biocompatibility; -Oxidative stress and atherosclerosis in hemodialysis, focusing his attention on the molecules (Fetuin-A, Bone morphogenetic proteins) involved in vascular calcification and progression of cardiovascular disease in uremia; -Inflammatory molecules involved in the differentiation of renal staminal cells toward a fibroblast phenotype in acute renal damage; -New technical approaches to improve dialytic biocompatibility and quality of life of uremic patients.