Present position:
Professor of Medical Oncology, University of Ferrara, Italy
Director, School of Specialty in Medical Oncology, University of Ferrara, Italy
ORCID: 0000-0003-0910-3893
Education:
Graduate:
1995 Ph.D. Genetics, University of Ferrara, IT
1993 M.Sc. Computing Science, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK
Undergraduate:
1987 B.S. Biological Sciences, University of Ferrara, IT. Graduated summa cum laude.
Academic Positions/Employment:
2022-present Visiting Professor, CNBCh, University of Warsaw, PL
2019-present Full Professor, Medical Oncology, Dept. of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, IT
2014-2019 Associate Professor, Histology, Dept. of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, IT
2015-2016 Lecturer, Histology, International MD Program, San Raffaele University, Milan, IT
2012-2014 Associate Professor, Dept. of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
2004-2012 Assistant Professor, Dept. of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
2001-2003 Visiting Scientist, Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Naples, IT
1996-2014 Assistant Professor, Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Ferrara, IT
1996-1998 Visiting Research Scientist, Dept. of Signal Transduction, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, (Prof LC Cantley), Boston, MA, USA
1994-1996 Research Scientist, Dept. of Biochemistry and Mol Biology, University of Ferrara, IT
1990-1994 Senior Research Fellow, Receptor Studies (Prof MD Waterfield), Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (UCL), London, UK
1988-1989 Research Fellow, Imperial Cancer Research Fund (part of Cancer Research UK, merged into The Francis Crick Institute), London, UK
Teaching Activities
1996-present Oncology, Bioinformatics, Histology, Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Ferrara, IT
2015 Lecturer, Histology, International MD Program, San Raffaele University, Milan, IT
2013 Research Problem Solving in Biomedical Science (IBGP 7040), College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (USA)
Honors and Awards
2022 Chair of Panel Medicine for the 2022 Periodic Evaluation of Research, Development, Artistic and Other Creative Activities (Slovak Republic).
2021 Ulam NAWA Scholarship (Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange)
2019 Commendatore dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana
2014-2018 Highly Cited Researcher (Clarivate Analytics)
2017 National Scientific Habilitation (Italy) to Full Professor in Blood diseases and Oncology (06/D3), Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Genetics, Medical Genetics, General Pathology and Clinical Pathology
2013 National Scientific Habilitation (Italy) to Full Professor in Histology, Molecular Biology, Applied Biology, and Medical Diagnostics Techniques
1996 Human Frontier Long Term Fellowship, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
Institutional Responsibilities
2020- Director, School of Specialty in Medical Oncology, University of Ferrara, IT
2022- Faculty Member of the PhD Program in Advanced Therapies and Experimental Pharmacology. University of Ferrara, IT
2015-2021 Faculty Member of the PhD Program in Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences. University of Ferrara, IT
2004-2007 Director, Telethon Service for DNA Microarrays Data Mining, University of Ferrara, IT
2001-2015 Faculty Member of the PhD Program in Molecular Medicine and Pharmacology), University of Ferrara, IT
International institutions and Consortia
2022- Member of the Human Cell Atlas (HCA) consortium
2021- Delegate at the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC)
Commissions of Trust (selection)
2022 Expert, VER 2022, the Periodic Evaluation of Research, Development, Artistic and Other Creative Activities, (Slovak Republic).
2021 Expert, Polish Science Foundation (FNP), Poland.
2019- Expert, Fund for Scientific Research-FNRS, Belgium
2014 Evaluator, Individual Research Grants, Israel Science Foundation
2014 Evaluator, Research Proposals, Istituto Toscano Tumori, Florence, IT
2013 Evaluator, Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong
2011 Evaluator, Research Promotion Foundation (RPF), Cyprus
2011 Evaluator, Training & Career Development Board, Cancer Research UK
2007- Evaluator, Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR), IT
2005- Evaluator, EU
Editorial and Reviewer activity (selection)
Reviewer for Nature, Science, Lancet Oncology, Oncogene, Cancer Res., JBC, PNAS USA, Leukemia, Blood, Genome Medicine, PLOS One, PLOS Genetics, Bioinformatics, PLOS Computational Biology, and others.
Editorial board for Cancers, Frontiers in Genetics, BioData Mining.
Technological Transfer: Patents (selection)
1. United States Patent 63/534,052. August 22, 2023. Novel markers for detection, isolation and targeting of circulating tumor cells. Volinia; Stefano (Ferrara, IT). Pending.
