Lab meeting with the Ditadi lab

Where is the lab?

Andrea: You can find the Ditadi lab at Ospedale San Raffaele, as part of the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, in the north-east corner of Milan, Italy. Milan is a great spot for both science and life, with a myriad of places to visit, plenty of things to do and a rich community of great labs to collaborate with.

Regarding us, you can find more on our LinkedIn page and our official website.

Research summary

Andrea: We want to understand how human blood cells form. For this, we use human pluripotent stem cells as a model, integrating developmental, cell and molecular biology, as well as a bit of immunology. We study human developmental biology in a dish: we study early mesoderm patterning and follow the process all the way to mature blood cells, including hematopoietic stem cells, trying to work out which signals guide each step. We are developmental biologists working at an institute that focuses on genetic diseases and their therapy, so we also use the cells we generate to look at diseases from a developmental perspective. At the same time, we explore how to engineer and arm these cells in unique ways so they can be used in clinical settings in the future.

Lab roll call

Let’s start in order of length of service in the lab.

We have Lauren Randolph, post-doctoral fellow, who is studying how hemogenic cells give rise to blood.

Claudia Castiglioni, PhD student, who aims to identify the earliest commitment to blood cell fate.

Riccardo Piussi, former Master’s student now PhD student-wannabe (and hopefully soon-to-be), working to decipher the regulation of self-renewal in emerging HSCs.

Deborah Donzel, a postdoctoral fellow, and Nikita Pinto, another former Master’s student now turned research assistant, are partners in modeling a ribosomopathy that affects red blood cells only postnatally to decipher proteostasis regulation across different stages of hematopoietic development.

Elena Morganti, a postdoctoral fellow, and Bianca Nesti, a Master’s student, who teamed up to model a pediatric autoimmune disease as a way to understand the role of embryonic lymphocytes in health and disease.

Alessandra Guerreschi, a Master’s student who recently joined our lab and is gearing up to investigate the multiple roles of Notch signaling in hematopoietic development.

Favourite technique, and why?

Andrea: It is not exactly a technique, but my favourite moment in the lab is simply watching cells under the microscope. We do not do much imaging; most of our days are spent in the hood doing cell culture. Even now, when I am sadly not doing many experiments any longer, I still have this habit that I actually stole from my postdoc advisor. When I need a break from the desk and the administrative tasks, I go to the lab for what I call a bit of “cell therapy”. I grab a few plates and spend some time simply looking at cells under the microscope. I love it. Observing cells in cultures is very informative, cells talk to us all the time.

If I need to choose a proper technique, I would choose flow cytometry. We use it a lot. It may not be as high-throughput as some newer methods, but it gives us robust full gene expression data at the single-cell level, and we can learn a lot from what comes out of the cytometer.

Andrea, apart from your own research, what are you most excited about in developmental and stem cell biology?

Andrea: Recently, I have been following the evo-devo field with a lot of interest. I find it fascinating to think about how cells and tissues evolved, and for a lab like ours that tries to recreate how blood cells are formed in vitro, understanding how they appeared in the first place feels very relevant.

Another field that I find extremely exciting is synthetic biology. I am fascinated by how we can now “prod” cells and systems and modify their responses. I remain a developmental biologist at heart, but the environment where we work has opened my eyes to how we can push the boundaries of therapeutic innovation. Alongside the clinical application of stem cells, synthetic biology is transforming the way we think about medicine and how we might design future therapies.

Andrea, how do you approach managing your group and all the different tasks required in your job?

Andrea: I am not sure I can say I am set into one approach, at least yet. I think it is always evolving, as the people in the lab, as well as the lab itself, need change over time. In general, I try to spend time getting to know the people in my group, recognizing the strengths and weaknesses, and trying to exploit the former while helping them work on the latter. I often think of the group as an orchestra or a music band. First, I need to hear the sound of each instrument, help them get tuned and then my job is to compose some music that fits them. Let’s say that some composition takes more time than others. But in the end, the goal is to nurture the love and passion for the true privilege of doing research for everyone.

As for managing the different tasks, I often wish I had more hours in the day; that would be a great superpower. So, I try to clear out the things I do not enjoy, the administrative duties and emails, as quickly as possible. This gives me protected time for what I love: reading, thinking and spending time with the team in the lab. I am not sure I always find enough time for that, but I try very hard.

