Scientific and research positions
• 2022-present: Research associate, CNR Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology
• 2017-2020: CNR Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, Acting Director
• 2013-2018: Teaching position at Sapienza University (Rome), Course "Molecular Biology of the Cell Cycle", MSc Degree Course in Genetics and Molecular Biology
• 2009- present: co-director, Nikon microscopy reference center for Central-Southern Italy at CNR-IBPM, Rome
• 2007-present: Research Director, IBPM-CNR, Rome
• 2004-present: Teaching board member, PhD School in Genetics and Molecular Biology, 'La Sapienza', University, Rome
• 2004-09: Associated Unit PI in the AIRC (Italian Association for Cancer Research) consortium ROC (Rome Oncogenomics Centre)
• 2001- 05: Senior Research Scientist, IBPM-CNR, Rome
• 1991-2000: PI of the Laboratory of Cell Cycle Control, IBPM-CNR (formerly the CNR Center of Evolutionary Genetics) with research grants from AIRC, Ministry of University and Research (MIUR), European Union (FP4, FP6) and others.
• 1990 -91: EU Senior Fellow in the framework of the ‘BRIDGE' Programme for the Development of Biotechnology, Centre for Genome Research, University of Edinburgh, UK
• 1987-90: New Unit start-up at CNR Centre of Evolutionary Genetics, Rome, with grants from CNR Progetto Finalizzato ‘Genetic Engineering'
• 1984-86: EMB0 long-term fellow, MRC Mammalian Genome Unit, Edinburgh, UK
• 1981-83: Research fellow, supported by the CNR Committee for Biotechonology, Institute of Genetics, University ‘La Sapienza', Rome
Education
• 1979-80: Formal post-graduate Training (‘Tirocinio' post-Lauream), Laboratory of Human Cytogenetics, Sapienza University, Rome (Italy)
• 1978: MSc Degree in Biology, Sapienza University, Rome (Italy),
Areas of expertise
Disciplines: Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Applied Biology
Research fields: Control of mitosis and cell division; The mitotic apparatus; Regulatory networks in genetic instability; Cell cycle control; Checkpoints; Innovative anti-cancer molecules and therapeutic design; Cellular imaging
Scientific Societies
2007: American Society of Cell Biology (ASCB), Membership
2003-06: Italian Society of Biophysics and Molecular Biology (SIBBM), governing board
1999: Italian Association of Cell Biology and Differentiation (ABCD), Membership
1991: Italian Society of Biophysics and Molecular Biology (SIBBM), Membership
1987: Italian Association (AGI), Membership
1983: National Italian Board of professional Biologists
Professional / scientific activities, consultancy and peer review experience
2023-present: European Commission HADEA-HE-Mission-Cancer, Member of the board of evaluators
2022-present: European Science Foundation, Board of reviewers
2006-present: Research Grants Council Hong Kong, Member of the Board of evaluators
2003-present: European Commission, Life Sciences panel, programmes FP6, FP7, H2020, Horizon Europe
2014-218: Italian Ministry of Economic Development (MISE), member of the panel of scientific experts for R&D proposals
2013-17: CNR committee for bilateral research projects of International cooperation, Representative of the CNR Department of Biomedical Sciences
2009-17: Vice Chair, EU Marie-Curie actions (Post-doctoral fellowships, Research and Training Networks), Life Sciences panel, FP7 and H2020
2004: AIRC Lazio, Scientific Board
2003-05: Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), Biomedical & Neuroscience panel, Member of the Board of Evaluators
Ad hoc grant reviewer for the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC), EMBO fellowship applications, UK Wellcome Trust; Cancer Research UK; Science Foundation Ireland; Israel Science Foundation; Université du Luxembourg and others
Editorial Boards:
Scientific Reports, Cell Biology section
Frontiers Research Topics associate editor
Atlas of Genetics and Cytogenetics in Oncology and Haematology (Mitosis Section Editor),
Peer J , Editorial board member)
International Journal of Molecular Sciences , Editorial board member
Ad hoc reviewer for BMC Cancer, BMC Cell Biology, Cancer Letters, Cell Cycle, Cell and Molecular Life Sciences, Experimental Cell Research, Journal of Cell Science, Journal of Cell Biology, Molecular Biology of the Cell, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Molecular Cancer, Oncogene, Oncology, and others
Publications
Total number of peer reviewed publications: 89 (March 2024)
Monographies and book chapters: 10
H-index: 36 (WoS), 37 (Scopus)
ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3310-6701
15 recent publications
1. Di Cesare E, Moroni S, Bartoli J, Damizia M, Giubettini M, Koerner C, Krenn V, Musacchio A, Lavia P. (2023). Aurora B SUMOylation Is Restricted to Centromeres in Early Mitosis and Requires RANBP2. Cells 12(3):372
2. Ansari MSZ, Stagni V, Iuzzolino A, Rotili D, Mai A, Del Bufalo D, Lavia P, Degrassi F, Trisciuoglio D. (2023) Pharmacological targeting of CBP/p300 drives a redox/autophagy axis leading to senescence-induced growth arrest in non-small cell lung cancer cells. Cancer Gene Ther. 30(1):124-136.
