Professor. Arnaldo Caruso, Full Professor of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology at the University of Brescia, director of the Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology at the Spedali Civili in Brescia and President of the Italian Society of Virology, was appointed, together with Professor Francesca Caccuri , Associate of the University in the same discipline, member of the technical table for the viro-immunological surveillance of emerging infections, set up at the office of the Deputy Minister of Health Pierpaolo Sileri.
The objective of the Technical Roundtable is to analyze the molecular evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, monitoring the onset of mutations in the viral genome, their impact on the structure, pathogenesis, virulence and on the antibody and cell-mediated immune response. against the virus, especially in consideration of the introduction of mass vaccination. The Table will also deal with the viro-immunological surveillance of any future epidemic and pandemic emergencies.
On March 2020, prof. Caruso and Prof. Caccuri have isolated the SARS-CoV-2 strain circulating in the Brescia area among the first in Italy, making an important step forward for the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the pathogenicity of the virus and for the development of drugs antivirals and preventive vaccines.