PhD Students

Here you can find contact details and publications of our current PhD students.

XXXIX cycle

Valeria Foti | XXXIX cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: valeria.foti.1@students.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Eleonora Candi 
Project: Study of p63 interactome
ORCID: 0009-0001-0305-8975

Federica Cerbara | XXXIX cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, University Hospital
E-mail: federica.cerbara@alumni.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Alessandro Mauriello 
Project: Integrated omics for the study of the effect of enviromental pollution on complex diseases
ORCID: 0009-0008-1595-3740

Elena Cornella | XXXIX cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, University Hospital
E-mail: elena.cornella@students.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Manuel Scimeca 
Project: Digital pathology in the era of multi-omics analysis: a new paradigm for precision medicine
ORCID: 0009-0009-9209-0181

Alessandro Montella | XXXIX cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: alessandro.montella@students.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Eleonora Candi
Project: The impact of the one carbon metabolism perturbation on lipids metabolism in keratinocytes and skin
ORCID: 0009-0004-0211-5052

Giada Corti | XXXIX cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: giada.corti@students.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Massimo Bottini
Project: Characterization of extracellular vesicle-mediated physiologic and ectopic biomineralization processes under different conditions
ORCID: 0009-0003-9168-8807

Veronica Bellanca | XXXIX cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Sciences
E-mail: veronica.bellanca@alumni.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Dr. Federica Rossin
Project: Transglutaminase type2 in hepatocellular carcinoma: toward new therapeutic strategies
ORCID: 0009-0005-3855-3895

Valentina Di Francesco | XXXIX cycle
Istituto Dermopatico Dell’Immacolata – IDI IRCCS
E-mail: valentina.difrancesco@students.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Eleonora Candi
Project: Psoriasis in functional genomics: correlation between the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the HLA-C gene and biogenesis of long non-coding RNA
ORCID: 0009-0001-7921-1833

Aurora Puce | XXXIX cycle
IFO-IRE
E-mail: aurora.puce@ifo.it
Tutor: Dr. Rossella Loria
Project: New molecular targeted therapies in adult and pediatric osteosarcomas
ORCID: 0009-0000-9921-0486

Claudia Fiorilli | XXXIX cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: claudia.fiorilli@alumni.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Francesca Bernassola
Project: The role of WWP1 in cellular metabolism
ORCID: 0009-0005-6442-7083

Riccardo Marangon | XXXIX cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: riccardo.marangon@students.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Eleonora Candi
Project: Identifying the role of one carbon metabolism in replicative senescence
ORCID: 0009-0000-9635-8549

Irene Masciola | XXXIX cycle
Istituto Superiore di Sanità
E-mail: irene.masciola@students.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Dr Sabrina Tait
Project: Valutazione del rischio/beneficio dell’assunzione di nutrienti e contaminanti alimentari ad azione endocrina sul signalling ipotalamo-tessuto adiposo mediante approcci avanzati in vitro in ottica di genere
ORCID: 0009-0006-7667-7124

Francesco Mattia Bonanni | XXXIX cycle
Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS)
E-mail: francescomattia.bonanni@students.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Dr. Egidio Iorio
Project: Phosphatidylcholine metabolism in breast cancer: identification of new molecular targets
ORCID: 0009-0003-2173-9736

Yijie Jiang | XXXIX cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
Tutor: Prof. Gerry Melino

Wenyuan Liu | XXXIX cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
Tutor: Prof. Gerry Melino

XXXVIII cycle

Benedetta Imperiali | XXXVIII cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: benedetta.imperiali.b@gmail.com
Tutor: Prof. Massimiliano Agostini
Project: Defining the role of ZNF750 as a lipid metabolism regulator in cancer
ORCID: 0000-0002-6908-4391
Publications
Montanaro et al Int J Mol Sci 2023

Alessia Violante | XXXVIII cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: alessia.violante02@gmail.com
Tutor: Prof. Eleonora Candi
ORCID: 0009-0002-4266-6102

