Francesco Flandi is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Humanitas University in the Microbial Systems and Human Interfaces (MSHI) Lab led by Dr. Sara Carloni. He obtained his PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Bologna, Italy, where he conducted his doctoral research in the Microbial Genetics of Infection Laboratory under the supervision of Prof. Marco Rinaldo Oggioni. His PhD thesis focused on the mechanisms of host tissue-specific macrophage immunity against Streptococcus pneumoniae and hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae infections.

His research experience spans host–microbe interactions, microbial pathogenesis, and bacterial adaptation within host environments. During his doctoral training, he investigated tissue-resident macrophage responses to encapsulated bacterial pathogens using primary cell models, ex vivo human organ perfusion systems, advanced microscopy, and quantitative imaging approaches. He also developed expertise in bacterial genetics, biofilm biology, and microbial phenotyping.

At the MSHI Lab, his research focuses on microbial communication systems and their role in shaping disease-associated microbial states. His current work investigates bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) as functional readouts of microbial activity and biofilm-associated dynamics, with the goal of decoding and modulating microbial signaling networks. By studying microbial communication mechanisms, including quorum sensing, metabolism, and vesicle-mediated interactions, his research aims to identify strategies to rewire microbial communities toward functional states with therapeutic potential.