Docenti

Paola Zanovello

Paola Zanovello

Full Professor

Telefono: 339 5642572

Phone lab: +39 0498215892

E-mail: paola.zanovello@unipd.it

Education
1975:Degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Padova

Positions
2010-present: Full Professor of Immunology, University of Padova
1992-2009: Associate Professor of Immunology, Department of Oncology and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova
1981-1991: Assistant Professor, Institute of Oncology, University of Padova

From the very beginning, the research interest has addressed the relationships between tumor and immune system, with a special attention to immune responses mediated by tumor-specific T lymphocytes, and mechanisms underlying their development and functional activity. Until the '90s, the work was mainly carried out in tumor animal models, and the results obtained in that period contributed to understand the immune-mediated control of virus-associated tumors exerted by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Moreover, some mechanisms involved in antigen recognition and effector function mediated by tumor-specific T lymphocytes were also clarified.

Later, the interest also turned to the expression of tumor-associated antigens in human tumors, particularly in melanomas. In this setting, the research activity also comprised studies on gene expression profiles in tumor tissues as well as on T cell receptor repertoire in melanoma antigen-vaccinated patients. This period was fundamental to improve the ability to handle high-throughput functional genomics in term of both technology and data management, analysis, and interpretation.

More recently, the research activity addressed the issue of tumor escape from immune control. In this setting, special interest has been focused on immunosuppression strategies used by tumors to evade anti-tumor response, with the dual purpose of dissecting the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon and designing new approaches for effective anti-tumor immunotherapy. Among the numerous escape pathways, the attention was focused on the functional activity of myelo-monocytic cells endowed with potent immunosuppressive properties, a common finding observed during tumor progression in murine model of tumorigenesis as well as in human tumors. In this particular area, by using transcriptomic, proteomic and miRNomic approaches, the research group has provided seminal contributions to defining tumor-associated alterations in the myelo-monocytic compartment acquired during tumor development and growth.

1. Grassi, A, Perilli, L, Albertoni, L, Tessarollo, S, Mescoli, C, Urso, EDL., Fassan, M, Rugge, M, Zanovello, P (2018). A coordinate deregulation of microRNAs expressed in mucosa adjacent to tumor predicts relapse after resection in localized colon cancer. Molecular Cancer, vol. 17, ISSN: 1476-4598, doi: 10.1186/s12943-018-0770-8

2. Piovan, E, Tosello, V, Amadori, A, Zanovello, P (2018). Chemotactic Cues for NOTCH1-Dependent Leukemia. Frontiers in Immunology, vol. 9, ISSN: 1664-3224, doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00633

3. Turrini R, Merlo A, Martorelli D, Faè D A, Sommaggio R, Montagner I, Barbieri V, Marin O, Zanovello P, Dolcetti R, Rosato A (2017). A BARF1-specific mAb as a new immunotherapeutic tool for the management of EBV-related tumors. Oncoimmunology, vol. 6, e1304338, ISSN: 2162-4011, doi: 10.1080/2162402X.2017.1304338

4. Cappuzzello E, Tosi A, Zanovello P, Sommaggio R, Rosato A (2016). Retargeting cytokine-induced killer cell activity by CD16 engagement with clinical-grade antibodies. Oncoimmunology, vol. 5, e1199311, ISSN: 2162-4011, doi: 10.1080/2162402X.2016.1199311

5. Marigo I, Zilio S, Desantis G, Mlecnik B, Agnellini A, Ugel S, Sasso MS, Qualls JE, Kratochvill F, Zanovello P, Molon B, Ries C, Runza V, Hoves S, Bilocq A, Bindea G, Mazza EM. C, Bicciato S, Galon J, Murray P J, Bronte V (2016). T Cell Cancer Therapy Requires CD40-CD40L Activation of Tumor Necrosis Factor and Inducible Nitric-Oxide-Synthase-Producing Dendritic Cells. Cancer Cell, vol. 30, p. 377-390-377, ISSN: 1535-6108, doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2016.08.004

6. Ghisi M, Corradin A, Basso K, Frasson C, Serafin V, Mukherjee S, Mussolin L, Ruggero K, Bonanno L, Guffanti A, De Bellis G, Gerosa G, Stellin G, D'Agostino DM, Basso G, Bronte V, Indraccolo S, Amadori A, Zanovello P (2011). Modulation of microRNA expression in human T-cell development: targeting of NOTCH3 by miR-150. Blood, vol. 117, 7053-7062.

7. Tosello, V., Zamarchi, R., Merlo, A., Gorza, M., Piovan E., Mandruzzato, S., Bronte, V., Wang, X., Ferrone, S., Amadori, A., Zanovello, P (2009). Differential expression of constitutive and inducible proteasome subunits in human monocyte-derived DC differentiated in the presence of IFN-alpha or IL-4. Eur J Immunol, vol. 39, 56-66.

8. Bronte, V., Zanovello, P (2005): Regulation of immune responses by L-arginine metabolism. Nat Rev Immunol, vol. 5, 641-654. 

9. Rosato, A., Dalla Santa, S., Zoso, A., Giacomelli, S., Milan, G., Macino, B., Tosello, V., Dellabona, P., Lollini, P., L., De Giovanni, C., Zanovello P (2003). The cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response against a poorly immunogenetic mammary adenocarcinoma is focused on a single immunodominant class I epitope derived from the gp70 env product of an endogenous retrovirus. Cancer Res, vol. 63, 2158-2163.

10. Zanovello, P., Rosato, A., Bronte, V., Cerundolo, V., Treves, S., Di Virgilio, F., Pozzan, T., Biasi, G., and Collavo, D (1989). Interaction of Lymphokine activated killer cells with susceptible targets does not induce second messenger generation and cytolytic granule exocytosis. J Exp Med, 170, 665-677, 

AIRC, Progetto di Ateneo, 5x1000 IOV.