Dr. Fiorella Sabrina Belforte is a Biochemist and holds a PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology (UBA).
She currently works as an Independent Researcher at CONICET and an Adjunct Professor in the Nutrition and Medicine programs at FCB-UA. Her main line of research focuses on Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), with a multi-omics and translational approach emphasizing the identification of molecular and metagenomic biomarkers. She also participates in projects aligned with the One Health approach, integrating different biological matrices, including extracellular vesicles, to study inter-kingdom communication between microbiomes and their hosts as a source of new biological indicators. Her most recent projects incorporate third-generation DNA/RNA sequencing strategies (Oxford Nanopore Technologies) and advanced bioinformatics analyses applied to different clinical cohorts, environmental health, and food safety.
Food. From her lines of research, Dr. Belforte proposes to consolidate a cross-cutting platform between basic, clinical and technological research, oriented towards the validation of biomarkers and the creation of molecular diagnostic tools adapted to the local context.

• Multi-omics strategies for clinical stratification and identification of actionable targets in
  inflammatory bowel disease.
• Third-generation sequencing to discriminate between reinfection events and viral reactivation
  Human papillomavirus (HPV) and its relationship with the vaginal microbiome.
• Search for new epigenetic and nutrigenomic biomarkers associated with the ecosystem
  oral microbial as predictors of response to biological treatment in severe psoriasis.
• Hospital Microbiome: Analysis of the microbial landscape associated with opportunistic pathogens and
  multi-resistors.
• New frontiers in genomic diagnosis of lung cancer.

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (H.Posadas, HUFF, HUA):
  Ayelén Rosso, PhD (CONICET-IIMT Fellow)
  Sofia Quesada, Lic. (Intern)
  Guillermina Buzetti, Lic. (Intern)
• Microbiome and HPV - HUA:
  Ms. Florencia Mascardi (Intern)
• Microbiome and Severe Psoriasis - HUA:
  Licensed Nutritionist Constanza Echevarría
  Nutrition student Victoria Javi Portal
• Hospital Microbiome - HUA:
  Agustina Colabelli, Lic. (Intern)
  Pablo Aguilera, Esq. (Intern)
• Genomics and Cancer HUA - HUA:
  Dr. Wbeimar Valderrama - Master's Student in Medical Molecular Biology, UBA
  Dr. Ricardo Amorín - Master's Student in Molecular Oncology URJC

• Dr. Alberto Penas Steinhardt - Independent Researcher at CONICET - UNLu. Genomics Group
  Computational (GeC) - Department Cs. UNLu Basics. https://gec.unlu.edu.ar/
• Dr. Karina Mariño - Independent Researcher CONICET - IByMe. Functional and Molecular Glycomics Lab
• Dr. Virginia Gentilini - Adjunct Researcher CONICET IMETTyB - Favaloro University - Laboratory of
  Immunology Applied to Transplantation
• Dr. Florencia Giliberto - Adjunct Researcher at CONICET - Dystrophinopathies Lab, FFyB-UBA
• Dr. Manglio Miguel Rizzo. Adjunct Researcher at CONICET IIMT - Head of Oncology Service HUA
• Dr. Wanda Cornistein. Head of the Infection Prevention and Control Service at HUA.
• Dr. Lena Eimer. Dermatology Service HUA
• Dr. Carolina Maya. Gynecology Service HUA
• Dr. Noelia Meligrana. Gastroenterology Service HUA
• Dr. Alejandro Reyes. Associate Professor at the University of Los Andes - Colombia / Fellow
  International Coordinator of the Sanger Institute. Coordinator of the LatinBiota Network

