Former alumni enrolled in the PhD program

Vincenzo De Laurenzi received his MD in 1990 from the University of Rome âTor Vergata with a thesis entitled : âNeuroblastoma differentiationâ under the Supervisors Prof. A. Finazzi-AgrĂČ and Prof. G. Melino and his PhD in âEnzymologyâ from the same institution in 1994, with a thesis entitled: âProduction and processing of peptides with autocrine function, and their role in neuroectodermal tumor cell growth and differentiationâ. Supervisor Prof. G.MelinoBesides working for many years in the laboratory of Professor Gerry Melino in Rome, he has worked at the NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA, investigating the molecular mechanisms of skin diseases and more recently at the MRC Toxicology Unit in Leicester, UK. Currently he is Associate Professor of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University âG. DâAnnunzioâ in Chieti.

Dr. Eleonora Candi, received her PhD degree in âEpithelia Biology and Physiopatologyâ at the Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome âTor Vergataâ in 1995, title of the experimental thesis : âLoricrin in the assembly of the cornified envelope: structural studies, and transglutaminase substrate propertiesâ, supervisor Prof. Finazzi-Agroâ. She did her preâ and postâdoctoral training from 1993-1998 at the Skin Biology Branch, NIAMS, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, USA, working under the supervision of Dr PM Steinert on transglutaminases and their substrates. From 1999 to 2001, she received a Telethon Research Fellowship to study the role of transglutaminases in the genetic disease lamellar ichthyosis. Her current scientific interests are studying the role of p63, a homolog of p53, and microRNAs in epithelia development and tumour formation.

Dr Francesca Bernassola is currently an Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology (BIO/11) at the Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences of Rome âTor Vergataâ University. She was previously a Research Assistant at the IDI-IRCCS Biochemistry Laboratory, located in the same Department. After receiving her PhD Degree in âEpithelia Biology and Physiopatologyâ under Professor Gerry Melinoâs supervision at the University of Rome âTor Vergataâ, she did her postdoctoral training at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA (2001-2003).

Alessandro Terrinoni is a Research Assistant at the Biochemistry Laboratory of IDI-IRCCS, Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome âTor Vergata.â He started his career in 1994 as a research fellow at the CNR, Centro Studi Acidi Nucleici, University of Rome âLa Sapienzaâ, working on the biology of transposable element, and has worked at Mario Negri Sud Research Institute in the Molecular Oncology laboratory directed by Dr. Saverio Alberti (1995-1997). He was a PhD student at the Biochemistry Laboratory of IDI-IRCCS, âTor Vergataâ (Dir. Prof. Gerry Melino) (1997-2000). He has also been a visiting scientist at the Epithelial Genetics Group, Ninewells Hospital, University of Dundee, Scotland, UK (1999-2000), at the Molecular Research Centre, Laboratory of Cell Biology, University College London, UK (2001-2002) and at MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Leicester, UK. He conducted 3 year of PhD in Biology and Physiopathology of Epithelia at âTor Vergataâ in 2001 under Professor Gerry Melino, studying the pathophysiology of different skin diseases, discovering the molecular cause of some of them, and a new disease Unilateral EPPK (144200), followed by a degree in Human Nutrition Science (cum Laude) in 2005.

Dr. Sergio Oddi, received his Ph.D. degree in âEpithelia Biology and Physiopatologyâ at the Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome âTor Vergataâ in 2002, title of the experimental thesis: âBiochemical characterization of the transglutaminase 5â, supervisor Prof. A. Finazzi-Agroâ. During his postdoctoral period, he received extensive training on cellular biology, biochemistry, and cell imaging by working in several Scientific Institutes for Research Hospitalization and Health Care (IRCCS): (i) Istituto Dermopatico dellâImmacolata (IDI), Rome (2002); (ii) European Institute of Oncology (IEO), Milan (2002/2003); (iii) European Center for Brain Research-Santa Lucia Foundation/IRCCS, Rome (2006-present). Since 2004, he is Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Teramo. His current field of research includes the study of the mechanisms underlying endocannabinoid-mediated signaling. He is holder of the international patent âDesign and synthesis of biotinylated probes for N-acyl-ethanolaminesâ (n. PCT/EP2006/061988 and WO2007/128344), for which he has been registered as inventor in the European Patent Office. He is a member of the following associations: International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS), British Pharmacological Society (BPS). He is referee for âBritish Journal of Pharmacologyâ, âJournal of Neurochemistryâ and âExperimental Neurologyâ. He is referee for the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR). Referee for âFondo Agevolazioni alla Ricercaâ (FAR) for MIUR (D.L. n.30/Ric. 02/02/2012). He is member of the Editorial Board of the journal âFrontiers in Membrane Physiology and Biophysicsâ.

Dr. Andrew Oberst graduated from Amherst College in 2001, and pursued his graduate studies in Europe, in a collaborative program between the Universities of Rome and Paris. He received his Doctorate in 2006, then completed postdoctoral training at St. Jude Childrenâs Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. He joined the Department of Immunology as an Assistant Professor in 2012, and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2018.

Dr. Anissa Chikh obtained her Ph.D in 2006 in Molecular/Cellular Biology and Biochemistry in an international thesis program, after a three-year research project, thesis title: âCharacterization of p63 target genes: IKK and GATA-3, their regulation during epidermal development.â The project was supervised by Professor Paul Cohen (Laboratoire des Signaux Regulateurs Cellulaire, CNRS, U7631, University of Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris VI, France) and Professor Gerry Melino (Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy). At present, she is a postdoctoral fellow at the melanoma group at the Centre for Cutaneous Research, Blizard Institute, Barts and The London, Queen Maryâs University, School of Medicine and Dentistry, UK. Her current scientific interests are related to the study of the ASPP family in melanoma and in skin biology.