Silvio   Aime
	Prof. Silvio Aime is the head of the Molecular Imaging Center of the University of Torino. His primary research is focused on the development of new categories of contrast agents for molecular imaging applications.

Fiorella  Altruda

Fiorella Altruda is Full Professor in Molecular Genetics at the University of Turin. After studying for several years the transcriptional regulation of proteins involved in acute phase response and inflammation both in vivo and in vitro, research in her laboratory has currently focused on isolation and culture of spermatogonial stem cells. The main aim is to derive germline cell-derived pluripotent stem cells for in vitro differentiation studies and their application at preclinical level in mice models of human diseases.

Mara  Brancaccio

We characterized morgana/chp-1 as an ubiquitously expressed protein, playing a key role in the control of centrosome cycle and genomic stability. Our research showed that morgana mutations lead to an increased susceptibility to neoplastic transformation and that morgana expression is deregulated in a large fraction of breast and lung human cancers. Our goal is to understand morgana mechanism of action and its role in tumour onset and progression.

Benedetta  Bussolati

Benedetta Bussolati is Associate Professor of Nephrology at the University of Torino. Her main research interests are: 1-the role of different sources of stem cells in renal tissue regeneration; 2-the properties and the mechanisms of plasticity of progenitor cells in normal tissue, polycystic kidney disease and renal carcinomas. 3- the paracrine effect of stem cells and the role of stem cell released factors on tissue regeneration 4- the fate using MRI or fluorescence imaging of in vivo injected stem cells or bio-products.

Sara  Cabodi

The focus of our research is to characterize the role of the adaptor molecule p130Cas in the mammary gland under physiologic and pathological conditions. Our main interest is to understand the mechanisms through which p130Cas regulates: (1) the development and differentiation of the mammary gland; (2) stem/progenitor cell population in the mammary gland; (3) transformation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells and (4) resistance to breast cancer.

Enzo   Calautti

Stem cells residents of stratified epithelia are one of the few stem cell types currently used in human therapy. However, a better understanding of keratinocyte stem cell biology is needed to overcome our limited ability to (i) identify stem cells from their progenies committed to differentiation; (ii) preserve stem cell functions of self renewal and differentiation at all stages of their therapeutic applications. Our ongoing studies are aimed to test the hypotheses that the PI3K/Akt signaling has a key role in the control of keratinocyte stem cell fate in human stratified epithelia such as the epidermis and the corneal epithelium both in vivo and in vitro, and that the genetic or pharmacological manipulation of this pathway may improve stem cell therapeutic applications.

	Raffaele   Calogero
	RA Calogero is Associate Professor of Molecular Biology/Bioinformatics at University of Torino. Main research interests are: Data mining in oncology and complex genetic diseases: biomarkers and oncoantigens detection. Tool development for Microarray and Next Generation Sequencing data analysis and mining.

	Giovanni  Camussi
	Giovanni Camussi is full professor of Nephrology at the University of Torino. Main current interests are the role of bone-marrow derived or resident stem cells in renal tissue regeneration as well as in the molecular mechanisms driving stem cell recruitment and differentiation. Moreover, he is working on the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.

	Federica  Cavallo
	Federica Cavallo, PhD, is Associate Professor of Immunology of the University of Torino. She has a successful experience in basic and translational cancer immunotherapy, and has a considerable expertise in transgenic mouse models of cancer and DNA vaccination, as documented by her numerous highly quoted papers published in high impact journals.

Paola  Defilippi

The main interest of our lab is to investigate how integrin-dependent adhesion and growth factor/cytokine stimulation co-ordinately regulate convergent signalling pathways that control cell growth, migration and invasion in normal and transformed cells. Our current research is based on in vitro and in vivo models focused on the following points: a) the cross-talk between beta1 integrin and the EGF  receptor; b) the role of the adaptor protein p130Cas in development and tumorigenesis; c) the role of the adaptor protein p140Cap in development and tumorigenesis.

Ferdinando  Di Cunto

My research group is involved in both experimental and computational biology. On the first side, we are interested in the molecular pathways that control the cross-talk between intracellular membranes and cytoskeleton, in biological processes as different as neuronal differentiation and cytokinesis. On the second side, we are developing new bioinformatic approaches may help experimental biologists in establishing the functions of mammalian genes and also their role in human diseases.

	Guido  Forni
	Guido Forni, M.D. is Professor of Immunology at the University of Torino. He takes great pride intraining students and postdoctoral fellows interested in the modulation of immunity in order to impair tumor growth. The findings of ths lab on the role of cytokines in the immune recognition of tumors and the potential of DNA vaccine to prevent cancer progression are recognized world-wide.

