Research: The role of the cytoskeleton regulator inverted formin 2 INF2 in medulloblastoma tumorigenesis
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name: Conenna, Marilisa
Date and place of birth: 10/10/1996, Ceglie Messapica (BR, Italy)
Nationality: Italian
Address: Via Ravenna 15, Ostuni (BR)
Work address: Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Department of Molecular
Medicine, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161, Rome, Italy
Telephone: +39 3665403709; +1 (929) 248-7219
Mail address: marilisa.conenna@uniroma1.it; mc5445@cumc.columbia.edu
WORK EXPERIENCE
Dates (from-to): FROM 03/2023-Present
Name and address of employer: Columbia University of New York, USA; Department of Pathology
and Cell Biology, 630 W 168th St, New York, NY 10032
Type of business or sector: Molecular Oncology
Occupation or position held: Visiting Ph.D. student in the laboratory of Prof Francesca Bartolini
Main activities and responsabilities: Cell biology and molecular biology
Dates (from-to): FROM 11/2020-ONGOING (END DATE 05/2024)
Name and address of employer: Sapienza University of Rome; Laboratory of Molecular Oncology,
Department of Molecular Medicine, Viale Regina Elena 291,
00161, Rome, Italy
Type of business or sector: Molecular Oncology
Occupation or position held: Ph.D. student in Molecular Medicine
Main activities and responsabilities: Cell biology and molecular biology
EDUCATION
Dates (from-to): FROM 11/2020-ONGOING (END DATE 05/2024)
Name and type of organization
providing education and training:
Sapienza University of Rome; Laboratory of Molecular Oncology,
Department of Molecular Medicine
Occupation or position held: Ph.D. student in Molecular Medicine
Principal subjects/occupational skills
covered:
The ongoing Ph.D. project, named “Defining the role of the
cytoskeleton regulator inverted formin 2 (INF2) in Hedgehog-dependent
medulloblastoma” aims to study the INF2 function and cytoskeleton
remodelling in hedgehog signaling pathway. In order to understand how
INF2 function in controlling actin polymerization, microtubule dynamics
and mitochondrial fission could impact on the regulation of hedgehog
signaling, this project aims to analyze the cytoskeleton and mitochondria
dynamics following modulation of INF2 expression in Hedgehogdependent
cells. The final aim of the project is to identify new effective
therapeutic targets to for the treatment of medulloblastoma. We expect our
efforts to pave the way to a novel area of investigation in HH signaling.
The project is being carried out with different models (cell lines, primary
cells and mouse and human brain tissues) and techniques (cell biology,
molecular biology).
This project is being carried out under the supervision of Prof. Lucia Di
Marcotullio and Prof. Paola Infante, Sapienza University, in collaboration
with Prof. Francesca Bartolini, Columbia University.
Dates (from-to): FROM 10/2018-07/2020
Name and type of organization
providing education and training:
Sapienza University of Rome
Principal subjects/occupational skills
covered:
cell biology, molecular biology
Master’s degree project named “The role of the RNA-binding ubiquitin
Ligase MEX3A in the degradation of oncosoppressor RIG-I: a new
molecular mechanism involved in Glioblastoma tumorigenesis”.
Immunoblot analysis, immunoprecipitation, in vivo ubiquitylation assay,
cell proliferation assay, mRNA expression analysis,
immunohistochemistry and in vitro wound healing assay were used on cell
models.
Title of qualification awarded: Master’s degree in Genetic and molecular biology (LM-6, D.M 2017),
Vote 110/110 summa cum laude.
Dates (from-to): FROM 10/2015-10/2018
Name and type of organization
providing education and training:
Sapienza University of Rome
Principal subjects/occupational skills
covered:
General competences on Biology, Cytology, Histology, Physics and
Chemistry, Comparative Anatomy, Informatics, Botanics, Zoology,
Mathematics, Organic Chemistry, Microbiology, Molecular Biology,
Ecology, Virology, Genetics, Forensic Genetics, Animal and Plant
Physiology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Genomics.
Thesis project “Study of intracellular trafficking of misfolded and retained
proteins in the endoplasmatic reticulum”
Title of qualification awarded: Bachelor’s degree in Biological sciences (L-13, D.M. 270/2010), Vote
106/110
TRAINING
Dates (from-to): FROM 05/2019-07/2020
Name and type of organization
providing education and training:
Sapienza University of Rome, Laboratory of Molecular
Oncology, Department of Molecular Medicine
Dates (from-to): FROM 03/2018-06/2018
Name and type of organization
providing education and training:
Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Biology and
Biotechnology Charles Darwin
CONGRESS PARTECIPATION
Dates: 12/2021
Name: -Poster presentation
MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY: FROM BENCH TO BEDSIDESIPMeT
Young Scientist Meeting, Perugia (Italy)
Dates: 09/2022
Name: -Poster presentation
MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY: FROM BENCH TO BEDSIDESIPMeT
Young Scientist Meeting, Ancona (Italy)
Dates: 09/2022
Name:
Date:
Name:
-Poster presentation and Chairwoman
5th Brain Storming Research Assembly For Young
Neuroscientists (BraYn), Roma (Italy)
12/2023
The Cell Bio 2023 (ASCB | EMBO Meeting)
Boston (MA, USA)
CERTIFICATIONS:
Address and names Columbia University, New York USA
TC0550: CUMC Rodent Barrier Training.
