BANDI CLAUDIO

CLAUDIO BANDI – Curriculum Vitae

Current position, institutional address, contacts
Full Professor of Microbiology
Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center “Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milan, via Celoria 26, Milano, Italy
Member of the Technical-Scientific Committee of the National Antipandemic Centre
Member of the Scientific Committee of IRCAF – Invernizzi Reference Centre on Agri-Food
Tel. office: + 39 02 50314710
E-mail: claudio.bandi@unimi.it

Current roles at the University of Milan
Full Professor of Microbiology
Coordinator of Sky-Net UNIMI (Platform for Genomic Epidemiology and Experimental Microbiology) and of Ento-Par UNIMI (Laboratory of Entomology and Parasitology)
Delegate of the Rector of the University of Milano for the coordination of PNRR partnership project PE13 - Emerging Infectious Diseases – INF-ACT

Major teaching duties at the University of Milan
Evolutionary Biology and History of Biology (Biology, Bachelor)
History and Philosophy of Science (Biology, Master)
Evolutionary Biology (Natural Sciences, Bachelor)
Microbiology (Medicine and Surgery)

Bibliometric parameters
Author of over 270 peer-reviewed papers in international journals
H-index: 77 in Google Scholar (64 in Scopus)
Quotations: over 20,000 in Google Scholar (over 13,500 in Scopus)
Academic age: first paper published in 1993; PhD title in 1996
Abstracts included in national and international conference proceedings: >250
Oral presentations, national and international: >80

Studies and Academic Career
MSc in Biology, with honors, University of Pavia, 1991
PhD in Comparative Pathology, University of Milan, 1996
Post Doc researcher, University of Milan, 1996-1998
Research Scientist, Univ. of Milan, 1998-2000
Associate Professor, Univ. of Milan, 2000-2010
Full Professor, Univ. of Milan, from 2010

PhD Students, postdocs, and young visiting scientists in Claudio Bandi’s lab, and their current positions
Nathan Lo, PostDoc ‘rientro dei cervelli’, now Full Professor, University of Sydney
Maurizio Casiraghi, PhD student and PostDoc, now Full Professor and Prorettore, Univ. Milano Bicocca
Guido Favia, PostDoc, now Full Professor, Univ. of Camerino
Chiara Bazzocchi, PhD student and PostDoc, now Associate Professor, Univ. of Milan
Sara Epis, PhD student and PostDoc, now Associate Professor, Univ. of Milan
Davide Sassera, PhD student and PostDoc, now Associate Professor, Univ. of Pavia
Matteo Montagna, PhD student and PostDoc, now Associate Professor, Univ. of Napoli Federico II
Tim Anderson, a young visiting scientist, now a group leader at the South-Western Medical Foundation, Texas

Grants (last eight years)
- University of Milan 2024, project Grandi Sfide di Ateneo. PI of the proposal “Sistema integrato di Ateneo per lo Studio, il monitoraggio e il controllo delle infezioni, delle emergenze epidemiche e della resistenza ai farmaci antimicrobici (IDEA)”. Second grant (after the one in 2021, see below) Euro: 160,000.
- PRIN-PNRR. Project: Mitogenomes, nuclear markers and intra-mitochondrial symbiont genomes: a genetic triangulation to trace population movements of Ixodes ticks in the context of environmental change. National Coordinator. Euro 237.299.
- PNRR 2022, Extended Partnership PE13 (Emerging Infections), National Project INF-ACT, coordinator for the University of Milan. Euro 4,700,000.
- Grant 2022 from the Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi Foundation, for the development of a novel vaccine platform, suitable for antigen production and for antigen delivery to APCs. Euro: 500,000.
- University of Milan 2021, project Grandi Sfide di Ateneo. PI of the proposal “Sistema integrato di Ateneo per lo Studio, il monitoraggio e il controllo delle infezioni, delle emergenze epidemiche e della resistenza ai farmaci antimicrobici (IDEA)”. Euro: 160,000.
- Finappo Grant 2021 for Research activity on Coronaviridae. PI. Euro 150,000.
- MIUR-PRIN 2017. PI of the proposal “Rafts on the water, for mosquito vector control: hydrogel-based delivery systems and inhibition of insect defense mechanisms, to improve sustainable use of insecticides and counteract resistance development (RAFTING)”. Euro: 548,000.
- Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi Foundation grant 2016. PI of the project for the development of the “Platform for Genomic Epidemiology and Experimental Microbiology”. Euro 800,000.

Major collaborations
Responsible for a collaboration agreement between the University of Milan and the Hospital IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo (Pavia), for the implementation of an IT platform for the application of genomic epidemiology tools for the control of nosocomial pathogens and for the analysis of hospital data, for the prediction and prevention of infections and outbreaks in the hospital (2021-2022).
Temporary consultant of WHO for the development of the antisymbiotic chemotherapy, for the cure of filarial disease.
Ongoing collaboration with VisMederi SrL, Siena, a leading company in the validation of serological assays and vaccines, for a preclinical study on a candidate vaccine.
Collaborations with major hospitals in the Lombardy Region (Fatebenfratelli-Sacco, Milano; Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo; IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia) for the reconstruction of nosocomial outbreaks through the application of bacterial whole genome sequencing.

