Amiloidosi - Gruppo di Ricerca

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.

University of Torino (Italy), 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), 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).