The Laboratory of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is part of the Department of Laboratory and Infectious Disease Sciences, Laboratory Diagnostic Area of the Agostino Gemelli IRCSS University Polyclinic Foundation, in agreement with the National Health Service for public welfare activities. It started its activity concurrently with the opening of the hospital itself.
The services of the Laboratory of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology are aimed at outpatients, hospitalized patients, emergency rooms and other hospitals.
The Laboratory of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology offers a wide range of basic and specialized services for a total of over 5,000,000 annual services, which are guaranteed under routine and emergency conditions for patients admitted to the wards. hospitalization and Day-Hospital of the hospital.
In particular:
The Hormone Analysis sector performs about 500,000 services per year by performing the determination of basic hormones and after stimulation.
The activity of UOSA Molecular and Genomic Diagnostics aimed at outpatient patients, performs over 7,000 tests per year, carries out molecular and genomic diagnostics in the field of oncology and endocrine-metabolic pathologies, on pediatric, adult and prenatal patients offering a panel of about 50 tests for metabolic, endocrine-metabolic disorders and oncological diseases on a genetic and hereditary basis.
The diagnostic area of Immunology performs, in addition to the common protein tests, specialized analyses for the identification of syndromes characterized by the presence of monoclonal components. Furthermore, the Service has developed the Autoimmunity sector by activating the search for multiple autoantibodies aimed at diagnosing systemic and organospecific diseases.
The laboratory carries out internal and external quality controls, on a daily and periodic basis, respectively, in order to constantly guarantee a high quality of the results delivered.
With a view of continuous improvement, the Laboratory of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology conducts research programs aimed at the development of new methods and the optimization of quality control. In addition, in the field of health research, it supports clinical studies conducted by different departments of the Polyclinic.
This department is available to help and support:
The Service laboratories are located on the 4th floor of the Multifunctional Plate (Wing J), namely:
All laboratories are equipped with the most modern instruments (including new generation DNA sequencers) which allow to analyze chromosomes and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) from blood and other tissues. Finally, the laboratories receive numerous samples directly from the Departments of the Polyclinic and from external structures, both national and foreign, for carrying out highly specialized genetic tests.
The Medical Genetics Service was established within the Institute of Human Genetics, founded in 1964 by Prof. Angelo Serra, which later became the Institute of Medical Genetics, directed from 1989 to 2013 by Prof. Giovanni Neri. Since 2014, the manager has been Prof. Maurizio Genuardi, Director of the Institute of Genomic Medicine. The Medical Genetics Unit belongs to the Department of Laboratory Sciences and Infectious Diseases in the Laboratory Diagnostic Area.
Over the years, various lines of research have been developed at the Institute of Genomic Medicine, supported by public funding (MIUR, Ministry of Health) and private (Telethon, FRAXA, Families of SMA, AIRC, Fondazione Roma, etc.). The main lines of scientific research are conducted in collaboration with other groups of the same University, other Universities and Research Centers in Italy and internationally, focusing on rare genetic diseases including:
Regarding teaching commitments, the professors of the Institute are entrusted with the teachings of Human and Medical Genetics in the Degree Courses in Medicine and Surgery of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (in Italian and in English), in the Degree Course in Health Biotechnology and in numerous three-year courses of health professions. Finally, the Institute is also home to the School of Specialization in Medical Genetics, established in 1993 for graduates in Medicine and also open to graduates in Biology since 1998, and participates in the Doctoral School in Basic Biomedical Sciences and Public Health of the University.
The Department of Microbiology directed by Prof. Maurizio Sanguinetti is integrated into the Department of Imaging, Laboratory and Infectious Diseases.
The Laboratory deals with the diagnostics of infectious diseases both within the University Institution and on the territory with diagnosis, surveillance and consultancy functions in the field of microbiological disciplines:
The laboratories are equipped with the most important equipment to carry out activities in the field of microbiologists, in particular ultracentrifuges, ultrafreezers, HPLC and FPLC systems, devices for gene amplification, traditional and "real-time" (quantitative PCR), and nucleotide sequencing, equipment (Fluor-S MAX 2) for image acquisition and processing, spectrophotometer, pulsed field electrophoresis equipment (CHEF Mapper), Bruker Daltonics mass spectrometer for the identification of pathogenic bacteria and yeasts by MALDITOF analysis, electroporator for DNA transformation of bacteria and yeasts, animal enclosure, P3 laboratory, apparatus for the infection of animals by aerosol, various instrumentation for DNA analysis and laminar flow hoods, among many more.
