WORK EXPERIENCE
2023 – present: RTT Researcher at Department Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome
2019 – 2023: Post-doctoral researcher fellow at Department Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome 2014 – 2018: RTD-A Researcher at Department Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome
2013 – 2014: Post-doctoral researcher fellow at Department Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome 2012 – 2013: Research Associated at Department of Medicine, section of Inflammation and signal transduction
Imperial College London, UK
2010 – 2012: Visiting Researcher at Department of Medicine, section of Inflammation and signal transduction Imperial College London, UK
2010: Post-doctoral researcher fellow at Department Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
2018 – 2022: Specialization in Clinical Pathology and Clinical Biochemistry 2006 – 2009: PhD in Epidemiology and Molecular Pathology
2006: Master’s degree in Genetics and Molecular Biology (Final grade Summa cum Laude)
WORK ACTIVITIES
Research projects Marta Moretti's research activity is focused mainly on the molecular biology of tumors, particularly on the Hh pathway (especially in medulloblastoma but also in colorectal cancer) and NF-κB (inflammation and tumors). The most recent projects led to the identification of a family of Hh pathway modulators in the cerebellum (KCASH1, KCASH2 and KCASH3), particularly to the characterization of KCASH2 role and mechanism of action. Furthermore, the identification of KCTD15 as a positive modulator of the KCASH family, capable of stabilizing and increasing their function as negative regulators of the Hedgehog pathway. Over the years her research activity has been characterized by the direction and/or participation in several research groups activities characterized by collaborations both national and international. In this context she had the opportunity to gain experience in studies regarding models of endocrine-metabolic and hormone- sensitive diseases, acute and chronic inflammatory pathologies, oncological pathologies. Indeed, her scientific activity have been also focused on the characterization of several bioactive molecules function and their biological activity both in vitro through 2D and 3D cell cultures, subsequently genetically modified using the CRISPR-Cas9 technique, transfected or infected with agents adenoviruses and lentivirals expressing shRNA, siRNA, miRNA and antago-miR; and in vivo, in fact she has a high level of experience with mouse animal models for both metabolic and inflammatory as well as oncological pathologies; injections of bioactive molecules and genetically modified cells which have led to the identification of new biomarkers and new therapeutic targets. For this reason, her experience has given her the opportunity to obtaining collaborations with many national and international groups.
Awards
Awarded the National Scientific Qualification for Associate Professor for the SC 06/N1, SSD MED/46 of the Call 2018-2022, validity: 2022 - 2031
Winner of SIPMeT AWARD “Prof Alberto Gulino” to young investigators working in experimental oncology, 2019. Winner of Post-doctoral Fellowship for abroad research from Institute Pasteur – Cenci Bolognetti Foundation year 2011. Winner of Post-doctoral Fellowship for abroad research from Institute Pasteur – Cenci Bolognetti Foundation year 2010.
Oral presentations
London (UK). "Novel Roles of NF- kappaB in Energy Metabolism and Cell Survival" Away day 2012. Imperial College London, 27th June 2012
Italy (IT). "The mitotic checkpoint protein MAD2 is regulated by the tumour suppressor KCASH2/KCTD21" 1st International and 32nd Annual conference of Italian Association of Cell Cultures (AICC)" 1st-2 October 2019, Catanzaro, Italia
Scientific Committee
"III International AICC Exosome meeting 2021 - Cell to cell delivery in cancer and therapy: a matter of carriers and messages"
“36th AICC International Meeting 2024 - HIJACKING THE “GOOD” PATHWAYS: CANCER, IMMUNITY AND THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES”.
2024 – today Member of the Board of Professors of the PhD program in NETWORK ONCOLOGY AND PRECISION MEDICINE Department of Experimental medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome.
2024 – today Member of the Departmental Technical Scientific Committee (CTS) Prin 2022 and Prin 2022 PNRR Department of Experimental medicine, “Sapienza” University of Rome.
2024 – presente Member of the Quality Management Commission – CGQ of the Degree Course in Medicine and Surgery G- Rieti campus.
5 settembre 2024 Chairman of the HCommittee at Competition for admission to the Degree Courses for Health Professions Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Rieti University Campus.
28 Maggio 2024 Chairman of the House Committee at Competition for admission to the Master’s degree Courses in Medicine and Surgery, Rieti University Campus.
Grants
2024: Principal Investigator Grant “Avvio alla Ricerca” type B Sapienza Universiy of Rome
2022 - today: Participant Research Project PRIN-PNRR 2022 - B53D23030730001 “Simultaneous inhibition of multiple signaling transduction pathways by drugs combination in poor prognosis tumors”.
