Bonfante Francesco
 |
Role | Veterinarian |
| Department/ Centre |
SSDS3 – Translational Research and Experimental Models for Emergency Response FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses |
|
| Phone | +39 049 8084101-102 | |
| fbonfante@izsvenezie.it |
Professional profile
Francesco Bonfante is a senior veterinary officer and head of the SSDS3 – Translational Research and Experimental Models for Emergency Response Unit at the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe).
In 2009, he earned his degree in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Padua, and in 2013, he completed a specialization diploma in “Breeding, Hygiene, Pathology of Aquatic Species, and Control of Derived Products” at the University of Udine.
Since 2010, he has been involved in designing, developing, and managing experimental studies aimed at defining the pathogenesis and replicative phenotype of RNA viruses—such as type A and type D influenza, Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis, and infectious bursal disease—as well as testing the efficacy of their related vaccines. Over the past two years, he has also worked on flaviviruses, such as the West Nile, Usutu, and Zika viruses. He is actively engaged in developing and validating diagnostic methods and conducting animal model research to investigate the etiology, pathogenesis, and prophylaxis of infectious and contagious animal diseases, including zoonotic ones.
He has actively participated in national and international research projects, including FP7 PREDEMICS, FLUPIG, and ANIHWA: NADIV. He is currently involved in the European Framework Programme Horizon 2020 project ZIKAction: “Preparedness, research and action network on maternal-paediatric axis of ZIKV infection in Latin America and the Caribbean” (No. 734857) and the DELTA-FLU project: “Dynamics of avian influenza in a changing world” (No. 722229). He collaborates closely with international organizations such as the FAO and WOAH, contributing to the continuous monitoring of avian influenza strain evolution nationally and internationally through the OFFLU network.