Chief Biologist

Evaluation of metastatic ability of sarcoma cells in vivo

1987: Master Degree in Biology at the University of Bologna, with honors.

• 1989: National qualification for the profession of biologist and enrollment in the National Bar of Biologists
• 1995: Ph.D. in Oncology at University of Bologna, Italy.

• 1988-89: Postdoctoral fellow at the Istituto Oncologico Romagnolo, Cancer Research Section, University of Bologna, Italy.
• 1990-91: Postdoctoral fellow at the Italian Association for Cancer Research, Cancer Research Section, University of Bologna, Italy.
• 1992-95: Ph.D. fellow in Oncology, Cancer Research Section, University of Bologna, Italy.
• 1994-2003: Chief Biologist, Biotechnology Satellite Unit of Bologna, National Cancer Institute, Genoa, Italy.
• 2010-16: Member of the PROMETEO Laboratory, Tecnopolo, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna, Italy.

English: fluent.

Word, Power Point, CELLQuest, WinMDI.

Highly qualified know-how for in vitro and in vivo experimental studies on the malignancies of human sarcomas and carcinomas and on murine models. Flow Cytometry. In vivo fluorescent imaging.

Since 1995, tutorial activity for students in the Laboratory of Immunology and Biology of Metastasis, Cancer Research Section, DIMEC, University of Bologna.

Research Activity

Since 1988, her researches are focused on molecular and cellular biology of musculo-skeletal sarcomas, immunological prevention and immunotherapy of cancer:

• Growth factor circuits and new genes in human rhabdomyosarcoma and other musculo-skeletal sarcomas to dissect the mechanisms leading to unrestricted cell growth and to inhibition of terminal differentiation
• Identification of new genes related to malignancy of musculo-skeletal sarcomas in order to identify new therapeutic targets and to develop innovative therapies
• Preclinical studies of innovative target therapies in musculo-skeletal sarcomas directed to achieve antitumor and antimetastatic effects
• Set-up of innovative murine cancer models and of xenogenic human sarcoma and carcinoma models in different immunodeficient mouse strains
• Immunological mechanisms of immunoprevention and immunotherapy of cancer.

Research projects:

• 2007-11: Principal investigator of a research unit of the project: “Generazione di una rete nazionale dei modelli sperimentali per studi preclinici in oncologia” (Generation of a national network of experimental models for preclinical studies in oncology), Alleanza Contro il Cancro (Alliance Against Cancer - ACC), Special Oncological Research Programme 2006, Program 2, Italian Ministry of Health
• 2008-12: Principal investigator of the project: “Preclinical optical imaging and micro-PET in relation to metastatic process and response to antitumor therapies in musculoskeletal sarcomas”, Integrated Oncology Program 2006, Program 7, Italian Ministry of Health

Member of research units:

• From 1990: Member of research units of projects granted by the Italian Ministry of Instruction, University and Research, by the University of Bologna and by the Italian Association for Cancer Research (Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro - AIRC)
• 2005-2008: Member of the Rizzoli Research Unit of the European Research Project “Prognosis and Therapeutic targets in the Ewing family of tumours (PROTHETS)”, (Coordinator Dr. P. Picci)
• 2006-2010: Member of the Rizzoli Research Unit of the European Research Project “European Network to Promote Research into Uncommon Cancers in Adults and Children: Pathology, Biology and Genetics of Bone Tumours (EuroBoNeT)”, (Coordinator Dr. P. Picci)
• 2008-11: Member of the research unit of the project: “Immunological therapies in musculoskeletal sarcomas”, Principal investigator Dr. Giordano Nicoletti, Italian Ministry of Health, Integrated Oncology Program 2006
• 2014-2017: Member of a Research project granted by the Italian Association for Cancer Research (Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro - AIRC), Principal investigator Prof. Pier-Luigi Lollini
• 2017-2023: Member of the Rizzoli Research Unit of the European Research Project IMI2: “ITCC Pediatric Preclinical Poc Platform (ITCC-P4)”. Principal Investigator Dr. Katia Scotlandi, Coordinator: Prof. SM. Pfister (Heidelberg, Germany).

Scientific membership:

• EACR, European Association for Cancer Research
• SIC, Società Italiana di Cancerologia
• ISG, Italian Sarcoma Group.

Publications: 

• 120 international peer-reviewed articles with impact factor 
• 3 publications in books or other journals
• H index: 34 (Scopus); 32 (Web of Science); 41 (Google Scholar).

ID Numbers:

• ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9879-8118
• Researcher ID: J-6511-2016109 

Preclinical studies of innovative therapies in musculo-skeletal sarcomas.
Immunoprevention and immunotherapy of tumors.