Pierluigi Di Chiaro
Born in Termoli on 28/11/1990
Orcid ID: 0000-0002-9179-1922
Scopus ID: 57191472788
Education
2021 Milan, Italy
PhD in Molecular and Experimental Medicine
Humanitas University
2015 Bologna, Italy
MASTER'S DEGREE in Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology
Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna – 110/110 cum laude
2012 Urbino, Italy
BACHELOR'S DEGREE in Biotechnology
University of Urbino Carlo Bo – 110/110 cum laude
Academic Appointments
09/2026 – CURRENT – Bologna, Italy
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR
Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna
07/2025 – CURRENT – Reggio Emilia, Italy
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER
Translational Research Laboratory, AUSL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia
01/2023 – 06/2025 – Milan, Italy
POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER
Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO)
03/2022 – 08/2022 – Vienna, Austria
VISITING SCIENTIST
Computational Cancer Genomics Lab, University of Vienna
01/2021 – 12/2022 – Milan, Italy
POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW funded by AIRC fellowship
Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO)
01/2018 – 04/2021 – Milan, Italy
PhD STUDENT
Humanitas University
2017 – Milan, Italy
RESEARCH FELLOW
IFOM, the FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology
2016 – Birmingham, UK
RESEARCH FELLOW
CRUK Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Birmingham
2015 – Bilbao, Spain
RESEARCH FELLOW funded by ERASMUS+ Unipharma-Graduates fellowship
Center for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE)
Teaching Activities
From AY 2026-2027: course chair of PROTEOMES, INTERACTOMES AND BIOLOGICAL NETWORKS (SSD BIOS-07/A, 6 CFU), Bachelor's Degree course in Genomics.
From AY 2023/24 to 2025/26
- Course in "NGS applications for the analysis of Transcription and Epigenomics", PhD Program in Pharmacological Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan (4 hours/year).
- Course in "Genomics and Epigenomics" (SSD BIO/10, BIO/11, MED/04), Master's Degree in "Biomedical Omics", University of Milan (4 hours/year)
- Course in "Omics: from bench to bedside" (SSD BIO/10 MED/04), Master's Degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Milan (2 hours/year)
- Course in "Bioinformatics: from bulk to single cell RNAseq", Advanced Biomedical Research Foundation Onlus (VIMM) (3 hours/year)
- Course in "Omic approaches: from research to therapy" (SSD BIO/10, BIO/14), Master's Degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Milan (2 hours/year).
- Course in "Bioinformatics" (SSD BIO/10), Master's Degree in Biology, University of Milano-Bicocca (2 hours/year).
- Course in "Applied Biochemistry" (SSD BIO/10), Master's Degree in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (CTF), University of Milan (2 hours/year)
Scientific Activities
The research activity focuses primarily on translational and computational oncology, with a strong orientation towards the genomic, epigenomic, and proteomic characterization of malignancies. Leveraging advanced bioinformatic approaches, spatial biology methodologies, and high-resolution omics technologies — including bulk, single-cell, and spatial profiling —, the activity is directed towards understanding tissue architecture, biological networks, and the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer onset and progression, aiming to identify novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Awards and Honors
3/06/2026 Oncology Research Award – Aiace Foundation
8/10/2025 Oncology Research Award – Lorini Foundation
10/05/2025 Award for publications in international journals for the year 2024 (first author) – European Institute of Oncology
15/04/2025 Oncology Research Award – Lombardy Region
15/11/2024 Oncology Research Award – S.O.S Oncologia e Sociale
23/10/2024 Travel grant – 1st Botton-Champalimaud International Pancreatic Cancer Conference
12/05/2024 Award for publications in international journals for the year 2023 (first author) – European Institute of Oncology (IEO)
15/04/2024 Selected among the best young researchers for published research in Q1 journals – Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN)
12/04/2024 Travel grant – Pancreatic Cancer Symposium of the University of Padova
14/05/2021 Best poster – European PhD and Postdoc Symposium (ENABLE)
12/2020 AIRC fellowship for Italy 2020 – Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC)
10/2015 ERASMUS+ Unipharma-Graduates fellowship – Sapienza University of Rome
Scientific Membership
Since 2024, member of the Italian Pancreatic Cancer Symposium (IPCC) association
