Director Prof. Lucia Altucci  and Prof. Vincenzo Carafa

RESEARCH FOCUS

Our medical epigenetics group studies the role of epigenomic alterations and epigenetic modifications, also at the single cell level, in human pathologies, with a focus on leukemia and solid tumors, degenerative, cardiovascular and metabolic pathologies. The identification of epigenetic biomarkers allows for the development new therapeutic targets and diagnostic and prognostic targets. Our group proposes translational activities, including the identification and characterization of epimutations, and the development of diagnostic and prognostic methods for identifying the disease and the response to treatments. The group also focuses on drug discovery activities, to identify and characterize innovative treatments based on the use of new molecules that target chromatin.

SPECIFIC LINES OF RESEARCH

1. Characterization of the role of sirtuins (and modulators) in human development and pathologies.

2. Identification and characterization of the role of class B acetyltransferases in tumors.

3. Characterization of epigenomic alterations in leukemias with bioinformatics methods

4. Characterization of epigenomic alterations in colorectal cancer, with bioinformatics methods

5. Identification and characterization of the role of micro-vesicles in cell communication and in human pathologies, such as tumors.

6. Use of alterations in metabolic pathways for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.

7. Innovative epigenetic approaches for the identification of therapeutic strategies against SARS-Cov-2.