Meet our Early Career Scientist Grant Winner Simona Martinotti
Simona Martinotti is a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Piemonte Orientale, Italy. The grant will be used to cover reagents expenses for her ongoing research into the wound healing properties of beehive products such as honey and propolis.
I am very happy to have been selected for the Early Career Scientist Grant. The award represents an important starting point for my continuing studies into the properties of beehive compounds and the treatment of wounds. Simona Martinotti, University of Piemonte Orientale, Italy, Australia, Hello Bio Early Career Scientist Grant winner
Congratulations Simona! First, can you tell us a bit more about what you're working on at the moment?
My research involves the study of the wound healing properties of beehive products such as honey and propolis. We have already demonstrated that honey induces some traits of epithelial to mesenchymal transition on keratinocytes during wound healing. We also elucidated the role of hydrogen peroxide produced extracellularly by honey. We have demonstrated the involvement of Ca2+ signalling in honey-induced wound repair, so the next steps will close the gap identifying molecules present in honey responsible for wound closure outcome, as well as the main effective honey types.
What is it about your field of research that gets you most excited?
In my research field, i.e. the study of the physiology of cellular responses to natural compounds, the most exciting factor is the possibility of obtaining very interesting and translational results from benchside to the patient's bed, starting from folk medicine annotations.
Which scientists working today do you most admire, and why?
I had the great opportunity to attend the Lindau Nobel Meeting Laureate in 2015 where I met some Nobel Prize Laureates. From each of them, I admired the perseverance, the desire to contribute to the progress of humanity, and the aspiration to discover what is beyond the border.
What do you think are the biggest challenges currently facing life scientists and their work?
Laboratory activity is expensive, so I must admit that fund raising is certainly a very demanding challenge for life scientists today.
What’s your favourite science quote?
“Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.” - Theodosius Dobzhansky
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Thank you so much Simona! We wish you all the best with your research.
Connect with Simona on Twitter: @simona_marti
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