Major achievements
Establishment of a platform for microbial genomics, for the application of bioinformatics, genomics, and genomic epidemiology to microbial pathogens. Over 25 papers published in the last 10 years, on the genomics and genomic epidemiology of microbial pathogens and symbionts.
Several protein antigens produced in recombinant form, used for the development of diagnostic assays and candidate vaccines (e.g. see: Front Microbiol 2021 doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.736530; Vaccines 2022 doi: 10.3390/vaccines10050803.).
Experience and well-established collaboration in the area of parasite immunology (e.g. Pharmacol Res 2020 doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.105288)
Development of the anti-symbiotic chemotherapy for the cure of filarial diseases (e.g. Parasitol Res doi: 10.1007/s00436-008-1217-8)
Discovery and description of the first intra-mitochondrial bacterium (e.g. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2006 doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.64386-0).

Patents
National Patent application N. IT 102021000004160 for "Leishmania tarentolae as an expression system for the production of antigens of the viruses of the Coronaviridae family, for their use in serological diagnosis” (February 23, 2021).
International Patent application N. IT 102021000004172 for "Realization of an immunomodulating vaccine vehicle based on the use of Leishmania tarentolae” (December 23, 2021).
National Patent application N. 102021000029279 "Leishmania ghosts, micro-ghost, micro-and nano-vesicles as vehicles for the targeted delivery of antigens and molecules" (November 19, 2021).

Short biographical narrative
Claudio Bandi is a Full Professor of Microbiology at the University of Milan. He earned his Laurea degree with honors from the University of Pavia in 1991 and completed a Ph.D. in Comparative Pathology at the University of Milan in 1996. He is the author of over 270 peer-reviewed publications, which have been widely cited (H-index: 64; citations: >13,000; source: Scopus). Before beginning his academic career, he collected and repaired classic Italian motorcycles (Ducati, Guzzi, Gilera) and worked 10 years on a dairy cattle farm.Since his master’s thesis, Professor Bandi has been a pioneer in the application of molecular methodologies to microbiology and parasitology. He developed protocols that were adopted by the International Trichinella Reference Centre in Rome (link) and are still in use today in clinical diagnostic laboratories (see CB’s publications in PubMed from 1993–1998). In addition to his interest in diagnostic applications, the core of Professor Bandi’s research has focused on uncultured bacteria and other microbial symbionts. As early as 1993, he was among the first to employ what are now standard amplicon-based metagenomic methodologies to study microbiota. These studies led to the discovery of novel forms of symbiosis, including the first known case of a bacterium that invades and replicates inside mitochondria (Midichloria mitochondrii; see Sassera D. et al., IJSEM, 2006), and the identification of Wolbachia spp., the obligate symbiont of filarial nematodes (e.g., Bandi C. et al., Proc. R. Soc. B, 1998; Casiraghi M. et al., 2001). The latter discovery significantly impacted public health by leading to a novel therapeutic strategy for filarial diseases (see Bandi C. et al., IJP, 1999), which affect more than 250 million people worldwide. These studies also led to a revised understanding of the immunology of filarial infections and the identification of novel diagnostic markers (e.g., Brattig N. et al., JI, 2004; Bandi C. et al., 2001). Professor Bandi’s interest in uncultured bacteria also inspired him to initiate one of the first international efforts to sequence the genomes of obligate intracellular bacteria (e.g., Bandi C. et al., Parasit. Today, 1999; Godel C. et al., FASEB J., 2012). This effort resulted in the establishment of an integrated research group at the University of Milan, focused on bacterial genomic epidemiology, with expertise in comparative genomics, phylogenomics, molecular evolution, and advanced bioinformatics. This team successfully sequenced the genome of Midichloria mitochondrii (Sassera D. et al., MBE, 2012), a technically demanding project that required methods now commonly used in single-cell genomics. Building on these foundations, in 2016 Professor Bandi launched the Sky Net UNIMI Platform at the University of Milan—a genomics and bioinformatics research group focused on the microbiota (especially in pediatric patients), as well as the genomics and epidemiology of pathogens and disease vectors (e.g., Gaiarsa S. et al., AAC, 2015; Onori R. et al., JCM, 2015). Throughout his career, Professor Bandi has maintained a strong emphasis on applied research, including the development of PCR-based diagnostic tools, new strategies for controlling filarial diseases, recombinant antigen production for diagnostic assays, and the use of genomics in microbial epidemiology and hospital-acquired infection studies. A passionate reader of American literature, he recently authored a hard-boiled crime novel, La città e l’abisso, winner of the 2025 Giallo Mondadori – Alberto Tedeschi Prize. 
Ten selected papers (since 2020)
(for a complete list, see: https://scholar.google.it/citations?user=MSkje9MAAAAJ&hl=it)

Varotto-Boccazzi I, Epis S, Cattaneo GM, Guerrini N, Manenti A, Rubolini D, Gabrieli P, Otranto D, Zuccotti G, Montomoli E, Bandi C. 2023. Rectal Administration of Leishmania Cells Elicits a Specific, Th1-Associated IgG2a Response in Mice: New Perspectives for Mucosal Vaccination against Leishmaniasis, after the Repurposing of a Study on an Anti-Viral Vaccine Candidate. Trop Med Infect Dis.;8(8):406.