2022 - today: Participant Research Project PRIN 2022 – 2022XMHSYP “Novel approaches for the characterization and modulation of the oncogenic Sonic Hedgehog pathway in colorectal cancer. Identification of new potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets”.
2023: Principal Investigator Grant “Avvio alla Ricerca” type B Sapienza Universiy of Rome 2022: Principal Investigator Grant “Avvio alla Ricerca” type B Sapienza Universiy of Rome
2017-2022: Participant Research Project AIRC2017 "New multi targeting approaches in Hedgehog-dependent cancers".
2015 al 2017 Participant Research Project Sapienza University Project 2015 “The role of the interaction between the NOTCH and NF-KappaB signaling pathways in the development of leukemic pathologies with lympho/myeloid characteristics”.
2013-2017: Participant Research Project AIRC2013 " Targeting Hedgehog pathway to control brain cancer stem cells". 2014 -2016 Participant Research Project Sapienza University Project 2014 “Regulation of polyamine metabolism by the Hedgehog pathway: molecular mechanism and role in medulloblastoma”.
2013: Principal Investigator Grant “Avvio alla Ricerca” type B Sapienza Universiy of Rome
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Researcher identifiers
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4705-6442 https://scholar.google.it/citations?hl=it&user=mUjDjroAAAAJ https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=35084007100
Scientific production (first publication in 2008)
Total number of publications in international peer-reviewed journals: 34 Book chapters: 2
H-index: 18 (Scopus)
Total Impact factor (IF): 215.334 Average IF/paper: 6.34
Total Citations: 1477 (Scopus) Average Citations per Product: 43.44
1. Bordin F, Terriaca G, Apostolico A, Di Fiore A, Mir FT, Bellardinelli S, Bufalieri F, Bordone R, Bellardinilli F, Giannini G, Canettieri G, Di Marcotullio L, Ferretti E, Moretti M, De Smaele E. SMURF1 and SMURF2 directly target GLI1 for ubiquitination and proteasome-dependent degradation. Cell Death Discov. 2024 Dec 18;10(1):498. doi: 10.1038/s41420- 024-02260-4. PMID: 39695131; PMCID: PMC11655642. IF 6.1
2. Moretti M., Farina A., Angeloni A., Anastasi E. Emerging horizons on molecular and circulating biomarkers in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Front Oncol. 2024 Nov 7;14:1483306. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1483306. PMID: 39575418; PMCID: PMC11578827. IF 3.5
3. Farina A., Viggiani V., Cortese F., Moretti M., Tartaglione S., Angeloni A., Anastasi E. Combined PIVKA II and Vimentin- Guided EMT Tracking in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Cancers 2024, 16, 2362. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16132362 IF 4.5
4. Lospinoso Severini L, Loricchio E, Navacci S, Basili I, Alfonsi R, Bernardi F, Moretti M, Conenna M, Cucinotta A, Coni S, Petroni M, De Smaele E, Giannini G, Maroder M, Canettieri G, Mastronuzzi A, Guardavaccaro D, Ayrault O, Infante P, Bufalieri F, Di Marcotullio L. SALL4 is a CRL3REN/KCTD11 substrate that drives Sonic Hedgehog-dependent medulloblastoma. Cell Death Differ. 2023 Dec 7. doi: 10.1038/s41418-023-01246-6. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38062245. IF 12.4
5. Molfetta R, Lecce M, Milito ND, Putro E, Pietropaolo G, Marangio C, Scarno G, Moretti M, De Smaele E, Santini T, Bernardini G, Sciumè G, Santoni A, Paolini R. SCF and IL-33 regulate mouse mast cell phenotypic and functional plasticity supporting a pro-inflammatory microenvironment. Cell Death Dis. 2023 Sep 20;14(9):616. doi: 10.1038/s41419-023-06139-7. PMID: 37730723; PMCID: PMC10511458. IF 9.696
