In our group basic and clinical research are coupled, aiming at translating deeper understanding of disease mechanisms in better patients’ care, while innovative laboratory research often stems from attentive clinical observation of patients. Our Unit coordinates clinical studies and national and international disease registries and research consortia on systemic amyloidoses.
Our research interests are manifold: (I) understanding the molecular mechanisms of systemic amyloidoses, through multi-OMICs approaches, development of pre-clinical models and clinical investigations; (II) developing molecular and imaging tools for accurate and early diagnosis, and patients monitoring; (III) studying biochemical and imaging tools for staging and monitoring the disease in individual patients and in the design of clinical trials; (IV) developing and testing more effective, targeted, and safe therapeutic approaches.
- Palladini G., Dispenzieri A., Gertz M.A., Kumar S., Wechalekar A., Hawkins P.N., Schönland S., Hegenbart U., Comenzo R., Kastritis E., Dimopoulos M.A., Jaccard A., Klersy C., Merlini G. New criteria for response to treatment in AL amyloidosis based on free light chain measurement and cardiac biomarkers: impact on survival outcomes. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2012;
- Palladini G., Campana C., Klersy C., Balduini A., Vadacca G., Perfetti V., Perlini S., Obici L., Ascari E., d'Eril G.M., Moratti R., Merlini G. Serum N-terminal pro Brain Natriuretic Peptide is a sensitive marker of myocardial dysfunction in AL amyloidosis. Circulation, 2003;
- Palladini G., Perfetti V., Obici L., Caccialanza R., Semino A., Adami F., Cavallero G., Rustichelli R., Virga G., Merlini G. The association of melphalan and high-dose dexamethasone is effective and well tolerated in patients with AL (primary) amyloidosis ineligible for stem cell transplantation. Blood, 2004;
- Wechalekar A.D., Schonland S.O., Kastritis E., Gillmore J.D., Dimopoulos M.A., Lane T., Foli A., Foard D., Milani P., Rannigan L., Hegenbart U., Hawkins P.N., Merlini G., Palladini G. A European collaborative study of treatment outcomes in 346 Patients with Stage III AL amyloidosis. Blood, 2013;
- Palladini G., Hegenbart U., Milani P., Kimmich C., Foli A., Ho A.D., Vidus Rosin M., Albertini R., Moratti R., Merlini G., Schönland S. A staging system for renal outcome and early markers of renal response to chemotherapy in AL amyloidosis. Blood, 2014.
The main research methodologies employed include mass spectrometry, next-generation sequencing, next-generation flow cytometry, primary cell cultures, pharmacological studies, observational and interventional clinical studies.
- Single Molecule Real-Time Sequencing of M proteins (SMaRT M-Seq): from the elucidation of disease mechanisms to a personalized medicine approach for AL amyloidosis and other monoclonal gammopathies (RC Palladini);
- PNRR Promoting Diagnosis and management of AL in Italy (ProDigALIty) (Ministero Palladini);
- Bonding molecular genotyping and phenotyping to outcome measures in AL amyloidosis: A EUropean REgistry and sample sharing networK to promote the diagnosis and management of light chain Amyloidosis, EUREKA (FRRB Palladini);
- Investigating the pathogenic role of N-glycosylation in AL amyloidosis: molecular bases, diagnosis, and treatment (Cariplo Nevone);
- NatiOnal referral cenTer rEgistry of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR) patients on tafamidis: real world registry (NOTE-ATTR) (Milani, università);
- The International Transthyretin Amyloidosis Web-Network (InTrA-WebNet) (Milani, università);
- One gene, two diseases: The pathologic role of IGLV1-44 in AL amyloidosis and POEMS (Cariplo Telethon Nuvolone, Università)
- University of Catania (Italy)
- University of Bari (Italy)
- Università Campus Biomedico (Italy)
- Università La Sapienza (Italy)
- University of Milan (Italy)
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele (Italy)
- Università di Padova (Italy)
- University of Sassari (Italy)
- University of Navarra (Spain)
- University of Salamanca (Spain)
- University of Barcelona (Spain)
- University of Utrecht (The Netherlands)
- University of Heidelberg (Germany)
- University of Tel Aviv (Israel)
- University of Calgary (Canada)
- Mayo Clinic, Rochester (Minnesota, USA)
- Memorial Sloan Kettering (New York, USA)
- Columbia University (New York, USA)
- Harvard University (Massachusetts, USA)
- University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (Muttenz, Switzerland)
- Institut Pasteur (Paris, France)
- Hospital Británico, in Montevideo (Uruguay)
GROUP MEMBERS:
- IRCCS: Carlotta Abbà, Cristina Azzan, Marco Basset, Alberto Bovera, Serena Caminito, Anna Caterina Carnevale Baraglia, Simona Casarini, Giulia Chiarella, Eleonora Di Buduo, Antonella Di Gennaro, Valeria Anna Di Simone, Andrea Foli, Clarissa Granata, Maria Concetta Iacaruso, Francesca Lattarulo, Alessandro Lozza, Elone Luka, Barbara Macrì, Margherita Massa, Giulia Mazzini, Giampaolo Merlini, Roberta Mussinelli, Martina Nanci, Alice Nevone, Luca Ngoi, Elisa Novello,, Laura Obici, Giovanni Palladini, Giada Panno, Arianna Rita Pasi, Lucia Pasqualicchio, Laura Prato, Paola Rognoni, Monica Russo, Morena Salerno, Giulia Sandoli, Irene Valcozzena, Laura Verga, Annalisa Zanaboni.
- UNIPV: Mario Ulisse Nuvolone, Paolo Milani.
Ultimo aggiornamento: 13/10/2025
