People
Research Staff
Serena Marchiò, Ph.D.
Co-founder and CSO
Serena Marchiò, 37, has a 10-year post-lauream experience in Cellular and Molecular Biology, working on phage display and protein-protein interactions, with a particular interest in cancer and HIV-1 biology. She is presently working at the Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Torino School of Medicine, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, Candiolo, Italy.
In 2005 she obtained her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Cellular Biotechnology, with the research: "Study of HIV-1/host cell interactions: a novel mechanism of virus entry".
In 2000, she obtained her Specialization Degree in Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, with the research: "The phage display technique: methods and applications in basic research and in clinical biochemistry".
She obtained the Master Degree in Biological Sciences in 1995, with the research: "Analysis of the structure and expression of the Ron gene in mammary tissues".
In 1999, Dr. Marchiò spent six months in the laboratory of Dr. Renata Pasqualini, The Burnham Institute, La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation, San Diego CA, working on the role of APA in pathological angiogenesis.
During this period, she produced most of the results that have been recently published (Cancer Cell, February 2004).
She will perform part of the work in the Pasqualini/Arap laboratory, now at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX.
Federico Bussolino, M.D., Ph.D.
Co-founder and scientific advisor
Federico Bussolino, 54, is presently a full professor of Biochemistry at the University of Torino School of Medicine, and the Director of the Molecular Angiogenesis Division at the Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, Candiolo, Italy.
After Master Degree in Medicine and Surgery, and obtaining the M.D. in Nephrology, he moved to laboratory research. He is author of more than 200 scientific publications on international journals. His main interest is pathological angiogenesis, with a particular attention at its role in cancer biology.
Since 2002 he is coordinator of the Ph.D. Programme in Complexity in Post-genomic Biology. The aim of this interdisciplinary school is to produce scientists who can study the complexity of the biological systems, using a modern approach that combines Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Informatics.
APAvadis projects have been developed under the supervision of Prof. Bussolino, who is therefore the natural referent for the future developments of our research.
Erika Amodeo, Ph.D.
Cancer and angiogenesis models
Erika Amodeo, 31, obtained her Master Degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Torino; final dissertation on "Action of cystamine on the enzyme transglutaminase".
She then attended a Ph.D. program in Biochemistry and Cell Biotechnology, graduating in 2005 with a final dissertation on: "Biochemical and cellular effects in rat hepatoma cells treated with cystamine".
She has been working for seven years in the field of Molecular and Cell Biology at the Departments of Biochemistry and Medicine-Experimental Oncology, University of Torino, where she acquired a deep expertise in the main biochemical and biological techniques regarding sulfur-containing compounds and their role in cell death.
She recently acquired a good knowledge of in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis and tumor assays, through collaboration with the Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Torino Medical School.
Former employee
Anita Ivanova, Ph.D.
Protein engineering
Anita Ivanova, 29, obtained her Master Degrees in Molecular Biology and in Biology and Chemistry at the University of Sofia "St Kliment Ohridski", Bulgaria.
She then worked for one year at "bioMérieux", Lyon, France and acquired an experience in the field of industrial microbiology. In 2004, she attended an interdisciplinary "Marie-Curie" Ph.D. program at the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland, working on supramolecular catalysis. During her thesis she got an expertise in molecular biology and in biochemistry (mutagenesis and randomisation of genes, cloning techniques, restriction mapping, expression of proteins in bacterial and yeast systems, protein purification and characterisation).
She recently obtained her Ph.D. with a final dissertation on: "Rational Evolution of Artificial Metalloenzymes based on the Technology Streptavidin-Biotin For The Enantioselective Catalysis by Transfer Hydrogenation of Carbonyl Compounds".
Scientific Advisory Board
Federico Bussolino, M.D., Ph.D.
Serena Marchiò, Ph.D.
Marco Bianchi
Professor of Molecular Biology, San Raffaele University
He is presently Professor of Molecular Biology at San Raffaele University and head of the Chromatin Dinamic Unit at San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy.
From 1987 to 2000 he was Associate Professor of Microbiology at Universities of Pavia, Milan, and San Raffaele.
From June 1986 to February 1989,he was a Visitor scientist at the E.M.B.L. (Heidelberg, Germany) attending to the programme of Gene Structure and Regulation.
From Jannuary 1983 to June 1986 he was a Post-doctoral Fellow at the Department of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Milan Italy.
From September 1981 to December 1982, he visited the Departments of Human Genetics and Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry of Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA, as a Post-doctoral Associate.
He obtained the Master Degree in Biological Sciences in 1980 at the university of Milan, Italy.
Gianni Garotta
Venture Advisor at Index Ventures (Geneva, Switzerland)
Former investigator at the General Pathology Institute of the University of Milan, the Wistar Institute, the Italian National Cancer Institute (Milan, Italy) and the Basel Institute of Immunology.
He was the Head of the Cytokine and Monoclonal Antibody groups at Roche (Basel, Switzerland) and the Head of Biology at Human Genome Sciences (Rockville, MD, USA).
Most recently, he was the Vice President of Extramural Research and Academic Collaborations at Serono International (Geneva, Switzerland). Dr Garotta has 25 year experience in discovery and development of pharmaceutical and biological products and has been involved in numerous academic and industrial collaborations.
Executive Management Board
Simone Zanolo - APAvadis President
Serena Marchiò - CEO
Federico Bussolino - General Councel
Elisabetta Martini - General Councel - (from EPORGEN Venture)
Stefano Molino - General Councel - (from PIEMONTECH)