TC0800: The Mouse and Rat: Computer Based Training.
TC0900: Introduction to the Institute of Comparative Medicine
TC2750: Rodent Anesthesia and Analgesia: Computer Based
Training.
TC1200: Mouse Wetlab
PERSONAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCES
Mother tongue: Italian
Other languages: English (IELTS, Europass Level B1)
Social skills and competences: Good communication skills, acquired during the studies in Italy
and good ability to work in team, in international groups and in
multidisciplinary projects.
Organizational skills and competences: Good organizational skills acquired during the studies in Italy
and during my Ph.D. activity: good autonomy, ability to plan
and organize projects. High predisposition to team work and
multidisciplinary project organization. High flexibility and
adaptability.
Technical skills and competences: Data analysis: Adobe Photoshop, Image J, Image Lab,
GraphPad. Use of various DataBases and tools: NCBI, PDB,
BLAST, Serial cloner 2-6, GenScript, OncoMX, Uniprot,
Biorender, STRING.
Cell culture: Primary cells (murine medulloblastoma cells,
mouse DRG neurons), immortalized murine and human cell
lines.
Immunofluorescence and histology: Tissue preparation of
histological samples: fixation, freezing, immunofluorescence.
Cell preparation for immunofluorescence: fixation and
permeabilization.
Molecular Biology techniques: Plasmidic and genomic DNA
extraction, DNA mutagenesis, cloning, RNA extraction, reverse
transcription, PCR, quantitative real time PCR, ubiquitination
assays, gel electrophoresis, luciferase report assays.
Analysis of proteins: Protein extraction and western blot
analysis, protein post-translational modifications analysis; in
vivo and in vitro immunoprecipitation, ELISA.
Cellular biology: DNA and siRNA transfection, cell treatments,
BrdU and EDU assay, production and use of lentiviral vectors.
Animal (scientific procedures): manipulation of mice and
mice’s brain tissues.
Isolation and primary neuronal culture dorsal root ganglia from
adult mice. Intra-peritoneal/retroorbital/subcutaneous injections,
tail cutting, toe clipping.
HONORS & AWARDS:
2016-2017
“Laziodisco” scholarship
2017-2018
“Laziodisco” scholarship
2018-2019
“Laziodisco” scholarship
2019-2020
“Laziodisco” scholarship
2019-2020
Graduation prize
03/2023-08/2023
Fellowship “Bando per il finanziamento di progetti di ricerca
congiunti e individuali per la mobilità all’estero di studenti di
dottorato del XXXVI e XXXVII ciclo.
Dates (From-to)
Name:
03/2023- 05/2024
Residenze Universitarie "College Italia" - Manhattan, 225
Rector Place - Battery Park - New York
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
-Deborah Quaglio, Paola Infante, Silvia Cammarone, Lara Lamelza, Marilisa Conenna, Francesca Ghirga,
Gennaro Adabbo, Luca Pisano, Lucia Di Marcotullio, Bruno Botta, Mattia Mori. Exploring anthraquinonebased
hybrids for the identification of a novel generation of SMO antagonists, 2023, A European Journal
- Lucia Di Marcotullio, Ludovica Lospinoso Severini, Elena Loricchio, Shirin Navacci, Irene Basili, Romina
Alfonsi, Flavia Bernardi, Marta Moretti, Marilisa Conenna, Antonino Cucinotta, Sonia Coni, Marialaura
Petroni, Enrico De Smaele, Giuseppe Giannini, Marella Maroder, Gianluca Canettieri, Angela Mastronuzzi,
Daniele Guardavaccaro, Olivier Ayrault, Paola Infante and Francesca Bufalieri. SALL4 is a
CRL3REN/KCTD11 substrate that drives Sonic Hedgehog-dependent medulloblastoma, 2023, Cell Death and
Differentiation
- Atul Kumar, Delfina Larrea, Maria Elena Pero, Paola Infante, Marilisa Conenna, Grace Ji-Eun
Shin, Wesley B Grueber, Lucia Di Marcotullio, Estela Area-Gomez, Francesca Bartolini.MFN2-dependent
recruitment of ATAT1 coordinates mitochondria motility with alpha-tubulin acetylation and is disrupted in
CMT2A, 2023, bioRxiv, 2023 Preprint.