Fabiana Bigi

Fabiana Bigi

Researcher

Institute of Biotechnology-IABIMO, CICVyA, INTA-CONICET, Argentina

Tel: 54-(11)4621 1447

Email: bigi.fabiana@inta.gob.ar

 

 

 

VALIDATE Role:

Network Investigator

 

Research Keywords: 

TB, bTB

 

Biography:

Our research focuses on the identification and characterization of the virulence factors of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Our main objective is to deepen the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the host-pathogen interaction of tuberculosis.

We are also studying the impact of various strains of M. bovis on the innate bovine immune response. Our group is also interested in the development of candidate vaccines against bovine tuberculosis and we carry out immunological and transcriptomic studies to find biomarkers of bovine tuberculosis. Most of our projects have involved the use of tuberculosis models in mice and we have also conducted experiments with vaccines in cattle.

Our research has been mostly funded by Argentine agencies with the exception of a project funded by the NIH in 2013.

 

Related Websites: 

Biotechnology Research Institute website

 

Key Publications:

Forrellad MA, Vázquez CL, Blanco FC, Klepp LI, García EA, Rocha RV, Luciana V, Bigi MM, Gutierrez MG, Bigi F. Rv2617c and P36 are virulence factors of pathogenic mycobacteria involved in resistance to oxidative stress. Virulence. 2019 Dec;10(1):1026-1033. doi: 10.1080/21505594.2019.1693714.

Bigi M, Vazquez CL, Castelão ABC, García EA, Cataldi AA, Jackson M, McNeil M, Soria M, Zumárraga MJ, Cabruja M, Gago G, Blanco FC, Nishibe C, Almeida NF, de Araújo FR, Bigi FAnalysing nonsynonymous mutations between two Mycobacterium bovis strains with contrasting pathogenic profiles. Vet Microbiol. 2019 Dec;239:108482. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2019.108482.

Klepp LI, Eirin ME, Garbaccio S, Soria M, Bigi F, Blanco FC.

Identification of bovine tuberculosis biomarkers to detect tuberculin skin test and IFNγ release assay false negative cattle. Res Vet Sci. 2019 Feb;122:7-14. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2018.10.016.

García EA, Blanco FC, Bigi MM, Vazquez CL, Forrellad MA, Rocha RV, Golby P, Soria MA, Bigi F. Characterization of the two component regulatory system PhoPR in Mycobacterium bovis. Vet Microbiol. 2018 Aug;222:30-38. doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.06.016.

Blanco FC, Soria MA, Klepp LI, Bigi F. ERAP1 and PDE8A Are Downregulated in Cattle Protected against Bovine Tuberculosis. J Mol Microbiol Biotechnol. 2017;27(4):237-245. doi: 10.1159/000479183.

Bigi MM, Lopez B, Blanco FC, Sasiain MD, De la Barrera S, Marti MA, Sosa EJ, Fernández Do Porto DA, Ritacco V, Bigi F, Soria MA. Single nucleotide polymorphisms may explain the contrasting phenotypes of two variants of a multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. Tuberculosis (Edinb). 2017 Mar;103:28-36. doi: 10.1016/j.tube.2016.12.007

Vázquez CL, Bianco MV, Blanco FC, Forrellad MA, Gutierrez MG, Bigi F.

Mycobacterium bovis Requires P27 (LprG) To Arrest Phagosome Maturation and Replicate within Bovine Macrophages. Infect Immun. 2017 Feb 23;85(3). pii: e00720-16. doi: 10.1128/IAI.00720-16.