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Professional positions

1992 - 1998

Contract researcher, Clinical Pathology Service, National Cancer Institute “Regina Elena” (Supervisors: Dr. Claudia Greco and Prof. Giuseppe M. Gandolfo).

Research activity:

  • Genotypic characterization of solid prenoeplastic lesions and haematological neoplasms associated with high incidence tumors with biomolecular approaches aimed at the selection of "at risk" patients.

  • Detection of genetic alterations of the protooncogene c-myb and of the p53 mutant serum protein in patients with benign and malignant colon cancer lesions.

 

1999 - 2000

Visiting investigator, The Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research (Supervisor: Dr. David F. Tough), Newbury (Oxford), United Kingdom.

Research activity:

  • Role of Type I and IL-15 Interferons in the functions of denritic cells and T Memory lymphocytes.

 

1999 – 2001

Contract Researcher, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Laboratory of Virology (later Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience; Supervisors: Dr. Enrico Proietti and Dr. Filippo Belardelli).

Research activity:

  • Cyclophosphamide as a type 1 interferon inducer chemotherapy potential: implications for cancer chemotherapy strategies.

  • Role of IL-15 in the activation of dendritic cells.

 

2002 – 2011

Contract Researcher (2002-2007) and Permanent Researcher (since 2008), Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Experimental Immunotherapy Unit.

Research activity:

  • ICSBP / IRF-8 and its role in the control of immune responses in mouse models deficient for IRF-8, in particular of dendritic cells and other types of cells of the immune system.

  • Role of IRF-8 in the anti-tumor action of epigenetic drugs (such as Decitabine) in mouse models of melanoma, with particular emphasis on the infiltration of immune cells into the tumor microenvironment.

  • Role of IRF-8 in tumor progression and in the control of specific immune responses against melanoma.

  • Role of the transcription factor IRF-8 in Mycobacterium Tuberculosis infections through the use of mouse models deficient for IRF-8 and in humans.

 

2012 - 2017

Permanent researcher and Scientific Director of the project, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine.

Research activity:

  • Study of the interactions between tumors and the immune system through the application of microfluidic devices.

  • Role of the cytokine IL-33 in tumor progression and in the infiltration of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment.

  • Development of a mouse model for the study of pollen allergies (nCup a1): role of denritic cells.

  • Synergism between decitabine and Type I Interferons in the induction of melanoma and colon cancer regression: in vitro studies on humans, in vivo and with microfluidic devices to determine the effectiveness of the combination of the two drugs.

 

2018 - 2022

Permanent researcher and Team Leader, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Immunology Unit.

Research activity:

  • Development of an on-chip immune system (Organ-on-chip) coupled to machine-learning algorithms (Generic Adversarial Networks) for the automated study of the crosstalk between the immune system and tumors, and their application in the onco-immunological field.

  • Study of the role of IL-33 in the tumor cell killing activity of eosinophils and its consequences in the infiltration of cancer cells in the different types of tumor microabs. In vitro studies on humans, in vivo and with microfluidic devices.

  • Studies on the role of basophils in melanoma: comparison between mouse models and in vitro studies on humans (in collaboration with Prof. Gianni Marone and Dr. Stefania Loffredo (Federico II University, Naples, Italy).

  • Development of mouse models of allergy-oncology for the study of the interactions between allergies and cancer.

  • Study of molecular and cellular aspects associated with the release of exosomes in melanoma and other types of cancer, and their role in activating the immune system.

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2023 - present

Senior researcher (Primo ricercatore) and Team Leader, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Cancer Immunology Unit.

Research activity:

  • Development of an on-chip immune system (Organ-on-chip) coupled to machine-learning algorithms (Generic Adversarial Networks) for the automated study of the crosstalk between the immune system and tumors, and their application in the onco-immunological field.

  • Study of the role of IL-33 in the tumor cell killing activity of eosinophils and its consequences in the infiltration of cancer cells in the different types of tumor microabs. In vitro studies on humans, in vivo and with microfluidic devices.

  • Development of mouse models of allergy-oncology for the study of the interactions between allergies and cancer.

  • Study of molecular and cellular aspects associated with the release of exosomes in melanoma and other types of cancer, and their role in activating the immune system.

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