Group Leader, Computational Biology
International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
Padriciano 99
34149 Trieste, Italy
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: +39-040–3757322
Education
SISSA – Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Trieste, Italy, PhD in Functional and Structural Genomics, 2010
Faculty of Life Science, University of Trieste, Italy, MSc Biological Sciences, 2004
Career History
From Sept 2020, Head, Computational Biology, ICGEB, Trieste, Italy
2016-2020, Manager, Bioinformatics Facility, University of Trento, CIBIO, Trento, Italy
2011-2016, Junior Group Leader, Bioinformatics Group, LNCIB, Trieste, Italy
2005-2011, Researcher, LNCIB, Trieste, Italy
Scientific Activity
The activity carried on by the Bioinformatics research unit is focused on extensively using and interpreting High-throughput analysis of genomic profiles used to discover molecular patterns, both in normal biological processes and in disease states. The research unit together with external collaborators (from both Italian and international institutions), has demonstrated that the synergistic use of genomic data, biological experiments and bioinformatics analysis might not only further the understanding of the processes involved in several diseases and in particular in cancer progression, but also provide lists of molecules with the potential to be incorporated in clinical settings. Nevertheless, with the massive amount, diversity, and availability of genomic datasets, bioinformatics research faces the challenge to integrate all of these source of information. For these reasons, the unit is particularly interested in integrated approaches because they are the key to understanding the complexity underlying the diseases, thus leading to the development of new therapies and diagnostic tools.
The molecular portrait of tumour associated mesenchymal stem cells. One field of interest is the interaction between cancers and the tumor-microenvironment. In particular, the research unit focuses on Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal cells (MSCs), since they reside in almost all types of tissues and are believed to play a central role in tissue regeneration, wound repair and maintenance of tissue homeostasis. MSCs are also present in the tumour microenvironment, where they exert multiple and complex roles in the cross talk with cancer cells. We have confirmed their ability to differentiate in vitro into various cell types, including cells of the mesodermal lineages such as osteoblasts, chondrocytes and adipocytes. More importantly, we were able to prove that tumor-derived-MSCs possess a distinct and specific transcriptional profile with respect to normal tissue-derived MSCs.
Functional and dysfunctional TP53. Mutations in the TP53 gene are among the most common alterations found in human cancer cells, and missense mutations account for the vast majority of these alterations. We have contributed to analyse in different setups (clinical settings, in vivo and in vitro experiments) characterisation of key effectors of mutp53 and of their contribution in promoting cancer cell’s aggressive features.
Epigenetics and Functional Genomics. We have contributed also to research that focuses on chromatin modifiers and on global Functional genomics.
Selected Publications
Ius T, Ciani Y, Ruaro ME, Isola M, Sorrentino M, Bulfoni M, Candotti V, Correcig C, Bourkoula E, Manini I, Pegolo E, Mangoni D, Marzinotto S, Radovic S, Toffoletto B, Caponnetto F, Zanello A, Mariuzzi L, Di Loreto C, Beltrami AP, Piazza S, Skrap M, Cesselli D. An NF-κB signature predicts low-grade glioma prognosis: a precision medicine approach based on patient-derived stem cells. Neuro-oncology. 2018; 20(6):776-787. PubMed [journal] PMID: 29228370, PMCID: PMC5961156
Verardo R, Piazza S, Klaric E, Ciani Y, Bussadori G, Marzinotto S, Mariuzzi L, Cesselli D, Beltrami AP, Mano M, Itoh M, Kawaji H, Lassmann T, Carninci P, Hayashizaki Y, Forrest AR, Beltrami CA, Schneider C. Specific mesothelial signature marks the heterogeneity of mesenchymal stem cells from high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio). 2014; 32(11):2998-3011. PubMed [journal] PMID: 25069783
