Nato a Pozzomaggiore, SS, Sardegna, il 15 Ottobre 1958,
sposato con Grazyna Ptak, con due Figli
1980-86- Laurea in Medicina Veterinaria presso l'Università di Sassari con 110 e lode
Studi Post-Universitari: 1987-1990, Università di Sassari, Istituto di Fisiologia Veterinaria, dottorato di ricerca in Fisiologia della riproduzione
Posizioni Post-dottorali:
1990-1991, sperimentatore presso l'Istituto Zootecnico e Caseario (SS)
1992-1994, stage presso il Roslin Institute, Scozia, UK, nel laboratorio dei Profs. Ian Wilmut and Keith Campbell.
1994 -settembre 1995: studi sull'analisi dell'espressione genica mediante la tecnica dell'ibridazione in situ presso l'University of Newcastle upon-tyne, nell'ambito di un corso organizzato dall'EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization)
1995-November 2000, coordinatore del laboratorio di biotecnologie dell'Istituto Zootecnico e Caseario (SS).
Dal novembre 2000 professore associato di Fisiologia presso la facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria di Teramo.
La principale linea di ricerca del Prof. Loi è la Fisiologia della Riproduzione, in particolare l'embriologia sperimentale applicata ai ruminanti domestici e selvatici. Il Prof. Loi è membro delle seguenti società: Società delle Scienze Veterinarie, Società dei Fisiologi Italiani, Society for the Study of Fertility, International Embryo Transfer Society,
Society for the Study of Reproduction. La sua linea di ricerca attuale sono i meccanismi di riprogrammazione nucleare di cellule somatiche.

Incarichi presso Istituzioni di Ricerca Europee:

Vice presidente della sessione Fisiologia della European Association for Animal Production, 1998-2001.

Membro dell'Advisory Board del Centro di Eccellenza "Center of Excellence in Genomic and Biotechnology for Improving Functional Traits in Farm Animals and Theirs Products" dell'Accademia delle Scienze Polacca, (VI programma quadro dalla Comunità Europea).

Membro dell'Advisory Board Centre of Excellence Europeo ANIMBIOGEN - 2009-2012

Referee (expert list) del VI programma EU

Referee per la l'European Science Foundation (EFS).

Referee della European Research Council (ERC), valutatore dei progetti di ricerca
del programma IDEAS del VII programma EU.

Membro del Managing Commette del programma EU COST - Gemini, VII programma Quadro - 2008-2011.

Editorial board della rivista: Animal Science Papers and Reports. ISSN 0860-4037.

Ad hoc referee per seguenti riviste Scientifiche Internazionali:
Biology of Reproduction, Reproduction, Theriogenology, Gene,Trends in Biotechnology Cloning and Stem Cells, Reproduction Fertility and Development, Reproduction in Domestic animals, Genomics.


Il prof. Loi è autore di oltre 180 lavori scientifici (quasi tutti in collaborazione con prestigiosi Istituzioni di ricerca internazionali).

Name: Pasqualino
Surname: Loi
Born: Sardina (Italy), 15.10.1958
Status: married with Grazyna Ptak, two children

a. Professional Preparation

1980-1986- DVM Veterinary Medicine, Sassari University (Italy)
1987-1990, PhD Reproductive Physiology, Sassari University (Italy)
1990-1991, Post Doc in experimental embryology, Institute for Zootechnics, Olmedo, Sassari, Italy
1992-1994, Post Doctoral Fellow Roslin Institute, UK
September 1995 - EMBO Fellow, University of Newcastle Upon-Tyne, UK,


b. Appointments
1995-October 2000, research scientist, Institute for Zootechnics, Olmedo, Sassari, Italy
November 2000 - Present: Associate Professor in Animal Physiology, University of Teramo (Italy)

My main Scientific interest has always been Developmental Biology and particularly all aspects of Biotechnologies applicable on embryos; in vitro maturation and fertilization, in vitro embryo culture, embryo freezing, embryo biopsy and sexing by PCR, embryonic manipulation with special regard to nuclear transfer (cloning). My current area of research is nuclear reprogramming and the epigenetic modification of DNA induced on early embryos by cloning and other in vitro manipulations.

