The activity of the lab is focused on the functional dissection of signal transduction pathways in lymphocyte activation, differentiation and apoptosis and dysregulation of these processes in lymphoproliferative, immunodeficiency and pathogen-related diseases.
Immunological synapse assembly and function
• Regulation of membrane trafficking at the immune synapse by ciliary proteins;
• Study of immune synapse assembly in Activated Phosphoinositide 3-kinase Delta Syndrome (APDS) patients;
• T cell immune synapse as a target of SARS-CoV-2 for immune evasion;
• Establishing immune synapse architecture as a readout of CAR T cell function.
Haematological malignancies
• The Shc family of protein adapters in the immune system, with a focus on their role as negative regulators of leukemia;
• Mechanisms of suppression of T cell functions in haematological malignancies (Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Hairy Cell Leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas).
Mechanisms of cytotoxic T lymphocyte killing
• Biogenesis and function of supramolecular attack particles (SMAPs) and lytic granules.
Modulation of the immune response
• Mechanisms underpinning the immune response induced by vaccine or chemo-immunotherapy;
• Immunopathogenesis of the adipose tissue dysfunctions.
Cosima Baldari
Cristina Ulivieri
Laura Patrussi
Francesca Finetti
Nagaja Capitani
Vanessa Tatangelo
Annachiara Miccoli
Samuele Montano
Leandro Marzuoli
Maria Carmela Cavallo
Stella Nappi
International projects:
• Analysis of T cell’s Tactical Arsenal (ATTACK) - ERC_2021_SyG 951329-ATTACK (PI: Prof.ssa Cosima Baldari).
National projects:
• Identification of T-cell suppressive soluble molecule signatures of haematologic malignancies - PRIN 2022 PNRR (PI: Prof.ssa Laura Patrussi);
• Characterizing the role of CD300e receptor in obesity: low-grade inflammation, insulin-resistance and immunomodulatory properties - PRIN 2022 (PI: Prof.ssa Nagaja Capitani);
• Immune synapse imaging as a new tool for optimizing CAR T cells that
resist tumor-mediated immune-suppression: focus on a dual CD30/PDL-1 targeting
strategy of Hodgkin lymphoma - PRIN 2022 (PI: Prof.ssa Laura Patrussi).
Contracts and agreements with companies:
• Advanced in vitro human immune profiling of GMMA-based vaccines - GSK Vaccines S.r.l and Department of Life Sciences (PI: Prof.ssa Cristina Ulivieri);
• An integrated in vitro approach to enhance the predictive capabilities of preclinical studies on the balance of human toxicity vs “good reactogenicity - GSK Vaccines S.r.l and Department of Life Sciences (PI: Prof.ssa Cristina Ulivieri).
UniSi funded projects:
• Evading Surveillance of Cytotoxic T cells by SARS-CoV-2 Accessory Protein Expression (ESCAPE) - F-NF 2023 (PI: Dr.ssa Anna Onnis);
• Role of the ciliogenesis protein CCDC28B in the regulation of lysosome biogenesis in T cells – F-NF 2023 (PI: Prof.ssa Nagaja Capitani);
• Exploring Immunological Synapse assembly in Activated Phosphoinositide 3- kinase Delta Syndrome: unravelling disease pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies (IS-APDS) - F-NF 2024 (PI: Prof.ssa Francesca Finetti).