2. United States Patent 8,658,362. February 25, 2014. Methods for diagnosing colon cancer using MicroRNAs. Croce; Carlo M. (Columbus, OH), Calin; George A. (Pearland, TX), Volinia; Stefano (Ferrara, IT)
3. United States Patent 8,603,744. December 10, 2013. Methods for diagnosing breast cancer using MicroRNAs. Inventors: Croce; Carlo M. (Columbus, OH), Calin; George A. (Pearland, TX), Volinia; Stefano (Ferrara, IT)
4. United States Patent 8,580,500. November 12, 2013. Methods for diagnosing lung cancer using microRNAs. Inventors: Croce; Carlo M. (Columbus, OH), Calin; George A. (Pearland, TX), Volinia; Stefano (Ferrara, IT)
5. United States Patent 8,148,069. April 3, 2012. MicroRNA-based methods and compositions for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of solid cancers. Croce; Carlo M. (Columbus, OH), Calin; George A. (Pearland, TX), Volinia; Stefano (Ferrara, IT)
6. United States Patent 7,422,849. September 9, 2008. Method for determining expression of a PI3 kinase gene. Inventors: Hiles; Ian D. (London, GB), Fry; Michael J. (London, GB), Dhand; Ritu (London, GB), Waterfield; Michael D. (London, GB), Parker; Peter J. (London, GB), Otsu; Masayuki (London, GB), Panayoutou; George (London, GB), Volinia; Stefano (London, GB), Gout; Ivan (London, GB)
Memberships of Scientific Societies
European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG),
American Society of Hematology (ASH),
European Hematology Association (EHA),
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR),
European Association for Cancer Research (EACR).
Current Research Grants:
ICSC - National Centre in HPC, Big Data and Quantum Computing – Spoke 8 In Silico Medicine & Omics (2022-2025)
OPUS24 - NCN (Poland) (2023-2027)
Supervision of PhD students
2022- Anna Terrazzan.
2018-2022 Francesca Crudele. IRCCS Burlo-Garofalo, Trieste (Italy)
2014-2018 Linda Minotti.
2014- 2018 Mario Scarpa. Post-doc at University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (USA)
2012-2016 Alessandro Canella. Research Scientist at the Laboratory for RNA Cancer Biology, KU Leuven (Belgium)
2009-2013 Paola Dama. The role of miR-302 in pluripotency of embrionic stem cells.
2009-2013 Jeffrey Palatini. Use of next generation sequencing for the study of coding and non-coding RNA in colorectal cancer. Next Generation Sequencing specialist, CeNT, Warsaw, Poland
2009-2013 Marco Galasso. A systems biology approach to non-coding RNAs: the networks of cancer. Now at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Italy.
2009-2013 Maria Elena Sana. Use of next-generation sequencing or genomic analysis in complex diseases.
2008-2012 Nicola Valeri. Now, Team Leader at the Centre for Molecular Pathology, Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
2006-2010 Paolo Neviani. Now, Research Associate at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, CA, USA
2006-2009 Simona Rossi. Involvement of genes and non-coding RNAs in cancer: profiling using microarrays. Now Project Leader, P-Medicine, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne (CH)
2005-2009 Gianpiero Di Leva. A Regulatory “miRcircuitry” Involving miR221/222 and ERα Determines ERα Status of Breast Cancer Cells. Now,University of Salford, UK.
2004-2008 Cristian Taccioli. Non Coding RNA in human cancer: microRNA and ultraconserved sequences. Now, Associate Prof, Molecular Biology, Università di Padova, Italy.
2003-2007 Nicoletta Mascellani. Sviluppo della tecnologia dei microarrays e applicazioni nello studio di alterazioni molecolari in linee cellulari tumorali
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Working in renowned research institutes and universities, I carried out research in the fields of cancer, non-coding RNA, signal transduction, human genomics and precision medicine.
My background is at the interface between molecular oncology and computational biology. Together with my colleagues, I developed and applied novel tools for the study of microRNA, long non-coding RNA, circular RNA, protein phosphorylation, and protein-protein interaction. During recent years, in my lab we identified key miRNAs, circular RNAs and long non-coding RNAs in the establishment and progression of leukemia and solid cancers.
As an investigator in NIH-funded, as well as in Italian and European grants, I developed and applied novel tools for the study of microRNA, long non-coding RNA, circular RNA, protein phosphorylation, and protein-protein interaction. In those projects, I collaborated with many excellent researchers, with whom I co-authored over 250 papers on cancer-related studies that are indexed in PubMed (H-index = 100). The paper “A microRNA expression signature of human solid tumors defines cancer gene targets”, of which I am the first author, received more than 7,000 citations (Google Scholar).
