The research lines focus on:

1. B-CELL LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE DISEASES: CHRONIC LIMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA, HAIRY CELL LEUKEMIA, LYMPHOMAS AND MYELOMAS
Onco-hematologic diseases are investigated as follows:
- the phenotypic, molecular and functional characterization of neoplastic B cells and residual lymphocyte populations at peripheral blood and bone marrow sites;
- the mechanisms involved in proliferation of leukemic B lymphocytes, as possible molecular targets to inhibit cell proliferative activity;
- the molecules involved in the cross-talk between B lymphocytes (B-B cooperation) and T lymphocytes (B-T cooperation) and between neoplastic cells and the surrounding microenvironment, in leukemias and non-Hodgkin lymphomas;
- the molecules involved in the recirculation of leukemic cells, between peripheral blood and medullary niche and/or between peripheral blood and lymph nodes;
- the signal transduction pathways mediated by the B Cell Receptor through Lyn tyrosine kinase and its substrates;
- interactions between neoplastic cells and other partners of the bone marrow microenvironment (above all, mesenchymal stem cells).

2. T- AND NATURAL KILLER CELL LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE DISEASES, T LARGE GRANULAR LYMPHOCYTE LEUKEMIA (T-LGLL) AND CHRONIC LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE DISORDER OF NK CELLS (CLPD-NK)
The research topics concern:
- the phenotypic, molecular and functional characterization of proliferating T cells and NK granular lymphocytes and the investigation of the residual normal counterpart, associated with studies on patients’ monocytes and granulocytes;
- the study of the restricted non-MHC cytotoxic activity in the expansions of the granular T and Natural Killer lymphocytes, with particular attention to their activity against the residual cell populations in the peripheral blood and marrow of affected patients;
- the mechanisms involved in the activation and proliferation of granular lymphocytes, such as cytokines, surface molecules involved in cellular cross-talk and, more recently, mutations of STAT genes, revealled in a significant proportion of patients;
- molecular analysis of T Cell Receptor genes repertoire (evaluation of the variable regions of the beta chain) for the definition of possible common antigenic triggers between T or NK leukemia cells of different patients;
- the study of patients’ DNA using WES (whole exome sequencing, in collaboration with Prof. S. Bortoluzzi, Padua University).

3. IMMUNOLOGICAL ASPECTS IN INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASES
The cellular elements that accumulate in the lung of patients with diffuse interstitial pneumopathies, obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage, are characterized. We have already shown that in the lung of patients with sarcoidosis, in addition to a compartmentalization of lymphocytes with Th1 phenotype and activity, Th17 lymphocytes are present and contribute to the formation of the sarcoid granuloma and its evolution.

The degree and PhD theses regard the study and the characterization of neoplastic cells of chronic lymphoproliferative leukemias (T, B and Natural Killer cells), and the microenvironment that surrounds and supports the disease.
The study of the aberrant mechanisms involved in lymphoproliferative disease is addressed both as basic research (understanding which extra- and intra-cellular axes are affected, activated or turned off) and as translational research (how can the identified mechanisms and molecules be used for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of leukemia?).
The thesis program takes place at the Hematology and Clinical Immunology Laboratory and the student learns and uses different techniques, such as flow cytometry, cell biology, molecular biology and biochemical assays.