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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD

@rnadoctor.bsky.social
287 followers 359 following 583 posts

Professor, Head of Laboratory of RNA Biology & Molecular Neuroscience, St. John's University, New York, USA. Humanist, Spearfisherman & Freediver. Views my own.

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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Had fun building two LEGO sets with my kid today: a @ferrarihypercar.bsky.social #499P Le Mans hypercar (the number 51 driven by Pier Guido, Calando, and Giovinazzi) and a #StarWars #BobaFett starship. Boba Fett even gave the 499P a try. He said it was a drive out of this world!
Ferrari 499P hypercar LEGO set and Star Wars Boba Fett starship LEGO set.Ferrari 499P hypercar LEGO set.Star Wars Boba Fett starship LEGO set.Boba Fett takes the Ferrari 499P Le Mans hypercar for a ride.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
📢🧬 Publication alert! Hereditary #cancer gene panels often turn up "variants of uncertain significance" (VUS) — DNA changes we can't yet call harmful or benign. A new study in J Med Genet tackles one of the hardest VUS types: variants that may disrupt RNA #splicing. 🧵 1/5 #CancerGenetics #VUS
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
#scientistswhocook: while spearfishing in Sardinia, I caught a nice sea bream, which I oven roasted with garlic, Vermentino white wine, and Myrtle leaves over a bed of sliced potatoes. I catch it, I clean it, I cook it, I eat it. #spearfishing #Sardegna #Sardinia #Italia #Italy #sarago #seabream
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
#scientistswhocook: while spearfishing in Sardinia, I caught a nice grouper. I used the head to make a pasta sauce, topped with sautéed grouper roe. I catch it, I clean it, I cook it, I eat it. #spearfishing #Sardegna #Sardinia #Italia #Italy #cernia #grouper #spaghetti
Grouper caught spearfishing in Sardinia, Italy.Spaghetti with sauce made using the meat from the grouper's head, topped with sautéed grouper's roe.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
This is why #IloveVenice. #Venezia #Venice #Italia #Italy #PiazzaSanMarco
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Always fantastic to be back in Turin to give a series of lectures on alternative splicing and cancer for masters students and PhD students! Thank you, UniTO for this wonderful opportunity! The name of the room where I gave my presentations is Eraclito; Panta rei! #UniTO #alternativesplicing
Front entrance of MBC2, University of Turin, Italy.Front entrance of MBC, University of Turin, Italy.The name of the room at MBC where I gave my presentations is Eraclito.Me and the masters students.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
This is why #IloveTurin: Open House Turin 2026. OpenHouseTorino.it A thread. #OpenHouseTorino #Torino #Turin #Italia #Italy
Open House Torino 2026.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
It always feels great to be back in Turin! Welcoming, beautiful city, with its murals and balconies. #thisiswhyIloveTurin #Torino #Turin #Italia #Italy
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Always a bittersweet feeling when one of your UG students graduates and leaves the lab 🥲 Christopher Beauvil was an amazing student who spearheaded the cloning of many of the #splicing factors we use in the lab, His latest: splice variant 1 of mouse #T-Star #Khdrbs3 fused to #GFP. We will miss you!
Me and Chris.Chris with a rack containing the mammalian expression constructs he created for many of the splicing factors we use in the lab. For each facor, he made a GFP-tagged version and a FLAG-tagged version.Chris with his most recent expression vector: splice variant 1 of mouse T-Star/Khdrbs3 fused to eGFP.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
📣 Congratulations to my amazing PhD student Md Mostafizur "Mostafiz" Rahman for being awarded the 2026 Haldar Award for excellence in research at St. John's university! Well done, Mostafiz! 👏 You make me proud 🥲
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Reposted by Matteo Ruggiu, PhD
Danielle Beckman @daniellebeckman.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Imagine being a scientist investigating vaccines in the U.S. After years of research and millions spent, your study is blocked from publication because your data doesn't support RFK's and the FDA's battle against vaccines. This is why people like me were forced to leave.
nytimes.com
F.D.A. Blocked Publication of Research Finding Covid and Shingles Vaccines Were Safe
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
#scientistswhocook: stuffed squid. Stuffing made with sauteed tentacles, white bread soaked in milk, panko, garlic, lemon zest, parsley, butter, olive oil, white wine. Based on a recipe from @honestcooking.bsky.social #squid #calamari
Squid.Stuffed squid, uncooked.Stuffed squid, cooked.Stuffed squid, cooked and cut.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Thank you 🙏 @aanmember.bsky.social for awarding my PhD student Md Mostafizur Rahman a Futures in Neurologic Research Scholarship 🏆 to attend the 2026 American Academy of Neurology Meeting! www.aan.com/events/annua...
