Francesca Orso

Background

About Francesca Orso

I am currently a Research Assistant in Molecular Biology at the Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy. My line of research is focused on the development of three dimensional (3D) systems to identify new potential non coding RNAs therapeutic targets to tackle metastasis formation in breast cancer and osteosarcoma. Since the very beginning of my career (Laurea in Biological Sciences I focused my research on tumorigenesis (Orso et al, Biochem J 2004). During the PhD program in Neuroscience I studied the role of transcription factor AP-2 in tumors and in neurons using biochemistry, molecular and cellular technologies (Orso et al, FASEB J 2008; Orso et al, BMC Biol 2009; Thewes, Orso et al, 2010; Orso et al, BMC Genomics 2010). Later, during my Post-Doctoral training I kept working on tumor progression, focusing on the study of miRNAs (miRs) involved in tumor dissemination, in particular in melanoma and breast cancer. On this topic we published various papers showing the relevant roles of miR-214 and miR-148b in melanoma metastasis formation via the regulation of a specific pathway (Penna, Orso et al, EMBO J, 2011, Orso, Quirico et al, Cancer Research 2016). More recently, I generated mouse models for the overexpression of miR-214 in vivo. These models allowed us to investigate and dissect the roles of miR-214 in tumor-stroma crosstalk (Orso et al, J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023) and the therapeutic potential of miR-214. In parallel, I worked on the development of anti-/pre-miRNA based therapeutic approaches to block and control tumor progression (Dettori, Penna, Orso et al, Molecular Therapy 2018). In the attempt to increase specificity of anti-/pre-miRNA based therapeutic approaches I was involved in the development of chimeric aptamers to specifically target tumor cells only (Chimeric complex, axl-148b, and its therapeutic uses n. PCT/IB2020/058098; Chimeric complex, axl-miR-214sponge, and its therapeutic uses n. During these years, I acquired strong ability in coordinating a research team (under-graduate, PhD students and post-docs), in establishing scientific collaborations as well as in lab management (lab supplies, instrument maintenance).