Epigenomics and Biomarkers of Solid Tumors
Milano
Via Giacomo Venezian, 1, 20133 Milano MI
The scientific activity of the structure/unit is committed to lung cancer, disease that represents one of the major public health issues in terms of morbidity and mortality. The unit is dedicated in investigating lung cancer pathogenesis, its interaction with the microenvironment, the development of biomarkers for early diagnosis, and identification of novel therapies by using an integrated approach that combines cytogenetics, molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, pharmacology and ad hoc mouse models.
Primary activities of the Unit are:
- biomolecular characterization and elucidation of mechanisms underlying lung carcinogenesis;
- dissection of specific cellular subpopulations with high tumorigenic and metastatic potential (i.e. cancer stem cells) and their value as models for target treatment;
- investigation of the pulmonary stromal microenvironment (fibroblasts, endothelial and immune cells);
- establishment of innovative experimental models (homo-heterotypic cell cultures, 3D cultures, xenopatients);
- development of molecular tests on circulating biomarkers (nucleic acids, microvesicles, tumor cells) to be implemented in clinical trials for screening and early diagnosis;
- exploration for tissue and circulating biomarkers of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Side activities are:
- management of the Institutional Research Doctorate program affiliated to the PhD Program of the Open University of Milton Keynes (Dr. L. Roz, director);
- ii) coordination of the INT translational research activities on pediatric solid tumors (Dr. Gasparini, researcher).
- Parsortix
- QuantStudio Absolute Q Digital PCR System (Applied Biosystems)
- JuLIStage (NanoEntek)
- AutoMACS pro-separator (Miltenyi Biotec)
- GloMax explorer (Promega)
- Maxwell RSC Instrument (Promega)
- Whitley H25 hypoxystations (Don Whitley Scientific Ltd)
- Mini HD9 (Uvitec Cambridge)
AIRC IG. “Identification of early metastatic disease to improve the benefit of lung cancer screening” (PI Gabriella Sozzi), (2020-2025)
Ministero della Salute (Ricerca Corrente): “Organ-specific microbiome: identification of microbial species for diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic purposes“ (PI Gabriella Sozzi), 2021-2025
HORIZON 2020: Call H2020-SC1-BHC-2018-2020 “4-IN THE LUNG RUN: towards INdividually tailored INvitations, screening INtervals, and INtegrated co-morbidity reducing strategies in lung cancer screening” (co-PI Unit INT Gabriella Sozzi)
Center for Cancer Genomics at National Cancer Institute (NCI), USA Role: “MILD-bioMILD omic profiling project” (PI Gabriella Sozzi)
NIH NCI standard R01 The Lung EArly Proteins Project (LEAP): A LEAP towards implementing biomarkers in lung cancer screening(co-PI Unit INT Gabriella Sozzi), 2022-2027
Ministero della Salute - Ricerca Finalizzata 2021 (RF-2021-12371959) – “Tackling immunomodulatory properties of stromal cells to improve therapeutic strategies in lung cancer” (PI Dr. L Roz; Co-PI Dr. M. Milione) 2023-2026
Ministero della Salute – PNRR Missione 6 Salute - PNRR-POC-2022-12376329 “From diagnostic to theranostic CXCR4-targeting PET probe. Proof of concept in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)-PDX model” – (PI Dr. S. Scala – Istituto Pascale, Napoli; UO3 Coordinator Dr. L. Roz, INT) 2023-2025
Fondazione Bianca Garavaglia e Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano: “Precision Medicine for pediatric tumors - INT-per-Kids” (Co-PI Dr P Gasparini) 2020 – presente
Fondazione Bianca Garavaglia e Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano: “Exploiting B7-H3 as innovative target for car-based immunotherapy against pediatric bone and soft tissue sarcomas” (PI Dr. P Gasparini; Co-PI A Ferrari) 2024-2026
AIRC-IG 27141: “The “LKB1 connection”: role of LKB1 loss in promoting NSCLC aggressiveness through tumour microenvironment corruption”” (PI Dr. Moro) 2023-2027
Progetti di Linea INT (Linea 2): “Beyond LKB1 mutations: definition of a LKB1less identifier to better stratify Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer patients” (PI Dr. C Borzi; Co-PI Dr. M Moro) 2025-2026
HORIZON-MISS-2024-CANCER-01-03. Validated non-invasive liquid biopsy tests for cancer PREDIction in LYNCH Syndrome: PREDI-LYNCH. (PI Dr. Mev Domínguez Valentin, Tumor Biology Department, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Norway; Collaboratore Dr. M Boeri) 2025-2030
Ministero della Salute-Bando Ricerca Finalizzata 2021 (RF-2021-12373449) (PI Dr. U. Pastorino, Co-PI Dr. M.Boeri) 2023-2026
Grant di Ricerca Istituzionale: BRI2021 The Ark trial. (PI Dr. C. Proto, Co-PI M Boeri) 2022-2025
H2021 Project: Integrative Science, Intelligent Data Platform for Individualized Lung Cancer Care with Immunotherapy (I3LUNG). (PI: Dr. A. Prelaj, Collaborator: Dr. M Boeri) ID: NCT101057695 2022-2026
Ministero della Salute-Bando Ricerca Finalizzata per giovani ricercatoti :“Exosomal-PD-L1 as determinant of treatment with immune-checkpoints inhibitors in advanced NSCLC”; (PI Dr. O Fortunato)- 2021-2024
Progetti di Linea INT (Linea 1) : “Extracellular vesicles as markers and mediators of increased lung cancer risk in COPD” (PI Dr. O. Fortunato; Co-PI Dr. L Roz) -2024-2027
Progetti di Linea INT (Linea 2): “Trapping circulating tumor cells to develop prognostic biomarkers and novel anti-metastatic strategies in lung cancer” (PI: Giulia Bertolini, Co-PI: Giuseppe Lo Russo), 2024-2027
Human Technopole- NF Genomics: “Single-cell dissection of phenotypic/genotypic determinants of metastasis founder cells in lung cancer” (PI: Giulia Bertolini)- 2024
- Tel: 0223902852
- Tel: 0223903775
- Tel: 0223902643
Dott.ssa Sozzi Gabriella
Head
PhD Bertolini Giulia
Group Leader
Dott. Boeri Mattia
Group Leader
PhD Fortunato Orazio
Group Leader
PhD Gasparini Patrizia
Group Leader
Dott. Moro Massimo
Group Leader
Dott. Roz Luca
Group Leader
Ricercatori Senior:
Borzi Cristina
Ricercatori Junior:
Gentili Marco
Murianni Fabio
Studenti di dottorato/Specializzandi/Borsisti:
Alberico Ilaria
Ferrario Nicole
Benelli Francesca
Di Bernardo Arianna
Gerosa Benedetta
Ghidotti Patrizia (PhD Student)
Petracca Raffaella
Pitzalis Mary
Zanghì Anna (PhD Student)
Tecnici e Personale di supporto alla ricerca:
Facchinetti Federica
Segale Miriam
Sfreddo Lorena
Personale Amministrativo:
Zanini Cristina
Molecular Epigenomics
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Last update: 11/06/2025