6. Di Fiore A, Bellardinelli S, Pirone L, Russo R, Angrisani A, Terriaca G, Bowen M, Bordin F, Besharat ZM, Canettieri G, Fabretti F, Di Gaetano S, Di Marcotullio L, Pedone E, Moretti M#, De Smaele E. KCTD1 is a new modulator of the KCASH family of Hedgehog suppressors. Neoplasia. 2023 Sep;43:100926. doi: 10.1016/j.neo.2023.100926 IF 4.8 (#Co-ultimo nome)
7. Abballe L, Alfano V, Antonacci C, Cefalo MG, Cacchione A, Del Baldo G, Pezzullo M, Po A, Moretti M, Mastronuzzi A, De Smaele E, Ferretti E, Locatelli F and Miele E. β-arrestin1-E2F1-ac axis regulates physiological apoptosis and cell cycle exit in cellular models of early postnatal cerebellum Front. Cell Dev. Biol., 27 Feb 2023; Volume 11 – 2023 doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2023.990711 IF 6.081
8. Petroni M, Fabretti F, Di Giulio S, Nicolis di Robilant V, La Monica V, Moretti M, Belardinilli F, Bufalieri F, Coppa A, Paci P, Corsi A, De Smaele E, Coni S, Canettieri G, Di Marcotullio L, Wang ZQ, Giannini G. A gene dosage-dependent effect unveils NBS1 as both a haploinsufficient tumour suppressor and an essential gene for SHH-medulloblastoma. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 2022 Oct;48(6):e12837. doi: 10.1111/nan.12837. IF 8.09
9. Bei R, Benvenuto M, Focaccetti C, Fazi S, Moretti M, Nardozi D, Angiolini V, Ciuffa S, Cifaldi L, Carrano R, Palumbo C, Miele MT, Bei R, Barillari G, Manzari V, De Smaele E, Modesti A, Masuelli L. Combined treatment with inhibitors of ErbB Receptors and Hh signaling pathways is more effective than single treatment in reducing the growth of malignant mesothelioma both in vitro and in vivo. J Transl Med. 2022 Jun 25;20(1):286. doi: 10.1186/s12967-022-03490-9. PMID: 35752861; PMCID: PMC9233819. IF 4.965
10. Overi D, Carpino G, Moretti M, Franchitto A, Nevi L, Onori P, De Smaele E, Federici L, Santorelli D, Maroder M, Reid LM, Cardinale V, Alvaro D, Gaudio E. Islet Regeneration and Pancreatic Duct Glands in Human and Experimental Diabetes. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2022 Feb 4;10:814165. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2022.814165. PMID: 35186929; PMCID: PMC8855925. IF 6.684
11. Di Giulio S, Colicchia V, Pastorino F, Pedretti F, Fabretti F, Nicolis di Robilant V, Ramponi V, Scafetta G, Moretti M, Licursi V, Belardinilli F, Peruzzi G, Infante P, Goffredo BM, Coppa A, Canettieri G, Bartolazzi A, Ponzoni M, Giannini G, Petroni M. A combination of PARP and CHK1 inhibitors efficiently antagonizes MYCN-driven tumors. Oncogene. 2021 Sep 10. doi: 10.1038/s41388-021-02003-0. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34508175. IF 9.867
12. Angrisani A, Di Fiore A, De Smaele E, Moretti M. The emerging role of the KCTD proteins in cancer. Cell Commun Signal. 2021 May 17;19(1):56. doi: 10.1186/s12964-021-00737-8. PMID: 34001146. IF 5.712
13. Di Murro B, Moretti M, De Smaele E, Letizia C, Lubrano C, Passarelli PC, D'Addona A, Pompa G, Papi P. Microbiological Profiles of Dental Implants in Metabolic Syndrome Patients: A Case-Control Study. Antibiotics (Basel). 2021 Apr 16;10(4):452. doi:10.3390/antibiotics10040452. PMID: 33923666; PMCID: PMC8072842. IF 4.639
14. Angrisani A, Di Fiore A, Di Trani CA, Fonte S, Petroni M, Lospinoso Severini L, Bordin F, Belloni L, Ferretti E, Canettieri G, Moretti M#, De Smaele E#. Specific Protein 1 and p53 Interplay Modulates the Expression of the KCTD-Containing Cullin3 Adaptor Suppressor of Hedgehog 2. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Apr 8;9:638508. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.638508. PMID: 33898425; PMCID: PMC8060498. IF 6.684 (#Co-ultimo nome)
15. De Blasio C, Verma N, Moretti M, Cialfi S, Zonfrilli A, Franchitto M, Truglio F, De Smaele E, Ichijo H, Naguro I, Screpanti I, Talora C. Functional cooperation between ASK1 and p21Waf1/Cip1 in the balance of cell-cycle arrest, cell death and tumorigenesis of stressed keratinocytes. Cell Death Discov. 2021 Apr 12;7(1):75. doi: 10.1038/s41420-021-00459-3. PMID: 33846306; PMCID: PMC8042117. IF 5.241
