Since July 15, 2019, she has been serving as an Associate Professor in the scientific-disciplinary sector BIO/17 – Histology at the Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche. She obtained her qualification as a Second-Tier Professor in Applied Biology (SSD 05/F1) on April 4, 2017, and later achieved First-Tier Professor qualification in Histology (SSD 05/H2) on November 18, 2020. Previously, she was a confirmed Researcher in Histology at the same department from April 13, 2015, following an initial appointment as a non-confirmed Researcher from November 1, 2011, to April 13, 2015. Before that, she held a research fellowship from June 3, 2011, to November 1, 2011, focusing on the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine. From June 1, 2010, to May 31, 2011, she was a research grant holder investigating skin-derived stem cells and their clinical prospects in regenerative therapy at the Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine. Between November 1, 2003, and April 15, 2010, she conducted research on leukocyte ectoenzymes and their role in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of selected human diseases at the Department of Molecular Pathology and Innovative Therapies – Histology. From July 16, 2001, to July 15, 2003, she held a research fellowship focused on monoclonal antibodies for in vivo applications at the Institute of Biology and Genetics. Her early experience includes an internship at the Institute of Biology, Genetics, and Biochemistry, University of Medicine and Surgery, Turin, from May 1, 2000, to December 1, 2000.
Teaching Experience
Since the academic year 2022/23, she has been the course leader for Histology in the Medicine and Surgery (MedTech) degree programme at the Università Politecnica delle Marche.
Since 2019/20, she has held the position of Histology lecturer within the integrated course Human Morphological Sciences for the Dental Hygiene degree programme at the same university.
She has also taught Histology within the integrated Histology-Anatomy-Physiology course for the Medical Radiology Techniques for Imaging and Radiotherapy degree programme during the academic years 2016/17–2018/19 and again in 2022/23.
Since 2022/23, she has been responsible for teaching Histology within the Morphology and Histology integrated course for the Midwifery degree programme.
Since 2017/18, she has been a Tutor for AFP (Basic Sciences and First Aid Area) in the Medicine and Surgery degree programme.
She has also been involved in structured and cross-disciplinary teaching for the PhD in Human Health and Biomedical Sciences since 2017/18.
Since 2017/18, she has led an elective teaching activity (ADE) titled “Biotechnologies for the Study of Normal Human Histology” in the Medicine and Surgery degree programme.
From 2019/20 to 2021/22, she taught Histology for the Dentistry and Dental Prosthetics degree programme.
Between 2016/17 and 2017/18, she was the English Language course leader for the Medical Radiology Techniques for Imaging and Radiotherapy degree programme.
She is proficient in Microsoft Office and holds an Expert C1 Level LanguageCert Certificate in ESOL International (Speaking), awarded on 20 January 2023.
In the academic year 2018/19, she taught Histology within the Biomedical Sciences 1 integrated course for the Physiotherapy degree programme.
Between 2017/18 and 2018/19, she led a seminar-based Histology course for the Dietetics degree programme.
Since 2016/17, she has been responsible for a seminar-based Histology course in the Nursing degree programme at the Fermo campus.
Between 2012/13 and 2018/19, she taught Histology within the Histology-Anatomy integrated course for the Biomedical Laboratory Techniques degree programme.
Since 2012/13, she has also been responsible for a seminar-based Histology course in the Nursing degree programme at the Macerata campus.
Research project
Professor Monia Orciani has been recognised with the ImmunoTools IT-FlowISiAM-Award 2024 for her research on “Searching for New Targets for Alzheimer’s Disease.” She is the Principal Investigator (PI) of the PRIN 2022 project titled “The Effects of Cortisol Excess on Neurogenesis in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Mandatory Footpath through Stem Cells (FORGETFUL)” (Project ID: 2022XF7XZF). In 2022, she secured funding from Boehringer-Ingelheim for a study on the “Role of Nintedanib on Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF),” in collaboration with Professor Martina Bonifazi. Additionally, she received the Fondo di Finanziamento Attività di Base di Ricerca (FFABR) – FFO grant in 2017 for her research on “Inflammation and Stem Cells: New Associations.” Her work on stem cells also led to a strategic university project (2017–2019) investigating “The Role of Stem Cells in Cutaneous Repair Deficiency in Patients with Endogenous and Exogenous Cushing’s Syndrome.”
Professor Orciani has contributed to several national research initiatives, including PRIN 2017, where she collaborated on “The Impact of Glucocorticoid Circadian Rhythm Disruption on Cardiovascular Risk and Immune Dysfunction: Pathophysiology and Novel Biomarkers of Glucocorticoid Exposure in Hypercortisolism and Hypocortisolism (CHRONO-IMAGE),” led by Professor Rosario Pivonello (Project ID: 2017HRTZYA_005). Earlier in her career, she was involved in FIRB-funded projects, such as the 2011 study on “Molecular Markers for Diagnosis, Prognosis, and the Development of New Therapeutic Strategies for Adrenal Carcinoma” (PI: Professor Roberto Di Primio, Project ID: RBAP1153LS_004) and the 2010 preclinical evaluation of “Scaffolds for Skeletal Tissue Regeneration” (PI: Professor Roberto Giardino, Project ID: RBAP10MLK7_003). In 2010, she participated in a PRIN project examining “The Interaction between Glucose and Bone Metabolism for the Cardiometabolic Characterisation of a Population of Young Obese Individuals” (PI: Professor Roberto Di Primio, Project ID: 201098WFZ2_006). Her involvement in FIRB dates back to 2001, where she contributed to a study on “Leukocyte Ectoenzymes and Their Role in the Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Therapy of Selected Human Diseases” (PI: Professor Fabio Malavasi, Project ID: RBNE01N4Z9_003).