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Best poster award | Published on 13 June 2025
Mariacristina Franzese Canonico, a 3rd PhD student from Artem Smirnov/Eleonora Candi group, won the second Best Poster Award sponsored by the Molecular Oncology journal at the the international p53/p63/p73 isoforms workshop in cancer and ageing in Dundee, UK, organised by Dr Jean-Christophe Bourdon. Congratulations!

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p53/p63/p73 isoforms workshop | Published on 13 June 2025
The Prof Eleonora Candi lab attended The international p53/p63/p73 isoforms workshop in cancer and ageing held on 10-13 June 2025 in Dundee, UK. The aim of the meeting was to stimulate the exchange of ideas and collaborations between the leading scientists and clinicians from around the globe and to discuss the most recent and exciting findings about p53 family isoforms. Two PhD students, Damiano Barnaba (40 cycle) and Mariacristina Franzese Canonico (38 cycle), from Artem Smirnov/Eleonora Candi lab presented their PhD projects at the poster session. Photo courtesy of Dr Stephen Finn.

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Paper alert: Interferon response in bladder cancer | Published on 10 June 2025
Damiano Barnaba (40 cycle) and Mariacristina Franzese Canonico (38 cycle) from Artem Smirnov/Eleonora Candi group have identified a non-coding RNA LEADR, regulated by the transcription factor p63, among the top ncRNAs expressed in low grade urothelial tumours. They showed that LEADR dampens interferon signalling in low grade bladder cancer, therefore maintaining the tumour cells sensitive to immunotherapy. Read the paper here.

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Understanding causes of cancer | Published on 15 May 2025
Today Prof Dan Middleton from Queen’s College of Belfast (UK), held the sixth of a series of Biochemical Talks, organised by our PhD school. He presented his recent work on the role of environment and lifestyle factors leading to cancer.

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PhD 41 cycle CALL | Published on 07 May 2025
The 2025 PhD call – apply here. The call is now CLOSED.

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PhD Honoris Causa to Prof Yufang Shi | Published on 05 May 2025
Prof Yufang Shi from Soochow University (China) has received a Doctorate Honoris Causa degree in presence of the Vice-chancellor of the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” Prof Nucci for his achievements in biology of inflammation.

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Understanding breast cancer | Published on 05 March 2025
Today Prof Sima Lev from Weizmann Institute of Science (UK), held the fifth of a series of Biochemical Talks, organised by our PhD school. She presented her recent work on integration of multiple approaches to takle aggressive breast cancer.

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PhD viva XXXVII cycle | Published on 23 January 2025
Today XXXVIII cycle students have succesfully passed there final PhD thesis defence. The examination committee included Prof Elena Dellambra from the IDI Institute (Rome), Prof Maria Victoria Niklison Chirou and the President of the examination borad Prof Massimiliano Agostini. Many congratulations to our new PhDs!

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Biochemistry of lipids | Published on 22 January 2025
Today, Prof Maria Victoria Niklison Chirou from University of Bath (UK), held the fourth of a seires of Biochemical Talks, organisied by our PhD school. Prof Nikloson presented new data from her lab showing the role of the lipid droplets and lipid metabolism in medulloblastoma.

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Host-microbe co-evolution | Published on 4 December 2024
PhD students and professors partecipated at the “Host-microbe co-evolution” symposium held on 3-4 Dec 2024 at the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei and partially organised by Gerry Melino, professor emeritus of our PhD school and a member of the Accademia dei Lincei. The symposium hosted a special guest, prof James P Allison, a Nobel prize laureate.

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Visit by Prof Yufang Shi | Published on 3 December 2024
Prof. Yufang Shi from Soochow University, China, has visited Biochemistry lab. Several PhD students had an oppurtunity to present their PhD projects. In the afternoon, Prof Shi delivered a seminar on “Impact of thymic oleic acid on iTreg Differentiation“.

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In memoriam: Valentina Tassinari | Published on 2 December 2024
Con una tristezza infinita comunichiamo la scomparsa della Dott.ssa Valentina Tassinari, una ricercatrice appasionata e il membro del colleggio di docenti del nostro dottorato. Le parole della coordinatrice Prof.ssa Eleonora Candi.

