EDUCATION
2006: Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology, “Alma Mater Studiorum”
University of Bologna, Italy (110/110 cum laude).
2008: Master's degree in Medical, Molecular, and Cellular
Biotechnology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milano, Italy
(110/110 cum laude).
2012: PhD in Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of
Milano Bicocca, Milano, Italy.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
April 2006-Jul 2006: Intern - Department of Oncology, “Rizzoli”
Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna, Italy (Tutors: Prof. P.
Strippoli, Dr. M.S. Benassi). Thesis title: “Identification of
potential biomarkers for sarcoma of bone using comparative
proteomics analysis”.
Sep 2007 - Sep 2008: Intern - Division of Molecular Oncology,
San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy (Tutors: Prof. F.
Caligaris-Cappio, Prof. P. Ghia). Thesis title: “In vivo
models of chronic B lymphoid malignancies: molecular and functional
characterization”.
Oct 2008 - Dec 2008: Research fellow - Division of Molecular
Oncology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy -
(Supervisor: Prof. P. Ghia). Research interest: “Study of the
pathogenesis of Chronic Lymphoproliferative diseases using mouse
models”.
Jan 2009 - Sep 2010: PhD student - Division of Molecular
Oncology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy
(Supervisor: Prof. P. Ghia). Research interest: “Study of the
pathogenesis of B lymphoid malignancies using mouse models”.
Oct 2010 - Mar 2012: PhD student - Herbert Irving Comprehensive
Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, USA (Supervisor:
Prof. U. Klein). Research interest: “Role of Interferon Regulatory
Factor 4 (IRF4) in mature B cell development and
malignancy”.
Apr 2012 – Dec 2012: PostDoc - Herbert Irving Comprehensive
Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, USA (Supervisor:
Prof. U. Klein). Research interest: “Role of Interferon Regulatory
Factor 4 (IRF4) in mature B cell development and malignancy”.
Jan 2013- June 2013: PostDoc - Division of Molecular Oncology,
San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy (Supervisor: Prof.
P. Ghia). Research interest: “Role of SIGLEC-G/SIGLEC10 in B
lymphoid
malignancies”.
July 2013- Present: PostDoc - DIMES, Institute of Hematology “L.
e A. Seràgnoli”, Bologna, Italy (Supervisor: Prof. G. Martinelli).
Research interest: “Pathogenic mechanisms of Acute Myeloid
Leukemia”.
FELLOWSHIPS, HONORS AND AWARDS
Oct 2011: Award for best poster at at XIV iwCLL, October 28-30,
2011, Houston, Texas, USA.
Aug 2012- Oct 2012: American-Italian Cancer Foundation
Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship.
June 2013: Award for best PhD thesis in onco-hematology: Premio
Giuseppe Bigi 2013.
CONGRESS/MEETING ABSTRACTS:
- Simonetti G , Carette A, Wang H, Shlomchik M, Klein U.
“The Irf4 Gene, a Susceptibility Locus for Chronic
Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Controls Establishment of
Follicular and Marginal Zone B Cell Compartments in Mice”.
Blood. 2011;118(21):132. Published abstract. Oral
presentation at 53rd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition, December
10-13, 2011, San Diego, California, USA.
- Heise N, De Silva N, Carette A, Simonetti G, Baghat G,
Klein U. “Differential Expression and Non-Redundant Functions of
NF- k B Transcription Factor Subunits in Germinal Center B Cell
Subpopulations ”. Presented at 53rd ASH Annual Meeting and
Exposition, December 10-13, 2011, San Diego, California, USA.
- Simonetti G , Carette A, Wang H, Shlomchik M, Klein U.
“The Irf4 gene, a susceptibility locus for Chronic
Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), controls establishment of follicular
and marginal zone B cell compartments in mice”. Oral and poster
presentation at XIV iwCLL, October 28-30, 2011, Houston, Texas,
USA.
- Scielzo C, Bertilaccio MTS, Simonetti G, Muzio M,
Portararo P, Fazi C, Caiolfa V, Zamai M, Ghia P, Caligaris-Cappio
F. “The role of HS1 in normal and leukemic B cells”. Presented at
Keystone Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology, February 24-
March 1 2009, Taos, New Mexico, USA .
- Muzio M, Scielzo C, Bertilaccio MTS, Frenquelli M, Apollonio
B, Simonetti G, Portararo P, Ghia P, and Caligaris-Cappio F.
“Toll like receptors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells”.
Presented at Toll 2008 Meeting, September 24 -27, 2008, Lisbon,
Portugal.
- Scielzo C, Bertilaccio MTS, Muzio M, Frenquelli M, Portararo
P, Fazi C, Apollonio B, Simonetti G, Dagklis A, Ghia P and
Caligaris-Cappio F. “HS1 protein reveals its role in normal and
leukemic B cell migration”. Presented at the 13th Congress of
European Hematology Association, Bella Center, June 12 -15, 2008,
Copenhagen, Denmark.
SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS
- Simonetti G , Carette A, Silva K, Wang H, De Silva NS,
Heise N, Siebel CV, Shlomchik MJ, Klein U. IRF4 controls the
positioning of mature B cells in the lymphoid microenvironments by
regulating NOTCH2 expression and activity. The Journal of
Experimental Medicine. 2013; in press.
- Ochiai K*, Maienschein-Cline M*, Simonetti G, Chen J,
Rosenthal R; Brink R, Chong, AS, Klein U, Dinner AR, Singh H,
Sciammas R. Distinct modes of IRF4 action orchestrate the germinal
center and plasma cell fates of activated B cells. Immunity.
2013; 38(5):918-929.
- Bertilaccio MT, Scielzo C, Simonetti G, Hacken T,
Apollonio B, Ghia P, Caligaris-Cappio F. Xenograft models of
chronic lymphocytic leukemia: problems, pitfalls and future
directions. Leukemia. 2013; 27(3):534-540.
- De Silva N, Simonetti G, Heise N, Klein U. The diverse
roles of IRF4 in late germinal center B cell differentiation.
Immunol Rev. 2012; 247(1):73-92.
- Bertilaccio MT, Simonetti G, Dagklis A, Rocchi M, Veliz
Rodriguez T, Apollonio B, Mantovani A, Ponzoni M, Ghia P, Garlanda
C, Caligaris-Cappio F, Muzio M. Lack of TIR8/SIGIRR triggers
progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in mouse models.
Blood. 2011;118(3):660-669.
- Scielzo C*, Bertilaccio MT*, Simonetti G, Dagklis A,
ten Hacken E, Fazi C, Muzio M, Caiolfa V, Restuccia U, Bachi A,
Rocchi M, Ponzoni M, Ghia P, Caligaris-Cappio F. HS1 has a central
role in the trafficking and homing of leukemic B cells.
Blood. 2010;116(18):3537-3546.
- Bertilaccio MT, Scielzo C, Simonetti G, Ponzoni M.
Apollonio B, Fazi C, Scarfò L, Rocchi M, Muzio M, Caligaris-Cappio
F, Ghia P. A novel Rag2 - / - g c - / - -xenograft model of human
CLL. Blood. 2010;115(8):1605-1609.
- Muzio M, Bertilaccio MT, Simonetti G, Frenquelli M,
Caligaris-Cappio F. The role of Toll-like receptors in chronic B
malignancies. Leukemia and Lymphoma. 2009;
50(10):1573-1580.
