Name:

Dr. Katia Scotlandi

Centre:

Laboratory of Oncologic Research - Istituti Ortopedici Rizzoli

Group Leader of the O.U. “Growth factors and receptors”

Via Di Barbiano 1/10 – 40136 Bologna, Italy

T: + 39 051 6366760;   F: + 39 051 6366761;   e-mail: katia.scotlandi@ior.it

Dr. Scotlandi is directing the U.O. "growth factors and receptors" at the Laboratorio di Ricerca Oncologica, Rizzoli Institute, and has a long lasting experince in studying the role of several molecular targets in sarcoma. In particular, she has lead several research projects and activities related to the problem of sarcoma responsiveness to cytotoxic drugs and the definition of innovative therapeutic strategies.  She has co-ordinated a project on the evaluation of P-glycoprotein and erb-B2 in osteosarcoma, under the ongoing Italian Sarcoma Group/Scandinavian Sarcoma Group Joint Study for the treatment of osteosarcoma patients.  She has firstly unravelled the therapeutic potentialities related to strategies targeting the insulin-like growth factor receptor- I and the cell surface molecule CD99 in Ewing' s sarcoma.
She is in the Board of Directors of the Italian Association for Cell Culture and member of different scientific societies:

Since 2001, she also serves accademic duties as Professor for Biotechnology in the University of Bologna, Italy.

Personnel involved in studies related to PROTHET's:

The research group of the U.O "Growth factors and receptors" includes:
Dr. Stefania Benini: Senior Investigator with experience in Real-Time PCR and molecular biology techniques in general.
Dr. Cristina Ferrari: Senior investigator. She is responsible of the Primary Malignant Bone Tumor Registry.
Dr. Maria Cristina Manara: Senior Investigator, with experience in cytofluorometry, immunostaining, cell biology.
Dr. Diana Zambelli:  PhD student, graduated in Industrial Biotechnology.
Dr. Monia Zuntini:  PhD student, graduated in Industrial Biotechnology.

other people involved in Prothet's studies:
Dr. Massimo Serra: Senior Investigator. He is responsible of a research group studying the mechanisms of drug resistance and their clinical relevance.
Dr. Claudia Maria Hattinger, Senior Investigator with experience in FISH, CGH, CGH-microarray analysis.
Dr. Giordano Nicoletti, Senior Investigator. He is an expert in animal husbandry.
Dr. Lorena Landuzzi, Senior Investigator. She is an experienced researcher on the in vitro and in vivo behaviour of neoplastic cells.

Dr. Giovanna Magagnoli, devoted to RT-PCR and and cryo-preservation cell bank.

The group includes also the Laboratory of Immunology and Biology of Metastases of the Section of Cancer Research, University of Bologna which can offer fully equipped animal facilities for in vivo studies on human sarcomas. The laboratory is lead by:

Prof. Pier-Luigi Lollini: Full Professor of Oncology, University of Bologna. He has a widely recognized experience in the field of gene therapy, cellular and molecular biology and in vivo models of neoplasm. Web site: www.lollini.it

Recent Publications relevant to the project:

K. Scotlandi, N. Baldini, V. Cerisano, M.C. Manara, S. Benini, M. Serra, P.-L. Lollini, P. Nanni, G. Nicoletti, G. Bernard, A. Bernard, & P. Picci. CD99 engagement: an effective therapeutic strategy for Ewing tumors. Cancer Res., 60, 5134-5142, 2000.

Manara MC, Perbal B, Benini S, Strammiello R, Cerisano V, Perdichizzi S, Serra M, Astolfi A, Bertoni F, Alami J, Yeger H, Picci P, Scotlandi K. The expression of ccn3(nov) gene in musculoskeletal tumors. Am J Pathol 160: 849-59, 2002

K. Scotlandi , MC Manara, R. Strammiello, L. Landuzzi, S. Benini, S. Perdichizzi, M. Serra, A. Astolfi, G. Nicoletti, P-L. Lollini, F. Bertoni, P. Nanni, and P. Picci. C-kit receptor expression in Ewing's sarcoma: lack of prognostic value but therapeutic targeting opportunities in appropriate conditions. J Clin Oncol., 21:1952-1960, 2003.

Benini S, Manara MC, Cerisano V, Perdichizzi S, Strammiello R, Serra M, Picci P, Scotlandi K. Contribution of MEK/MAPK and PI3-K signaling pathway to the malignant behavior of Ewing's sarcoma cells: therapeutic prospects. Int J Cancer. 2004 Jan 20;108(3):358-66.

Cerisano V, Aalto Y, Perdichizzi S, Bernard G, Manara MC, Benini S, Cenacchi G, Preda P, Lattanzi G, Nagy B, Knuutila S, Colombo MP, Bernard A, Picci P, Scotlandi K. Molecular mechanisms of CD99-induced caspase-independent cell death and cell-cell adhesion in Ewing's sarcoma cells: actin and zyxin as key intracellular mediators. Oncogene. 2004 Jul 22;23(33):5664-74

Scotlandi K.,  Manara M. C., Hattinger C. M., Benini S., Perdichizzi S., Pasello M., Bacci G., Zanella L., Bertoni F., Picci P., Serra M. Prognostic and therapeutic relevance of HER2 expression in osteosarcoma and Ewings sarcoma European Journal of Cancer 41 (2005) 1349-1361

Scotlandi K.,  Perdichizzi S., Bernard, G., Nicoletti G., Nanni P.,  Lollini P., Curti A., Manara M.C., Benini S., Bernard A , Picci P. Targeting CD99 in association with doxorubicin: An effective combined treatment for Ewing’s sarcoma European Journal of Cancer 42 (2006) 91-96

Manara M.C., Perdichizzi S., Serra M., Pierini R., Benini S., Hattinger C.M, Astolfi, A., Bagnati R., D'Incalci M., Picci P., Scotlandi K. The molecular mechanisms responsible for resistance to ET-743 (Trabectidin; Yondelis) in the Ewing's sarcoma cell line, TC-71 International Journal of Oncology 27 (2005) 1605-1616