Sara De Domenico | XXXVIII cycle (CNR)
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: sara.dedomenico95@gmail.com
Tutor: Dr. Angelo Peschiaroli
Project: Studio del ruolo del lncRNA NEAT1 nelle cellule tumorali

Margherita Ferreti | XXXVIII cycle
L’Istituto Regina Elena dei Tumori (IRE)
E-mail: margheferre96@gmail.com
Project: From fetal-maternal interface immune tolerance to endometrial cancer immune escape: potential targets for immunotherapy
ORCID: 0000-0002-7819-2546

Celeste Antonacci | XXXVIII cycle
Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesu’
E-mail: celesteantonacci@hotmail.it
Tutor: Prof Francesca Bernassola
Project: Targeting the unfolded protein response pathway in medulloblastoma: new strategies to impair cancer stem cells features
ORCID: 0000-0003-2872-5401

Maria Paola Scioli | XXXVIII cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, University Hospital, Dipartimento di Anatomia Patologica 
E-mail: mariapaola.scioli92@gmail.com
Tutor: Prof. Alessandro Mauriello
Project: Ruolo delle “paired-box proteins” nelle neoplasie umane
ORCID: 0009-0004-8190-4526

Michael Caloisi | XXXVIII cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: michael.caloisi@gmail.com
Tutor: Prof. Eleonora Candi
Project: Ruolo del metabolismo della serina nel differenziamento epidermico

Federica Corigliano | XXXVIII cycle
Laboratorio di Genomica Funzionale del Cancro, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan
E-mail: federica.corigliano@students.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Francesca Bernassola
Project: Hampering plasticity in glioblastoma, towards a better treatment
ORCID: 0000-0003-4331-8353
Publications
Gritti et al EMBO J 2022

Giorgia D’Addato | XXXVIII cycle
Università Unicamillus
E-mail: giorgia.daddato@alumni.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Francesca G. Klinger 
Project: Studio di fattori rilasciati da cellule mesenchimali staminali di tessuto adiposo umano per larigenerazione del tessuto ovarico
ORCID: 0009-0007-0235-1620

Mariacristina Franzese Canonico | XXXVIII cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: mariacristina.franzesecanonico@students.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Eleonora Candi 
Project: p63 in bladder cancer
ORCID: 0009-0003-0096-0503

Andrea Graziani | XXXVIII cycle
Università Unicamillus
E-mail: andrea.graziani@unicamillus.org
Tutor: Prof. Barbara Tavazzi
Project: Ricerca di nuovi biomarcatori molecolari nei fluidi biologici in malattie neurodegenerative acute e croniche
ORCID: 0009-0003-2989-4183

Valeria Bartolocci | XXXVIII cycle
IDI-IRCCS
E-mail: valeria.bartolocci@hotmail.com
Tutor: Prof. Eleonora Candi 
Project: 3D bioprinting di cute umana e carcinomi squamocellulari come modelli avanzati per la medicina di precisione

Xia Bozhang | XXXVIII cycle

XXXVII cycle

Donata Trivigno | XXXVI cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, University Hospital
E-mail: donatatrivigno@hotmail.it
Tutor: Prof. Alessandro Mauriello
Project: Apoptosis in cancer of colon, liver, and pancreas

Livia Concetti | XXXVII cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: livia.concetti@students.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Gerry Melino
Project: Regulation of 1C-metabolism enzymes in kidney cancer
ORCID: 0000-0001-9336-9330
Publications
Ganini et al Int J Mol Sci 2022

Veronica La Banca | XXXVII cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: labanca.veronica@gmail.com
Tutor: Dr. Angelo Peschiaroli
Project:  Elucidating the role of p63-Abcc1 axis in HNSCC
ORCID: 0000-0003-0206-8394
Publications
Gatti et al PNAS 2022

Caterina Lanna | XXXVII cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, University Hospital
E-mail: dr.caterinalanna@gmail.com
Tutor: Prof. Elena Campione
Project: La nuova fotoprotezione ecosostenibile
ORCID: 0000-0002-3485-6275
Recent publications
Lanna et al Exp Rev Cl Pharm 2022
Pellacani et al J Clin Med 2022
see more on Scopus

