Phd in MOLECULAR MEDICINE

email: diana.bellavia@uniroma1.it
phone: 0649255674

SHORT CURRICULUM VITAE

PRESENT POSITION
Associate Professor, General Pathology, MED/04

DEPT. OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE

EDUCATION AND CAREER
2020: National Scientific Qualification to function as Full Professor (2018-2020) in Italian Universities, SSC 06/A2.
2012- presente: Assistant Professor, SSD MED/04 –General Patology, Dept. of Molecular Medicine, University “La Sapienza” of Rome.
1999 – 2012: Researcher of General Pathology, SSD MED/04, Dept. of Experimental Medicine University “La Sapienza” of Rome.
1999: “Visiting Scientist”, at Prof. Adrian Hayday’s lab, Peter Gorer Department of Immunobiology, Guy’s, Kings’ and St Thomas Medical School, London.
1998 – 1999: Postdoctoral felloship, “Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro” (FIRC).
1997: ”Visiting Scientist”, at Prof. Carlo Maria Croce’s lab, Kimmel Cancer Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, "Thomas Jefferson University", Philadelphia-USA.
1995: Qualifying Examination to practice the Profession of Biologist, Tor Vergata University.
1993-1998: PhD Degree in Experimental Medicine, Universty of L’Aquila.
1993: Master’s Degree cum laude in Biology, Sapienza University of Rome.

MOST RELEVANT RESEARCH LINES
1. Study of the canonical pathway of the Notch receptor in T-ALL;
2. Identification of the signaling pathway induced by the oncogene Jagged1 in T-ALL and in solid Kras-dependent tumors, as colorectal and pancreatic cancers. Role of Jagged1 in tumour progression and chemoresistence phenomena
3. Study of the non canonical role of Maml1 protein:
a. Identification of Maml1 as novel Gli1 transcriptional co-activator in Hedgheog’s signaling pathway.Crosstalk between Noth and Hedgehog signaling pathways
b. To underlie the biological significance of Maml1 as post-translational regulator regulating Itch/E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Study of target proteins controlled by Itch/E3 ubiquitin ligase (Notch and Gli1) in cancer cell lines characterized by high levels of Maml1 expression.


FIVE SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1. Giuli MV, Diluvio G, Giuliani E, Franciosa G, Di Magno L, Pignataro MG, Tottone L, Nicoletti C, Besharat ZM, Peruzzi G, Pelullo M, Palermo R, Canettieri G, Talora C, d'Amati G, Bellavia D**, Screpanti I, Checquolo S**. Notch3 contributes to T-cell leukemia growth via regulation of the unfolded protein response. Oncogenesis. 2020 Oct 18;9(10):93. doi: 10.1038/s41389-020-00279-7.
2. Pelullo M, Nardozza F, Zema S, Quaranta R, Nicoletti C, Besharat ZM, Felli MP, Cerbelli B, d'Amati G, Palermo R, Capalbo C, Talora C, Di Marcotullio L, Giannini G, Checquolo S, Screpanti I, Bellavia D. Kras/ADAM17-Dependent Jag1-ICD Reverse Signaling Sustains Colorectal Cancer Progression and Chemoresistance. CANCER RES 2019 Nov; 79: 5575-5586. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-19-0145 PMID:31506332
3. Diluvio G., Del Gaudio F., Giuli M.V., Franciosa G., Giuliani E., Palermo R., Besharat Z.M., Pignataro M.G., Vacca A., d’Amati G., Maroder M., Talora C., Capalbo C., **Bellavia D., **Saula Checquolo. NOTCH3 inactivation increases triple negative breast cancer sensitivity to gefitinib by promoting EGFR tyrosine dephosphorylation and its intracellular arrest. ONCOGENESIS (2018); vol. 7, p. 1-15, ISSN: 2157-9024, doi: 10.1038/s41389-018-0051-9.
4. Quaranta R, Pelullo M, Zema S, Nardozza F, Checquolo S, Lauer DM, Bufalieri F, Palermo R, Felli MP, Vacca A, Talora C, Di Marcotullio L, Screpanti I, Bellavia D. Maml1 acts cooperatively with Gli proteins to regulate sonic hedgehog signaling pathway. Cell Death & Dis. 2017 Jul 20;8(7):e2942. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2017.326. PMID: 28726779
5. Pelullo M, Quaranta R, Talora C, Checquolo S, Cialfi S, Felli MP, te Kronnie G, Borga C, Besharat ZM, Palermo R, Di Marcotullio L, Capobianco AJ, Gulino A, Screpanti I, Bellavia D. Notch3/Jagged1 circuitry reinforces notch signaling and sustains T-ALL.Neoplasia. 2014 Dec;16(12):1007-17. doi: 10.1016/j.neo.2014.10.004.PMID:25499214