• 16S rRNA-based profiling of microbiota along the ground meat and sausage production lines in an Argentine meat processing facility. Patricia A. Barril, Victoria Brusa, Magdalena Costa, Mariana Cap, Pablo Aguilera, Fiorella S. Belforte, Alberto Penas-Steinhardt, Gerardo Leotta, Juan M. Oteiza. International Journal of Food Microbiology, Volume 453, 2026, 111716, ISSN 0168-1605, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2026.111716.
• Integrative analysis of systemic lupus erythematosus biomarkers: Role of fecal hsa-mir-223–3p and gut microbiota in transkingdom dynamics. Sofía Quesada*, Ayelén Daiana Rosso*, Florencia Mascardi,
  Valeria Soler-Rivero, Pablo Aguilera, Sebastian Nicolas Mascuka, Andrea Boiro, Evangelina Arenielo, Gustavo Vijoditz, Leila Romina Ferreyra-Mufarregue, Marina Flavia Caputo, María Cecilia Cimolai,
  Federico Coluccio Leskow, Alberto Penas-Steinhardt, Fiorella Belforte. Molecular Immunology 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molimm.2024.05.004
• Prevalence of celiac disease-specific antibodies and their association with clinical status and environmental factors. Gabriel Alejandro de Diego, Natacha Cerny, Gabriel Tolosa, Maximiliano Lulic,
  Mariel Fusco, Fiorella Sabrina Belforte, Brian Martínez Ruiz, María Inés Tamborenea, Ana Cánepa, Margarita Cimarelli, Rosana Ghiglieri, Eugenia Díaz, Exequiel Giorgi, Claudio Pérez, Marisa Gassmann,
  Emilio Malchiodi, Rubén Iácono, Mauricio César De Marzi. Heliyon. 2024 Nov 23;10(23):e40685. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e40685
• Comprehensive Phenotyping in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Search for Biomarker Algorithms in the Transkingdom Interactions Context. Rosso AD*, Aguilera P*, Quesada S, Mascardi F, Mascuka SN,
  Cimolai MC, Cerezo J, Spiazzi R, Conlon C, Milano C, Iraola GM, Penas-Steinhardt A, Belforte FS.
  Microorganisms. 2022 Nov 4;10(11):2190. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10112190. PMID: 36363782;
  PMC ID: PMC9698371.
• Impact of exposure to arsenic on the bacterial microbiota associated with river biofilms in the Pampas region. by Diego GA, Penas-Steinhardt A, Ferro JP, Palacio MJ, Ossana NA, Eissa BL, Belforte F.
  Aquat Toxicol. 2022 Nov;252:106319. doi: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2022.106319. Epub 2022 Oct 1. PMID:
  36252326.
• A Two-Time Point Analysis of Gut Microbiota in the General Population of Buenos Aires and Its Variation Due to Preventive and Compulsory Social Isolation During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Pablo Aguilera*, María Florencia Mascardi*, Fiorella Sabrina Belforte, Ayelén Daiana Rosso, Sofía Quesada, Ignacio Llovet, Gregorio Iraola, Julieta Trinks and Alberto Penas-Steinhardt. Frontiers in Microbiology, 24
  March 2022. Sec. Evolutionary and Genomic Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.803121.
• Understanding the gut microbiota of metropolitan Buenos Aires inhabitants: Tracking the environmental impact on our microbial diversity. Belforte Fiorella S., Fernández Natalie, Tonín Monzón Francisco, Rosso
  Ayelén Quesada Sofía, María Cecilia Cimolai, Andrea Millán, Gloria E. Cerrone, Gustavo D. Frechtel, Remy Burcelin, Federico Coluccio Leskow, Alberto Penas-Steinhardt. Frontiers in Microbiology Apr
  2019. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00965.
• The NSL chromatin-modifying complex subunit KANSL2 regulates cancer stem-like properties in glioblastoma that contribute to tumorigenesis. Nazarena Ferreyra Solari, Fiorella Belforte, Lucia Canedo, Guillermo Videla-Richarson, Joaquin Espinosa, Mario Rossi, Eva Serna, Miguel Riudavets, Horacio Martineto, Gustavo Sevlever, Carolina Perez-Castro. CancerResearch. 2016 Sep 15;76(18):5383-94.
  doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-15-3159
• Mutational screening of the TPO and DUOX2 genes in Argentinian children with congenital hypothyroidism due to thyroid dyshormonogenesis. Molina MF, Papendieck P, Sobrero G, Balbi VA,
  Belforte FS, Martínez EB, Adrover E, Olcese MC, Chiesa A, Miras MB, González VG, Pio MG, González-Sarmiento R, Targovnik HM, Rivolta CM. Endocrine. 2022 Jun;77(1):86-101. doi:
  10.1007/s12020-022-03054-3. Epub 2022 May 4. PMID: 35507000.
• Transient congenital hypothyroidism due to biallelic defects of the DUOX2 gene. Two clinical cases. Rosa E. Enacán, María E. Masnata, Fiorella S. Belforte, Patricia Papendieck, María C. Olcese, Sofía Siffo, Laura
  Gruñeiro-Papendieck, Héctor Targovnik, Carina M. Rivolta, Ana E. Chiesa. Arch Argent Pediatr
  2017;115(3):e162-e165
• Biallelic Stop Codon Mutations (p.F353Pfs*36/p.Y425X) in DUOX2 Gene Associated with Transient Congenital Hypothyroidism: Report of a Family and Literature Review. Fiorella S Belforte, María Cecilia
  Olcese, Sofia Siffo, Patricia Papendieck, Rosa Enacan, Laura Gruñeiro-Papendieck, Ana Chiesa, Héctor M Targovnik and Carina M Rivolta. Annals of Thyroid Research. Accepted: October 14, 2016; Published:
  November 03, 2016
• Compound heterozygous DUOX2 gene mutations (c.2335-1G>C/c.3264_3267delCAGC) associated with congenital hypothyroidism. Characterization of complex cryptic splice sites by minigene analysis. Belforte FS, Citterio CE, Testa G, Olcese MC, Sobrero G, Miras MB, Targovnik HM, Rivolta CM.
  Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2015.10.014. January 2016.
• Kinetic characterization of human thyroperoxidase. Normal and pathological enzyme expression in Baculovirus System: a molecular model of functional expression. FS. Belforte, AM. Targovnik, R.M.
  González-Lebrero, C. Osorio Larroche, CE. Citterio, R. González-Sarmiento, MV. Miranda, HM. Targovnik, CM. Rivolta. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2014.12.026. Dec
  2014.
• Toll-like receptor 4 Asp299Gly polymorphism in metabolic disorders: A meta-analysis. FS Belforte, F. Coluccio Leskow, E. Poskus, A. Penas Steinhardt. Molecular Biology Reports. DOI:
  10.1007/s11033-012-2374-5. DIC, 2012.
• Functional characterization of TLR4 +3725 G/C polymorphism and association with protection against overweight. A. Penas Steinhardt, LS Barcos, FS Belforte, MS de Sereday, J. Vilariño, CD
  González, MT Martínez-Larrad, ML Tellechea, M. Serrano-Ríos, E. Poskus, GD Frechtel, F. Coluccio Leskow. PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e50992. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050992. Epub. DEC 11, 2012.
• New Insights into Thyroglobulin Gene: Molecular 1 Analysis of Seven Novel Mutations Associated with Goiter and Hypothyroidism. EC. Citterio, G. Machiavelli, MB. Miras, L. Gruñeiro-Papendieck, K. Lachlan,
  Gabriela Sobrero, A.Chiesa, J. Walker, L. Muñoz, G. Testa, FS. Belforte, R. González-Sarmiento, CM. Rivolta and HM. Targovnik. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. DOI:10.1016/j.mce PMID: 23164529.
  November 16, 2012
• Congenital goitrous hypothyroidism: mutation analysis in the thyroid peroxidase gene. FS. Belforte, MB.
  Look, MC. Olcese, G. Sobrero, G. Testa, Liliana Muñoz, L. Gruñeiro-Papendieck, A. Chiesa, R. González-Sarmiento, HM. Targovnik, CM. Rivolta. Clinical Endocrinology.
  DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2011.04249. MAR 7, 2012
• Genotyping of resistance to thyroid hormone in South American population. Identification of seven novel missense mutations in the human thyroid hormone receptor beta gene. Rivolta CM, Olcese MC, Belforte FS, Chiesa A, Gruñeiro-Papendieck L, Iorcansky S, Viviana H, Cassorla F, Gauna A, González-Sarmiento R, Targovnik HM. Molecular and Cellular Probes. DOI:10.1016/j.mcp. FEB 02,
  2009.

