Biosketch: Ilaria Morotti is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Biology (School of Sciences, University of Florence). She received her PhD in Physiological Sciences in 2023 at the University of Florence. During the doctoral program, the research activity focused on studying the molecular mechanisms regulating the contraction of striated muscle through studies conducted on: (i) skinned fibers isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle; (ii) trabeculae and papillary muscles isolated from rat heart. The studies were conducted using high-resolution mechanical techniques (nanometer-microsecond) and X-ray diffraction with synchrotron light to investigate: (i) The role of the force developed by myosin motors in activating the thin filament; (ii) The effect of omecamtiv mecarbil (OM), a small organic molecule that binds to the catalytic site of the myosin motor, on the activation of the thick filament and the performance of cardiac muscle. She also participated in the training course “HERCULES (Higher European Research Course for Users of Large Experimental Systems)” at the European Synchrotron ESRF. Currently, her research focuses on the molecular basis of cardiac and skeletal muscle performance and its regulation, from healthy and mutated animal models in relation to ageing, using combined sarcomere-level mechanics and X-ray diffraction methods.
Roles: Spoke 2 WP6 contributor
Contacts: ilaria.morotti@unifi.it
Website: N/A
Research interests