Key Members
J.
Michael Mathis, Ph.D.
Director
Dept. of Cellular Biology and Anatomy
B. Jill Williams, Ph.D.
Associate Director
Dept. of Urology
Arrigo De Benedetti, Ph.D.
Dept. of Biochemistry
Ronald Klein, Ph.D.
Dept. of Pharmacology
Cherie-Ann Nathan, M.D.
Dept. of Otolaryngology
Kate Ryman, Ph.D.
Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology
Francesco Turturro, M.D.
Dept. of Medicine
Wei-Ming Duan, M.D., Ph.D.Dept.
of Cellular Biology and Anatomy
Benjamin Li, M.D.
Dept. of Surgery
Qian-Jin Zhang, Ph.D.
Dept. of Cellular Biology & Anatomy
Key Member
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Francesco Turturro, M.D.
Associate Professor
Dept. of Medicine
See the Curriculum Vitae
Turturro Lab
Dr.
Francesco Turturro has an established experience in basic science research
and particularly in gene therapy and translational research. He has been working
on adenovirus-mediated gene therapy of lymphoma and more recently, on biology
of a particular kind of lymphoma called anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Using
methodology of adenovirus-mediated expression of particular genes such as
p53 or p27, Dr. Turturro has looked at this particular lymphoma as an example
of "one hit disease" caused by the chromosomal translocation t(2;5).
The elucidation of mechanisms of disease in this model may help to better
understand general mechanisms responsible for cancer. Dr. Turturro's nude
mouse model of adenovirus-mediated p53 gene therapy of anaplastic large cell
lymphoma-derived tumors grown into the subcutaneous of the animals constitutes
a pioneering model in the literature. He also has recently shown that cells
derived from the lymphoma expressing the protein NPM-ALK as product of the
chromosomal translocation t(2;5) undergo cell death (apoptosis) when they
are exposed to a drug called Herbimycin A. NPM-ALK protein causes the lymphoma
and the idea of interfering with the expression of such protein has potential
for therapy.
Finally, Dr. Turturro's interest in adenovirus-mediated gene therapy will
direct his future efforts in creating new adenoviral vectors with potential
application in clinical trials. His research in this particular context will
focus on targeting and delivery of the viral particles to the tumor sites.
Although his major area of inverventional gene therapy as potential application
in clinic remains lymphoma and hematopoietic malignancies (blood-derived tumors),
he will also explore areas such as carcinoma of the bladder, carcinoma of
the prostate, and cancer of the head and neck.
