The Institute of Histology and General Embryology was constituted within the Faculty of Medicine around 1929. One of its most famous directors was undoubtedly Prof. Lorenzo Gotte (1926-1991).

Today, four different research groups are actively working at the Institute, focusing on embryology, oncology, histology and molecular biology.

The group headed by Prof. Giovanni Abatangelo (click to proceed) focuses primarily on connective tissue. In particular, the investigation of osteoarthritic degenerative diseases has always constituted the bottom line of this group's research. Other topics have been developed since the early '80s, these are:

• tissue engineering: research & development of new, high-tech semisynthetic hyaluronan-based medical devices to be used as a support for cell growth and differentiation and for cell therapy (in collaboration with FIDIA Advanced Biopolymers Srl )
• wound healing: investigation into the mechanisms of repair/regeneration mainly of the cutaneous tissue (in collaboration with Knoll AG )
• molecular cytology: studies on genetic variations induced by electromagnetic fields (EMF) by means of chromosomic alteration analysis

Collaboration with several other departments of the Faculty of Medicine, such as the Ophthalmology Institute, the Orthopaedics and Trauma Center, the Plastic Reconstruction Surgery Clinic and the Faculty of Veterinary Science, represent yet more interesting joint ventures.

The lab has access to public funding resources through:

• The Italian Ministry of Universities and of Scientific Research and Technology (MURST)
• The National Research Council (CNR)
• TISSUEtech Consortium (click to proceed): a synergy between the university and the pharmaceutical company FAB.

last revised: 4/4/1998