c. Professional Service: Ad hoc reviewer: Biology of Reproduction, Theriogenology, Gene, Trends in Biotechnology, Cloning and Stem Cells, Theriogenology, Reproduction, Fertility and Development, Gene, Genomics, Reproduction in Domestic Animals.
Vice President of the Physiology Commission at the European Association for Animal Production from 1999-2002; Advisory Board Member of the European Centre of Excellence in Genomic and Biotechnology for Improving Functional Traits in Farm Animals and Theirs Products" , Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw. Expert evaluator for the VI and VII EU FrameWork Programmes.
Expert evaluator for the European Science Foundation, Expert evaluator for the European Research Council, Editorial Board member of the Journal "Animal Science Papers and Reports". Member of the Managing Committee for the COST action - Gemini (VII FP).

I have a robust experience in coordinating and participating in Research Projects, both a national level (PRIN, INTERLINK, FIRB) and at international level (Royal Society, British Council, European Science Foundation - ESF - United States Department of Agriculture - USDA; European Research Council - ERC; COST programme). I have published several relevant papers in my field of expertise, nuclear transfer. I have organized many national and international meeting, and I am particularly active in networking with foreign Research Institution. I have published 73 paper on impact factor journals, including excellence ones, like PNAS and Nature Biotechnology.

1. FULKA JR J, LOI P., PTAK G, FULKA H, JOHN JS (2009). Hope for the Mammoth?. CLONING AND STEM CELLS, ISSN: 1536-2302 2. FULKA J JR, FULKA H, ST JOHN J, GALLI C, LAZZARI G, LAGUTINA I, FULKA J, LOI P. (2008). Cybrid human embryos--warranting opportunities to augment embryonic stem cell research. TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 26; p. 469-474, ISSN: 0167-7799 3. LOI P., BEAUJEAN N, KHOCHBIN S, FULKA J JR, PTAK G (2008). Asymmetric nuclear reprogramming in somatic cell nuclear transfer?. BIOESSAYS, vol. 30; p. 66-74, ISSN: 0265-9247 4. LOI P., GALLI C, PTAK G (2008). Cloning of endangered mammalian species: any progress?. TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 25; p. 195-200, ISSN: 0167-7799 5. LOI P., MATSUKAWA K, PTAK G, CLINTON M, FULKA J JR, NATHAN Y, ARAV A (2008). Freeze-dried somatic cells direct embryonic development after nuclear transfer. PLOS ONE, vol. e2978., ISSN: 1932-6203 6. PALMIERI C, LOI P., REYNOLDS LP, PTAK G, DELLA SALDA L (2008). Placental abnormalities in ovine somatic cell clones at term: a light and electron microscopic investigation. PLACENTA, ISSN: 0143-4004 7. LOI P. (2007). Matsukawa K, Turco MY, Scapolo PA, Reynolds L, Ptak G, P. Loi. CLONING AND STEM CELLS, vol. 9; p. 374-381, ISSN: 1536-2302 8. LOI P., GALLI C, PTAK G (2007). Cloning of endangered mammalian species: any progress?. TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 25; p. 195-200, ISSN: 0167-7799 9. PTAK G, MATSUKAWA K, PALMIERI C, DELLA SALDA L, SCAPOLO PA, LOI P. (2007). Developmental and functional evidence of nuclear immaturity in prepubertal oocytes. HUMAN REPRODUCTION, vol. 21; p. 2228-2237, ISSN: 0268-1161 10. PTAK G, MATSUKAWA K, PALMIERI C, DELLA SALDA L, SCAPOLO PA, LOI P. (2006). Developmental and functional evidence of nuclear immaturity in prepubertal oocytes. HUMAN REPRODUCTION, vol. 21; p. 2228-2237, ISSN: 0268-1161 11. LOI P. (2005). Ovine somatic cell nuclear transfer: retrospective overview and analysis of epigenetic and phenotypic effects of cloning procedures. In: HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF CLONING ; EDITED BY AKIO INUI; ; BOCA RATON; NW; USA.. "Health Consequences of Cloning". p. 153-163, BOCA RATON: Taylor & Francis Group, ISBN/ISSN: 0-8493-2527-7 12. LOI P., CLINTON, M., VACKOVA, I., FULKA JR., J., FEIL, R., PALMIERI, DELLA SALDA, L., AND PTAK G (2005). Placental abnormalities associated with post-natal mortality in sheep somatic cell clones. THERIOGENOLOGY, ISSN: 0093-691X 13. BEAUJEAN N, TAYLOR JE, MCGARRY M, GARDNER JO, WILMUT I, LOI P., PTAK G, GALLI C, LAZZARI G, BIRD A, YOUNG LE, MEEHAN RR (2004). The effect of interspecific oocytes on demethylation of sperm DNA. