Acting Director
Group Leader, Cancer Genomics
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
Wernher and Beit Building (South)
Anzio Road, Observatory 7925
Cape Town, South Africa
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +27-21-650-7627
Education
University of Sao Paulo (USP),Molecular Virology, São Paulo, Brazil, PhD, 1999
Federal University of Sao Paulo, Paulista Medicine School, São Paulo, Brazil, Master in Science, 1993
Campinas State University (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil, BSc in Biomedical Sciences, 1989
Career History
Since January 2021, Acting Director, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town, South Africa
December 2016 – December 2020, Interim Director, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town, South Africa
Since 2009, Group Leader Cancer Genomics Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town, South Africa
2004-2009, Faculty in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
2004-2009, Associate Director, Research Proteomics, BIDMC Genomics Center and DFHC Proteomics Core, Boston, USA
2003-2004, Senior Research Scientist, BIDMC Genomics Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
1999-2003, NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, BIDMC Genomics Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
1994-1995, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Paulista Medicine School, São Paulo, Brazil
Scientific Activity
The overall goals of the laboratory are to utilize genomics and proteomics tools and signal transduction resources to accelerate comparative analysis of aberrant gene expression in carcinogenesis and to study alterations in signal transduction pathways during development of cancers. Areas of research include: regulation of gene expression by transcription factors, the role of receptor tyrosine kinases in cancer malignancies, aberrant gene expression in carcinogenesis and alterations in signal transduction pathways and gene translocations.
Teaching Activity
Since 2010, Organiser, Co-organiser and Faculty at more than 10 ICGEB International Workshops and Courses
Since 2010, Honorary Associate Professor, IBMS, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
2005-2009, Scientific Advisor, Continuing Umbrella of Research Experience (CURE), Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Boston USA
2004-2006, Scientific Advisor, Project Success, Office of Diversity and Community Partnership at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
2002, Lecturer, CBAB Course, Brazilian-Argentinean Biotechnology Center/Partnership, São Paulo, Brazil
1996-1999, Lecturer, Biological Science Course, Campinas State University, São Paulo, Brazil
1994-1995, Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, Paulista Medicine School, São Paulo, Brazil
1992-1993, Lecturer, Biomedical Sciences Course, Paulista School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil
Selected publications
Bonadies I, Maglione L, Paccez JD, Zerbini LF, Rocha e Silva LF, Picanço NS, Tadei WP, Grafova I, Grafov A, Carfagna C, Ambrogi V. Electrospun core/shell nanofibers as designed devices for efficient Artemisinin delivery. European Polymer Journal 89:211-220. 2017
Velloso FJ, Bianco AF, Farias JO, Torres NE, Ferruzo PY, Anschau V, Ferreira HC, Chang TH, Sogayar MC, Zerbini LF, Correa RG. The crossroads of breast cancer progression: insights in the modulation of major signaling pathways. OncoTargets and Therapy 10:5491-5524. 2017
Tamura RE, Paccez JD, Duncan KC, Morale MG, Simabuco F, Dillon S, Correa RG, Gu X, Libermann TA, Zerbini LF. GADD45α and g interaction with CDK11p58 regulates SPDEF protein stability and SPDEF-mediated effects on cancer cell migration. Oncotarget 7:13865-79. 2016
Paccez JD, Duncan K, Correa RG, Parker MI and Zerbini LF. Inactivation of GSK3β and activation of NF-κB pathway via Axl represents an important mediator of tumorigenesis in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Molecular Biology of the Cell. 1:821-31. 2015
Paccez J.D., Vogelsang M., Parker MIand Zerbini L.F. 2014. The receptor tyrosine kinase Axl in cancer: biological functions and therapeutic implications. International Journal of Cancer. 134: 1024-33.
Zerbini L.F., Kumar M.K., Vasconcellos J.F., Paccez J.D., Gu X., Kung A.L., Libermann T.A. 2014. Computational repositioning and preclinical validation of pentamidine for renal cell cancer. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 13:1929-41.