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Congratulations to my PhD student Md Mostafizur Rahman for winning an award at St. John's University Student Research Conference 2026 with his poster entitled: "Alternative Splicing as a Driver of CaV1.3 Functional Diversity"🏆 #ionchannel #calciumchannel #CACNA1D #AlternativeSplicing #RNAsplicing
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
1/4 Wonderful to see a packed Taffner Field House today for Student Research Conference 2026 at St. John's University! Students from my lab presented 3 posters. #SJU #stjohnsuniversity #undergradresearch #gradresearch
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Wonderful meeting St. John's University alumnus and BPGbio.com President & CEO Dr. Niven R. Narain yesterday, and talk about science and novel therapeutics for mitochondrial disease. He also gave a fantastic presentation for our undergraduate students.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
#scientistswhocook: chicken with leeks. Recipe adapted from OrazioFoodExperience.com on YouTube. I added bell peppers and shiitake mushrooms. Served with rice. #chicken #leeks #shiitake #mushrooms #thyme
Leeks.Shiitake mushrooms.Bell peppers.Chicken with leeks, shiitake mushrooms, bell peppers, thyme, in a white wine creamy sauce.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
#scientistswhocook: Spaghetti with roasted halibut and striped bass, squid, cherry tomatoes, yellow foot mushrooms, and spinach. I used halibut and striped bass collars that I marinated in wine, garlic, and olive oil and then roasted in the oven. #spaghetti #halibut #stripedbass #squid #mushrooms
Spaghetti with roasted halibut and striped bass, squid, cherry tomatoes, yellow foot mushrooms and spinach.The pasta sauce ready for the spaghetti.The pasta sauce without the sauteed squid and spinach.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
#scientistswhocook: Spaghetti with roasted halibut, squid, and cherry tomatoes. I used halibut collars that I roasted in the oven with garlic, salt, pepper, butter, and white wine. I then added the meat to sauteed squid and cherry tomatoes. #spaghetti #halibut #squid
Halibut collars.Roasted halibut collars.Pasta sauce with halibut, squid, and cherry tomatoes.Spaghetti with roasted halibut, squid, cherry tomatoes, garlic, butter, and parsley.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
#scientistswhocook: Oven-roasted branzino/spigola (from #Chinatown) with roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach. Enjoyed with a glass of Vallisto Torrontes from Argentina. #branzino #spigola #spinach #Torrontes #Argentina
Branzino/spigola.Branzino/spigola.Roasted branzino/spigola.Roasted branzino/spigola with roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
This is why #ILoveNYC: this amazing #sunset.
Sunset sky in NYC.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
🚨 New paper alert! 🚨 Our method paper entitled: "Semi-quantitative RT-PCR Assay for the Analysis of Alternative Splicing of Interleukin Genes" is out now on the volume "Immune Mediators in Cancer"! 🧵 Thread 👇 #AlternativeSplicing #SpliceVariant #Interleukins #Cytokines
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
#scientistswhocook: spaghetti with tilapia, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, and Taiwanese bottarga. #spaghetti #tilapia #bottarga #Taiwan
Tilapia, shrimp, and cherry tomatoes.Spaghetti with tilapia, shrimp, cherry tomatoes and Taiwanese bottarga.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
#scientistswhocook: spaghetti with shrimp, maitake (Hen of the Woods) mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, parsley, mascarpone, and bottarga from Taiwan 🇹🇼. Served with a Ferrari spumante to celebrate the New Year 🎆 #spaghetti #shrimp #maitake #mushroom #mascarpone #bottarga #Taiwan #spumante #Ferrari
Spaghetti with shrimp, maitake mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and bottarga from Taiwan.Ferrari spumante.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
