Ongoing Research Supports:
Italian Ministry of Health Gasparre, G. (PI) 2016-2018
DISCO TRIP Disrupting mitochondrial complex I to trigger pseudonormoxia: an anticancer strategy. €381,000
Role: Principal Investigator
Worldwide Cancer Research UK Gasparre, G. (PI) 2016-2018
DHoMoS - Understanding the determinants of the homoplasmic shift of mitochondrial DNA mutations in families with recurrent oncocytomas £143500
Role: Principal Investigator
Ass. Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro Gasparre, G. (PI)
2014-2017
JANEUTICS - From the oncojanus function of mitochondrial genes to
anti-cancer therapeutic strategies
IG 2013 – 14242
€290.000
Role: Principal Investigator
Ass. Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro Gasparre, G. (PI)
2012-2014
Mitochondrial dysfunction and low-proliferative tumor phenotype:
Taking lessons from oncocytic tumors
AIRC/FIRC Fellowships €60,000
Role: Principal Investigator/Supervisor of an AIRC
fellow
Ass. Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro Gasparre, G. (PI)
2014-2016
Human Papilloma Virus and malignant gliomas: from prognosis to
molecular basis of tumorigenesis
AIRC/FIRC Fellowships
€60,000
Role: Principal Investigator/Supervisor of an AIRC
fellow
MEET
Gasparre, G. (PI)
2013-2016
Mitochondrial European Educational Training
European Union – FP7; ITN People - Marie Curie Action. €3,800,000
Role: Principal Investigator and Coordinator
GR-2011-02348722 – Italian Ministry of Health Capasso,
M. (PI)
2014-2016
Genome-wide analyses to improve prognostic and therapeutic
strategies in neuroblastoma
€120,000
Role: Coordinator of a local unit
Completed Research Supports:
FIRB J31J10000040001 Gasparre, G. (PI)
Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research
(MIUR)
Significato funzionale delle mutazioni del DNA mitocondriale nel
cancro.
This study is a genetics and functional analysis of the
tumorigenic potential of mitochondrial DNA mutations.
Role: Principal Investigator
IG8810 Romeo, G. (PI)
AIRC – Italian Association for Cancer Research
TRANSMIT – Translational significance of mitochondrial mutations
in tumors.
The aim of this collaborative project is to define the
determinants of the shift and selection of mitochondrial DNA
mutations in cancer and correlate this process with the induction
of a benign behavior of the tumor.
Role: researcher/grant manager
PERNO project for Neuro-Oncology Eusebi, V.
(PI)
Regione Emilia
Romagna
The project aims at characterizing tumors of the CNS, also in
terms of mitochondrial mutations and metabolism.
Role: researcher
IG1157 Tallini, G.
(PI)
AIRC – Italian Association for Cancer
Research
Functional genomics of thyroid oncocytoma.
The project studied the molecular determinants underlying
oncocytic transformation in thyroid cancer.
Role: researcher
HERMIONE Mehlen, P.
(PI)
European
Union
The role of dependence receptors in cancer
The goal of this project was to study the interactions between
dependence receptor and their ligands in determining apoptosis in
cancer to provide novel therapeutic strategies.
Role: researcher
PRIN 2006064992_001 Romeo, G.
(PI)
Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research
(MIUR)
Variability and function of mitochondrial mutations in
physiological and pathological conditions.
The project aimed at studying the variability of mitochondrial
DNA mutations in correlation with their pathologic potential.
Role: researcher
The main stream of research focused on dissecting the details of
the metabolic status of a model for the study of mitochondria in
cancer, namely oncocytic tumors, presenting mitochondrial
hyperplasia as a distinctive hallmark. The collaborations with
other Italian and foreign groups, as evident from publications, led
to the identification of specific genetic markers in oncocytic
tumors which are associated to defective mitochondrial energy
metabolism. The research is now focussing on the understanding of
the mechanisms by which mitochondrial mutations are selected for in
oncocytic and non oncocytic cancer cells, and the impact they have
on the hypoxic response. The identification of a correlation
between the defective energy metabolism, the deregulated expression
of certain genes involved in both mitochondrial biogenesis and in
proliferation and invasivity, has exploited both in vitro and in in
vivo models (nude mice). The aim is currently to clarify the
biological meaning of such selected mutations in lowering the
tumorigenic potential, and hopefully suggest therapeutic
strategies. The selected publications are research papers that
investigate the multifaceted functional role of mitochondrial DNA
mutations in cell models and human cancers, which represent the
efforts conducted in the past eight years, also thanks to ad hoc
funding to the candidate. Some papers deal instead with the nuclear
mitochondrial sequences (NumtS) biology, whose role within the cell
genome is yet ambiguous, and their potential use as population
markers, a branch of research stemmed from the study of the
mitochondrial genome in molecular oncology.
