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Marco Ruella, MD
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Associate Professor of Medicine (Hematology-Oncology)
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Project Member, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
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Attending, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
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Leader, Cancer Research, Institute for Immunology and Immune Health (I3H)
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Scientific Director, Lymphoma Program, Abramson Cancer Center and Division of Hematology and Oncology
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Full Member, Abramson Cancer Center, Immunobiology Program
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Scientific Director, Richard Berman Center for Innovations in CLL and lymphomas
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Medical Director , Cellular Therapies, Penn Global Medicine
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Department: Medicine
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Graduate Group Affiliations
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- Cell and Molecular Biology 6a
- Pharmacology 41
- Bioengineering e
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Contact information
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South Tower 8-112
2d Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
3a 3400 Civic Center Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 191004
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2d Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine
3a 3400 Civic Center Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 191004
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Office: 215-746-4880
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32 Lab: 215-573-8538
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32 Fax: 215-573-3638
32 Lab: 215-573-8538
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Email:
mruella@upenn.edu
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mruella@upenn.edu
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Publications
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Links
e5 Search PubMed for articles
60 LinkedIn
8c Institute for Immunology and Immune Health (I3H)
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69 Research Gate
79 Google Scholar
5c Academia.edu
5f Ruella Lab Website
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e5 Search PubMed for articles
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8c Institute for Immunology and Immune Health (I3H)
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69 Research Gate
79 Google Scholar
5c Academia.edu
5f Ruella Lab Website
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Education:
21 7 MD 1b (Medical Degree) c
35 University of Torino, Italy , 2007.
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Permanent link21 7 MD 1b (Medical Degree) c
35 University of Torino, Italy , 2007.
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257 Dr. Ruella obtained his medical degree with high honors and completed his specialization in clinical hematology at the University of Torino, Italy. He was an attending physician at the Hematology and Cell Therapy Division of the Mauriziano Hospital and was an Instructor at the Biotechnology School at the University of Torino. From late 2012, he was a Post-doctoral Fellow and then an Instructor at the University of Pennsylvania in the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies (Drs. Kalos, Gill, and June). From 2017 to 2018 he served as Associate Director of Dr. Carl H. June’s laboratory.
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665 In 2018, Dr. Ruella was appointed Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies and Scientific Director of the Lymphoma Program at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and in 2025 he obtained his tenure as Associate Professor. In 2018, Dr. Ruella was appointed Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, and also became the Scientific Director of the Lymphoma Program at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Throughout his career, he has been honored with numerous awards, including the inaugural SITC EMD Serono Cancer Immunotherapy Clinical Fellowship (2014), the AACR-Bristol Myers Squibb Oncology Fellowship in Clinical Cancer Research (2015), the ASH Scholar Award (2016), an NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award (2017), the ISNAFF “Paola Campese” Award for Leukemia Research (2017), the Cancer Support Community Award (2018), the ASH Joanne Levy, MD, Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement (2018), the Gilead Sciences Research Scholar in Hematology/Oncology and the Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation Award (2020), the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Translational Research Program grant (2021), the Alan Steinberg Award (2022), two NIH R01 Research Project Grant (2025, 2025)and R37 MERIT Award (2022), an NIH P01 Research Program Project Grant (2023), membership in the American Society for Clinical Investigation (2023), and the Penn Inventor of the Year (2024). Since 2025 he is Adjunct Professor at his Alma Mater, the University of Turin in Italy.
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15b Dr. Ruella serves as the Senior Editor for Molecular Cancer Therapeutics (AACR) and Associate Editor for the Journal of Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC). Additionally, he is the inaugural Chair of the SITC Cellular Therapy Committee and the immediate past-Chair of the ASH Scientific Committee on Transplantation Biology and Cellular Therapy
11f Dr. Ruella treats patients with hematological cancers at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, focusing on novel immunotherapies. This clinical engagement allows him to connect with patients, gain insight into unmet needs in the clinic, and teach residents and fellows.
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203 Dr. Ruella serves as a consultant for several companies and sits on the advisory boards of multiple biotech and pharmaceutical firms specializing in cancer immunotherapy. In 2021, he founded viTToria Biotherapeutics, a startup developing next-generation CAR T-cell immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The company's first product, VIPER-001, a CD5-deleted anti-CD5 CAR T-cell therapy, is undergoing evaluation in a first-in-human clinical trial for patients with T-cell lymphoma (NCT06420089).