What is the best thing about where you work?

AD: Without a doubt, being surrounded by young and bright people. It is energizing and another privilege of this job.

CC: The thing I value most about being at SR-Tiget is the stimulating environment, where science truly comes alive. Ideas are shared freely, we have the resources to bring them to life, and we constantly get to learn from seminars by scientists from around the world.

NP: The best thing about working at SR-Tiget in Milan is the combination of different scientific topics and a truly collaborative environment, where you can walk into a lab or an office to ask for help and know that someone will genuinely take the time to help you solve a problem.

RP: What I like most about where I work is the general drive of the institute to do high-level science and to set ambitious goals. In the lab, I really appreciate the way we reason scientifically and the fact that we constantly challenge our ideas by asking questions every day.

LNR: The best thing about where I work is the science and the people. I really enjoy the project that I am working on and find it both challenging and engaging. I am also really lucky to work with incredibly collaborative and supportive colleagues who really treat the lab as a family. It makes it a joy to spend time with them, both in and out of work, and to do and talk science together.

DD: The best things about where I work are the research topic and the people I work with. My enthusiasm for the project keeps me focused and driven, even during challenging periods. I’m also fortunate to work with colleagues who are open to sharing ideas and knowledge, which creates a collaborative environment that helps us move forward together.

BN: What I appreciate most about working at SR-Tiget is the highly stimulating scientific environment, both at the institute level and within my own laboratory. The presence of diverse expertise, frequent seminars and strong resources fosters a continuous exchange of ideas and supports high-quality research.

EM: What I like most about where I work is the young and supportive environment. I feel that people around me are genuine and open-minded, and this makes my days very pleasant and enjoyable.

AG: Even though I haven’t been here long, I’ve really noticed how welcoming and supportive everyone is. It makes it easy to ask questions, learn quickly and feel like part of the team right away.

What’s there to do outside of the lab?

AD: Despite being in love with my job and not feeling the need to escape, life is too short, and I have so many interests – books, music, sport, hiking, biking, food, friends, etc. – so I try to do a bit of it all. To be coordinated with the family, in particular, two kids who keep me happy and busy.

CC: Outside of the lab, I really enjoy canoeing on the Navigli, the famous canals in Milan. Being on the water allows me to slow down and take a break from the busy pace of the lab. I love the feeling of paddling along the canals, enjoying the surroundings and reconnecting with the city.

NP: Having grown up in Milan, I sincerely love this city and everything it offers. Outside of the lab, I like different things, from baking and crocheting to spending time with family and friends while enjoying the city’s cultural life, like its aperitivo culture and different neighborhoods. Recently, I also joined the Red Cross as a volunteer, where I am involved in social inclusion activities with homeless people, as well as assistance roles during public events. These experiences help me stay grounded, connected to the community and maintain balance alongside research.

RP: This job takes a lot of time and energy, but outside of the lab I really enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I also love fishing. I enjoy it for its unpredictability and complexity; it requires analyzing many variables and accepting failure without expectations. Every small decision can make a difference, and while nothing is guaranteed, everything is possible, like in science.

LNR: Outside of the lab, I enjoy traveling, reading, and all things food-related. In Milan, I particularly enjoy access to the ballet, opera, and theater.

DD: Outside of the lab, I really enjoy going for walks—especially in parks or outside the city, where I can reconnect with nature. Living in Milan, I also like going to the theater and meeting friends for an aperitivo.

BN: Outside the lab, I enjoy spending time reading, as it offers a break from continuous scientific reflection while still keeping my mind engaged in a pleasant way. I also like to take advantage of the many cultural and recreational initiatives that Milan has to offer, often in the company of my friends.

EM: I usually try to spend time in nature and clean air when I am not in the lab. Milano is really close to beautiful mountains and lake,s and those are my favorite spots for the weekend. I also enjoy food, art and history.

AG: In my free time, I enjoy reading and spending time in the mountains outside of Milan, whether it’s hiking, skiing or horseback riding. Skiing, in particular, is a great way to unwind on the weekends and enjoy the outdoors. Being able to combine outdoor activities with some quiet time to read makes my free time really enjoyable.

(3 votes)
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