Dr. Francesca Pia Caruso, from Biogem Computational Biology Laboratory, directed by Prof. Michele Ceccarelli, is the principal investigator of a new cancer research project funded by AIRC, the Italian Association for Cancer Research, as part of the call "My First AIRC Grant" (MFAG). This type of call from AIRC provides essential support for young researchers to launch innovative projects. The selection process is rigorous and based on international evaluation standards.

The project to be developed at Biogem is titled ‘Elucidating Oncogenic Kinase Networks Shaping Immunosuppressive Microenvironment,’ and aims to identify new mechanisms and drug targets that can prevent resistance to immunotherapy treatments in oncology. Indeed, only a limited number of patients benefit from immunotherapy. Biogem research will focus on kinases, a family of enzymes that play a central role in several tumor characteristics, including proliferation, metastasis, and the ability to resist the body's immune response.

Methodologically, the research coordinated by Dr. Caruso includes in silico (i.e., computational) investigations to select new targets, generation of in vitro (i.e., cellular) models, and their validation in vivo (i.e., in mice models). The primary objective is to elucidate the mechanisms that determine the tumors' ability to evade immune defenses. Ultimately, this new Biogem research may lead to the identification of new therapeutic strategies in combination with immune-therapies to increase the positive response rates.