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Description of Clinical Expertise
a7 Dr. Ruella treat patients affected by hematological cancers, in particualar lymphoma, myeloma and leukemia and specializes in immunotherapy approaches.71
Description of Research Expertise
1ea Marco Ruella, MD is a Physician-Scientist and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. Dr. Ruella treats patients affected by hematological cancers and specializes in immunotherapy approaches. His laboratory focuses on the mechanisms of relapse after chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) immunotherapies to rationally design innovative combined immunotherapies for relapsing/refractory leukemia and lymphoma.8
257 Dr. Ruella obtained his medical degree with high honors and completed his specialization in clinical hematology at the University of Torino, Italy. He was an attending physician at the Hematology and Cell Therapy Division of the Mauriziano Hospital and was an Instructor at the Biotechnology School at the University of Torino. From late 2012, he was a Post-doctoral Fellow and then an Instructor at the University of Pennsylvania in the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies (Drs. Kalos, Gill, and June). From 2017 to 2018 he served as Associate Director of Dr. Carl H. June’s laboratory.
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665 In 2018, Dr. Ruella was appointed Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies and Scientific Director of the Lymphoma Program at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and in 2025 he obtained his tenure as Associate Professor. In 2018, Dr. Ruella was appointed Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology and the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, and also became the Scientific Director of the Lymphoma Program at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Throughout his career, he has been honored with numerous awards, including the inaugural SITC EMD Serono Cancer Immunotherapy Clinical Fellowship (2014), the AACR-Bristol Myers Squibb Oncology Fellowship in Clinical Cancer Research (2015), the ASH Scholar Award (2016), an NIH K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award (2017), the ISNAFF “Paola Campese” Award for Leukemia Research (2017), the Cancer Support Community Award (2018), the ASH Joanne Levy, MD, Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement (2018), the Gilead Sciences Research Scholar in Hematology/Oncology and the Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation Award (2020), the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Translational Research Program grant (2021), the Alan Steinberg Award (2022), two NIH R01 Research Project Grant (2025, 2025)and R37 MERIT Award (2022), an NIH P01 Research Program Project Grant (2023), membership in the American Society for Clinical Investigation (2023), and the Penn Inventor of the Year (2024). Since 2025 he is Adjunct Professor at his Alma Mater, the University of Turin in Italy.
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15b Dr. Ruella serves as the Senior Editor for Molecular Cancer Therapeutics (AACR) and Associate Editor for the Journal of Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC). Additionally, he is the inaugural Chair of the SITC Cellular Therapy Committee and the immediate past-Chair of the ASH Scientific Committee on Transplantation Biology and Cellular Therapy
11f Dr. Ruella treats patients with hematological cancers at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, focusing on novel immunotherapies. This clinical engagement allows him to connect with patients, gain insight into unmet needs in the clinic, and teach residents and fellows.
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203 Dr. Ruella serves as a consultant for several companies and sits on the advisory boards of multiple biotech and pharmaceutical firms specializing in cancer immunotherapy. In 2021, he founded viTToria Biotherapeutics, a startup developing next-generation CAR T-cell immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. The company's first product, VIPER-001, a CD5-deleted anti-CD5 CAR T-cell therapy, is undergoing evaluation in a first-in-human clinical trial for patients with T-cell lymphoma (NCT06420089).
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1de Knoedler L, Herfeld K, Schaefer DA, Diatta F, Clune J, Evans B, Seu M, Kim BS, Alfertshofer M, Schaschinger T, Iske J, Knoedler S, Lellouch AG, Jeljeli M, Carturan A, Ruella M, Heiland M, Poeck H, Perl M, Pomahac B, Kauke-Navarro M.: CAR-T cell therapy and reconstructive oncologic surgery in peripheral solid tumors-A narrative review. Cell Rep Med 6(8), Aug 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2025.102240.
2f9 Bochi-Layec A, Cohen I, Lemoine J, Jenks S, Bayat P, Kim KH, Zhao H, Ugwuanyi O, Stella F, Ghilardi G, Gabrielli G, McCuaig S, Iatrou A, Vlachonikola E, Karypidou M, Bouziani E, Ramasubramanian R, Agathangelidis A, Paruzzo L, Bugrovsky R, Guruprasad P, Wang LP, Harris Jaryse, Zhang Y, Pajarillo R, Kreiger P, Fulmer B, Cases M, Porazzi P, Wherry JE, Apostolidis S, Bhoj V, Schuster SJ, Ghia P, Stamatopoulos K, Behrens E, Sanz I, Ruella M. : Precision targeting of pathogenic B cells and autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus using CAR T cells against the IGHV4-34 B cell receptor. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(4120), December 2025.
