Francesco Branda

Dr. Francesco Branda

Università Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Lazio, Italy
orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

7Years (2020-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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29 May 2024 in Antibiotics
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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Francesco BrandaFrancesco Branda
Francesco Branda
Fabio ScarpaFabio Scarpa
Fabio Scarpa
Antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to global public health due to complex interactions between bacterial genetic factors and external influences such as antibiotic misuse. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers innovative strategies to address this crisis. For example, AI can analyze genomic data to detect resistance markers early on, enabling early interventions. In addition, AI-powered decision support systems can optimize antibiotic use by recommending the most effective treatments based on patient data and local resistance patterns. AI can accelerate drug discovery by predicting the efficacy of new compounds and identifying potential antibacterial agents. Although progress has been made, challenges persist, including data quality, model interpretability, and real-world implementation. A multidisciplinary approach that integrates AI with other emerging technologies, such as synthetic biology and nanomedicine, could pave the way for effective prevention and mitigation of antimicrobial resistance, preserving the efficacy of antibiotics for future generations.

12 April 2024 in Journal of Clinical Medicine
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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Francesco BrandaFrancesco Branda
Francesco Branda
CRChiara Romano
Chiara Romano
MCMassimo Ciccozzi
Massimo Ciccozzi
Marta GiovanettiMarta Giovanetti
Marta Giovanetti
Fabio ScarpaFabio Scarpa
Fabio Scarpa
AMAntonello Maruotti
Antonello Maruotti
Mpox, caused by viruses of the genus Orthopoxvirus, is an emerging threat to human and animal health. With increasing urbanization and more frequent interaction between humans and wild animals, the risk of Mpox transmission to humans has increased significantly. This review aims to examine in depth the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and diagnosis of Mpox, with a special focus on recent discoveries and advances in understanding the disease. Molecular mechanisms involved in viral replication will be examined, as well as risk factors associated with interspecific transmission and spread of the disease in human populations. Currently available diagnostic methods will also be discussed, with a critical analysis of their limitations and possible future directions for improving the accuracy and timeliness of diagnosis. Finally, this review will explore the public health implications associated with Mpox, emphasizing the importance of epidemiological surveillance, vaccination, and emergency preparedness to prevent and manage possible outbreaks. Understanding the epidemiology and control strategies for Mpox is critical to protecting the health of human and animal communities and mitigating the risk of interspecific transmission and spread of the disease.

1 August 2025 in Infectious Disease Reports
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Journal Article
Open access
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Francesco BrandaFrancesco Branda
Francesco Branda
Nicola PetrosilloNicola Petrosillo
Nicola Petrosillo
Giancarlo CeccarelliGiancarlo Ceccarelli
Giancarlo Ceccarelli
Marta GiovanettiMarta Giovanetti
Marta Giovanetti
Andrea De VitoAndrea De Vito
Andrea De Vito
MCMassimo Ciccozzi
Massimo Ciccozzi
Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) represent a growing global health threat, particularly for immunocompromised populations, with mortality exceeding 1.5 million deaths annually. Despite their clinical and economic burden—costing billions in healthcare expenditures—fungal infections remain underprioritized in public health agendas. This review examines the current landscape of antifungal therapy, focusing on advances, challenges, and future directions. Key drug classes (polyenes, azoles, echinocandins, and novel agents) are analyzed for their mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, and clinical applications, alongside emerging resistance patterns in pathogens like Candida auris and azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus. The rise of resistance, driven by agricultural fungicide use and nosocomial transmission, underscores the need for innovative antifungals, rapid diagnostics, and stewardship programs. Promising developments include next-generation echinocandins (e.g., rezafungin), triterpenoids (ibrexafungerp), and orotomides (olorofim), which target resistant strains and offer improved safety profiles. The review also highlights the critical role of “One Health” strategies to mitigate environmental and clinical resistance. Future success hinges on multidisciplinary collaboration, enhanced surveillance, and accelerated drug development to address unmet needs in antifungal therapy.