Bandi C, Mendoza-Roldan JA, Otranto D, Alvaro A, Louzada-Flores VN, Pajoro M, Varotto-Boccazzi I, Brilli M, Manenti A, Montomoli E, Zuccotti G, Epis S. 2023. Leishmania tarentolae: a vaccine platform to target dendritic cells and a surrogate pathogen for next generation vaccine research in leishmaniases and viral infections. Parasit Vectors. 2023 16(1):35. A review article summarizing current knowledge on L. tarentolae as platform for antigen production and vaccination.

Epis S, Varotto-Boccazzi I, Manenti A, Rubolini D, Gabrieli P, Cattaneo GM, Gourlay L, Dapporto F, Monti M, Razzano I, Leonardi M, Iannacone M, Recordati C, Bertola L, Fiorina P, Marvasi L, Montomoli E, Zuccotti G, Bandi C. 2022. Efficacy of mucosal vaccination using a protozoan parasite as a vehicle for antigen delivery: IgG and neutralizing response after rectal administration of LeCoVax-2, a candidate vaccine against COVID-19. Pharmacol Res. 186:106546. A paper showing that Leishmania tarentolae, engineerd for expression of viral antigens, is suitable to be used as a vaccine platform.

Arnoldi I, Mancini G, Fumagalli M, Gastaldi D, D'Andrea L, Bandi C, Di Venere M, Iadarola P, Forneris F, Gabrieli P. 2022. A salivary factor binds a cuticular protein and modulates biting by inducing morphological changes in the mosquito labrum. Curr Biol. 32(16):3493-3504.

Varotto-Boccazzi I, Garziano M, Cattaneo GM, Bisaglia B, Gabrieli P, Biasin M, Manenti A, Rubolini D, Clerici M, Montomoli E, Zuccotti GV, Trabattoni D, Epis S, Bandi C. 2022. Leishmania tarentolae as an Antigen Delivery Platform: Dendritic Cell Maturation after Infection with a Clone Engineered to Express theSARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein. Vaccines (Basel). 10(5):803.

Varotto-Boccazzi I, Manenti A, Dapporto F, Gourlay LJ., Bisaglia B, Gabrieli P, Forneris F, Faravelli S, Bollati V, Rubolini D, Zuccotti G, Montomoli E, Epis S, Bandi C. 2021. Epidemic Preparedness—Leishmania tarentolae as an Easy-to-Handle Tool to Produce Antigens for Viral Diagnosis: Application to COVID-19. Frontiers in Microbiology. 12:3636. This work shows that Leishmania tarentolae can be used as an expression system for the production of antigens for the serodiagnosis of viral infections.

Comandatore F, Radaelli G, Montante S, Sacchi L, Clementi E, Epis S, Cafiso A, Serra V, Pajoro M, Di Carlo D, Floriano AM, Stavru F, Bandi C, Sassera D 2021. Modeling the Life Cycle of the Intramitochondrial Bacterium "Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii" Using Electron Microscopy Data. mBio 12(3):e0057421. A study on the first intra-mitochondrial bacterium ever described, discovered by the group of Claudio Bandi.

Kashkouli M, Castelli M, Floriano AM, Bandi C, Epis S, Fathipour Y, Mehrabadi M, Sassera D 2021. Characterization of a novel Pantoea symbiont allows inference of a pattern of convergent genome reduction in bacteria associated with Pentatomidae. Environ Microbiol. 2021 Jan;23(1):36-50.

Varotto-Boccazzi I, Epis S, Arnoldi I, Corbett Y, Gabrieli P, Paroni M, Nodari R, Basilico N, Sacchi L, Gramiccia M, Gradoni L, Tranquillo V, Bandi C 2020. Boosting immunity to treat parasitic infections: Asaia bacteria expressing a protein from Wolbachia determine M1 macrophage activation and killing of Leishmania protozoans. Pharmacol Res. 161:105288. A protein from Wolbachia bacteria, once expressed by a non-pathogenic bacterium, can be used to activate macrophages, with killing of intracellular parasites.

Epis S, Varotto-Boccazzi I, Crotti E, Damiani C, Giovati L, Mandrioli M, Biggiogera M, Gabrieli P, Genchi M, Polonelli L, Daffonchio D, Favia G, Bandi C 2020. Chimeric symbionts expressing a Wolbachia protein stimulate mosquito immunity and inhibit filarial parasite development. Commun Biol. 3(1):105.


MILANO, JUNE 6th 2025

Claudio Bandi