Giulia Tosetti | XXXVII cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: giulia.tosetti@alumni.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Eleonora Candi
Project: Study of One Carbon Metabolism in HNSCC
ORCID: 0000-0002-7055-379X
Publications
Cappello et al CDDisco 2023

Valeria Palumbo | XXXVII cycle (PON)
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, University Hospital
E-mail: valeria.palumbo.25@students.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Alessandro Mauriello
Project: Ruolo del bioaccumulo di metalli pesanti nello sviluppo di placche ateromasiche carotidee (approssimativo)
ORCID: 0000-0001-7756-6676

Simone Sergio | XXXVII cycle (PON)
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: simone.sergio@alumni.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Eleonora Candi
Project: Individuazione delle vulnerabilità metaboliche comuni alle cellule epidermiche ed alle cellule immunitarie per lo sviluppo di nuove terapie sostenibili per la cura della psoriasi.
ORCID: 0000-0002-9863-3740

Ilaria Arciero | XXXVII cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Sciences
E-mail: ilaria.arciero@alumni.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Sonia Melino
Project: Optimization of cell-biomaterial systems by 3D printing for in vitro studies of diseases: Osteoarthritis and Cancer
ORCID: 0009-0003-5701-4796

Cristina Guerriero | XXXVII cycle

XXXVI cycle

Silvia Buonvino | XXXVI cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Sciences
E-mail: silvia.buonvino95@gmail.com
Tutor: Prof. Sonia Melino
Project: 3D cell culture micro-systems: optimization of experimental models for simulating the tissue complexity
ORCID: 0009-0005-3124-3317
Recent publications
Buonvino et al Biomaterials 2023
Buonvino et al Int J Mol Sci 2022
see more on Scopus

Vittoria Bellato | XXXVI cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, St. Mark’s Hospital London/ Università San Raffaele Milano
E-mail: vittoria.bellato@nhs.net
Tutor: Prof. Giuseppe Sica
Project:  Il ruolo del mesentere nella recidiva di malattia di Crohn ileocecale
ORCID: 0000-0003-0123-1700
Recent publications
Siracusa et al Colorectal Dis 2023
Bellato et al Dis Colon Rectum 2022
see more on Scopus

Erica Foffi | XXXVI cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: erica.foffi@alumni.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Prof. Eleonora Candi
Project: Identification of positive transcriptional effectors of DNp63 in epithelia
ORCID: 0000-0002-6703-4884
Publications
Lena et al Cell Cycle 2021

Eleonora Mammarella | XXXVI cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: mammarella.eleonora@gmail.com
Tutor: Dr. Ivano Amelio
Project: Defining the metabolism/epigenetic link driving replicative senescence
ORCID: 0000-0001-6111-8350
Publications:
Panatta et al Cell Reps 2022
Butera et al Biol Direct 2022
Mammarella et al Biol Direct 2021

Francesco Moro | XXXVI cycle
IDI-IRCSS
E-mail: f.moro@idi.it
Tutor: Dr. Giovanni Di Zenzo & Prof. Eleonora Candi
Project: A case-control study on the association of dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor (gliptin) treatment in type 2 diabetes and bullous pemphigoid
ORCID: 0000-0003-0031-941X
Recent publications
Bardazzi et al JEADV 2022
Maronese et al Frontiers 2022
see more on Scopus

Valentina Tullio | XXXVI cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
E-mail: valentina.tullio@alumni.uniroma2.eu
Tutor: Dr. Valeria Gasperi
Project: miR126-CB2 crosstalk in breast cancer
ORCID: 0000-0002-4109-1805
Recent publications
Sibilano et al Int J Mol Sci 2022
Gasperi et al Int J Mol Sci 2021
Catani et al Int J Mol Sci 2021

Carlotta Zampieri | XXXVI cycle
University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery
Tutor: Dr. Ivano Amelio
ORCID: 0000-0002-2502-3853
Recent publications
Zampieri et al Mol Onc 2022
Zampieri et al CDDis 2020
see more on Scopus

Manuel Rigon | XXXVI cycle

Cristina Friorani | XXXVI cycle