The unifying theme
The unifying theme of my work is the design and development of genomics-based studies towards the effective implementation of truly personalized care in cancer. Single cell and spatial studies form now the pillars in my research projects. The level of details we currently gain from molecular genomics, coupled with continuous refinements in cellular techniques, can provide us the information needed to understand the complexity within each cell, in each tumor and its micro-environment and in each patient. My overarching goal is to contribute to unravelling these mechanisms, tackle their alterations and finally tame diseases such as leukemia and cancers.
Key contribution points
a. The cloning and characterization of PI 3-kinase, one of the most mutated genes in cancer, and its family members (scientific papers and patents);
b. microRNAs have a key role in human cancer (scientific papers and patents);
c. the discovery of long non-coding RNAs and circular RNAs with a role in acute myeloid leukemia and other cancers (scientific papers).
d. novel markers in circulating tumor cells (CTCs)
Scientific achievements (from the most recent)
- Identification of novel markers for circulating tumor cells.
- Ductal carcinomas in-situ (DCIS) with low miR-126/218 are at high risk for progression.
- Circular RNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia.
- miR-204 is a key event in melanoma development and progression.
- The long non-coding RNAs are associated with NPM1 mutations and prognostic in AML.
- The non-coding RNA Uc-283+ is highly expressed in pluripotent stem cell and in glioma.
- miR-302/miR-203 define pluripotent stem cells and are associated with breast cancer.
- A compact 37-gene hybrid microRNA/mRNA panel is superior to mRNA-only signatures in the prognosis of breast cancer.
- miRNA networks are reprogrammed in solid cancers and leukemia.
- The role of miRNAs in solid tumors: discovery of a common signature.
Bibliography
The manuscripts by prof Volinia and co-authors received over 46,000 citations (without self-citations), resulting in a H-index of 100 (Sources: Web of Science Core Collection –Thomson Reuters, Google Scholar, respectively). The paper entitled “A microRNA expression signature of human solid tumors defines cancer gene targets” collected more than 7,000 citations (Google Scholar).
Professor of Medical Oncology, University of Ferrara, Italy
Director, School of Specialty in Medical Oncology, University of Ferrara, Italy
ORCID: 0000-0003-0910-3893
Education:
Graduate:
1995 Ph.D. Genetics, University of Ferrara, IT
1993 M.Sc. Computing Science, Birkbeck College, University of London, UK
Undergraduate:
1987 B.S. Biological Sciences, University of Ferrara, IT. Graduated summa cum laude.
Academic Positions/Employment:
2022-present Visiting Professor, CNBCh, University of Warsaw, PL
2019-present Full Professor, Medical Oncology, Dept. of Translational Medicine, University of Ferrara, IT
2014-2019 Associate Professor, Histology, Dept. of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara, IT
2015-2016 Lecturer, Histology, International MD Program, San Raffaele University, Milan, IT
2012-2014 Associate Professor, Dept. of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
2004-2012 Assistant Professor, Dept. of Molecular Virology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
2001-2003 Visiting Scientist, Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM), Naples, IT
1996-2014 Assistant Professor, Histology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Ferrara, IT
1996-1998 Visiting Research Scientist, Dept. of Signal Transduction, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, (Prof LC Cantley), Boston, MA, USA
1994-1996 Research Scientist, Dept. of Biochemistry and Mol Biology, University of Ferrara, IT
1990-1994 Senior Research Fellow, Receptor Studies (Prof MD Waterfield), Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (UCL), London, UK
1988-1989 Research Fellow, Imperial Cancer Research Fund (part of Cancer Research UK, merged into The Francis Crick Institute), London, UK
Teaching Activities
1996-present Oncology, Bioinformatics, Histology, Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Ferrara, IT
2015 Lecturer, Histology, International MD Program, San Raffaele University, Milan, IT
2013 Research Problem Solving in Biomedical Science (IBGP 7040), College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (USA)
Honors and Awards
2022 Chair of Panel Medicine for the 2022 Periodic Evaluation of Research, Development, Artistic and Other Creative Activities (Slovak Republic).