28 July 2024 in Vaccines
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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GPGrazia Pavia
Grazia Pavia
Francesco BrandaFrancesco Branda
Francesco Branda
ACAlessandra Ciccozzi
Alessandra Ciccozzi
CRChiara Romano
Chiara Romano
Chiara LocciChiara Locci
Chiara Locci
Fabio ScarpaFabio Scarpa
Fabio Scarpa
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical importance of vaccination to global health security and highlighted the potential of digital health solutions to improve immunization strategies. This article explores integrating digital health technologies with immunization programs to improve coverage, monitoring, and public health outcomes. It examines the current landscape of digital tools used in immunization initiatives, such as mobile health apps, electronic health records, and data analytics platforms. Case studies from different regions demonstrate the effectiveness of these technologies in addressing challenges such as vaccine hesitancy, logistics, and real-time monitoring of vaccine distribution and adverse events. The paper also examines ethical considerations, data privacy issues, and the need for a robust digital infrastructure to support these innovations. By analyzing the successes and limitations of digital health interventions in immunization campaigns during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, we provide recommendations for future integration strategies to ensure resilient and responsive immunization systems. This research aims to guide policymakers, health professionals, and technologists in leveraging digital health to strengthen immunization efforts and prepare for future public health emergencies.

9 January 2025 in Microorganisms
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Journal Article
Open access
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Francesco BrandaFrancesco Branda
Francesco Branda
Giancarlo CeccarelliGiancarlo Ceccarelli
Giancarlo Ceccarelli
Marta GiovanettiMarta Giovanetti
Marta Giovanetti
MAMattia Antonio Albanese
Mattia Antonio Albanese
EBErica Binetti
Erica Binetti
Fabio ScarpaFabio Scarpa
Fabio Scarpa
The re-emergence of the Nipah virus (NiV) in Kerala, India, following the tragic death of a 14-year-old boy, underscores the persistent threat posed by zoonotic pathogens and highlights the growing global public health challenge. With no vaccine or curative treatment available, and fatality rates as high as 94% in past outbreaks, the Nipah virus is a critical concern for health authorities worldwide. Transmitted primarily through contact with fruit bats or consumption of contaminated food, as well as direct human-to-human transmission, NiV remains a highly lethal and unpredictable pathogen. The World Health Organization has classified Nipah as a priority pathogen due to its alarming potential to cause widespread outbreaks and even trigger the next pandemic. Recent outbreaks in India and Bangladesh, occurring with seasonal regularity, have once again exposed the vulnerability of public health systems in containing this virus. This study explores the epidemiology, ecological factors driving transmission, and the public health response to NiV, emphasizing the role of zoonotic spillovers in pandemic preparedness. As the global community grapples with an increasing number of emerging infectious diseases, the Nipah virus stands as a stark reminder of the importance of coordinated surveillance, rapid containment measures, and the urgent development of novel strategies to mitigate the impact of this re-emerging threat.

18 July 2022 in Social Network Analysis and Mining
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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Loris BelcastroLoris Belcastro
Loris Belcastro
Francesco BrandaFrancesco Branda
Francesco Branda
Riccardo CantiniRiccardo Cantini
Riccardo Cantini
Fabrizio MarozzoFabrizio Marozzo
Fabrizio Marozzo
Domenico TaliaDomenico Talia
Domenico Talia
Paolo TrunfioPaolo Trunfio
Paolo Trunfio
Every day millions of people use social media platforms by generating a very large amount of opinion-rich data, which can be exploited to extract valuable information about human dynamics and behaviors. In this context, the present manuscript provides a precise view of the 2020 US presidential election by jointly applying topic discovery, opinion mining, and emotion analysis techniques on social media data. In particular, we exploited a clustering-based technique for extracting the main discussion topics and monitoring their weekly impact on social media conversation. Afterward, we leveraged a neural-based opinion mining technique for determining the political orientation of social media users by analyzing the posts they published. In this way, we were able to determine in the weeks preceding the Election Day which candidate or party public opinion is most in favor of. We also investigated the temporal dynamics of the online discussions, by studying how users’ publishing behavior is related to their political alignment. Finally, we combined sentiment analysis and text mining techniques to discover the relationship between the user polarity and sentiment expressed referring to the different candidates, thus modeling political support of social media users from an emotional viewpoint.