My research is focused on the characterization of a novel type of cellular senescence response which is elicited by complete loss of the tumor suppressor PTEN, and on the identification of novel compounds with pro-senescence activity. My final aim is to develop the concept of pro-senescence therapy for cancer, from experimental evidences to clinic, investigating the efficacy of “pro-senescence” compounds in phase I clinical trials. This will also allow for the identification of senescence markers in human tumor samples to be used in clinic. Biography 2007– 2009 BIDMC - Harvard Medical School (Boston, USA), Pandolfi Laboratory, Postdoctoral Clinical/Research Fellow. 2004–2007 Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York, USA), Pandolfi Laboratory, Postdoctoral Clinical/Research Fellow. 2000– 2004 Regina Elena National Cancer Institute (Rome, Italy), Resident in Clinical Oncology. 2000 MD degree, University of Rome ”La Sapienza” (Italy).

characterization of a novel type of cellular senescence, tumor suppressor PTEN, therapy for cancer