Senior Technologist
Research Infrastructures for marine biological resources Department

Tel. +39 081 5833284
Fax: +39 081 5833292
e-mail: marco.borra(at)szn.it
Skype: marborra

Curriculum Vitae

Research interests

03/09/2018 to 02/09/2021 Head - Research Infrastructures for marine biological resources Department

18/05/2016 to present In charge of international cooperation and strategic partnership

Previous activities

Working in a Core Facility that supports other labs with molecular biological techniques, providing a range of services and centralizing some complexes technological processes like:
• Sequencing
• Fragments analysis
• SNiPs
• Real Time PCR

Robotic automation of: (i) General interest procedures (i.e. gDNA extraction; DNA minipreparations; PCR reaction setup and cleanup; qPCR reaction setup; etc.). (ii) Routine procedures used in the Services. (iii) Medium throughput projects "on demand".
Moreover, the facilities offer technical-scientific consultation, training, technical and market survey, comparative tests of new products and protocols and have also an active role concerning feasibility studies and/or realization of innovative technological assays applied to model-systems and to needs of research laboratories. Attention is given to training activities at different levels in Molecular Biological techniques and protocol development and optimization, to be applied in laboratories elsewhere. Involved in the development, management and realization of all these activities of the Service with particular responsibility for Lab automation and Real Time PCR. I am responsible for developing and managing all new procedures in automation and for the introduction of new technologies like Real Time PCR and NGS. Supporting other labs in qPCR assay design, realization, validation and data analysis.
Liaison Officer for the EU project EMBRC-IT, author of 23 peer-reviewed papers, three technical notes and one insert, which appeared in the MGE network of excellence Newsletter.

Selected Publications

Luigi Caputi, Marco Borra, Elio Biffali Nikos Andreakis and Paolo Sordino. SNPs and Hox gene mapping in Ciona intestinalis. BMC Genomics 2008, 9:39.

M Sirakov, I Zarrella, M Borra, F Rizzo, E Biffali, M I Arnone, G Fiorito Selection and validation of a set of reliable reference genes for quantitative RT-PC studies in the Cephalopod Mollusc (Ocropus vulgaris). BMC Molecular Biology 2009, 10:70

Tristano Bacchetti De Gregoris, Marco Borra, Elio Biffali, Thomas Bekel, J Grant Burgess, Richard R Kirby, Anthony S Clare. Construction of an adult barnacle (Balanus amphitrite) cDNA library and selection of reference genes for quantitative RT-PCR studies. BMC Molecular Biology 2009, 10:62.

Chiara Lauritano, Marco Borra, Ylenia Carotenuto, Elio Biffali, Antonio Miralto, Gabriele Procaccini, Adrianna Ianora. Molecular Evidence of the Toxic Effects of Diatom Diets on Gene Expression Patterns in Copepods. PLoS ONE 6(10): e26850. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0026850. 2011

Maria Sirakov*, Marco Borra*, Michelina Plateroti. Defining suitable reference genes for RT-qPCR analysis on intestinal epithelial cells. Molecular Biotechnology. DOI 10.1007/s12033-012-9643-3 06/01/2013 - *equal contribution

Vuttariello E, Borra M, Calise C, Mauriello E, Greggi S, Vecchione A, Biffali E, Chiappetta G. A new rapid methodological strategy to assess BRCA mutational status. Molecular Biotechnology, MOBI DOI 10.1007/s12033-012-9646-0. 26/01/2013

Maria Grazia Adelfi, Marco Borra, Remo Sanges, Marina Montresor, Angelo Fontana and Maria Immacolata Ferrante. Selection and validation of reference genes for qPCR analysis in the pennate diatoms Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata and Pseudo-nitzschia arenysensis. JEMBE Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 451C (2014), pp. 74-81 DOI information: 10.1016/j.jembe.2013.11.003.

Bruna De Felice, Paolo Mondola, Giuseppe Orefice, Vincenzo Bresciamorra, Giovanni Vacca, Elio Biffali, Marco Borra, Raimondo Pannone and Anna Sasso. Small non-coding RNA signature in Multiple Sclerosis patients after treatment with Interferon-beta. BMC Medical Genomics. 7/5/2014

Bruna De Felice, Anna Annunziata, Giuseppe Fiorentino, Francesco Manfellotto, Raffaella D’Alessandro, Rita Marino, Marco Borra, Elio Biffali. Telomerase expression in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. Journal of Human Genetics. Decision on JHG-14-099R1 17/7/2014

Bruna De Felice, Anna Annunziata, Giuseppe Fiorentino, Marco Borra, Elio Biffali, Cinzia Coppola, Roberto Cotrufo, Johannes Brettschneider, Maria Luisa Giordana, Marco Guida, Tamas Dalmay, Guy Wheeler, Raffaella D’Alessandro. Mir-338-3p is over-expressed in blood, CFS, serum and spinal cord from sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis patients. Neurogenetics. Ms. No. NEGE-D-14-00051R2 11/8/2014