16. Infante P, Malfanti A, Quaglio D, Balducci S, De Martin S, Bufalieri F, Mastrotto F, Basili I, Garofalo M, Lospinoso Severini L, Mori M, Manni I, Moretti M, Nicoletti C, Piaggio G, Caliceti P, Botta B, Ghirga F, Salmaso S, Di Marcotullio L. Glabrescione B delivery by self-assembling micelles efficiently inhibits tumor growth in preclinical models of Hedgehog- dependent medulloblastoma. Cancer Lett. 2021 Feb 28;499:220-231. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.11.028. Epub 2020 Nov 26. PMID: 33249196. IF 8.679
17. Coni S, Serrao SM, Yurtsever ZN, Di Magno L, Bordone R, Bertani C, Licursi V, Ianniello Z, Infante P, Moretti M, Petroni M, Guerrieri F, Fatica A, Macone A, De Smaele E, Di Marcotullio L, Giannini G, Maroder M, Agostinelli E, Canettieri G. Blockade of EIF5A hypusination limits colorectal cancer growth by inhibiting MYC elongation. Cell Death Dis. 2020 Dec 10;11(12):1045. doi: 10.1038/s41419-020-03174-6. PMID: 33303756; PMCID: PMC7729396. IF 8.469
18. Po A, Citarella A, Catanzaro G, Besharat ZM, Trocchianesi S, Gianno F, Sabato C, Moretti M, De Smaele E, Vacca A, Fiori ME, Ferretti E (2020). Hedgehog-GLI signalling promotes chemoresistance through the regulation of ABC transporters in colorectal cancer cells. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, vol. 10, ISSN: 2045-2322, doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-70871-9. IF 4.379
19. Di Magno L, Manni S, Di Pastena F, Coni S, Macone A, Cairoli S, Sambucci M, Infante P, Moretti M, Petroni M, Nicoletti C, Capalbo C, De Smaele E, Di Marcotullio L, Giannini G, Battistini L, Goffredo BM, Iorio E, Agostinelli E, Maroder M, Canettieri G. Phenformin Inhibits Hedgehog-Dependent Tumor Growth through a Complex I-Independent Redox/Corepressor Module. Cell Rep. 2020;30(6):1735-1752. IF 9.423
20. Petroni M, Sahùn Roncero M, Ramponi V, Fabretti F, Nicolis Di Robilant V, Moretti M, Alfano V, Corsi A, De Panfilis S, Giubettini M, Di Giulio S, Capalbo C, Belardinilli F, Coppa A, Sardina F, Colicchia V, Pedretti F, Infante P, Cardinali B, Tessitore A, Canettieri G, De Smaele E, Giannini G. SMO-M2 mutation does not support cell-autonomous Hedgehog activity in cerebellar granule cell precursors. Sci Rep. 2019 Dec 23;9(1):19623. IF 3.998
21. Spiombi E*, Angrisani A*, Fonte S, De Feudis G,Fabretti F, Cucchi D, Izzo M,Infante P, Miele E, Po A, Di Magno L, Magliozzi R, Guardavaccaro D, Maroder M, Canettieri G, Giannini G, Ferretti E, Gulino A, Di Marcotullio L, Moretti M# & De Smaele E#. KCTD15 inhibits the Hedgehog pathway in Medulloblastoma cells by increasing protein levels of the oncosuppressor KCASH2. Oncogenesis 8, 64 (2019). IF 6.119 (#Co-ultimo nome)
22. Lospinoso Severini L, Quaglio D, Basili I, Ghirga F, Bufalieri F, Caimano M, Balducci S, Moretti M, Romeo I, Loricchio E, Maroder M, Botta B, Mori M, Infante P, Di Marcotullio L. A Smo/Gli Multitarget Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitor Impairs Tumor Growth. Cancers (Basel). 2019 Oct 9;11(10). IF 6.162
23. Bufalieri F, Infante P, Bernardi F, Caimano M, Romania P, Moretti M, Lospinoso Severini L, Talbot J, Melaiu O, Tanori M, Di Magno L, Bellavia D, Capalbo C, Puget S, De Smaele E, Canettieri G, Guardavaccaro D, Busino L, Peschiaroli A, Pazzaglia S, Giannini G, Melino G, Locatelli F, Gulino A, Ayrault O, Fruci D, Di Marcotullio L. ERAP1 promotes Hedgehog- dependent tumorigenesis by controlling USP47-mediated degradation of βTrCP. Nat Commun. 2019 Jul 24;10(1):3304. IF
12.121
