LEONI VALERIO

Role
Associate professor  
Academic disciplines
Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology (BIOS-09/A)
Scientific-Disciplinary Group:
CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (05/BIOS-09)
Reception hours

On appointement by email

Biography

Current position and title: associated professor of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Milano-Bicocca with clinical activity as Director of the Laboratory of Clinical Pathology and Clinical Chemistry, Hospital of Desio, ASST-Biranza, Italy

 

Education and training

  • Medical Degree (110/110 cum laude) at University of Insubria, September 1999;
  • Specialization in Clinical Biochemistry, University of Insubria, November 2003;
  • PhD in Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, March 2005.
  • Scientific qualification as associated professor of Clinical Biochemistry (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale ANVUR, 05/E1: Biochimica e Biochimica Clinica), June 2014.
  • Scientific qualification as full professor of Clinical Biochemistry (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale ANVUR, prima fascia, 05/E3: Biochimica Clinica), August 2018 – August 2026.

 

Professional experience and positions held
• November 1999 - November 2003: Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, Hospital of Varese: specialisation in clinical biochemistry.

• November 2003 - June 2005: PhD student at Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska University Hospital in Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden.

Research about oxysterols as biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases. Active at the local laboratory of Clinical Chemistry.

• June 2005 – September 2014: MD, PhD at the Laboratory of Clinical Pathology and Medical Genetics, IRCCS  Fondazione Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano.

Responsible for the mass spectrometry laboratory of diagnostic metabolomics for the diagnosis of inherited metabolic diseases. By LC-MS/MS or GC-MS quantification of diagnostic biomarkers for the disorders of β-oxidation, organic acidurias, aminoacidic metabolism disorders, lysosomal storage disorders, mitochondrial diseases, peroxisomal diseases.

Research on the metabolic modifications in neurodegenerative diseases, degenerative diseases and aging.

• December 2010 - December 2014: Principal Investigator (PI) for "Study of cholesterol metabolism as a biomarker in Huntington disease: new insights in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration”. Italian Ministry of Health, GR-2008-1145270. Project funded by Euro 485,500.

•Oct 2014 – Feb 2019: MD, PhD, resident Medical Doctor specialist in Clinical Biochemistry at the Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry, ASST-Settelaghi, Varese: Biochemistry, Clinical Chemistry, diagnostic haematology, thrombosis and haemostasis, protein biomarkers, Urinalysis,  Analytical Chemistry, therapeutic drug monitoring. Research on metabolomics in degenerative diseases.

• March 2019 – nowadays: associate professor of Clinical Biochemistry and Clinic pathology, University of Milano Bicocca.

Director of the laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry, Hospital of Desio, ASST-Brianza. The laboratory perform 1.6 million analysis/year. Staff: 3 MD and 4 MS Biologist specialised in Clinical Biochemistry, 30 laboratory technicians, 10 nurses and 10 administrative employed. Activity: clinical chemistry, clinical biochemistry, protein biomarkers, CZE and immunofixation for monoclonal gammopathies, thrombosis and haemostasis, diagnostic haematology, urinalysis, toxicology, therapeutic drug monitoring, molecular biology, microbiology, transfusion medicine, counselling. The laboratory is equipped with 2 LC-MS/MS and 1 GC-MS used for toxicology diagnostic and metabolomics.

 

Research

Main filed of research is the application of mass spectrometry to diagnostic process in the laboratory of clinical biochemistry.

Research on metabolomics, lipidomics and metabolic biomarkers in aging, neurodegenerative and degenerative diseases.