2021 Ulam NAWA Scholarship (Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange)
2019 Commendatore dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana
2014-2018 Highly Cited Researcher (Clarivate Analytics)
2017 National Scientific Habilitation (Italy) to Full Professor in Blood diseases and Oncology (06/D3), Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Genetics, Medical Genetics, General Pathology and Clinical Pathology
2013 National Scientific Habilitation (Italy) to Full Professor in Histology, Molecular Biology, Applied Biology, and Medical Diagnostics Techniques
1996 Human Frontier Long Term Fellowship, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA
Institutional Responsibilities
2020- Director, School of Specialty in Medical Oncology, University of Ferrara, IT
2022- Faculty Member of the PhD Program in Advanced Therapies and Experimental Pharmacology. University of Ferrara, IT
2015-2021 Faculty Member of the PhD Program in Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences. University of Ferrara, IT
2004-2007 Director, Telethon Service for DNA Microarrays Data Mining, University of Ferrara, IT
2001-2015 Faculty Member of the PhD Program in Molecular Medicine and Pharmacology), University of Ferrara, IT
International institutions and Consortia
2022- Member of the Human Cell Atlas (HCA) consortium
2021- Delegate at the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC)
Commissions of Trust (selection)
2022 Expert, VER 2022, the Periodic Evaluation of Research, Development, Artistic and Other Creative Activities, (Slovak Republic).
2021 Expert, Polish Science Foundation (FNP), Poland.
2019- Expert, Fund for Scientific Research-FNRS, Belgium
2014 Evaluator, Individual Research Grants, Israel Science Foundation
2014 Evaluator, Research Proposals, Istituto Toscano Tumori, Florence, IT
2013 Evaluator, Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong
2011 Evaluator, Research Promotion Foundation (RPF), Cyprus
2011 Evaluator, Training & Career Development Board, Cancer Research UK
2007- Evaluator, Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR), IT
2005- Evaluator, EU
Editorial and Reviewer activity (selection)
Reviewer for Nature, Science, Lancet Oncology, Oncogene, Cancer Res., JBC, PNAS USA, Leukemia, Blood, Genome Medicine, PLOS One, PLOS Genetics, Bioinformatics, PLOS Computational Biology, and others.
Editorial board for Cancers, Frontiers in Genetics, BioData Mining.
Technological Transfer: Patents (selection)
1. United States Patent 63/534,052. August 22, 2023. Novel markers for detection, isolation and targeting of circulating tumor cells. Volinia; Stefano (Ferrara, IT). Pending.
2. United States Patent 8,658,362. February 25, 2014. Methods for diagnosing colon cancer using MicroRNAs. Croce; Carlo M. (Columbus, OH), Calin; George A. (Pearland, TX), Volinia; Stefano (Ferrara, IT)
3. United States Patent 8,603,744. December 10, 2013. Methods for diagnosing breast cancer using MicroRNAs. Inventors: Croce; Carlo M. (Columbus, OH), Calin; George A. (Pearland, TX), Volinia; Stefano (Ferrara, IT)
4. United States Patent 8,580,500. November 12, 2013. Methods for diagnosing lung cancer using microRNAs. Inventors: Croce; Carlo M. (Columbus, OH), Calin; George A. (Pearland, TX), Volinia; Stefano (Ferrara, IT)
5. United States Patent 8,148,069. April 3, 2012. MicroRNA-based methods and compositions for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of solid cancers. Croce; Carlo M. (Columbus, OH), Calin; George A. (Pearland, TX), Volinia; Stefano (Ferrara, IT)
6. United States Patent 7,422,849. September 9, 2008. Method for determining expression of a PI3 kinase gene. Inventors: Hiles; Ian D. (London, GB), Fry; Michael J. (London, GB), Dhand; Ritu (London, GB), Waterfield; Michael D. (London, GB), Parker; Peter J. (London, GB), Otsu; Masayuki (London, GB), Panayoutou; George (London, GB), Volinia; Stefano (London, GB), Gout; Ivan (London, GB)
Memberships of Scientific Societies
European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG),
American Society of Hematology (ASH),
European Hematology Association (EHA),
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR),
European Association for Cancer Research (EACR).
Current Research Grants:
ICSC - National Centre in HPC, Big Data and Quantum Computing – Spoke 8 In Silico Medicine & Omics (2022-2025)
OPUS24 - NCN (Poland) (2023-2027)
Supervision of PhD students
2022- Anna Terrazzan.
2018-2022 Francesca Crudele. IRCCS Burlo-Garofalo, Trieste (Italy)
2014-2018 Linda Minotti.
2014- 2018 Mario Scarpa. Post-doc at University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore (USA)
2012-2016 Alessandro Canella. Research Scientist at the Laboratory for RNA Cancer Biology, KU Leuven (Belgium)
2009-2013 Paola Dama. The role of miR-302 in pluripotency of embrionic stem cells.
