Biography

Curriculum Vitae et Studiorum

AG graduated cum laude in Biological Sciences at the University of Rome Sapienza. In 1992 PhD in Biochemistry. Since 1994 is researcher at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.
AG spent several periods of study and research in Germany at the Max Planck Institut fur Molekulare Genetik (Berlin). In 2001 she won the selection for Associate Professor. Member of the Faculty Board of the PhD in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, peer Reviewer for several international Journals, referee for Italian Ministerial grants (MIUR). Author of 3 international patents, 1 book and over 40 pubblications.

Research Activity

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

• Study of the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying cell deprogramming
• Study of the mechanisms of stem cells differentiation
• Application of blood stem cells in veterinary medicine (horses, dogs, cats), with particular regard to tendons, muscles and bones
• Reprogramming tumor cells in normal cells with particular attention to the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms responsible for the return of tumor cells to normal cells.
• Role of energy metabolism in reprogramming in differentiated tumor cells, identification of the molecular cascade responsible for metabolic change

FINANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AND OTHER RESEARCH FUNDING:

• 2006-2008 Prin Project, protocol 2005052299_001, Study of lipoxygenase-lipid interaction: spectroscopic analysis of protein conformational changes, of the dynamic properties of lipids and of the elastic properties of the system (participant)
• 2008-2010 Prin Project, protocol 2007KAWXCL_002, Structural and stability studies of cytochrome c mutants to be used in the biosensoristic area (participant).
• Third-party account 2006-2014 “Development of the protocol to obtain stem cells from peripheral blood”
• 2014 – to date: Responsible “Stem Cell Project” Centro NAST, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”.
• 2017: ASI – Project “Serism” – BioMissione VITA (Participant, creator and manager of the experimental model of osteogenesis brought to the ISS)

Selected Publications

• E Balestrieri, A Argaw-Denboba, A Gambacurta, Cipriani, R. Bei, A. Serafino, P. Sinibaldi-Vallebona and C. Matteucci(2018) Human endogenous retrovirus K in the crosstalk between cancer cells microenvironment and plasticity: a new perspective for combination therapy– Frontiers in Microbiology, doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2018.01448
• A Gambacurta, G Raschellà (2018). Challenging tumor resistance with less toxic, more effective drug combinations: an example from neuroblastomaCell Death & Disease volume9, Article number: 686
• Carpentieri A., Cozzoli E., Acri F., Ranalli M., Diedenhofen G., Scimeca M.,Bonanno E. Gambacurta A. (2017). Rapid Rapamycin-Only Induced Osteogenic Differentiation of Blood-Derived Stem Cells and Their Adhesion to Natural and Artificial Scaffolds. Stem Cells International, 2017, 2976541. http://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2976541
• Argaw-Denboba, A., Balestrieri, E., Serafino, A., Cipriani, C., Bucci, I., Sorrentino, R., Sciamanna I, Gambacurta, A, Sinibaldi-Vallebona P, Matteucci, C. (2017). HERV-K activation is strictly required to sustain CD133+ melanoma cells with stemness features. Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research : CR, 36, 20. org/10.1186/s13046-016-0485-x
• Carpentieri A, Cozzoli E, Scimeca M, Bonanno E, Sardanelli AM, Gambacurta A. (2016) Differentiation of human neuroblastoma cells towards the osteogenic lineage by mTOR inhibitor. Cell Death Dis. 2015 Nov 12;6:e1974. doi: 10.1038/cddis.2015.244.
• Alaimo G, Cozzoli E, Marfe G, Esposito L, Ranalli M, Hmada D, Giordano A and Gambacurta A. (2013) Blood-Derived Stem Cells (BDSCs) Plasticity: In Vitro Hepatic Differentiation. J Cell Physiol. Jun; 228(6):1249-54. doi: 10.1002/jcp.24279.
• Sarra, M., Cupi, M. L., Bernardini, R., Ronchetti, G., Monteleone, I., Ranalli, M., Franzè, E., Rizzo, A., Colantoni, A., Caprioli, F., Maggioni, M., Gambacurta, A., Mattei, M., Macdonald, T. T., Pallone, F. and Monteleone, G. (2013), IL-25 prevents and cures fulminant hepatitis in mice through a myeloid-derived suppressor cell-dependent mechanism. Hepatology, 58: 1436–1450. doi:10.1002/hep.26446
• Marfe G, Rotta G, De Martino L, Tafani M, Fiorito F, Di Stefano C, Polettini M, Ranalli M, Russo MA, Gambacurta A. (2012) A new clinical approach: use of blood-derived stem cells (BDSCs) for superficial digital flexor tendon injuries in horses. Life Sci. Jun 6;90(21-22):825-30. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2012.03.004
• Marfe, G., Massaro-Giordano, M., Ranalli, M., Cozzoli, E., Di Stefano, C., Malafoglia, V., Polettini, M. and Gambacurta, A. (2012), Blood derived stem cells: An ameliorative therapy in veterinary ophthalmology. Cell. Physiol. 227: 1250–1256. doi:10.1002/jcp.22953
• Jan Spaas, Gambacurta A., Marco Polettini, Sarah Broeckx, Frank Van Hoeck, Catharina De Schauwer, Gerlinde Van de Walle (2011). Purification and expansion of stem cells from equine peripheral blood, with clinical applications. VLAAMS DIERGENEESKUNDIG TIJDSCHRIFT, vol. 80 ; p. 129-135, ISSN: 0303-9021
• Lucibello M, Gambacurta A., Zonfrillo M, Pierimarchi P, Serafino A, Rasi G, Rubartelli A, Garaci E. (2011) TCTP is a critical survival factor that protects cancer cells from oxidative stress-induced cell-death. Experimental Cell Research, vol. 317; p. 2479-2489, ISSN: 0014-4827. doi: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2011.07.012

Teaching – link to Didattica web