	Mario  Giacobini
	Mario Giacobini is Assistant Professor of Informatics at the University of Torino. His research interests focus on Artificial Life, both as bio-inspired computational techniques (mainly Evolutionary Algorithms and their application to Bioinformatics) and as modeling of biological phenomena (ranging from Epidemiology to Molecular Biology) mainly using concepts and instruments of Network Science.

Emilio  Hirsch

Emilio Hirsch is Full Professor in the Department of Genetics, Biology and Biochemistry, at the Molecular Biotechnology Center, School of Medicine, University of Torino. Author of more than 90 publications in international refereed journals including Nature, Science and Cell, his research interests are focused on the in vivo and in vitro analysis of signal transduction mechanisms in inflammation, cancer and cardiac function.

Human Genetics Foundation  HUGEF

HuGeF is a new centre for research and post-graduate education on human genetics. It is a private non-profit institution jointly set up by the Compagnia di San Paolo, the University of Turin and the Turin Polytechnic. Scientific laboratories are located in the same building hosting the MBC. The mission of HuGeF is to promote basic research and post-graduate training in scientific disciplines related to human genetics, genomics and post-genomics in a multi-disciplinary perspective and by using the most updated technological platforms in an integrated environment. Details about research areas and groups are available on HuGeF website

Giorgio  Merlo

This group aims to define the developmental functions and molecular pathways of the Dlx (distalless-related) genes, essential for the morfogenesis of limb and craniofacial skeleton, for the development of the basal brain. Recently we also focus on p63, a transcription factor essential for self-renewal and proliferation of skin stem cells. Our experimental approaches combine in vivo genetics, organ cultures and stem cell biology, with transcription profiling and bioinformatics tools.

Valeria  Poli

Valeria Poli is full Professor in Molecular Biology at the University of Turin. After studying for many years the signalling and transcriptional regulation by cytokines and growth factors both in vivo and in vitro, the research in her laboratory is now focusing on identifying the core mechanisms through which the transcription factor Stat3 exerts its diverse functions at the crossroad between inflammation, immune response, tumor and stem cell niche and tumor transformation.

	Paolo  Provero
	Our group applies genome-wide computational approaches to the study of gene regulation in mammals. We use coexpression networks to infer functional annotation and to identify disease genes. We have developed sequence analysis tools for the study of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation, and we are currently applying them to study the variation and evolution of human gene regulation.

Massimo   Santoro

Using a set of new cellular, molecular, and genetic approaches as well as advanced microscopy techniques, we propose to elucidate how endothelial and mural cells cooperate to shape the cardiovascular system and regulate vascular angiogenesis and myogenesis. The long-term goal is to provide additional molecular entry points to further investigate endothelial and mural cells development/differentiation in normal and pathological conditions using the zebrafish vertebrate system.

	Lorenzo  Silengo
	Lorenzo Silengo, MD, is full professor of Molecular Biology at the University of Torino. Main current interests are focused on the molecular mechanisms driving stem cell differentiation and the potential therapeutic applications of stem cells.

Corrado  Tarella

The major goal of our research is the study and the clinical use of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC).i. HSC are characterized in normal subjects and in patients undergoing HSC transplant procedures.ii. The pathways of cell senescence are investigated both in normal and malignant stem cells.iii. The therapeutic use of bone-marrow derived stem cells is carried on in study protocols for hematological malignancies. These cells are also characterized and used for regenerative purposes in collaboration with orthopedics (Prof. P. Rossi), gastroenterologists (Prof. M. Rizzetto) and neurologists (Prof. A. Chiņ).

	Guido  Tarone
	Guido Tarone is full professor of Cell Biology at University of Torino Medical School and Biotechnology School. The major research focus is on the intracellular signaling pathways controlling cardiac remodelling and cancer cell growth. A functional genomic approach is applied to investigate the role of new genes in the pathophysiology of cardiac funtion

Daniela  Taverna

DanielaTaverna is an Associate Professor in Molecular Biology at the University ofTorino. Her research focus is the identification and molecular characterizationof miRNAs directly responsible of breast cancer and melanoma progression by: 1) analyzing miRNA expression in human tumors and neoplastic cell lines; 2) studying the biological role of some relevant small RNAs following miRNA overexpression or downregulation using in vitro and in vivo approaches; 3) identifying and validate miRNA target genes using bioinformatics tools as well as microarray analyses. The promising miRNAs are then knocked out or overexpressed in mice to generate mouse models to study their role in vivo an their possible use as targets for gene therapy.

Emanuela  Tolosano

The main goal of this research unit is the characterization of mechanisms of heme-iron recovery under physiologic and pathologic conditions. We are interested in elucidating the mechanisms of (1)heme detoxification through the liver, (2)heme absorption by duodenum, (3)heme handling in brain and in understanding (4)how heme controls erythropoiesis and skeletal formation during development. Pathologic conditions considered include Diamond-Blackfan anemia, heme-mediated tissue inflammation and demyelination disorders.