• “Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic contributions in Ulcerative Colitis: search for tools
  comprehensive diagnostic and follow-up.” UNLU DISPPCD-CB: 83/2027 (2025-2027) & 01-PICT
  2022-2022-05-00321
• “3rd generation adaptive sequencing to discriminate between reinfection and reactivation events”
  "Human papillomavirus and its relationship with the vaginal microbiome" - Barceló Foundation - 2024
• “Comprehensive phenotyping in inflammatory bowel disease. Search for biomarkers
  specific metatranscriptomics in the context of inter-kingdom interaction networks” Foundation
  Florencio Fiorini & Argentine Medical Association. 2024-2025
• “Inter-kingdom communication studies in the omics era: Searching for new biomarkers of
  "Intestinal and systemic ecosystem associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease" - Barceló Foundation -
  2023
• “Obtaining and characterizing caseinomacropeptide isolates with immunoregulatory properties
  for potential use in food” PICT-2021-CAT-I-00169.
• “New Horizons in Precision Medicine: Systemic Transcriptomic and Metagenomic Studies
  in Inflammatory Bowel Disease” - UNLU Disp. CD-CB N° 517-19 & Barceló Foundation - 2021
• “Interactive effects of biofilm, ibuprofen, and arsenic on toxicity to a native fish in a
  microcosm system” PICT-2020-SERIES A-00655.
• “Omics strategies for the search for new epigenetic and metagenomic biomarkers
  Systemic factors in Inflammatory Bowel Disease” PICT– 2019-01339 Res. No. 015-2021.
• “Microbiota & IgA-Seq in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in the Argentine Population” Society
  Argentina of Gastroenterology SAGE 2018 & PICT– 2017-2406 Res. N° 310/18.
• “Genetics, Epigenetics and Metagenomics of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Disease
  Celiac disease. Development of diagnostic, prognostic and monitoring tools in the population
  Argentina” UNLU Disp. CD-CB N° 435-16 & Florencio Fiorini Foundation & Argentine Medical Association
  2017
• “Search for new biomarkers in complex pathologies with an inflammatory component. Development
  of state-of-the-art tools for the study of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in the era of
  omics.” UNLU Disp. CD-CBLUJ: 421-17
• “Microvesicles of probiotic strains for the treatment of complex diseases with a component
  inflammatory.” Project: CONICET PIP 2017-2019 GI

