Research activities

Research activity related to the main aims of IFT concerns:

PROMOTION OF SYNERGISM ON THE STUDY OF MOLECULAR TARGETS FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY
- Study of the molecular events involved in the carcinogenetic process and metastasis development, particularly in colorectal cancer
- Mechanisms of Inflammation and ossido-reductive transitions: identification of related markers and new therapeutic targets
- Effect of immune-stimulating drugs on expression of molecular targets for therapy against melanoma and colorectal cancer. Modulation of immunotherapy targeting inflammation pathways and balancing of regulatory cells and cytotoxicity effectors
- Discovery of molecular targets in hereditary degenerative diseases
- Discovery of specific targets of normal and tumor hepatic progenitor cells and of hepatic precursor biomarkers; assessment of molecular homing and targeting specific for CD133+ progenitor cells
- Detection of abnormalities in microRNA (miRNAs) expression involved in melanoma pathogenesis and progression; Discovery of abnormalities in target genes for miRNAs, predictive of melanoma development and prognosis
- Study of molecular mechanisms relating stress response, viral replication and inflammation; Study of regulatory mechanisms of stress response in cell proliferation and survival.
Study of the mechanism of action of antipsychotic, analgesic and antiglaucoma drugs

DEVELOPMENT OF BIOMARKERS AND PHARMACOGENETIC
- Study of diagnostic and therapeutic bio-markers and their modulation, both in vitro and in vivo, in neoplastic, aging-associated and cardiovascular diseases
- Studies on mutations, genomic instability and alteration of transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene expression; analysis of expression of genes, proteins and transcriptional factors involved in tumor pathogenesis and progression and in drug-resistance, in thyroid and neuronal differentiation, and in regulatory and effector cells in allergic inflammation.

DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED DIAGNOSTIC PLATFORMS
- Epidemiologic screening for early diagnosis of asthma
- Molecular analysis of in vivo host-pathogen interaction, focusing on transcriptional adaptation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) during its replication in human macrophages
- Characterization and setting up of advanced diagnostic tools in hereditary degenerative diseases and in tuberculosis infection

INNOVATIVE THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES AND DEVELOPMENT OF DRUG DISCOVERY AND DRUG DELIVERY PLATFORMS
- Studies of hyaluronic acid bioconjugates, immunoisolated cell implants and carbon nanotubes for drug delivery and loco-regional delivery.
- Development of in vitro models and protocols for transfer of therapeutic molecules using vectors with high magnetic permeability and DNA-complexed in lipoplexes
- Studies of differentiation induced on human STEM cells and on tumor cells by chemical or physical agents and by electromagnetic fields at ion cyclotron resonant frequency
- Development of preclinical protocols based on electropermeabilization for intramuscular and intradermal naked DNA vaccination and electrochemotherapy
- Isolation, characterization and evaluation of differentiative potential of cord derived hepatic germinal precursors (early pluripotent stem cells CD133+) useful for cell transplantation
- Assessment of therapeutic potential of CDKs inhibitors (CDK-Is) used alone or in combination with classical chemotherapeutic agents or with Itch inhibitors.
- Setting up of a recombinant BCG vaccine vector for MTB genes, aiming to develop an anti-TB vaccine
- Design and evaluation of new chemical entities and methodologies aiming to develop innovative formulation for drug discovery and delivery processes

PRE-CLINICAL EXPERIMENTATION AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
- In vitro and in vivo experimentation of innovative drugs for loco-regional delivery and target therapy in experimental models of solid tumors.
- Study of differentiating, antitumor and immuno-stimulating effects of natural and synthetic molecules in in vitro and in vivo models of melanoma and colorectal cancer, used alone or in association with antiblastic drugs.
- Role of natural and synthetic products on control of neoplastic cell proliferation exerted by immune-competent cells and on inflammatory response
- Use of CD133+ STEM cells or antitumor drugs for gene- or drug- delivery, assessment of their rescue potential on in vitro tumor models and in vivo study of their anti-tumor and anti-cirrhotic activity in liver injured or cirrhotic murine models
- Study of new formulations of therapeutic and/or preventive antitumor vaccines (DNA vaccine, engineered autologous tumor cells, peptides/proteins) for development of innovative protocols of immunotherapy and immune modulation.
- Development of pre-clinical protocols of somatic gene therapy for correction of biochemical-functional defects, particularly concerning vascular and degenerative diseases; development of pre-clinical protocols of gene therapy in oncology, particularly concerning anti-idiotypic DNA vaccination for immunotherapy of indolent B lymphoma
- Experimentation of thiolic antioxidant drugs in animal models and in patients suffering for endometriosys and polycystic ovarian syndrome, for an innovative therapeutic approach alternative to hormone therapy.
- Study on tetrabiopterin administration in CADA patients
- Development of innovative strategies for evaluating the level of HLA sensitization in organ transplantations and high quality assistance for the assessment of HLA compatibility in transplants