Research: Innovative approaches in development and delivery of therapeutics: Design, optimization and delivery of molecules targeting Aurora-A/N-Myc interaction in neuroblastoma
Education
- January 2023: Genetics and Molecular Biology Master Degree, Sapienza University of Rome, (110/110 cum laude)
- December 2019: Biological Sciences Bachelor Degree, Sapienza University of Rome, December 2019 (110/110)
Research activity
- April 2023 - August 2023: Junior fellowship, Department of Biochemical Sciences "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza University of Rome. Project title: "A Structure-guided Approach to Target the Aurora-A/N-Myc complex in MYCN-amplified Neuroblastoma". Supervisor: Prof. Alessandro Paiardini, Tutor: Dr Giulia Guarguaglini
- March 2022 - January 2023: Intern for Master degree, Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology-IBPM CNR (Rome, Italy). Thesis title: Effects of the Aurora A kinase inhibitor PHA-680626 on MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell lines. Supervisor Dr Giulia Guarguaglini
Courses and Meetings
- 10 October 2023: Attendance to the course “Imaging 3D cellular models for biomedical applications” co-organized by IBPM-CNR and the Genetic and Molecular Biology PhD Course (Sapienza University of Rome)
- 3-5 May 2023: Attendance and short talk to the workshop of the Royal Society International Exchange Grant “Designing New Tools To Disrupt AurkA-Dependent Oncogenic Functions Of Myc” (Rome)
- 12-13 July 2022: Attendance to the course " Cellular microscopy and image analysis" co-organized by IBPM-CNR and the Genetic and Molecular Biology PhD Course (Sapienza University of Rome)
Expertise and Technical skills
-Biochemical methodologies: protein gel electrophoresis, western blot, immunoprecipitation.
-Cellular biology methodologies: mammalian cell cultures, in situ proximity ligation assays, immunofluorescence, RNA interference, MTT, protein stability assays, IncuCyte analyses.
-Microscopy: image acquisition with widefield and Spinning Disk Confocal microscopes, manual and automated qualitative and quantitative image analysis.
-Data analysis: graphical representation of data (Excel, Prism), basic statistical analyses (Prism), image analysis (Photoshop, Nis Elements).
Conference proceedings
- “A structure-guided approach to target the Aurora-A/N-Myc complex in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma”
Rubini E., Di Giulio S., Pamfil G., Boi D., Asteriti I., Veschi V., Barbagallo F., Giannini G., Guarguaglini G. and Paiardini A. Life and Death of Proteins (16-17 November 2023), The Palatino Palace Conference Center, Rome, Poster presentation
-“A structure-guided approach to target the Aurora-A/N-Myc complex in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma” Rubini E., Di Giulio S., Pamfil G., Boi D., Asteriti I., Veschi V., Barbagallo F., Giannini G., Guarguaglini G. and Paiardini A. Advances in Biomedical Research V (15-19 September 2023), Mediterranean Institute for Life Sciences (MedlLS), Split, Oral presentation.
Description of the project
MYCN-amplified Neurobastoma is a highly aggressive pediatric tumor. It was shown that the Aurora A kinase is able to prevent degradation of the oncoprotein N-Myc sustaining its high levels and hence contributing to the development of the MYCN-amplified Neuroblastoma. Molecules able to disrupt the AuroraA/N-Myc complex induce N-Myc degradation. The aim of this PhD project is to develop new series of molecules against Aurora A and test their ability in vitro and in MYCN-amplified cell lines to reduce N-Myc protein levels and test their specificity among other kinases. It will be evaluated the effect of such compounds on cell viability and it will be investigated molecular pathways involved. Since other tumors harbors MYNC amplification such compounds could be tested in other types of cancer.