The research group focuses on oncology and tumor immunology, in particular the analysis of interactions between the immune system and neoplasia and the development of new anti-tumor approaches. Current main research interests are on adoptive immunotherapy of tumors (Cytokine-induced Killer Cells, CIK; TCR- and CAR-transduced T cells) and the assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of new compounds, in particular the role of biocompatible polymers as carrier of cytotoxic drugs and immunogens for anti-tumor vaccination. Moreover, the need to study in vitro and in vivo the biodistribution of T cells and drugs has fostered the development of a strong expertise in molecular imaging (confocal microscopy analysis, scintigraphy techniques, PET/SPECT/CT and optical imaging), and in fluorescence multiplexing digital and quantitative pathology to study the intimate relationships between tumor infiltrating immune cells and tumor tissues.

5 publications

1. Tosi A, Parisatto B, Menegaldo A, Spinato G, Guido M, Del Mistro A, Bussani R, Zanconati F, Tofanelli M, Tirelli G, Boscolo-Rizzo P, Rosato A. The immune microenvironment of HPV-positive and HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a multiparametric quantitative and spatial analysis unveils a rationale to target treatment-naïve tumors with immune checkpoint inhibitors. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2022 Sep 20;41(1):279. doi: 10.1186/s13046-022-02481-4. PMID: 36123711; PMCID: PMC9487049.
2. Dieci MV, Guarneri V, Tosi A, Bisagni G, Musolino A, Spazzapan S, Moretti G, Vernaci GM, Griguolo G, Giarratano T, Urso L, Schiavi F, Pinato C, Magni G, Lo Mele M, De Salvo GL, Rosato A*, Conte P. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy in Luminal B-like breast cancer: results of the phase II GIADA trial. Clin Cancer Res. 2021 Oct 19:clincanres.2260.2021. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-21-2260. Online ahead of print. *Co-senior author.
3. Dalla Pietà A, Cappuzzello E, Palmerini P, Ventura A, Visentin A, Astori G, Chieregato K, Mozzo V, Perbellini O, Tisi MC, Trentin L, Visco C, Ruggeri M, Sommaggio R, Rosato A. Innovative therapeutic strategy for B-cell malignancies that combines obinutuzumab and cytokine-induced killer cells. J Immunother Cancer. 2021 Jul;9(7):e002475. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2021-002475.
4. Tosi A, Cappellesso R, Dei Tos AP, Rossi V, Aliberti C, Pigozzo J, Fabozzi A, Sbaraglia M, Blandamura S, Del Bianco P, Chiarion-Sileni V, Rosato A. The immune cell landscape of metastatic uveal melanoma correlates with overall survival. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2021 May 4;40(1):154. doi: 10.1186/s13046-021-01947-1.
5. Dalla Pietà A, Carpanese D, Grigoletto A, Tosi A, Dalla Santa S, Pedersen GK, Christensen D, Meléndez-Alafort L, Barbieri V, De Benedictis P, Pasut G, Montagner IM, Rosato A. Hyaluronan is a natural and effective immunological adjuvant for protein-based vaccines. Cell Mol Immunol. 2021 May;18(5):1197-1210. doi: 10.1038/s41423-021-00667-y. Epub 2021 Mar 24.

Active Funding 

Ministero della Salute - Conto capitale (2019-2020): Immunoistochimica a fluorescenza multipla (mIHC): un approccio innovativo per la caratterizzazione prognostico/predittiva del microambiente immuno-tumorale (Finanziamento attribuito: Euro 339.590; Ruolo: Responsabile progetto).

Fondazione Cariparo, Bando COVID-19 (2020): Interazione virus-ospite nella pandemia COVID-19: studio immuno-virologico per la comprensione della patogenesi e la individuazione di bersagli terapeutici in una popolazione "fragile" di pazienti oncologici.  (finanziamento: Euro 230.000; Ruolo: Responsabile progetto).

Bandi intramurali 5x1000 IOV-IRCCS (2020): Deciphering the immune landscape of triple negative breast cancer (finanziamento: Euro 250.000; Ruolo: Responsabile progetto).

Fidia Farmaceutici SpA (2020): Biological analysis of samples derived from the clinical trial “Phase I exploratory study of ONCOFID-P-B^TM (PACLITAXEL-HYALURONIC ACID) administered for 12 consecutive weeks followed by maintenance therapy in BCG unresponsive/intolerant patients with Bladder Carcinoma in Situ (CIS)” (Finanziamento attribuito: Euro 75.000; Ruolo: Responsabile progetto).

Alleanza Contro il Cancro (ACC)-Ministero della Salute (2019): Progetto di ricerca su cellule CAR-T per patologie ematologiche maligne e per tumori solidi (finanziamento: Euro 460.000; Ruolo: Responsabile Unità Operativa).

Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC), Metastatic disease: the key unmet need in oncology - Second Edition (2019): Metastasis as mechanodisease (finanziamento: Euro 1.009.565; Ruolo: Responsabile Unità Operativa).

Fidia Farmaceutici SpA, 2018: Research activities in the field of loco-regional administration of oncology drugs (Finanziamento attribuito: Euro 250.000; Ruolo: Responsabile progetto).

Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC), IG 2018: Antigen-specific redirectioning of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells with novel immunotools (Finanziamento attribuito: Euro 597.000;Ruolo:Responsabile progetto).

Bando Ricerca Finalizzata 2014-2015, Ministero della Salute (2019-2023): NET-2016-02361632 Precision immunotherapy for cancer treatment: understanding resistance to therapy, improving patients selection, and designing novel therapeutic strategies (Finanziamento attribuito: Euro 350.000;Ruolo:Responsabile Unità Operativa).

People involved:         

Antonio Rosato, MD, PhD, Associate Professor

Group members:

Vito Barbieri, Technician (DiSCOG);
Elisa Cappuzzello PhD, Post-doc (IOV-IRCCS);
Debora Carpanese PhD, Researcher (IOV-IRCCS);
Giulia D’Accardio, PhD Student (DiSCOG);
Anna Dalla Pietà PhD, Post-doc (DiSCOG);
Silvia Dalla Santa PhD, Senior Laboratory Coordinator  (DiSCOG);
Beatrice Genova, PhD Student (DiSCOG);
Laura Melendez-Alafort PhD, Researcher (IOV-IRCCS);
Alessandro Penna, PhD Student (DiSCOG);
Valentina Rossi, Fellow (IOV-IRCCS)
Giulia Scudier, PhD Student (DiSCOG);
Roberta Sommaggio PhD, Researcher (DiSCOG);
Anna Tosi PhD, Post-doc (DiSCOG);
Emilia Vigolo PhD, Post-doc (IOV-IRCCS);
Gaia Zuccolotto PhD, Post-doc (DiSCOG);