Ricerc@Sapienza

The group is interested in i) analyzing the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate hepatocyte differentiation and transdifferentiation (EMT) and contribute to the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma, ii) dissecting the signaling pathways that mediate cellular responses to microenvironmental stimuli (such as soluble factors and extracellular matrix stiffness) under physiological and pathological conditions, and iii) identifying molecular tools for gene therapy applications in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Main research topics:

• molecular mechanisms responsible for the regulation of the transcriptional cofactor YAP1 by the MAPK ERK5, with particular focus on (1) the contribution of ERK5 kinase activity to the post-translational regulation of YAP1 and (2) its impact on YAP1 transactivation function
• role of the lncRNA MALAT1 in the assembly of molecular platforms orchestrated by master transcription factors and involved in the epigenetic control of gene expression in hepatocytes and hepatoma cells
• functional characterization of HNF4α mutants as potential therapeutic tools for hepatocellular carcinoma
• regulation of Snail, YAP1, and HNF4α master factors in EMT/MET dynamics, and their modulation by the cytokine TGFβ and under conditions of low versus high extracellular matrix stiffness.