WORK EXPERIENCE
2019 - present M.D. Ph.D. Full Professor SSD MED/04 Sapienza University of Rome at Department of Experimental Medicine
2011 - present Director of Oncogenomic Research Unit at Department of Experimental Medicine (https://web.uniroma1.it/dip_dms/ricerca/laboratori/patologiageneralepatologiaclinica/Oncogenomica)
2015 - present Member of Molecular Oncology Group “Alberto Gulino” (https://web.uniroma1.it/mog/e-ferretti)
2007 - present Coordinator of national and international Research Projects (see funding track record)
2019 - present Faculty member of Postgraduate Specialization School in Clinical Pathology Program
2019 - present Faculty member of PhD Program in Network Oncology and Precision Medicine https://phd.uniroma1.it/web/NETWORK-ONCOLOGY-AND-PRECISION-MEDICINE_nD3663_IT.aspx
2006 - present Professor of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Master Degrees in Medicine, in Medical Biotechnology and in Health related disciplines.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
2001: Ph.D. degree in Experimental Medicine University of L’Aquila, Italy.
1996 - 2001: Ph.D. Fellowship, Department of Experimental Medicine, University of L’Aquila, Italy.
1996: Specialty in Endocrinology (70/70 e lode), Sapienza University of Rome. 8 November 1996.
1994 -1995: Visiting Resident fellow, Department of Medical Sciences University of Milan.
1992 -1996: Resident, Department of Clinical Sciences Sapienza University of Rome.
1992: Medical License, Registration at the Medical Register of Rome, Nr. 43902, 7 May 1992.
1991: Medical Doctor degree (110/110 cum laude) at Sapienza University of Rome. 21-10-1991.
WORK ACTIVITIES
Research projects in several fields of molecular oncology are:
1. Characterization of the molecular events involved in tumorigenesis mainly focusing on solid tumors and dysregulated pathways (e.g. Hedgehog/Gli) controlling progenitor cell development.
2. Isolation and cryopreservation of primary cancer cells including stem cells.
3. Characterization of the microRNAs involved in the deregulation of signaling pathway sustaining tumors.
4. Identification of novel molecules as oncosuppressor or oncogenes and investigation of their biological function in vitro and in vivo.
5. Development of approaches for large-scale analysis of gene expression and epigenetic networks including microRNAs and Long non coding RNAs.
6. Analysis and discovery of circulating biomarkers (e.g. microRNAs and cfDNA) in cancer.
7. Identification of new molecular markers of diseases susceptible to become therapeutic targets.
8. Proteomic analysis with particular interest in post-translation modifications of proteins, such as phosphorylation and acetylation.
9. Development of mouse models for the study of solid tumors.
10. Pathologies of interest include solid tumors (including brain, lung, colorectal, melanoma and thyroid).
AWARDS
2014 – to date: Ordinary Member of the Medical Academy of Rome.
2014: Research Unit of the Italian platform Airc5x1000: http://www.airc5x1000staminali.it/it/chi-siamo/la-piattaforma-rppm/unita-operativa-4
2013 - to date: Member of the Top Italian Scientists list from Via-Academy (http://www.topitalianscientists.org/top_italian_scientists.aspx).
2012 – to date: International Scientific Board Member as Evaluator for the "Research within Priority Sectors Programme - RO14". The Programme, as part of the EEA Financial Mechanism, finances Joint Research Projects (JRPs) undertaken by researchers from Romania and EFTA States: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
2011 - to date: Member of the Research Quality Evaluation (VQR) Committee of the Italian Ministry of University and Research.
2007 - to date: Member of International Executive Board of the Research Foundation “Umberto Di Mario” ONLUS.
2007 - to date: Member of the Research Project Review Committee of the Italian Ministry of University and Research.
2005 - to date: Prof. Ferretti has been invited to publish articles and reviews in her field of research interest in international peer reviewed journals: Trends Molecular Medicine 2005; Molecular Neurobiology 2006; Psychoneuroendocrinology 2007; Cell Cycle 2007; EMBO Molecular Medicine 2009, J of Clinical Investigation 2009, Curr Opin Investig Drugs 2010.
2000: Selected Scientific Articles Award, Year Book of Endocrinology, for Ferretti E, et al. “Evaluation of the adequacy of Levothyroxine.” JCEM 1999.
2000: Selected Scientific Articles Award, Year Book Of Endocrinology, for Jaffrain-Rea ML., Ferretti E, et al. “p16 gene polymorphism and methylation” Clinical Endocrinology 1999.
1997: Travel Grant Award at Endocrine Society Minneapolis meeting.
COLLABORATIONS
1) Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston, USA, Prof. A. Ianari.
2) Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, Francia, Prof. G. Schlumberger.
3) University of Ginevra, Svizzera, Prof Ariel Ruiz i Altaba
4) Ospedale pediatrico Bambin Gesù di Roma, Italy, Prof. F. Locatelli.
5) University of Siena and Fondazione Di Mario ONLUS – Rome, Italy, Prof. F. Dotta.
