The main current topic of my research is the identification of correlates of the magnitude and duration of immunological memory, with a special focus on inter-individual differences. My approach involves mouse experiments, the analysis of human clinical data, and computational simulations. My group developed prototype vaccines consisting of an immunodominant B cell epitope, displayed either on a multimeric protein, or on the capside of a filamentous bacteriophage.  We analyzed of the effect of the dosing protocol, in silico and in mouse experiments, and  we contributed to the understanding of the time scale of development of immunological memory, and the effect of the interval between doses on vaccination.

In collaboration with physicist Mario Nicodemi, I  developed the strings and binders model of the three-dimensional architecture of the mammalian genome, and statistical mechanics models of regulatory genetic mechanisms (choice in X inactivation, pairing of homologous chromosomes at meiosis)  which have been investigated by computer simulations and checked against experimental data.

-Vaccination with (1–11) E2 in alum efficiently induces an antibody response to β-amyloid without affecting brain β-amyloid load and microglia activation in 3xTg mice

F Mantile, A Capasso, N Villacampa, M Donnini, GL Liguori, G Constantin, P De Berardinis, MT Heneka, A Prisco

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research            2021

- Comparison of the Hi-C, GAM and SPRITE methods using polymer models of chromatin

L Fiorillo, et al.

Nature methods         2021

- Vaccination against β-Amyloid as a Strategy for the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease

F Mantile, A Prisco

Biology  2020

- A dynamic folded hairpin conformation is associated with α-globin activation in erythroid cells

AM Chiariello, et al.

Cell Reports  2020

- Modeling single-molecule conformations of the HoxD region in mouse embryonic stem and cortical neuronal cells

S Bianco, et al.

Cell Reports  2019

- Identification of a consolidation phase in immunological memory

F Mantile, A Capasso, P De Berardinis, A Prisco

Frontiers in Immunology           2019

- Structure of the human chromosome interaction network

S Sarnataro, AM Chiariello, A Esposito, A Prisco, M Nicodemi

PLoS One     2017

- Alum and Squalene-Oil-in-Water Emulsion Enhance the Titer and Avidity of Anti-Aβ Antibodies Induced by Multimeric Protein Antigen (1–11) E2, Preserving the Igg1-Skewed Isotype …

F Mantile, M Trovato, A Santoni, P Barba, S Ottonello, P De Berardinis, A Prisco

PLoS One     2014

- How the interval between prime and boost injection affects the immune response in a computational model of the immune system

F Castiglione, F Mantile, P De Berardinis, A Prisco

Computational and mathematical methods in medicine        2012

- Thermodynamic pathways to genome spatial organization in the cell nucleus

M Nicodemi, A Prisco

Biophysical journal      2009

- A thermodynamic switch for chromosome colocalization

M Nicodemi, B Panning, A Prisco

Genetics                  2008

- Self-assembly and DNA binding of the blocking factor in X chromosome inactivation

M Nicodemi, A Prisco

PLoS computational biology      2007

- Symmetry-breaking model for X-chromosome inactivation

M Nicodemi, A Prisco

Physical review letters 2007

- Lineage-specific requirement for the PH domain of Vav1 in the activation of CD4+ but not CD8+ T cells

A Prisco, L Vanes, S Ruf, C Trigueros, VLJ Tybulewicz

Immunity      2005

- The Rho-family GTP exchange factor Vav is a critical transducer of T cell receptor signals to the calcium, ERK, and NF-κB pathways

PS Costello et al.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 1999

Researcher at IGB since 2001.  Previously, Research Associate at Medical Research Council, London.

Coordinator, and PI of a Research Unit, of ADVACCINE Pre-clinical testing of Alzheimer's Disease vaccine (1-11)E2, supported by the Aging project of CNR. 

Teaching activities at Università Vanvitelli since 2014. Adjunct Professor of Molecular biotechnology, since 2018.

Editorial roles for Frontiers in Immunology, Biology MPDI, PeerJ.

Grant Reviewer for Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca , Ministero della Salute, University of Pavia, Agence Nationale de la Recherche.

Chair of  several Science and Society events at CNR, including The Science Cafè  and DNA in suono.

Member of SIICA and CNR Immunology Network (CIN).