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My PhD program included two phases, the first was carried out in the laboratory of Molecular Genetics, under the supervision of Professor Viola Calabrò, and the latter in the laboratory of Arterra Biosciene Srl. Arterra Bioscience is an Italian research-based biotech company with a strong know-how in biological science and an extensive experience in screening for the discovery of active molecules. The opportunity to join these two different scientific groups allows me to gain a more comprehensive experience including molecular biology and industrial biotechnology. During my period in Arterra Bioscience Srl, I investigated whether Betula pendula and Hybiscus syriacus plant stem cells could have beneficial effects on several aspects of skin homeostasis. Surprisingly, I found that Betula p. extract can be a valuable bioactive ingredient to use in cosmetic field for improving skin hydration, on other hand Hibiscus s. extract turned out to be more efficient in stimulating skin regeneration. The research about skin regeneration and differentiation is not only an appealing topic for biotechnological company, but also for molecular basic investigation. Indeed, in the laboratory of the professor Viola Calabrò, I had the possibility to study the molecular mechanisms governing skin regeneration and differentiation. The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin, a multistratified epithelium whose homeostasis depends on a balance between cell proliferation and differentiation. Np63 is a critical pro-proliferative factor and a marker of epidermal stemness. We had previously shown that Np63 physically interacts with YB-1 a multifunctional protein with a well assessed oncogenic potential (Di Costanzo et al. 2012). Given the great potential that YB-1 may have in the control of keratinocyte proliferation, I have investigated in more details the functional relationships between YB-1 and Np63 and provided clear evidences indicating that Np63 plays a role in the control of YB

My PhD program included two phases, the first was carried out in the laboratory of Molecular Genetics, under the supervision of Professor Viola Calabrò, and the latter in the laboratory of Arterra Biosciene Srl. Arterra Bioscience is an Italian research-based biotech company with a strong know-how in biological science and an extensive experience in screening for the discovery of active molecules. The opportunity to join these two different scientific groups allows me to gain a more comprehensive experience including molecular biology and industrial biotechnology. During my period in Arterra Bioscience Srl, I investigated whether Betula pendula and Hybiscus syriacus plant stem cells could have beneficial effects on several aspects of skin homeostasis. Surprisingly, I found that Betula p. extract can be a valuable bioactive ingredient to use in cosmetic field for improving skin hydration, on other hand Hibiscus s. extract turned out to be more efficient in stimulating skin regeneration. The research about skin regeneration and differentiation is not only an appealing topic for biotechnological company, but also for molecular basic investigation. Indeed, in the laboratory of the professor Viola Calabrò, I had the possibility to study the molecular mechanisms governing skin regeneration and differentiation. The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin, a multistratified epithelium whose homeostasis depends on a balance between cell proliferation and differentiation. Np63 is a critical pro-proliferative factor and a marker of epidermal stemness. We had previously shown that Np63 physically interacts with YB-1 a multifunctional protein with a well assessed oncogenic potential (Di Costanzo et al. 2012). Given the great potential that YB-1 may have in the control of keratinocyte proliferation, I have investigated in more details the functional relationships between YB-1 and Np63 and provided clear evidences indicating that Np63 plays a role in the control of YB