Valentina Rapozzi is an Associate Professor in Biochemistry at the Department of Medicine in the University of Udine, President of the Italian Society of Photobiology, Founder and Member of the International Society for Nitric Oxide and Cancer, and Member of the board of the PhD in Biomedical Science and Biotechnology at the University of Udine.
Valentina Rapozzi has a strong background in cell biology, molecular biology, and in vivo animal tumor.
Her research interests can be divided into three fields: (1) Application of new photosensitizers in tumor cells culture and in vivo system and study of molecular pathways involved in host’s response to the photodynamic therapy; (2) Molecular strategies (antigene and antisense) to study neoplastic proliferation; (3) Influence of psychological stress on metastasis progression in animal model.
Her current research interest is the study of molecular mechanisms in the tumor response, particularly in the field of redox signaling and photooxidative stress. She is focusing on some aspects of cell response to photodynamic therapy and its relevance in molecular oncology and cancer.
She has contributed to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involving reactive oxygen and nitric species (ROS/RNS) in coordinating cellular responses to photooxidative stress in different cell/animal models.
She is the coauthor of about 80 international publications, 10 book chapters, and a participant in 138 congresses, Guest Editor for Forum on Immunopathological Diseases and Therapeutics in 2011 with the Volume Molecular Pathways in the Response of Tumors to Photodynamic Therapy, and Editor together with Prof. Giulio Jori from the University of Padova, Italy, for the Volume Resistance to Photodynamic Therapy in Cancer 2015, Vol 5. Resistance to Targeted Anti-Cancer Therapeutics, Series Editor Benjamin Bonavida, Springer. Guest Editor together Prof. Benjamin Bonavida for “Circadian Rhythms and Oncogenesis” for Critical Reviews in Oncogenesis, 2021.
Luigi Xodo is a Full Professor of Biochemistry at the Department of Medicine of the University of Udine, Italy. His work focuses on unraveling the oncogenes involved in carcinogenesis and on the development of new cancer therapies. In particular, Dr. Xodo’s work led to the discovery that the KRAS oncogene, a key player in cellular transformation toward malignancy, is intricately regulated by guanine-rich sequences that adopt unique G-quadruplex structures. This discovery paved the way for targeted interventions against KRAS-related cancers. Dr. Xodo developed effective anticancer drugs that could inhibit the KRAS oncogene. One notable approach has been the use of cationic porphyrins that specifically target G-quadruplexes in KRAS mRNA and trigger transcript degradation upon photoactivation. In addition, Dr. Xodo’s studies contribute to the discovery of a metabolic reprogramming phenomenon in KRAS-related cancers by elucidating how arginine metabolism shifts to promote the production of polyamines, phosphocreatine, and nitric oxide. He is the author of 120 publications in high-quality peer-reviewed journals. His academic contributions are evidenced by 120 publications in peer-reviewed journals with high-impact factor, underlining his profound impact on the field of biochemistry and oncology.
Dr. Benjamin Bonavida is currently a Distinguished Research Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is affiliated with the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA. His research career, thus far, has focused on investigations in the fields of basic immunochemistry and cancer immunobiology. His research investigations have ranged from the biochemical, molecular, and genetic mechanisms of cell-mediated killing and tumor cell resistance to chemo-immuno cytotoxic drugs. The reversal of tumor cell resistance was investigated by the use of various selected sensitizing agents based on molecular mechanisms of resistance. In these investigations, there was the newly characterized dysregulated NF-kB/ Snail/YY1/RKIP/PTEN loop in many cancers that was reported to regulate cell survival, proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and resistance. Emphasis was focused on the roles of the tumor suppressor Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) and the tumor promoter Yin Yang 1 (YY1) and the role of nitric oxide (NO) as a chemo-immuno-sensitizing factor. Many of the aforementioned studies are centered on the clinical challenging features of cancer patients’ failure to respond to both conventional and targeted therapies.
Dr. Bonavida has been active in the organization of regular sequential international miniconferences that are highly focused on the roles of YY1, RKIP, and nitric oxide in cancer and their potential therapeutic applications. Several books edited or coedited have been published. In addition, he is the Series Editor of books (over 20) published by Springer/Nature: Resistance to Anti-Cancer Targeted Therapeutics. In addition, he is presently the Series Editor of Three Series published by Elsevier/Academic Press on “Cancer Sensitizing Agents for Chemotherapy,” “Sensitizing Agents for Cancer Resistance to Cell Mediated Immunotherapy,” and “Breaking Tolerance to Anti-Cancer Antibody Immunotherapy.” He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal Critical Reviews in Oncogenesis, Editor-in-Chief of Onco Therapeutics, and Associate Editor of “Critical Reviews in Immunology.” Dr. Bonavida has published over 500 research publications and reviews in various scientific journals of high impact.