Mello P.A., Filippi-Chiela E.C., Nascimento J., Beckenkamp A., Santana D.B., Kipper F., Casali E.A., Bruno A., Paccez J.D., Zerbini L.F., Wink M.R., Lenz G., Buffon A. 2014 Adenosine Uptake is the Major Effector of Extracellular ATP Toxicity in Human Cervical Cancer Cells.Molecular Biology of the Cell. 25:2905-18.
Paccez J.D., Vasques G.J., Bhasin M., Correa R.G., Vasconcellos J.F., Gu X., Libermann T.L. and Zerbini L.F. 2013. The tyrosine receptor kinase Axl is an essential regulator of prostate cancer proliferation and tumor growth. Oncogene. 32:689-98s.
Li J., Weinberg M.S, Zerbini L.F and Prince S. 2013. The oncogenic TBX3 is a downstream target and mediator of the TGF-β1 signalling pathway. Molecular Biology of the Cell 24:3569-76.
Duncan K., Schäfer G., Vava A., Parker M.I and Zerbini L.F. 2012. Targeting neddylation in cancer therapy. Review. Future Oncology 8: 1461-70.
Tamura R.E, de Vasconcellos J.F, Sarkar D., Libermann T.A, Fisher P.B and Zerbini L.F. 2012.GADD45 proteins: central players in tumorigenesis. Review. Current Molecular Medicine 12(5):634-51.
Zerbini L.F, Tamura R.E, Correa R.G, Czibere A., Cordeiro J., Bhasin M., Simabuco F.M, Wang Y., Gu X., Li L, Sarkar D, Zhou J.R, Fisher P.B and Libermann T.A. 2011. Combinatorial effect of Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs and NF-kB inhibitors in ovarian cancer therapy. Plos One 6:e24285.
Bruns I., Czibere A., Fischer J.C, Roels F., Cadeddu R.P, Buest S., Bruennert DHuenerlituerkoglu, NH Stoecklein A.N, Singh R, Zerbini L.F, Jager M, Kobbe G, Gattermann N, Kronenwett R, Brors B and Haas R.2009. The hematopoietic stem cell in chronic phase CML is characterized by a transcriptional profile resembling normal myeloid progenitor cells and reflecting loss of quiescence. Leukemia. 23:892-9.
Gu X., Zerbini L.F, Otu H, Joseph M.G, Grall F., Correa R.G, Libermann T.A 2007. Reduced PDEF expression leads to an increase in cell motility, invasion and expression of mesenchymal genes in prostate cancer cells. Cancer Research 67: 4219-4226.
Zerbini LF, Czibere A, Wang Y, Correa R.G, Out H, Joseph M, Takayasu Y, Silver M, Gu X, Li L, Sarkar D, Zhou JR., Fisher P.B and Libermann T.A. 2006. A novel pathway involving MDA-7/IL-24 mediates NSAID induced apoptosis of cancer cells. Cancer Research 66: 11922-31.
Libermann T.A and Zerbini L.F. 2006. Targeting Transcription factors for Cancer Gene Therapy. Review. Current Gene Therapy 6: 17-33.
Zerbini L.F and Libermann T.A. 2005. GADD45 deregulation in cancer: frequently methylated tumor suppressors and potential therapeutic targets. Clinical Cancer Research 11: 6409-6413.
Zerbini L.F, Wang Y, Czibere A, Correa R.G, Cho J.Y, Ijiri K, Wei W, Joseph M, Gu X, Grall F, Goldring M.B, Zhou J.R and Libermann T.A. 2004.NF-kB mediated repression of GADD45a and g is essential for cancer cell survival. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 101:13618-13623.
Zhou J.R, Yu L, Zerbini L.F, Libermann T.A and Blackburn GL. 2004. Progression to androgen-independent LNCaP human prostate tumors: cellular and molecular alterations. Int J Cancer 110:800-806.
Zerbini L.F, Wang Y, Cho JY and Libermann T.A. 2003. Constitutive activation of NF-kB p50/p65 and Fra-1 and JunD is essential for deregulated IL-6 expression in prostate cancer. Cancer Research 63:2206-2215.