CAZZANIGA GIOVANNI

Role
Associate professor  
Academic disciplines
Medical Genetics (MEDS-01/A)
Scientific-Disciplinary Group:
MEDICAL GENETICS (06/MEDS-01)

Biography

EDUCATION

2021 - Associate Professor, Medical Genetics, School of Medicine and Surgery, Univ. Milan Bicocca.

2018 - Assistant Professor (Ricercatore a Tempo Determinato di tipo B, RTDB), Medical Genetics, School of Medicine and Surgery, Univ. Milan Bicocca.

2014 - Qualification (National Scientific Habilitation, ASN) for Associate Professorship to the following sections: 05/F1 Applied Biology BIO/13 and 06/A1 Medical Genetics MED/03, 06/A2 General and Clinical Pathology (deadline 07/01/2023).

2004 - Specialist in Medical Genetics. Faculty of Medicine, University of Milan, Italy. 70/70 cum laude.

1992 - Specialist in Pharmaceutical Research at the “M.Negri” Pharmacology Research Institute of Milan, Italy.

1990 - Biological Science degree at the University of Milan, Italy. 110/110 cum laude.

PROFESSIONAL POSITION

05/2023 - now: Acting Director (ff), Medical Genetics, Foundation IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy

03/2023 - now:  Deputy Director, Ph.D. Program in Translational and Molecular Medicine (Dimet), University of Milan Bicocca.

12/2021 - now:  Associate Professor, Medical Genetics, School of Medicine and Surgery, Univ. Milan Bicocca.

2006 - now:  Head, “Molecular genetics of leukemia” Unit, Centro Tettamanti, Fondazione Tettamanti, Monza, Italy. 

2018-2021:  Assistant Professor (Ricercatore a Tempo Determinato di tipo B, RTDB), Medical Genetics, School of Medicine and Surgery, Univ. Milan Bicocca.

2009 - 04/2023:  Director, Laboratory of Hemato-Oncology Diagnostics “M. Tettamanti”, Fondazione MBBM, Monza.

1995/1997:  Research fellow at the “M.Tettamanti” Research Center, Pediatric Clinic, University of Milan-Bicocca, Ospedale San Gerardo, Monza, Italy.

1990/1994:  Research fellow at the Laboratory of Enzymology - Molecular Biology Unit - "M.Negri" Pharmacology Research Institute, Milan, Italy.

Research

MAJOR RESEARCH INTERESTS

  • Genetic predisposition to childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
  • Prenatal origin of ALL
  • Molecular characterization of childhood ALL
  • Functional analysis of genetic aberrations in leukemic patients (PAX5 lesions, Ph-like ALL, Down Syndrome ALL, MLL-rearrangements) and in vitro/in vivo drug targeting
  • Minimal residual disease monitoring in childhood ALL, by analysis of T-cell Receptor and Immunoglobulin genes’ rearrangements.

Publications

  • Saettini, F., Guerra, F., Mauri, M., Salter, C., Adam, M., Adams, D., et al. (2025). Biallelic PI4KA Mutations Disrupt B-Cell Metabolism and Cause B-Cell Lymphopenia and Hypogammaglobulinemia. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY, 45(1) [10.1007/s10875-024-01793-8]. Detail

  • Oikonomou, A., Watrin, T., Valsecchi, L., Scharov, K., Savino, A., Schliehe-Diecks, J., et al. (2024). Synergistic drug interactions of the histone deacetylase inhibitor givinostat (ITF2357) in CRLF2-rearranged pediatric B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia identified by high-throughput drug screening. HELIYON, 10(13) [10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34033]. Detail

  • Hovorkova, L., Winkowska, L., Skorepova, J., Krumbholz, M., Benesova, A., Polivkova, V., et al. (2024). Distinct pattern of genomic breakpoints in CML and BCR::ABL1-positive ALL: analysis of 971 patients. MOLECULAR CANCER, 23(1) [10.1186/s12943-024-02053-4]. Detail

  • Hess, J., Kotrova, M., Fricke, B., Songia, S., Rigamonti, S., Cavagna, R., et al. (2024). Clinical pilot study on microfluidic automation of IGH-VJ library preparation for next generation sequencing. CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE, 62(7), 165-167 [10.1515/cclm-2023-1346]. Detail

  • Bardini, M., Fazio, G., Abascal, L., Meyer, C., Maglia, O., Sala, S., et al. (2024). Prenatal origin of NUTM1 gene rearrangement in infant B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, 205(5), 1883-1888 [10.1111/bjh.19685]. Detail

Research projects

PNRR per la Missione 4, componente 2 Investimento 1.1- Avviso 104/2022 | Precision drug targeting of high risk relapsing childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Year: 2022
Call: Bando PRIN 2022
Grantors: MINISTERO DELL'UNIVERSITA' E DELLA RICERCA (MUR)