Holidays 🎄 lab dinner! I feel so grateful for my awesome team for such an amazingly productive (4 papers!) 2025! From L in the first picture: Damyan, Chris, Daisy (former UG student) me, Faruk (former PhD Student), Mostafiz and his wife, Amatun Noor, Katelyn.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
Thank you, Dr. Hsien-Sung Huang for hosting me during my stay in #Taipei & for inviting me to present my work at #NationalTaiwanUniversity. I had a wonderful time talking #organoids, #AlternativeSplicing, #RNAediting, & Rbfox 3. Huang lab (黃憲松實驗室) share.google/Rv5o6uwhByHV... #Taiwan #IonChannels
College of Medicine, National Taiwan University.Me and members of the Huang lab.Me and Dr. Hsien-Sung Huang.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
#scientistswhocook: spaghetti with bonito (palamita in Italian) marinated in rosé wine, and bottarga. #spaghetti #bonito #palamita #bottarga
BonitoBonitoDiced bonito marinated in olive oil, rosé wine, salt, pepper.Spaghetti with marinated bonito and bottarga.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 02/11/2025
#scientistswhocook: oven roasted rainbow trout on a bed of sliced onions, potatoes, peppers and cherry tomatoes. The fish was marinated in olive oil and rosé wine. #rainbowtrout
Rainbow trout.Rainbow trout on a bed of sliced onions, potatoes, peppers, and cherry tomatoes.Rainbow trout on a bed of sliced onions, potatoes, peppers, and cherry tomatoes.Rainbow trout on a bed of sliced onions, potatoes, peppers, and cherry tomatoes.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 14/10/2025
🚨 New paper alert! 🚨 Our paper entitled: "Synergy between RNA editing and alternative splicing modulates the biological properties of the voltage-gated calcium channel CaV1.3" is out now on Journal of Biological Chemistry! www.jbc.org/article/S002... #AlternativeSplicing #RNAediting 🧵 👇
jbc.org
Synergy between RNA editing and alternative splicing modulates the biological properties of the voltage-gated calcium channel CaV1.3
Alternative splicing and adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing are post-transcriptional mechanisms that promote proteomic diversity in the brain. The impact of RNA editing on brain physiology is u...
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
#scientistswhocook: spaghetti with squid 🦑 (ink 🫟 included) in a white wine, garlic, butter and parsley sauce; pan seared swordfish with a side of grilled vegetables. #spaghetti #squid #swordfish
Fresh squid.Spaghetti with squid (black ink included).Swordfish steak.Pan seared swordfish with grilled vegetables.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
I just got my annual #FluShot 💉. Thanks to my employer, St. John's University, for organizing the Flu Clinic on campus every year. #VaccinesWork #VaccinesSaveLives
Flu shot
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
#scientistswhocook: spaghetti with fish collar meat from salmon and red snapper, in a while wine, garlic, mascarpone, and parsley sauce. #spaghetti #salmon #RedSnapper
Spaghetti with fish collar meat from salmon and red snapper.Salmon and red snapper fish collars.Salmon and red snapper fish collars.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 05/10/2025
I'm grateful that I live in a state where I can still get the #CovidVaccine If I so choose. Shot number 7 for me 💉 since January 2021. #VaccinesWork #VaccinesSaveLives
COVID vaccine shot
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
🚨 New paper alert! 🚨 Our paper entitled: "Neuron-specific Agrin splicing by Nova RNA-binding proteins regulates conserved neuromuscular junction development in chordates" is out now on @plosbiology.org ! journals.plos.org/plosbiology/... #splicing #microexons #NMJ #Ciona 🧵👇
journals.plos.org
Neuron-specific Agrin splicing by Nova RNA-binding proteins regulates conserved neuromuscular junction development in chordates
Neuron-specific splicing of Agrin by Nova RNA-binding proteins is essential for neuromuscular synapse formation via acetylcholine receptor clustering. This study shows that this RNA splicing pathway i...
