Gerry Melino, MD (Rome), PhD (London), Dr Sci hc (St Petersburg), member of the Accademia Lincei and also of the Academia Europaea, works at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” as Professor of Biochemistry & Director of Centre of Excellence “Tor Vergata Oncoscience Research”.
He created a major forum for discussion and innovation in the field of cell death in the last 25 years, being the Founder & Editor-in-Chief of the journals “Cell Death Differentiation” (www.nature.com/cdd), “Cell Death Disease” (www.nature.com/cddis) and “Cell Death Discovery” (www.nature.com/cddiscov), impact factor 10.8, 6.4 and 4.4 respectively.
Awards:
(2009) Feltrinelli Prize by Academia Lincei (founded 1603) presented by the President of Italy.
(2010) Antonini Prize, Italian Society of Biochemistry.
(2011) Morgagni Medal. Morgagnane Lectures 250th Anniversary. University of Padua.
(2012) Doctor Science Honorary Degree, Saint Petersburg Institute of Technology.
(2013) Chancellor’s Award on Neuroscience. Louisiana State University, USA.
(2014) Honorary Professor & Advisory at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, China.
(2015) Senate Medal. Cancer Centre. Hawaii State, USA.
(2016) Distinguished Career Award, European University of Cyprus.
(2018) Medicine Dean’s Award. Louisiana State University, USA.
(2018-2022) President, European Cell Death Organization.
His training originated in Italy and in particular Rome, where he obtained his MD (1978, Rome) followed by clinical specialisations in Paediatrics (1981, Rome) and Clinical Oncology (1985, Rome). Following his PhD in 1979-1984 at the University of London in the Chemical Pathology Department, Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School, he worked as Research Fellow, Lecturer and Senior Lecturer (Consultant) until 1987. He returned to Italy in 1988 to the University of Rome as a Lecturer before becoming a full Professor in 1994. Professor Melino has acted as Consultant and Scientific Advisor for several companies and government institutions.
His scientific Interests are focused on Programmed Cell Death, apoptosis, in neural and epidermal models, where his contribution has been fundamental. Originally, he worked on cell death in the skin, i.e cornification; in particular on its molecular mechanisms, working in vitro and in animal models as well as in human genetic pathologies. He identified the role of transglutaminases (type 1, 2, 3, and 5) and their substrates (SPRs, loricrin, keratins) at biochemical and genetic levels. While still maintaining an interest in these aspects, his current work is focused on the p53/p63/p73 family. DNA damage elicits repair mechanisms involving the tumour suppressor gene p53 and the two newer members of the same family: p63 and p73. The molecular events driven by DNA damage to elicit the function of p63/p73 and their transcriptional regulation, is investigated in vitro. The molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and their protein stability and degradation is under investigation. Transgenic mice and knockouts for p63/p73 are in progress.