24d Paruzzo L, Ho M, Han Noll J, Stella F, Cohen I, Ramirez-Fernandez A, Waxman A, Kapur S, Chen F, Huff A, Jarocha D, Koucky O, Hopkins C, Dimitri A, Lavorando M, Vogl D, Scholler J, Doto A, Everett J, Bushman F, Nathanson K, Porazzi P, Stadtmauer E, Susanibar-Adaniya S, Garfall A, Cohen A, Fraietta J, Ruella M. : CCR5 blockade: A therapeutic approach to uncouple CART-BCMA expansion from CARTmediated immune toxicities. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(5945), December 2025.
258 Paruzzo L, Bouvier R, Fulmer B, Cohen I, Chong E, Svoboda J, Nasta SD, Landsburg D, Patel V, Ho M, Carturan A, Stella F, Waxman A, Cohen A, Vogl D, Barta S, Bochi-Layec A, Porazzi P, Fraietta J, Garfall A, Bhoj V, Stadtmauer E, Porter D, Riley J, Merkel P, Schuster S, Carter J, Apostolidis S, Susanibar-Adaniya S, Ruella M. : Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in patients with coexisting malignancy and autoimmune disease. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(4543), December 2025.
168 Tan M, Giles J, Porazzi P, Torres L, Paruzzo L, Carturan A, KC W, Zhang Y, Pajarillo R, Wherry JE, Ruella M.: SMARCA4 deletion enhances CAR T cell cytotoxicity and persistence against cancer. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(4097), December 2025.
258 Lemoine J, Ghilardi G, Lee Y, Paruzzo L, Morena F, Perriello V, Li Z, Cohen I, Ugwuanyi O, Pajarillo R, Zhang Y, Guruprasad P, Patel R, Chong E, Nasta SD, Barta S, Garfall A, Landsburg D, Svoboda J, Sadigh S, Wasik M, Bhattacharyya, Porazzi P, Schsuter S, Falini B, Ruella M. : Identification and functional characterization of a novel best-in-class anti-CD79b CAR T cell immunotherapy using a multidimensional screening strategy. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(5905), December 2025.
1c9 Liu S, Guruprasad P, Ramasubramanian R, Madhu B, Paruzzo L, Han K, Shestov A, Zhou C, Lin J, Carturan A, Porazzi P, Chong E, Schuster S, Milone M, Thaiss C, Levy M, Ruella M. : β‑hydroxybutyrate metabolism enhances CAR T cell function via transcriptional and epigenetic reprogramming. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(5903), December 2025.
210 Tomasulo E, Chong E, Patel E, Rudolph J, Kim YA, Ruella M, Watts A, Hwang WT, Hughes M, Svoboda J, Landsburg, Chong E, Nasta SD, Barta S, Thomas C, Cook M, Carter J, Fradley M, Schuster S. : Cardiovascular outcomes of patients transitioned from ibrutinib to an alternate bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor for hypertension and/or cardiovascular adverse events. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(5680), December 2025.
242 Paruzzo L, Mantione A, Chong E, Nasta SD, Landsburg D, Carter J, Cook M, Fardella E, Bigdeli A, Patel V, Imparato A, Thomas C, Souza V, Carturan A, Stella F, Pucillo M, Pooja D, Tomasulo E, Barta S, Schuster S, Halper-Stromberg E, Ruella M, Svoboda J. : Large B-cell lymphoma following CD19-directed CART-cell therapy failure: Impact of CAR construct on disease features and outcomes of subsequent therapies. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(5501), December 2025.
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Selected Publications
1f2 Thomas C, Chung J, Landsburg D, Nasta SD, Svoboda J, Chong E, Schuster S, Carter J, Cook M, Tomasulo E, Elghway O, Lariviere M, Hubbeling H, Plastaras J, Villasenor-Park J, Myers C, Ruella M, Rook A, Kim E, Barta S.: Clinical features and outcomes of patients with non-erythrodermic mycosis fungoides with high blood tumor burden. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(560), December 20251de Knoedler L, Herfeld K, Schaefer DA, Diatta F, Clune J, Evans B, Seu M, Kim BS, Alfertshofer M, Schaschinger T, Iske J, Knoedler S, Lellouch AG, Jeljeli M, Carturan A, Ruella M, Heiland M, Poeck H, Perl M, Pomahac B, Kauke-Navarro M.: CAR-T cell therapy and reconstructive oncologic surgery in peripheral solid tumors-A narrative review. Cell Rep Med 6(8), Aug 2025 Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2025.102240.