Cesselli D, Beltrami AP, Rigo S, Bergamin N, D’Aurizio F, Verardo R, Piazza S, Klaric E, Fanin R, Toffoletto B, Marzinotto S, Mariuzzi L, Finato N, Pandolfi M, Leri A, Schneider C, Beltrami CA, Anversa P. Multipotent progenitor cells are present in human peripheral blood. Circulation research. 2009; 104(10):1225-34. PubMed [journal] PMID: 19390058
Beltrami AP, Cesselli D, Bergamin N, Marcon P, Rigo S, Puppato E, D’Aurizio F, Verardo R, Piazza S, Pignatelli A, Poz A, Baccarani U, Damiani D, Fanin R, Mariuzzi L, Finato N, Masolini P, Burelli S, Belluzzi O, Schneider C, Beltrami CA. Multipotent cells can be generated in vitro from several adult human organs (heart, liver, and bone marrow). Blood. 2007; 110(9):3438-46. PubMed [journal] PMID: 17525288
Gianfranceschi G, Caragnano A, Piazza S, Manini I, Ciani Y, Verardo R, Toffoletto B, Finato N, Livi U, Beltrami CA, Scoles G, Sinagra G, Aleksova A, Cesselli D, Beltrami AP. Critical role of lysosomes in the dysfunction of human Cardiac Stem Cells obtained from failing hearts. International journal of cardiology. 2016; 216:140-50. PubMed [journal] PMID: 27153139
Gomes S, Bosco B, Loureiro JB, Ramos H, Raimundo L, Soares J, Nazareth N,Barcherini V, Domingues L, Oliveira C, Bisio A, Piazza S, Bauer MR, Brás JP,Almeida MI, Gomes C, Reis F, Fersht AR, Inga A, Santos MMM, Saraiva L. SLMP53-2Restores Wild-Type-Like Function to Mutant p53 through Hsp70: Promising Activity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel). 2019 Aug 10;11(8). pii: E1151. doi:10.3390/cancers11081151. PubMed PMID: 31405179; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6721528
Walerych D, Lisek K, Sommaggio R, Piazza S, Ciani Y, Dalla E, Rajkowska K, Gaweda-Walerych K, Ingallina E, Tonelli C, Morelli MJ, Amato A, Eterno V, Zambelli A, Rosato A, Amati B, Wiśniewski JR, Del Sal G. Proteasome machinery is instrumental in a common gain-of-function program of the p53 missense mutants in cancer. Nature cell biology. 2016; 18(8):897-909. PubMed [journal] PMID: 27347849
Di Minin G, Bellazzo A, Dal Ferro M, Chiaruttini G, Nuzzo S, Bicciato S, Piazza S, Rami D, Bulla R, Sommaggio R, Rosato A, Del Sal G, Collavin L. Mutant p53 reprograms TNF signaling in cancer cells through interaction with the tumor suppressor DAB2IP. Molecular cell. 2014; 56(5):617-29. PubMed [journal] PMID: 25454946
Girardini JE, Napoli M, Piazza S, Rustighi A, Marotta C, Radaelli E, Capaci V, Jordan L, Quinlan P, Thompson A, Mano M, Rosato A, Crook T, Scanziani E, Means AR, Lozano G, Schneider C, Del Sal G. A Pin1/mutant p53 axis promotes aggressiveness in breast cancer. Cancer cell. 2011; 20(1):79-91. PubMed [journal] PMID: 21741598
Mantovani F, Piazza S, Gostissa M, Strano S, Zacchi P, Mantovani R, Blandino G, Del Sal G. Pin1 links the activities of c-Abl and p300 in regulating p73 function. Molecular cell. 2004; 14(5):625-36. PubMed [journal] PMID: 15175157
Forrest AR, Kawaji H,.., Piazza S, Carninci P, Hayashizaki Y. A promoter-level mammalian expression atlas. Nature. 2014; 507(7493):462-70. NIHMSID: NIHMS607910 PubMed [journal] PMID: 24670764, PMCID: PMC4529748
Carninci P, Kasukawa T,.., Piazza S, Suzuki H, Kawai J, Hayashizaki Y. The transcriptional landscape of the mammalian genome. Science (New York, N.Y.). 2005; 309(5740):1559-63. PubMed [journal] PMID: 16141072
Resmini G, Rizzo S, Franchin C, Zanin R, Penzo C, Pegoraro S, Ciani Y, Piazza S, Arrigoni G, Sgarra R, Manfioletti G. HMGA1 regulates the Plasminogen activation system in the secretome of breast cancer cells. Scientific reports. 2017; 7(1):11768. PubMed [journal] PMID: 28924209, PMCID: PMC5603555
Pegoraro S, Ros G, Ciani Y, Sgarra R, Piazza S, Manfioletti G. A novel HMGA1-CCNE2-YAP axis regulates breast cancer aggressiveness. Oncotarget. 2015; 6(22):19087-101. PubMed [journal] PMID: 26265440, PMCID: PMC4662477
Resmini G, Rizzo S, Franchin C, Zanin R, Penzo C, Pegoraro S, Ciani Y, Piazza S, Arrigoni G, Sgarra R, Manfioletti G. HMGA1 regulates the Plasminogen activation system in the secretome of breast cancer cells. Scientific reports. 2017; 7(1):11768. PubMed [journal] PMID: 28924209, PMCID: PMC5603555
Pegoraro S, Ros G, Ciani Y, Sgarra R, Piazza S, Manfioletti G. A novel HMGA1-CCNE2-YAP axis regulates breast cancer aggressiveness. Oncotarget. 2015; 6(22):19087-101. PubMed [journal] PMID: 26265440, PMCID: PMC4662477