6) University Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy, Prof. R. De Maria, Prof. L. Massimi
7) Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine Berlin, Germany, Prof. N. Rajewsky
8) University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy, Prof. R. Bei, Prof. F. Cecconi
9) Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, Dep. Of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences; Computer, Control and Management Engineering; Informatics; Molecular Medicine; Translational and Precision Medicine
10) Heidelberg University, Germany, Prof. Stefan Fister, Olaf Witt, Marcel Kool
11) Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Prof. David Capper
12) Centre hospitalier Sainte-Anne Paris, Prof. Pascale Varlet
13) Laboratoire d'anatomie pathologique-neuropathologique, CHU de Marseille - Hôpital de la Timone 264 rue Saint-Pierre, Prof. Dominique Figarella-Branger
EDITORIAL ACTIVITY
International Scientific Board Member as Assistant editor of the: BMC Nature group; Cellular and Molecular Medicine Research Journal; International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Guest Editor of Special Issues in: Cancers: Journal of Molecular Sciences.
International Scientific Board Member as Referee of International Scientific Journals (31):
Science Translational Medicine, Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, Oncogene, Embo J, Cancer Research, Neuro-Oncology, Plos One, Hormone Research, Clinical Chemistry, European Journal of Endocrinology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, Nature Cell Biology, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Scientific Reports, Molecular Cancer, Tumor Biology, Molecular BioSystems, BMC Cancer, Pediatric Blood & Cancer, In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology, Molecular Oncology, Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry, Cell Biology International, Nanomedicine, Cell Biology and Toxicology, Current Bioinformatics, Cancers, Archives of Medical Research, Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research, Clinical Epigenetics, Clinical Microbiology and Infection.
INVITED PRESENTATIONS
“Role of microRNAs (miRNAs) as cancer regulators and biomarkers”. 02.06.2018. Siena University, Siena, Italy
“Non-Coding RNAs cooperate with signalling pathways to define Neuronal Stem Cell Fates”. 22.11.2018. Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva Medical School.
“Molecular players useful for precision medicine”. 06.12.2018. 13th US-Italy Joint Commission Meeting on Science and Technology Cooperation: Health and Life Sciences Group. Embassy of Italy, Washington DC.
“The histone methyltransferase EZH2 as a druggable target in medulloblastoma (MB)”. 30.11.2016. A-ParaDDisE workshop 2016, Sapienza University
INTERNATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
2019 – Present: Member of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR), Member ID EACR27439
2014 – Present: Member of the European SIOP-LGG preclinical working group (preclinical working group on low grade glioma, LGG, of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology, SIOP)
GRANTS
Funding track record in the last 5 years
2017: Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA) Call AIFA 2016. Proposal code: TRS-2016-00001141. “Circulating microRNAs and DNA (cfDNA) as novel biomarkers for diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic use in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma”. Duration: 3 years. Euro: 983.497,87. Principal Investigator: Ferretti Elisabetta.
2017: Regione Lazio. Title: “Caratterizzazione di microRNA circolanti come sensibili e precoci biomarcatori di alterazioni metaboliche nell’obesità: sviluppo di nuove piattaforme diagnostiche nelle patologie metaboliche croniche” Duration 2 years. Euro: 149.912,00
2018: Sapienza University Research Grants. Title: “Protein Kinase Inhibitor treatment in Advanced Thyroid Cancer: evaluation of liquid biopsy as a tool for prediction of response to therapy” Duration 1 year. Euro: 32.000,00
2018: Istituto Pasteur – Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti. Title: “Hedgehog/GLI signaling regulatory networks in colorectal cancer stem cells” Duration 3 years. Euro 60.000,00
2017: Ministry for Instruction, University and Research (MIUR) PRIN. Title: “Metabolic therapy of immuno-inflammation: in search for the best strategy to counteract type 2 diabetes and its complications”. Duration 3 years. Euro 676.286,00 PI: Elisabetta Ferretti.
2020: Ministry for Instruction, University and Research (MIUR) PRIN. Title: “Gene/environment interactions in breast and thyroid cancers: defining the biological role of and actioning endocrine disruptors and lifestyle to develop rational therapeutic/preventive interventions”. Duration 3 years. Euro 915.000,00 co-PI: Elisabetta Ferretti.
2020: Regione Lazio. Title: “microRNA circolanti biomarcatori di malattie metaboliche” Duration 2 years. Euro: 149.000,00
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Publications
Scientific Production and Bibliometric Indicators
- Number of publications: 74 (for the period 2012-2022), 144 in total full papers in international scientific journals, 30 book chapters and 250 International Meeting Abstracts.
- Impact factor IF 2020: 491.274 (2012-2022), 1005.365 in total
- Average IF 2020/paper: 6.63 (2012-2022), 6.98 in total
- Total number of citations: 6868 (source Scopus); Average citations/paper: 47.69 in total
- Hirsch index (H-index): 47 (source Scopus)
- Total number of manuscripts as a first author: 16
- Total number of manuscripts as last author: 25
- Total number of manuscripts as corresponding author: 18
Complete list of publications can be found at: Scopus Author ID 7006298776: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=7006298776;
ORCID ID 0000-0001-7265-6429: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7265-6429