Despite an overall improvement in survival in children with cancer, survival rates for those with aggressive cancers, such as high-risk neuroblastoma and brain tumours, remain dismal. Moreover, survivors frequently have life-long health issues due to the toxic effects of chemotherapy. Targeted and less toxic therapies are urgently required.
Our group is investigating the role of metals in cancer prevention and tumour progression. Our current focus is on the element copper (Cu), which is known to occur at high levels in many types of cancers. In particular, we are interested in the role of copper in the growth of neuroblastoma and gliomas (brain cancer).
Through this research, we hope to be able to develop new drug treatments that target the copper in cancer cells. The great benefit of this therapeutic approach is that it specifically targets cancer cells, causing less damage to healthy cells and therefore fewer unwanted side-effects. We are also working on developing copper-based imaging protocols that will allow clinicians to monitor tumour growth and drug response in patients.
Current projects
- Copper chelation to potentiate GD2-targeted immunotherapies for neuroblastoma treatment.
- Understanding the role of copper in shaping tumour microenvironment.
- Unveiling the potential of copper chelation as a cutting-edge epigenetic therapy for Diffuse Midline Glioma.
- Develop novel therapeutic strategies to improve CAR T efficacy in high grade glioma.
- Investigate novel combinatorial therapies to target low grade glioma.
- Spatial Transcriptomics analysis of neuronal pediatric cancer.
Highlighted publications
- Pham VV, Jue TR, Bell JL, Luciani F, Michniewicz F, Cirillo G, Vahdat L, Mayoh C, O Vittorio. A novel network-based method identifies a cuproplasia-related pan-cancer gene signature to predict patient outcome. Human Genetics. 2024 Apr 20:1-8. doi: 10.1007/s00439-024-02673-
- Koschmann C, Al-Holou WN, Alonso MM, Anastas J, Bandopadhayay P, Barron T, Becher O, Cartaxo R, Castro MG, Chung C, Clausen M, (+50) O Vittorio, J Wadden, D Wahl, R J Wechsler-Reya,V N Yadav,X Zhang, Q Zhang, and S Venneti. (2024) A road map for the treatment of pediatric diffuse midline glioma. Cancer Cell. 8;42(1):1-5.
- Poursani, E. M., Mercatelli, D., Raninga, P., Bell, J. L., Saletta, F., Kohane, F. V., ... & O Vittorio (2023). Copper chelation inhibits TGF-β pathways and suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cancer. Cell & Bioscience DOI : 10.1186/s13578-023-01083-7
- F. Michniewicz, F. Saletta, J. Rouaen, R. Hewavisenti, D. Mercatelli, G. Cirillo, F. M. Giorgi, T. Trahair, D. Ziegler, O. Vittorio. Copper: An intracellular Achilles heel allowing the targeting of epigenetics, kinase pathways and cell metabolism in cancer therapeutics. MedChemMed 2021:16 (15), 2315-2329.
- F. Voli, E. Valli, L. Lerra, (+14) O. Vittorio. “Intra-tumoral copper modulates PD-L1 expression and influences tumor immune evasion”. Cancer Research 2020; 80 (19), 4129-4144.
Our experts
Dr Orazio Vittorio - Group Leader
Dr. Vittorio is a cancer biologist renowned for studying the mechanism of action of anti-cancer therapeutics in paediatric cancers. He holds the position of Scientia Associate Professor at the School of Biomedical Sciences and serves as a Team Leader at the Children’s Cancer Institute. Dr. Vittorio’s research focuses on copper-targeted anticancer drugs and their impact on tumour immunity, and his work has contributed significantly to understanding the role of copper in cancer immune evasion. A cancer survivor himself, Dr. Vittorio understands the pressing need for research to lead to improved treatments.
Team members
- Dr Jessica Bell (post doc)
- Dr Riccardo Cazzoli (post doc)
- Dr Toni Jue (post doc)
- Dr Ensieh Poursani (post doc)
- Dr Vu Pham (post doc)
- Ms Anahid Ehteda (research assistant)
- Ms Giulia Castrogiovanni (PhD student)
- Ms Antonietta Salerno (PhD student)
- Ms Piper Schadel (PhD student)
- Mr Tyler Shai-Hee (PhD student)
- Mr Domenico Abbruzzese (PhD student)
Honor students
- Mr Himanshu Botre
Research Theme
Cancer | Microbiome, Infection, Immunity and Inflammation | Drug Discovery |