Domenico Catalano

I am a molecular biologist with experience in bioinformatics and omics sciences. Since 2014, I have been a researcher at the Institute for Biomedical Technologies (CNR-ITB), where I focus on epigenetics and the non-coding fraction of the genome (ncRNA). My research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying cross-kingdom gene regulation mediated by plant microRNAs (xenomirs) and the health implications of RNA molecules introduced through diet. My current interests include the study of non-coding RNAs and their role in epigenetic regulation, the development of omics-based biomarkers of aging, and nutrigenomics approaches to investigate how diet influences gene expression and health span. My expertise spans NGS data analysis, the development of bioinformatics pipelines, and the integration of heterogeneous biological information through relational databases for genomic research. From 2008 to 2014, I worked at the Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources (CNR), specializing in molecular biodiversity and serving as bioinformatics lead for the Mediterranean Germplasm Database (MGD) dedicated to germplasm and biodiversity data. I actively collaborate with the Departments of Agriculture at the Universities of Bari and Foggia and with the Department of Agricultural Genetics in Naples, as well as several research groups within CNR in Bari and Naples, contributing to multidisciplinary projects in genomics, nutrigenomics, and bioinformatics.