2f9 Bochi-Layec A, Cohen I, Lemoine J, Jenks S, Bayat P, Kim KH, Zhao H, Ugwuanyi O, Stella F, Ghilardi G, Gabrielli G, McCuaig S, Iatrou A, Vlachonikola E, Karypidou M, Bouziani E, Ramasubramanian R, Agathangelidis A, Paruzzo L, Bugrovsky R, Guruprasad P, Wang LP, Harris Jaryse, Zhang Y, Pajarillo R, Kreiger P, Fulmer B, Cases M, Porazzi P, Wherry JE, Apostolidis S, Bhoj V, Schuster SJ, Ghia P, Stamatopoulos K, Behrens E, Sanz I, Ruella M. : Precision targeting of pathogenic B cells and autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus using CAR T cells against the IGHV4-34 B cell receptor. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(4120), December 2025.
24d Paruzzo L, Ho M, Han Noll J, Stella F, Cohen I, Ramirez-Fernandez A, Waxman A, Kapur S, Chen F, Huff A, Jarocha D, Koucky O, Hopkins C, Dimitri A, Lavorando M, Vogl D, Scholler J, Doto A, Everett J, Bushman F, Nathanson K, Porazzi P, Stadtmauer E, Susanibar-Adaniya S, Garfall A, Cohen A, Fraietta J, Ruella M. : CCR5 blockade: A therapeutic approach to uncouple CART-BCMA expansion from CARTmediated immune toxicities. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(5945), December 2025.
258 Paruzzo L, Bouvier R, Fulmer B, Cohen I, Chong E, Svoboda J, Nasta SD, Landsburg D, Patel V, Ho M, Carturan A, Stella F, Waxman A, Cohen A, Vogl D, Barta S, Bochi-Layec A, Porazzi P, Fraietta J, Garfall A, Bhoj V, Stadtmauer E, Porter D, Riley J, Merkel P, Schuster S, Carter J, Apostolidis S, Susanibar-Adaniya S, Ruella M. : Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in patients with coexisting malignancy and autoimmune disease. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(4543), December 2025.
168 Tan M, Giles J, Porazzi P, Torres L, Paruzzo L, Carturan A, KC W, Zhang Y, Pajarillo R, Wherry JE, Ruella M.: SMARCA4 deletion enhances CAR T cell cytotoxicity and persistence against cancer. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(4097), December 2025.
258 Lemoine J, Ghilardi G, Lee Y, Paruzzo L, Morena F, Perriello V, Li Z, Cohen I, Ugwuanyi O, Pajarillo R, Zhang Y, Guruprasad P, Patel R, Chong E, Nasta SD, Barta S, Garfall A, Landsburg D, Svoboda J, Sadigh S, Wasik M, Bhattacharyya, Porazzi P, Schsuter S, Falini B, Ruella M. : Identification and functional characterization of a novel best-in-class anti-CD79b CAR T cell immunotherapy using a multidimensional screening strategy. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(5905), December 2025.
1c9 Liu S, Guruprasad P, Ramasubramanian R, Madhu B, Paruzzo L, Han K, Shestov A, Zhou C, Lin J, Carturan A, Porazzi P, Chong E, Schuster S, Milone M, Thaiss C, Levy M, Ruella M. : β‑hydroxybutyrate metabolism enhances CAR T cell function via transcriptional and epigenetic reprogramming. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(5903), December 2025.
210 Tomasulo E, Chong E, Patel E, Rudolph J, Kim YA, Ruella M, Watts A, Hwang WT, Hughes M, Svoboda J, Landsburg, Chong E, Nasta SD, Barta S, Thomas C, Cook M, Carter J, Fradley M, Schuster S. : Cardiovascular outcomes of patients transitioned from ibrutinib to an alternate bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor for hypertension and/or cardiovascular adverse events. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(5680), December 2025.
242 Paruzzo L, Mantione A, Chong E, Nasta SD, Landsburg D, Carter J, Cook M, Fardella E, Bigdeli A, Patel V, Imparato A, Thomas C, Souza V, Carturan A, Stella F, Pucillo M, Pooja D, Tomasulo E, Barta S, Schuster S, Halper-Stromberg E, Ruella M, Svoboda J. : Large B-cell lymphoma following CD19-directed CART-cell therapy failure: Impact of CAR construct on disease features and outcomes of subsequent therapies. In Proceedings of 67th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting 2025(5501), December 2025.
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