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Reposted by Matteo Ruggiu, PhD
PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 15/09/2025
Neuron-specific splicing of Agrin by Nova is essential for AChR clustering at the NMJ. @rnadoctor.bsky.social @lionlchristiaen.bsky.social &co show that this pathway is conserved in tunicates & that the transcription factor Ebf is a key activator of Nova expression @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/3VhTwig
Top left: Two-color double ISH of Nova (green) and Islet (magenta) showing co-expression in the bilaterally symmetric Motor Neuron 2 (MN2) pair of cells (arrows). Note that Nova mRNA distribution appears more nuclear than Islet in these cells at this stage. Top right:  Summary model diagram of a conserved Nova-Agrin-Lrp4 pathway for AChR clustering in Ciona. Upper panel: Summary of conserved pathway, and previously unidentified Ebf-Nova regulatory connection identified in Ciona. Lower panel: Model of proposed mechanism for Ciona Nova-dependent alternative Agrin splicing via binding of KH1 and KH2 domains to two YCAY-rich NISEs identified in the intron 3′ to the Z exons (though not known in what exact orientation or configuration). Inhibitory effect of KH3 domain is relieved by the N- and C-termini. Diagram not drawn to scale. Bottom: Neural-specific CRISPR-mediated disruption of Agrin using sgRNAs results in loss of Acetylcholine receptor A1::GFP clusters (AChRA1::GFP, green) in tail muscles, driven by the Tbx6-r.b promoter. Motor neuron axons labeled by VAChT > Unc-76::mCherry in magenta.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 14/09/2025
#scientistswhocook: spaghetti with Acadian redfish in a garlic, white wine, mascarpone, parsley, and olive oil sauce. Paired with a Stein sparkling rosé from the Mosel region in Germany. #spaghetti #redfish #mascarpone #sparkling #rosé #Mosel #Germany
Spaghetti with Acadian redfish in a garlic, mascarpone, white wine, parsley, and olive oil sauce.Stein sparkling rosé from the Mosel region in Germany.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 17/08/2025
#scientistswhocook: #risotto with Chinese roast pork, #bokchoy, oyster #mushrooms, garlic, butter, white wine, and #parmesan cheese. Totally improvised using pork from Chinese #takeout, but it came out pretty good! 👍
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
#scientistswhocook: Mediterranean #snapper #dentex #dentice caught #spearfishing in #Sardinia #Sardegna, and roasted in the oven over a bed of potatoes with #myrtle #mirto leaves. I catch it, I clean it, I cook it, I eat it.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 26/07/2025
#scientistswhocook: #amberjack #ricciola and #grouper #cernia prepared raw as #carpaccio and #tartare. Fish caught #spearfishing in #Sardinia #Sardegna. I catch it, I clean it, I prepare it, I eat it.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
This is why #IloveCorsica. Always exciting to arrive in #Bonifacio #Corsica #France, one of the most beautiful harbors of the #Mediterranean.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 24/06/2025
This is why #IloveVenice #Venice #Venezia #Italy
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 20/06/2025
1/2 This is why #IloveTurin #Turin #Torino #Italy. Beautiful front/main doors #portoni
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
This is why #IloveTurin #Torino: a perfect #cappuccino on a #MondayMorning.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
📢 #PaperAlert Review article in @WIREs_Reviews on #AlternativeSplicing, voltage-gated #calcium #channels, and #channelopathies. #IonChannels Alternative Splicing and CaV‐Associated Channelopathies - Munyao - 2025 - WIREs RNA - Wiley Online Library wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Alternative Splicing and CaV‐Associated Channelopathies
Voltage-gated calcium channels control vital cellular processes through complex alternative splicing mechanisms, and their dysfunction contributes to neurological, cardiac, endocrine, oncogenic, and ...
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 26/05/2025
#scientistswhocook: #roasted #branzino #spigola 🐟 from the Mercato di #Rialto in #Venice #Venezia #Italy #Italia. Cooked with just olive oil, garlic, and white wine. #MwdFoodSky
Branzino/Spigola at the Rialto seafood market in Venice, Italy.Branzino/Spigola.Roasted branzino/spigola.Roasted branzino/spigola.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 25/05/2025
#scientistswhocook: #spaghetti with #lobster #astice 🦞 from the Mercato di #Rialto in #Venice #Venezia #Italy #Italia. #MedFoodSky
Lobster astice Lobster astice Lobster astice Spaghetti with lobster astice
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 24/05/2025
This is why #IloveVenice #Venice #Venezia #Italy #Italia. Banksy's Migrant Child mural. #Banksy #migrantchild #migrante #mural #streetart
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
This is why #ILoveVenice #Venice #Venezia #Italy #Italia. #Seafood at Mercato di #Rialto.
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
This is why #ILoveTurin #Turin #Torino #Piemonte #Italy #Italia #MoleAntonelliana
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Matteo Ruggiu, PhD @rnadoctor.bsky.social · 21/05/2025
This is why #IloveTurin: #bunet! #Torino #Turin #Piemonte #Italy
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