- Isolation and identification of cancer stem cells in fresh
tissue of surgically resected cholangiocarcinoma patients.
- Experimental study on cell lines of breast adenocarcinoma
(triple-negative).
- Experimental study on cell lines of and pancreatic
adenocarcinoma .
- Experimental treatment of hepatocarcinoma with metronomic
capecitabine..
- Experimental study on the asbestos role in the
development of cholangiocarcinoma. Prospective Case-control study
CARA.
- Experimental study on the asbestos role in the
development of cholangiocarcinoma. Study of NGS (whole
transcriptome expression) for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.
- Evaluation of molecular factors predictive of response to
adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with CC (hENT).
- Experimental study on the role of intestinal microbiota in
modulating antiblastic drugs toxicity.
- Experimental study on the role of intestinal microbiota in the
development of the human immune system and in the genesis of colon
cancer.
- NGS (next generation sequencing) experimental study about
precancerous and neoplastic pancreatic lesions
- Experimental study on the asbestos role in the development of PDAC. Prospective Case-control study PARA.
- Intratumoral microbiota in pancreatic and biliary cancer.
- H2 therapy in management of chemotherapy toxicity
- Traslational study predicting cancer relapse in pts with OLT for CRC liver mets
- Experimental study oh H2 treatment on prevention/treatment of adverse events of Chemotherapy
MAIN AREAS OF SCIENTIFIC INTEREST
- Gastrointestinal tract carcinogenesis
In this area, prof Brandi conducted several pre-clinical / translational and epidemiological studies. A research sector focused on the role of gastrointestinal tract mucosa proliferation in association with pre-neoplastic and neoplastic conditions, mainly in patients with colon adenomas and IBD. In this sector, he has published 18 full papers and 8 papers on high-impact journals in the field of epidemiological research on GI tract carcinogenesis. More recently this issue has been also extended to primary tumors of the biliary tract. In this context, he recently suggested a potential link between the development of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and asbestos exposure. This sector has been already object of three original papers and two chapters in international books. A further confirmation of this link comes from the analysis of North Europe Registry (NOCCA). In this area Prof. Brandi has completed a case-control study of incident cases of cholangiocarcinoma (CARA Protocol) confirming the asbestos role in the genesis of ICC. This sector is also the subject of a translational research project funded by the University-Region-ER-2013 (Study of whole exome sequencing in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma stratified according to different risk factors, including the research of asbestos fibers in tumor tissue).
- Intestinal microbiota
Another major area of research is intestinal microbiota and its potential role in GI carcinogenesis, GALT development and cancer therapies toxicity, publishing over 20 papers on high impact journals and presenting results in several national and international meetings. Several papers focusing on: A) the role of microbiota in the intestinal damage due to chemotherapy in gnotobiotic animal models; B) the detection of intragastric bacteria other than H.P in human antral mucosa; C) the role of intestinal microbiota in cell proliferation of colonic mucosa in human flora-associated (HFA) mice , are under drafting.
- Treatment of tumors
Prof. Brandi is mainly involved in hepato-bilio-pancreatic tumors. As team manager of the Primitive and Secondary Liver Tumor Group of S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital (Bologna), every year he takes care of about 50 new HCC cases; 70 cholangiocarcinoma (CCs), 70 tumors of the pancreas and 30 liver metastases from colorectal cancer. In this area he published at least 50 papers in high impact journals. Prof. Brandi has designed innovative treatments in HCC, as metronomic capecitabine in advanced setting, in patients with HCC relapsed after OLT and in advanced HCC Child-Pugh B pts. He is also the PI of a phase III, multicenter, randomized, open label study financed by the Italian drug regulatory agency (AIFA) with 1.1 million euros, aimed at evaluating the cost-effectiveness of two anti-angiogenic treatments (metronomic capecitabine / sorafenib vs sorafenib / capecitabine metronomic with cross-over to the failure of the first line) in patients with advanced HCC. Prof. Brandi is currently analyzing a large series of biliary tract cancer (about 800 cases) by several retrospective studies both in advanced and adjuvant setting. Recently he also founded an Italian consortium named GICO (Italian Group of Cholangiocarcinoma), currently including 17 Italian Centers that deal with biliary tract cancers. With GICO is also carrying on an international trial on adjuvant capecitabine+/-durvalumab in biliary tract cancer patients. Prof. Brandi is also involved in CRC management, mainly of patients with liver metastases, being the oncological referent for both international and local trials on liver transplantation in patients with unresectable liver metastases from CRC.
