Principle investigators
• Giovanni Davì
• Piero Musiani
• Marina Ziche
• Paola Patrignani
• Bianca Rocca
Professor Davì is particularly
involved in research on the role of lipid peroxidation, platelet activation,
endothelial dysfunction and inflammation in the pathophysiology of atherosclerotic
diseases. Professor Davì is a leading expert in the following fields
of clinical research: hemostatic and thrombotic diseases, both genetic
and acquired; role of oxidative stress and platelet activation in cardiovascular
and metabolic diseases; role of oxidative stress and inflammation in the
pathogenesis and evolution of the atherosclerotic lesions in relation
to cardiovascular risk factors in the process of aging and in degenerative
diseases. Recently an important aspect of his researches is focused on
functional read-outs of low-grade inflammatory state in cardiovascular
diseases.
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Prof.
Musiani has worked for over 5 years on mammary carcinogenesis and
on immunological prevention and treatment of induced and spontaneous mammary
carcinomas. A series of experimental approaches have been done by using
a poorly differentiated mammary adenocarcinoma cell line (TSA) transfected
with a variety of cytokine and chemokine genes. After untransfected and
transfected TSA cell subcutaneous injection in syngeneic mice, the effect
on tumor growth exerted by the released cytokine or chemokine in the tumour
growth microenvironment was evaluated. In the last few years, in collaboration
with Prof. G. Forni of the University of Turin, Italy, Prof. Musiani has
developed a strain of mice transgenic for the activated rat HER-2/neu oncogene
(BALB-NeuT mice) which spontaneously develop mammary carcinomas. Immunopreventive
and immunotherapeutic approaches with IL-12 and DNA-vaccination against
HER-2/neu have been performed in order to impede mammary tumour development
and progression.
More recently, Dr Musiani has extended
his interest in studying the role of cyclooxygenase (COX) metabolic pathway
in breast tumorigenesis. His researches, founded by the Italian Ministry
of Scientific Research (MIUR) and by the Italian Association for Cancer
Research (AIRC), will focus on the effects of COXs inhibition on human and
murine breast cancer cell lines and transgenic animals in regard to tumor
proliferation, invasiveness, angiogenic potential and immune suppression.
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Prof Marina Ziche
is a leading expert in the field of angiogenesis. Angiogenesis, a process
which leads to formation of new vessels, has a relevant physiological
role during development and in adult life. The involvement of angiogenesis
in pathologies, particularly cancer, but also cardiovascular and neurodegenerative
diseases, has sparked an intense research interest in this phenomenon.
Prof. Ziche has done seminal work on the intracellular signalling of the
endothelium, the cells lining blood vessels, uncovering the role of intracellular
mediator as nitric oxide (NO) and eicosanoids in the acquisition of the
angiogenic phenotype.
The group of Prof. Ziche focuses on tumor angiogenesis and on the neo-vascularisation
of the cardiovascular system. The solid technological platform of the
group will provide a strong expertise on endothelial cell biology and
angiogenesis assays within the EICOSANOX project.
The specific contribution to the research project looks upon:
•Molecular mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular
diseases;
•Interplay of cycloxygenase/prostaglandin synthase and nitric oxide
synthase in angiogenesis;
•Characterization of novel therapeutic strategies to control tumor
angigogenesis.
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Prof
Paola Patrignani is a leading expert in the field of arachidonic
acid metabolism and in the clinical pharmacology of antiplatelet and antiinflammatory
drugs. She will provide a broad expertise regarding the biosynthesis, biochemistry
and molecular biology of the COX-pathway and down-stream enzymes. Her group
has also expertise in the molecular biology of p53 family proteins and in
biology and biochemistry of cell-cell interactions. Recently an important
aspect of her researches is focused on pharmacogenetic and pharmacogenomic
studies aimed to identify the mechanisms of inter-subject variability in
the response to aspirin and coxibs in pathological conditions, such as acute
coronary syndromes and colon cancer.
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Bianca Rocca, MD. Fields
of interest: Prostanoids, cyclooxygenases, haemostasis, anti-thrombotic
drugs, cardiovascular disorders, inflammation.
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