Naldini Luigi

Biography

Curriculum vitae - since December 2011: Director of Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and Genital Therapy, San Raffaele Institute, Milan. - since October 2008: Director of Telethon San Raffaele Institute for Therapy Genica, Milan - since 2003: Professor of Histology and Genital Therapy, University of San Raffaele Health Care, - 2003-2008 Co-ordinator Telethon San Raffaele Institute for Therapy Genica, Milan; - 2002-1998 Associate Professor, University of Turin and Director of the Genome Therapy Laboratory, Cancer Research and Cancer Institute, Candiolo (Turin); - 1998-1996 Senior Scientist and Director of Lentiviral Vector Project, Cell Genesys, Foster City, California; - 1996-1994 Visiting Scientist, Genetics Laboratory (Director: Prof. Inder Verma), Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California; - 1996-1990 University Researcher, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Oncology of the University of Turin; - 1989-1987 Post-doctoral training with J. Schlessinger (Rockville, MD and King of Prussia, PA); - 1987-1983 Doctoral Program in Cytological and Morphogenetic Sciences with PM Comoglio, University of Turin; - 1983 Degree in Medicine and Surgery, University of Turin. Scientific Activities At the beginning of his research career, Luigi Naldini identified "Hepatocyte Growth Factor" as the Met receptor ligand, proved her identity with the "Scatter Factor" and clarified the regulation mechanism and function in promoting the motility and invasion of epithelial cells. Since then, MET has been one of the most investigated oncogenes in epithelial tumors and in the formation of metastases. During his research period at the laboratories of Inder Verma and Didier Trono at Salk Institute in La Jolla (1994-96), he designed the first hybrid lentiviral vectors derived from HIV and demonstrated its use for gene transfer to ' internally non-proliferating cells. The original publication that portrays the results of this work is one of the most cited articles in Science Magazine (over 2,700 quotes). He then refined carrier technology for its safer and more effective use by working as a senior scientist at Cell Genesys in Foster City, California. In 1998 he took the role of Associate Professor of Histology at the University of Turin and the Directorate of the Genetic Transfer Laboratory at the Institute of Cancer Research and Care of Turin; The recent application of microRNA regulation to carrier expression has provided a new experimental strategy where transgene expression may be specifically limited to the desired target cell type and its specific level of differentiation. Using this innovative approach, Luigi Naldini's group has been able to overcome the immunological barrier, one of the main obstacles to effective gene therapy and to obtain a stable gene transfer and long-term correction of Emophilia B in the mouse model. Through the analysis of the contribution of hematopoietic cells to angiogenesis, Luigi Naldini's work provided a new paradigm in which the bone marrow provides paracrine essential elements for vascular neoformation. In the field of neurodegenerative disorders, the work of Luigi Naldini has shown that recruitment of hematopoietic cells in the microglial population after transplantation of hemopoietic progenitors can be exploited to mediate gene therapy in the central and peripheral nervous system and has obtained the first effective treatment of leukodystrophy metacromatic in the murino model. A clinical trial based on the use of lentiviral vectors for metachromatic leukodystrophy, which is invariably deadly and has not yet been effectively treated, is currently being conducted at the San Raffaele Institute. All treated patients show appreciably high and stable levels of expression of the therapeutic gene in the reconstituted polyclonal hematopoiesis with a clear indication of the therapeutic benefit, since the disease did not manifest beyond the expected time when it developed in untreated brothers. In October 2010, the Tiget Institute established a strategic alliance with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) - the first ever agreement between a pharmaceutical company and an academic center committed to gene therapy - to make gene therapy with cells hematopoietic stem cells a clinical reality. Ha pubblicato 191 articoli su riviste scientifiche internazionali (Impact Factor Totale 2.088,819 basato sul Journals IF 2012, con un Impact Factor medio pari a 10,93 per articolo) e ha contribuito a 22 capitoli di libri, sui seguenti argomenti: Terapia Genica, Vettori Genetici, Cellule Staminali, Angiogenesi e Tumori. In totale le sue pubblicazioni sono state citate più di > 22.450 volte (dato a Gennaio 2014, Scopus “h” index: 70). Negli ultimi 10 anni è stato invitato come relatore a più di 150 congressi internazionali e nazionali. Negli ultimi 2 anni relatore Magistrale in 13 eventi. He attended 6 undergraduate students and 5 PhD students until the completion of the studies and the discussion of the PhD thesis. Inventor of 7 international patents filed and / or assigned and 11 in the process of approval. EMEA and WHO Scientific Adviser for the Evaluation of New Medicines Based on Gene Transfer.

Research Interest

Human Gene Therapy