Dr. Mezzanzanica Delia

Degree in Biological Sciences. I started my career using tumor antigen-specific monoclonal antibodies to redirect toxins or lymphocytes against tumors. During my training in the laboratories of Dr. David Segal at the NCI-NIH in Bethesda, I developed the preclinical conditions for lymphocyte redirection against ovarian tumors using bispecific anti-folate receptor/anti-CD3 antibodies. In the laboratories of Prof. Zelig Eshhar at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, I contributed to the construction of first-generation CAR-T against the same tumor target. Still in the context of gynecological diseases, more recently I have focused my interest on the identification of prognostic/predictive biomarkers associated with disease persistence/early relapse or response to conventional or targeted therapies and on the study of altered tumor metabolism. 

As chair of the MITO (Multicenter Italian Trials in Ovarian Cancer) translational group, and of the Translational Committee of the Gynecological Cancer Inter Group, I contributed to the definition of the guidelines on translational research in gynecological tumors and to the definition of the protocols for the collection and management of samples for translational studies. 

I have received funding as PI or Group Leader from: CNR, AIRC, Ministry of Health; Fondazione CARIPLO; European Community.