24. Abballe L, Mastronuzzi A, Miele E, Carai A, Besharat ZM, Moretti M, De Smaele E, Giangaspero F, Locatelli F, Ferretti E, Po A. Numb Isoforms Deregulation in Medulloblastoma and Role of p66 Isoform in Cancer and Neural Stem Cells. Front Pediatr. 2018 Nov 1;6:315. IF 2.349
25. Besharat ZM, Abballe L, Cicconardi F, Bhutkar A, Grassi L, Le Pera L, Moretti M, Chinappi M, D'Andrea D, Mastronuzzi A, Ianari A, Vacca A, De Smaele E, Locatelli F, Po A, Miele E, Ferretti E. Foxm1 controls a pro-stemness microRNA network in neural stem cells. Sci Rep. 2018 Feb 23;8(1):3523. IF 4.011
26. Moretti C, Lanzolla G, Moretti M, Gnessi L, Carmina E. Androgens and Hypertension in Men and Women: a Unifying View. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2017 May;19(5):44. IF 3.234
27. Tornatore L, Bennett J, Moretti M, Franzoso G. The nuclear factor kappa B signaling pathway: integrating metabolism with inflammation. Trends Cell Biol. 2012 Nov;22(11):557-66. doi: 10.1016/j.tcb.2012.08.001. Epub 2012 Sep 18. IF 11.721
28. Moretti M, Bennett J, Tornatore L, Thotakura AK, Franzoso G. Cancer: NF-κB regulates energy metabolism. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2012 Dec;44(12):2238-43. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2012.08.002. Epub 2012 Aug 10. IF 4.152
29. Grieco FA, Moretti M, Sebastiani G, Galleri L, Spagnuolo I, Scafetta G, Gulino A, De Smaele E, Maroder M, Dotta F. Delta- cell specific expression of hedgehog pathway Ptch1 receptor in murine and human endocrine pancreas. Diabetes Metabolism Research & Review 2011 Nov;27(8): 755-60. doi: 10.1002/dmrr.1247. IF 3.373
30. Mauro C, Leow SC, Anso E, Rocha S, Thotakura AK, Tornatore L, Moretti M, De Smaele E, Beg A A, Tergaonkar V, Chandel NS, Franzoso G. NF-κB controls energy homeostasis and metabolic adaptation by upregulating mitochondrial respiration. Nature Cell Biology 2011 Aug;13(10):1272-9 doi: 10.1038/ncb2324. IF 19.488
31. De Smaele E*, Di Marcotullio L*, Moretti M*, Pelloni M, Occhione MA, Infante P, Cucchi D, Greco A, Pietrosanti L, Todorovic J, Coni S, Canettieri G, Ferretti E, Bei R, Maroder M, Screpanti I, Gulino A. Identification and characterization of KCASH2 and KCASH3, two novel regulators of HDAC and Hedgehog activity in Medulloblastoma. Neoplasia 2011 Apr; 13(4):374-85. (*Co-Primo nome) IF 5.946
32. Correale S, Pirone L, Di marcotullio L, De Smaele E, Greco A, Mazza’ D., Moretti M, Alterio V, Vitagliano L, Di Gaetano S, Gulino A, Pedone EM. Molecular organization of the cullin 3 ligase adaptor KCTD11. Biochimie 2011 Apr;93(4):715-24. IF 3.022
33. Di Marcotullio L, Greco A, Mazzà D, Canettieri G, Pietrosanti L, Infante P, Coni S, Moretti M, De Smaele E, Ferretti E, Screpanti I, Gulino A. Numb activates the E3 ligase Itch to control Gli1 function through a novel degradation signal. Oncogene 2011 Jan 6;30(1):65-76. IF 6.373
34. De Smaele E, Fragomeli C, Ferretti E, Pelloni M, Po A, Canettieri G, Coni S, Di Marcotullio L, Greco A, Moretti M, Di Rocco C, Pazzaglia S, Maroder M, Screpanti I, Giannini G, Gulino A. An integrated approach identifies Nhlh1 and Insm1 as Sonic Hedgehog-regulated genes in developing cerebellum and medulloblastoma. Neoplasia. 2008 Jan;10(1):89-98. IF 5.946
Book Chapters:
1. Moretti M., Di Francesco B., Nolfi M.D.V., Angrisani A., De Smaele E. (2021) Methods for Modulating the Pathway of NF- κB Using Short Hairpin RNA (ShRNA). In: Franzoso G., Zazzeroni F. (eds) NF-κB Transcription Factors. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2366. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1669-7_6 (Book Chapter).
2. Bennett J, Moretti M, Thotakura AK, Tornatore L, Franzoso G. The regulation of the JNK cascade and programmed cell death by NF-κB: Mechanisms and functions. Trends in Stem Cell Proliferation and Cancer Research, 2013 (Book Chapter).