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, vol. 20; p. 7636-7640, ISSN: 1091-6490 14. FULKA J JR, LOI P., FULKA H, PTAK G, NAGAI T. (2004). Nucleus transfer in mammals: noninvasive approaches for the preparation of cytoplasts. TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 22; p. 27-283, ISSN: 0167-7799 15. LOI P., FULKA J JR, PTAK G (2003). Amphibian and mammal somatic-cell cloning: different species, common results? (Cover page). TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 21; p. 471-473, ISSN: 0167-7799 16. PTAK GRAZYNA, TISCHENR MARIAN, BERNABÒ NICOLA, LOI P. (2003). Donor-Dependent Developmental Competence of Oocytes from Lambs Subjected to Repeated Hormonal Stimulation. BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, vol. 2003 Feb 5, ISSN: 0006-3363 17. YOUNG LE, SCHNIEKE AE, MCCREATH KJ, WIECKOWSKI S, KONFORTOVA G, FERNANDES K, PTAK G, KIND AJ, WILMUT I, LOI P., FEIL R. (2003). Conservation of IGF2-H19 and IGF2R imprinting in sheep: effects of somatic cell nuclear transfer. MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, vol. 120; p. 1433-1442, ISSN: 0925-4773 18. LOI P., BARBONI B, PTAK G (2002). Cloning advances and challenges for conservation. TRENDS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 20; p. 233, ISSN: 0167-7799 19. LOI P., CLINTON M., BARBONI B., FULKA J. JR., CAPPAI P., FEIL R., MOOR R.H.M., PTAK G. (2002). Nuclei of nonviable ovine somatic cells develop into lambs after nuclear transplantation. BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, vol. 67; p. 442-450, ISSN: 0006-3363 20. PTAK G., CLINTON M., BARBONI B., MUZZEDDU M., CAPPAI P., TISCHNER M., LOI P. (2002). Preservation of the wild European mouflon: the first example of genetic management using a complete program of reproductive biotechnologies. BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, vol. 66; p. 796-801, ISSN: 0006-3363 21. PTAK GRAZYNA, CLINTON MICHAEL, TISHNER MARIAN, MATTIOLI MAURO, BARBONI BARBARA, LOI P. (2002). Improving delivery and offspring viability of in vitro-produced and cloned sheep embryos. BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, vol. 67; p. 1719-1725, ISSN: 0006-3363 22. LOI P., PTAK GRAZYNA, BARBONI BARBARA, FULKA JOSEF JR, CAPPAI PIETRO, MICHAEL CLINTON (2001). Genetic rescue of an endangered mammal by cross-species nuclear transfer using post-mortem somatic
cells. NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY, vol. 19; p. 962-964, ISSN: 1087-0156 23. FULKA J JR, TESARÍK J, LOI P., MOOR RM (2000). Manipulating the human embryo: cell cycle checkpoint controls. CLONING AND STEM CELLS, vol. 2; p. 1-7, ISSN: 1536-2302 24. J. FULKA JR, J. TESARIK, LOI P., R.M. MOOR (2000). Manipulating the Human embryo: Cell Cycle Checkpoint Controls. CLONING AND STEM CELLS, vol. 2; p. 1-7, ISSN: 1536-2302 25. PTAK G, LOI P., DATTENA M, TISCHNER M, CAPPAI P (1999). Offspring from one-month-old lambs: studies on the developmental capability of prepubertal oocytes. BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, vol. 61; p. 1568-1574, ISSN: 0006-3363 26. FEIL R, KOSHLA S, CAPPAI P, LOI P. (1998). Genomic imprinting in ruminants: allele-specific gene expression in parthenogenetic sheep. MAMMALIAN GENOME, vol. 9; p. 831-834, ISSN: 0938-8990 27. FULKA J. JR. FIRST N. L., LOI P., MOOR R. M (1998). Cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer. BIOESSAYS, vol. 20; p. 847-851, ISSN: 0265-9247 28. LOI P., LEDDA S., FULKA J.JR., CAPPAI P., MOOR R.M. (1998). Development of parthenogenetic and cloned ovine embryos: effect of activation protocols. BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, vol. 58; p. 1177-1187, ISSN: 0006-3363 29. CAMPBELL K.H.S., LOI P., OTAEGUI P., WILMUT I (1997). Cell cycle co-ordination in embryo cloning by nuclear transfer. JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTION AND FERTILITY, vol. 1; p. 40-46, ISSN: 0022-4251 30. CAMPBELL K.H.S., LOI P., CAPPAI P., WILMUT I (1994). Improved development to blastocyst of ovine nuclear transfer embryos reconstructed during the presumptive S-Phase of enucleated-activated oocytes. BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, vol. 50; p. 1385-1393, ISSN: 0006-3363