3. Rossi F, Beltran M, Damizia M, Grelloni C, Colantoni A, Setti A, Di Timoteo G, Dattilo D, Centrón-Broco A, Nicoletti C, Fanciulli M, Lavia P, Bozzoni I. (2022) Circular RNA ZNF609/CKAP5 mRNA interaction regulates microtubule dynamics and tumorigenicity. Mol Cell. 82(1):75-89.e9.
4. Damizia M, Altieri L, Lavia P. (2022). Non-transport roles of nuclear import receptors: In need of the right balance. Front Cell Dev Biol. 10:1041938.
5. Verrico A, Rovella P, Di Francesco L, Damizia M, Staid DS, Le Pera L, Schininà ME, Lavia P. Importin-β/karyopherin-β1 modulates mitotic microtubule function and taxane sensitivity in cancer cells via its nucleoporin-binding region. Oncogene. 2020 39(2):454-468.
6. Di Francesco L, Verrico A, Asteriti IA, Rovella P, Cirigliano P, Guarguaglini G, Schininà ME, Lavia P. 2018. Visualization of human karyopherin beta-1/importin beta-1 interactions with protein partners in mitotic cells by co-immunoprecipitation and proximity ligation assays. Sci Rep. 8:1850.
7. Gilistro E, de Turris V, Damizia M, Verrico A, Moroni S, De Santis R, Rosa A, Lavia P. 2017. Importin-β and CRM1 control a RANBP2 spatiotemporal switch essential for mitotic kinetochore function. J Cell Sci. 130:2564-78.
8. Colicchia V, Petroni M, Guarguaglini G, Sardina F, Sahún-Roncero M, Carbonari M, Ricci B, Heil C, Capalbo C, Belardinilli F, Coppa A, Peruzzi G, Screpanti I, Lavia P, Gulino A, Giannini G. PARP inhibitors enhance replication stress and cause mitotic catastrophe in MYCN-dependent neuroblastoma. Oncogene. 2017. 36:4682-91.
9. Asteriti IA, Daidone F, Colotti G, Rinaldo S, Lavia P, Guarguaglini G, Paiardini A. Identification of small molecule inhibitors of the Aurora-A/TPX2 complex. Oncotarget. 2017. 8: 32117-33.
10. Di Cesare E, Verrico A, Miele A, Giubettini M, Rovella P, Coluccia A, Famiglini V, La Regina G, Cundari E, Silvestri R, Lavia P. Mitotic cell death induction by targeting the mitotic spindle with tubulin-inhibitory indole derivative molecules. Oncotarget. 2017. 8:19738-19759.
11. Stelma T, Chi A, van der Watt PJ, Verrico A, Lavia P, Leaner VD. Targeting nuclear transporters in cancer: Diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic potential. IUBMB Life. 2016. 68:268-80.
12. La Regina G, Bai R, Coluccia A, Famiglini V, Pelliccia S, Passacantilli S, Mazzoccoli C, Ruggieri V, Verrico A, Miele A, Monti L, Nalli M, Alfonsi R, Di Marcotullio L, Gulino A, Ricci B, Soriani A, Santoni A, Caraglia M, Porto S, Da Pozzo E, Martini C, Brancale A, Marinelli L, Novellino E, Vultaggio S, Varasi M, Mercurio C, Bigogno C, Dondio G, Hamel E, Lavia P, Silvestri R. New indole tubulin assembly inhibitors cause stable arrest of mitotic progression, enhanced stimulation of natural killer cell cytotoxic activity, and repression of hedgehog-dependent cancer. J Med Chem. 2015. 58:5789-807.
13. Asteriti IA, Di Cesare E, De Mattia F, Hilsenstein V, Neumann B, Cundari E, Lavia P, Guarguaglini G. The Aurora-A inhibitor MLN8237 affects multiple mitotic processes and induces dose-dependent mitotic abnormalities and aneuploidy. Oncotarget. 2014. 5:6229-42.
14. Amato R, Scumaci D, D'Antona L, Iuliano R, Menniti M, Di Sanzo M, Faniello MC, Colao E, Malatesta P, Zingone A, Agosti V, Costanzo FS, Mileo AM, Paggi MG, Lang F, Cuda G, Lavia P*, Perrotti N*. 2013. * co-corresponsing. Sgk1 enhances RANBP1 transcript levels and decreases taxol sensitivity in RKO colon carcinoma cells. Oncogene. 32:4572-8.
15. Roscioli E, Di Francesco L, Bolognesi A, Giubettini M, Orlando S, Harel A, Schininà ME, Lavia P. Importin-β negatively regulates multiple aspects of mitosis including RANGAP1 recruitment to kinetochores. J Cell Biol. 2012. 196:435-50.