PhD Student
Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors, Department of Research, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Italy
I am a PhD student and I had a strong interest in cancer research field since my pre-degree experience. Indeed, for my Biotechnology bachelor degree I wrote a dissertation about the role of autophagy in colorectal cancer stem cells. Then, I did my master thesis internship at Tumor Biochemistry laboratory of Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca. During this period, I investigated the efficacy of the hexosamine biosyntethic pathway inhibitor FR054 as a strategy to inhibit metabolism of K-RAS mutated pancreatic cancer cell lines (PMID: 33670598). In October 2019 I joined as a fellow the Unit of Immunotherapy of Human Tumors at Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, where I am actually working. During this period, I have been directly involved in research projects aimed at exploring anti-tumour immunity in sarcoma patients by the analysis of phenotype and functional commitment of different blood immune cell subsets. Flow cytometry classes along with my direct working experience, allowed me to gain a precise expertise and a deep interest in multiparametric flow cytometry design and analysis. In October 2020 I started the Open University PhD program. The aim of my PhD project is to dissect the β-catenin driven immune features of desmoid tumors, a rare type of infiltrative and destructive sarcoma affecting especially young women, both at tumour site and in peripheral blood. I am strongly interested and committed in cancer research and my goal is to continue my career in this field.