Libera Sessa

Background

About Libera Sessa

I was granted a bachelor’s degree of Biology in 2013 from University of “Tor Vergata” Rome, where I investigated whether low level of serotonin could induce depression and anti-social behavior, as seen in stalker detainees. During this research project, I have acquired good laboratory skills, especially working with HPLC, liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, becoming familiar with the instrument and the data analysis. In 2015 I received my Master’s degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of “Tor Vergata” Rome. During this period, I had the opportunity to do an internship abroad at the Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion in the group of Prof. Frans Claas (Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands). My main goal was to develop a tool able to monitor indirect allorecognition through B cells in the context of organ transplantation. This internship allows me to gain experience in relevant techniques applied in a wide range of research fields such as Flow Cytometry, Cell Culture, Fluorescence Microscopy, ELISA, IFN-γ ELISA, ELISPOT and Luminex assays. To obtain a stronger background in other molecular and cellular techniques, in 2016 I did an internship in Prof. Colizzi’s group at the Immunology Department of the University of “Tor Vergata” Rome. Here I learned how to work either with DNA/RNA (PCR, RT-PCR) and protein (Western Blotting). I received my Ph.D. in Immunology and Applied Biotechnology in December 2019 at IRCSS Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, where I worked on the impact of microbiota on the immune system and the persistent inflammation in long treated HIV-vertically infected patients. Currently, I am studying the immune mechanism of HIV-1 latency in HIV infected children at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard. I am a sociable person, easy to talk to and to build relationships with. I also consider myself to be a determined person able to work in a team and individually.