Projects coordination

1. Coordinator - FIRB (stands for: Founds for Excellence in Basic Research), founded by the Italian Minister of University - MIUR - 2001-3, Grant (RBNE01HPMX) "Identification of the molecular mechanism regulating the expression of genes and transgenes affecting productive traits for the safe and efficient application of embryo technologies to farm animals", 2.5 million Euro

1. Coordinator - PRIN (stands for: Project of National Relevance founded by the Italian Minister of the University - MIUR) 2001-3. Differentiative plasticity of adult and embryonic stem cells"219.100Euro

1. PI - PRIN MIUR 2003-2005 (2003073943_002). "Impact of different environmental contaminants on sheep reproductive efficiency: characterization of the mechanisms involved and of possible interactions". 97.700Euro

1. Coordinator - PRIN MIUR 2004-2006 "Development of sheep preclinical model for testing efficiency and safety of Cell Therapy (through "Therapeutic cloning"), 78.000 euro.

1. PI - European Science Foundation grant "Stellar" 2004-007 "Novel approaches to enhance animal embryonic stem cell and nuclear reprogramming research" acronym; EUROCORES Programme EuroSTELLS, supported by funds from the European Commission Sixth Framework Programme under contract no. ERAS-CT-2003-980409; 154000 euros

1. PI - United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)"Proposal#2007-01215 "Deregulation of Placenta vascular development in ART-derived sheep foetuses-" 350.000 $

1. Coordinator - University of Teramo grant, former 60%. 2003-2008 "Nuclear functionality in prepubertal lamb oocytes" 28000 euros.

Coordination of Internalization grants and programs for scientific exchanges.

1. Coordinator, Cultural and scientific exchange programme of Italian Foreign Affair 2002-2005 between the University of Teramo and the Institute of Animal Production, Prague (Czech Republic) "Biotechnological approaches for the preservation of endangered species" (jointly with Dr. Josef Fulka Jr, Prague).
2. Participant, British Council/MIUR/ CRUI, 2003-4 "Inducing Cell Plasticity by Epigenetic Reprogramming ex Ovo" - partner; jointly with DR. Lorraine Young, Nottingham University and Dr. Michael Clinton, former Roslin Institute, UK.
3. Project leader (jointly with Dr. Robert Feil (Then working at Babrham Institute, Cambridge UK), Studies on imprinted gene expression in parthenogenetic sheep foetuses" founded by the Royal Society (UK) 1999-2000.
4. Coordinator, MIUR, programme Interlink (II04C0H723) 2006-2009. "Epigenetic maturation of prepubertal sheep oocytes", jointly with, Prof. Niemann (Mariensee, Germany)
5. Local responsible (for Teramo University) for the Programme"Cost Action FA0702 - Gemini, Maternal Interactions with Gametes and Embryos" 7FP.
6. Participant, British Society/Miur-Crui, 2005-2006 exchange programme, "Epigenetic effects on environmental contaminants on sheep embryos", jointly with Dr. Michael Clinton, former Roslin Institute, UK.