Pathological basis of Onco-Hematologic diseases

Tipologia: Ematologia

Principal Investigator: Paulli

The field of research includes the clinico-pathologic and immuno-molecular characterization of neoplasms of various origin, and rare diseases of different aetiology and biological behaviour.
The major area of interest concerns haematopathology: ongoing studies regard nodal and primary extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphomas (B and T), pointing out putative lymphomagenic mechanims including virus-related aetiopathogenesis (i.e. HCV). A special attention is paid to mantle cell lymphoma, primary B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system and primary cutaneous B and T cell lymphoma, including mycosis fungoides, in which we are investigating clonal T cell rearrangements by means of NGS approach.
Among rare diseases, amyloidosis and Castleman disease are presently under investigation, also including local microenvironment and extracellular matrix.
Breast pathology research focuses on correlation between pre-operative biotic findings and operative diagnosis, analysis of prognostic and predictive factors.
The main fields of research in gastrointestinal pathology are the molecular characterization and analysis of prognostic factors in small bowel carcinomas (particularly arising in celiac disease, Crohn disease and Lynch syndrome) and in neuroendocrine neoplasms. Studies are proceeding also on refractory celiac disease and its relationships with primary intestinal T-cell malignancies.

Lucioni M, Morello G, Cristinelli C, Fraticelli S, Neri G, Travaglino E, Minetto M, Antoci F, Libretti P, Gambacorta M, Arcaini L, Tripodo C, Paulli M. Interleukin-6 transcripts up-regulation in lymph nodes from unicentric and multicentric Castleman disease. EJHaem. 2024 Oct 23;5(6):1182-1189;
Sciarra R, Merli M, Cristinelli C, Lucioni M, Zibellini S, Riboni R, Furlan D, Uccella S, Zerbi C, Bianchi B, Gotti M, Ferretti VV, Varraso C, Fraticelli S, Lazic T, Defrancesco I, Mora B, Libera L, Mazzacane A, Carpi F, Berliner M, Neri G, Rizzo E, De Paoli F, Sessa F, Passamonti F, Paulli M, Arcaini L. Molecular characterization of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas associated with hepatitis C virus infection. Br J Haematol. 2024 Jun;204(6): 2242-2253;
Rossi C, Fraticelli S, Fanizza M, Ferrari A, Ferraris E, Messina A, Della Valle A, Anghelone CAP, Lasagna A, Rizzo G, Perrone L, Sommaruga MG, Meloni G, Dallavalle S, Bonzano E, Paulli M, Di Giulio G, Sgarella A, Lucioni M. Concordance of immunohistochemistry for predictive and prognostic factors in breast cancer between biopsy and surgical excision: a single-centre experience and review of the literature. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2023 Apr;198(3): 573-582;
Vanoli A, Colella T, Parente P, De Lisi G, Grillo F, Quaquarini E, Corallo S, Graham RP, Ferrante M, Moens A, De Hertogh G, Guerini C, Riboni R, Alberizzi P, Mastracci L, Fassan M, Pedrazzoli P, Lenti MV, Klersy C, Paulli M, Di Sabatino A. HER2, HER3, and Mismatch Repair Protein Expression in Stage IV Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma: Results From a Multicenter Series. Mod Pathol. 2025 Nov;38(11): 100825;
Vanoli A, Piva N, Inzani FS, Grillo F, Klersy C, Uccella S, Spaggiari P, Albarello L, Schiavo Lena M, Milione M, Antoniacomi C, Milanetto AC, Zerbi A, Di Sabatino A, Falconi M, Anderloni A, Mattiolo P, Luchini C, Scarpa A, Fassan M, Parente P, Luinetti O, Rindi G, Paulli M, La Rosa S. Clinicopathological Correlates of Hormone Expression-Based Subtypes of Non-Functioning Duodenal/Ampullary Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Multicenter Study of 151 Cases. Endocr Pathol. 2025 May 10;36(1):18.

The main research technologies employed include optical and electron microscopy, automated immonohistochemistry, DNA-based molecular biology assays (FISH, Sanger sequencing, real time PCR, genescan analysis, NGS), RNA-based molecular biology assays (ISH, real time PCR, NGS, gene expression profiling), RNA and protein spatial profiling.

Major equipments:

Fluorescence microscope
Electronic microscope Jeol JEM 1400Plus
Automated immunostainer platform Ventana Benchmark Ultra
Applied Biosystems 3500 genetic analyzer
EasyPGX real-time PCR system,
Agilent TapeStation system,
Illumina Miseq platform,
Illumina NextSeq 1000/2000 platform
Nanostring nCounter Pro analysis system,
Leica LMD7 laser microdissection system
Akoya PhenoCycler-Fusion 2.0 Solution, 10X Genomics VISIUM CytAssist

Ricerca corrente

The role of microenvironment in Castleman Disease: histopathologic, molecular and transcriptomic analysis with clinical correlations in a case series; 2023 - 2025
Characterization of primary central nervous system diffuse large B cell lymphoma (PCNS-DLBCL) by multiomic approach; 2024 - 2026
Genomic profiling and immune microenvironment characterization of small bowel adenocarcinomas associated with celiac disease or Crohn’s disease; 2025 - 2027
Molecular characterization of centromeres in lymphomas; 2024 - 2026

Programma regionale FESR 2021-2027. Asse 1 “Un’Europa più competitiva e Intelligente” Bando Collabora & Innova: PROGettazione, Ricerca E Sviluppo Sperimentale per la terapia BNCT 2025 –2027