2009-2013 Jeffrey Palatini. Use of next generation sequencing for the study of coding and non-coding RNA in colorectal cancer. Next Generation Sequencing specialist, CeNT, Warsaw, Poland
2009-2013 Marco Galasso. A systems biology approach to non-coding RNAs: the networks of cancer. Now at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Italy.
2009-2013 Maria Elena Sana. Use of next-generation sequencing or genomic analysis in complex diseases.
2008-2012 Nicola Valeri. Now, Team Leader at the Centre for Molecular Pathology, Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
2006-2010 Paolo Neviani. Now, Research Associate at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, CA, USA
2006-2009 Simona Rossi. Involvement of genes and non-coding RNAs in cancer: profiling using microarrays. Now Project Leader, P-Medicine, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne (CH)
2005-2009 Gianpiero Di Leva. A Regulatory “miRcircuitry” Involving miR221/222 and ERα Determines ERα Status of Breast Cancer Cells. Now,University of Salford, UK.
2004-2008 Cristian Taccioli. Non Coding RNA in human cancer: microRNA and ultraconserved sequences. Now, Associate Prof, Molecular Biology, Università di Padova, Italy.
2003-2007 Nicoletta Mascellani. Sviluppo della tecnologia dei microarrays e applicazioni nello studio di alterazioni molecolari in linee cellulari tumorali
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Working in renowned research institutes and universities, I carried out research in the fields of cancer, non-coding RNA, signal transduction, human genomics and precision medicine.
My background is at the interface between molecular oncology and computational biology. Together with my colleagues, I developed and applied novel tools for the study of microRNA, long non-coding RNA, circular RNA, protein phosphorylation, and protein-protein interaction. During recent years, in my lab we identified key miRNAs, circular RNAs and long non-coding RNAs in the establishment and progression of leukemia and solid cancers.
As an investigator in NIH-funded, as well as in Italian and European grants, I developed and applied novel tools for the study of microRNA, long non-coding RNA, circular RNA, protein phosphorylation, and protein-protein interaction. In those projects, I collaborated with many excellent researchers, with whom I co-authored over 250 papers on cancer-related studies that are indexed in PubMed (H-index = 100). The paper “A microRNA expression signature of human solid tumors defines cancer gene targets”, of which I am the first author, received more than 7,000 citations (Google Scholar).
The unifying theme
The unifying theme of my work is the design and development of genomics-based studies towards the effective implementation of truly personalized care in cancer. Single cell and spatial studies form now the pillars in my research projects. The level of details we currently gain from molecular genomics, coupled with continuous refinements in cellular techniques, can provide us the information needed to understand the complexity within each cell, in each tumor and its micro-environment and in each patient. My overarching goal is to contribute to unravelling these mechanisms, tackle their alterations and finally tame diseases such as leukemia and cancers.
Key contribution points
a. The cloning and characterization of PI 3-kinase, one of the most mutated genes in cancer, and its family members (scientific papers and patents);
b. microRNAs have a key role in human cancer (scientific papers and patents);
c. the discovery of long non-coding RNAs and circular RNAs with a role in acute myeloid leukemia and other cancers (scientific papers).
d. novel markers in circulating tumor cells (CTCs)
Scientific achievements (from the most recent)
- Identification of novel markers for circulating tumor cells.
- Ductal carcinomas in-situ (DCIS) with low miR-126/218 are at high risk for progression.
- Circular RNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia.
- miR-204 is a key event in melanoma development and progression.
- The long non-coding RNAs are associated with NPM1 mutations and prognostic in AML.
- The non-coding RNA Uc-283+ is highly expressed in pluripotent stem cell and in glioma.
- miR-302/miR-203 define pluripotent stem cells and are associated with breast cancer.
- A compact 37-gene hybrid microRNA/mRNA panel is superior to mRNA-only signatures in the prognosis of breast cancer.
- miRNA networks are reprogrammed in solid cancers and leukemia.
- The role of miRNAs in solid tumors: discovery of a common signature.
Bibliography
The manuscripts by prof Volinia and co-authors received over 46,000 citations (without self-citations), resulting in a H-index of 100 (Sources: Web of Science Core Collection –Thomson Reuters, Google Scholar, respectively). The paper entitled “A microRNA expression signature of human solid tumors defines cancer gene targets” collected more than 7,000 citations (Google Scholar).