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Honorary PhD to Prof. AJ Levine | Published on 6 November 2024
On 6^th November our PhD school organised a ceremony for conferment of Honorary Doctorate degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology to Prof Arnold J Levine (Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ, USA) for his pioneering work in the field of tumour suppression and discovery of tumour suppressor protein p53. Read more here.

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ECDO Conference | Published on 16 October 2024
Two PhD students from Prof Agostini and Prof Candi groups, have participated at the ECDO conference 2024 “Cell Death at Crossroads of Neurodegeneration and cancer” in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg (9-10 Oct 2024). Read more here.

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EACR Conference | Published on 16 October 2024
Two PhD students from Dr Peschiaroli group, have participated at the EACR conference in Cancer Metabolism in Bilbao, Spain (8-10 Oct 2024). Read more here.

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48th FEBS congress | Published on 04 July 2024
Our PhD students have participated in the 48th FEBS congress 2024 in Milan. The FEBS Congress presented a broad-spectrum and ground-breaking scientific program, completed in a fruitful collaboration with the journals of FEBS and representatives from FEBS Constituent Societies.

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PNRR Heal ITALIA meeting | Published on 14 June 2024
Several faculty members of the BMB PhD school have participated at the annual PNRR PE6 HEAL ITALIA meeting in Palermo. PhD school Director Prof. Eleonora Candi presented an update on the recent work of the Spoke 1 coordinated by Tor Vergata University including recruitment of Researchers and PhD students funded by PNRR.

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International Cell Death Seminar | Published on 5 June 2024
Our PhD students have participated at the online International Cell Death Seminar organised by ACDS, ECDO and CDR along with CDD press.

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Biochemistry of skin | Published on 24 May 2024
Today, Prof Kiyotaka Hitomi from University of Nagoya (Japan), held the third of a seires of Biochemical Talks / 2024, organisied by our PhD school. Prof Hitomi presented the history of biochemistry of transglutaminases and his recent research on skin differentiation.

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Chip for studying 3D cell migration | Published on 23 May 2024
Silvia Buonvino (36 cycle) from Prof Sonia Melino group has participated in the development  of a new device for study of cell migration and invasion in 3D cellular systems. This chip will be very useful for in vitro studies and will allow to analyse the impact of potential therapeutic approaches on cancer cell properties. This discovery has been patented and published in Advanced Healthcare Materials. Read more here.

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PhD Honoris Causa to Prof Nicotera | Published on 17 May 2024
During the Symposium on Cancer Challanges, Prof Pierluigi Nicotera has recieved a Doctorate Honoris Causa degree in presence of the Chancellor of the Univeristy of Rome “Tor Vergata” for his achievements in neurobiology.

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Symposium on cancer challanges | Published on 17 May 2024
Prof Arnold Levine (Princeton) and Prof Gerry Melino (Rome) have organisied a Symposium on Cancer Challanges at the Villa Mondragone (Frascati). The Symposium involved multiple renowned scientists from USA, UK, Germany and Italy.

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Paper alert: Modelling breast cancer | Published on 9 March 2024
Silvia Buonvino (36 cycle) and Ilaria Arciero (37 cycle) from Prof Sonia Melino group proposed a new model for breast cancer research (read the paper). Read more here.

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Cell fate decisions | Published on 28 February 2024
Today, Prof Jo H Zhou from University of Radboud (Nijmegen, Netherlands), held the second of a seires of Biochemical Talks / 2024, organisied by our PhD school. Prof Jo Zhou showed her recent work on the role of transcriptions factors, including p63 and PAX6, in cell fate decisions in epithelial cells.

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Exosomes and colorectal cancer | Published on 14 February 2024
Today, Prof Emre Sayan from University of Southampton, UK, held the first of a seires of Biochemical Talks / 2024, organisied by our PhD school. Prof Sayan shared his work on miR-carriyng exosomes and their role in the epithelial-mesenchymal trnasition in colorectal cancer.

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