 

Grants and awards

  • 2010 PI of GR-2008-1145270 € 485500.
  • 2013 PADDINGTON: biomarker discovery in HD. SienaBiotech, EuroHD € 44.000
  • 2014 Biomarker Discovery and Testing of Cholesterol Pathway Intervention in HD, UniMi € 48.600
  • 2019-ATE-0481 – Lipidomics in neurodegenerative diseases: 1.756,00 €
  • 2020-ATE-0433, Metabolic responses to SARS-CoV-2 € 2.037
  • 2021 Milano-Ricerche 2021-ECO-0115, SUSCETTIBILITA’ INDIVIDUALE AGLI EFFETTI DELLA TCDD SULLA QUALITA’ DEL LIQUIDO SEMINALE NELL’UOMO € 95.000
  • 2021-ECO-0003, SOREMARTEC ITALIA Analisi di steroli e ossi(fito)steroli in prodotti finiti € 5.600
  • 2018 National Academic Qualification Full Professor in Clinical Biochemistry (05/E3)

 

Author of 92 peer reviewed publications.

  • Scopus Id: 36111393500
  • ORCID ID: 0000-0002-8954-0366
  • Scopus: 3155 citations, H-index 31;
  • Scholar: 4274 citations, H-index 36.

Publications

  • Arnold, N., Blaum, C., Goßling, A., Brunner, F., Bay, B., Zeller, T., et al. (2024). Impact of Lipoprotein(a) Level on Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol– or Apolipoprotein B–Related Risk of Coronary Heart Disease. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY, 84(2 (9 July 2024)), 165-177 [10.1016/j.jacc.2024.04.050]. Detail

  • Nury, T., Ghzaiel, I., Hichami, A., Caccia, C., Leoni, V., Pires, V., et al. (2024). Lipid droplets dependent or independent cytoprotective activities of unsaturated fatty acids, Lorenzo's oil and sulfo-N-succinimidyl oleate on 7-ketocholesterol-induced oxidative stress, organelle dysfunction and cell death on 158N and ARPE-19 cells: Cell targets and benefits of sulfo-N-succinimidyl oleate. CURRENT RESEARCH IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, 7 [10.1016/j.crbiot.2024.100195]. Detail

  • Malvandi, A., Halilaj, E., Faraldi, M., Mangiavini, L., Cristoni, S., Leoni, V., et al. (2024). Correction to: Enhanced molecular release from elderly bone samples using collagenase I: insights into fatty acid metabolism alterations (Journal of Translational Medicine, (2024), 22, 1, (143), 10.1186/s12967-024-04948-8) [Altro] [10.1186/s12967-024-05074-1]. Detail

  • Staurenghi, E., Testa, G., Leoni, V., Cecci, R., Floro, L., Giannelli, S., et al. (2024). Altered Brain Cholesterol Machinery in a Down Syndrome Mouse Model: A Possible Common Feature with Alzheimer’s Disease. ANTIOXIDANTS, 13(4) [10.3390/antiox13040435]. Detail

  • Malvandi, A., Halilaj, E., Faraldi, M., Mangiavini, L., Cristoni, S., Leoni, V., et al. (2024). Enhanced molecular release from elderly bone samples using collagenase I: insights into fatty acid metabolism alterations. JOURNAL OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE, 22(1) [10.1186/s12967-024-04948-8]. Detail

Research projects

Comprehensive in vitro approach to unravel the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the novel family of PLIN4 gene expansion-related myopathy and identify biomarkers for early diagnosis.
Year: 2023
Grantors: MINISTERO DELLA SALUTE

Awards

Awards

  • RF-2021-12375279, Ministero della Salute, 2022
  • Ricerca Finalizzata, Ministero della salute, 2008
  • BLANCEFLOR-Boncompagni Ludovisi nee Bildt, BLANCEFLOR-Boncompagni Ludovisi, 2007
  • assegno di ricerca, Stockholms-Odd Fellow-Logers Minnes-&Hillinings Fond, 2004
  • BLANCEFLOR-Boncompagni Ludovisi nee Bildt, BLANCEFLOR-Boncompagni Ludovisi, 2003

Research and teaching assignments

  • Ricercatore presso Ente di ricerca - Medical Doctor and Visiting Researcher - KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET, 2002 - 2003
  • Ricercatore a t.d. presso Ente di ric. - Medico Specialista in Biochimica Clinica Ricercatore contrattista CoCoCo - FONDAZIONE IRCCS - ISTITUTO NEUROLOGICO CARLO BESTA, 2005 - 2014