• Argentine Society for Clinical Research Award: Genetics Area. Title of the Work:
  METABARCODING OF HUMAN GUT BACTERIAL COMMUNITIES IN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL
  DISEASE. Authors: Ayelén D. Rosso, Pablo N. Aguilera, Sofía Quesada, Ma. Cecilia Cimolai, Ma.
  Jimena Cerezo, Renata A. Spiazzi, Ma. Carolina Conlon, Claudia Milano, Alberto Penas-Steinhardt,
  Fiorella S. Belforte. November 2021
• Argentine Society for Clinical Research Award: 2nd Prize, Regenerative Medicine Area. Title of the
  Work: Differential subnuclear localization of nsl2 protein isoforms and their participation in the
  Regulation of key master genes in embryonic development. Authors: Canedo, Lucía; Ferreyra
  Solari, Nazarena; Belforte, Fiorella; Kobayashi, Ken; Pérez Castro, Carolina. November 2014
• Award from the Official College of Pharmacists and Biochemists of the Federal Capital. Genetics Area. Title of the
  Work: Characterization of new mutations in the Human Thyroperoxidase gene responsible for
  Iodine organification defects in patients with congenital hypothyroidism and goiter. Authors:
  Belforte F, Olcese M, Gruñeiro Papendieck L, Chiesa A, González Sarmiento R, Targovnik H, Rivolta C.
  Awarding Institution: Argentine Biochemical Association (ABA) - May 2009

Address: Av. Pte. Perón 1500, Derqui, Pilar, Buenos Aires
E-mail: FBelforte@austral.edu.ar