Personnel
Lab Members
Dr. Andrea Facciabene
Radiation Oncology and OB-GYN
Facciabe@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
215-746-7071
Double Appointment:
Radiation Oncology and OB-GYN.
Andrea Facciabene Radiation Oncology, OB-GYN
The focus of Dr. Facciabene’s laboratory is on immunotherapy and the investigation of tumor immune response network. The work combines efforts in both basic research and clinical investigation to advance the understanding of tumor immunology and implement these new knowledges in the development of new and more efficacious therapies. His basic research includes the implementation of a new vaccination strategy utilizing mitochondria isolated from tumors or a new tumor vasculature antigen and the regulation of the immune surveillance and the tumor microenvironment by the gut microbiome. His clinic research includes the clinical development of new preclinical immunotherapies.
Education:
BS (Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Science (summa cum laude))
University of Bologna, Italy (Thesis: Centre of Drug Discovery, L'Aquila, Italy) Summa Cum Laude, 2000.
PhD (Cancer Rsrch & Molecular Biol & Biotechnology)
Univ of Perugia in collaboration with the Univ of California San Diego, San Diego, CA (coursework 11/01-5/05 in Italy; exam in CA 2/06), 2006.
Dr. Renzo Perales-Linares
Postdoctoral Fellow
Renzo.Peraleslinares@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Dr. Renzo Perales-Linares finished his bachelor’s degree in Biology at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Lima, Peru) and received his Ph.D. degree at Drexel University College of Medicine in 2015. His graduate work in innate immunity of the Central Nervous System in the context of coronavirus infection exposed him to the fields of chronic inflammation and transforming cellular signaling networks. These topics expanded his interests in cancer immunotherapy research.
Currently, Dr. Perales-Linares' research is focused on the development and design of cancer immunotherapies utilizing tumor-associated mitochondria antigens, and determining the underlying mechanisms of solid tumor immunity (innate and adaptive) and tumor-induced immune suppression.
Dr. Hesham Mohei
Postdoctoral Fellow
Hesham Mohei, MD is an early-stage investigator with a broad background in immunology and biomedical research, and a specific interest in the area of dendritic cells and tumor microenvironment. As a physician, he would like to apply his expertise in bridging the gap between basic science and clinical application. Dr. Mohei says, “I believe that basic studies in the laboratory will allow us to more effectively approach disease-oriented questions."
Dr. Elisavet Krimitza
PhD Student
Elisavet.Krimitza@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Elisavet Krimitza, MD obtained her Medical degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and worked as a medical doctor for three years. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Ioannina, Greece. In 2021, Dr. Krimitza joined the Radiation Oncology Department of Perelman School of Medicine as a doctoral student, under the supervision of Dr. Facciabene. Her research interests include tumor immunology and the development of tumor immunotherapies. She is focusing on ways to improve existing and novel anti-cancer therapies by studying the interaction between the intestinal microbiota and the immune system.
Silvia Beghi
PhD Student
silvia.beghi@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Silvia Beghi is a Ph.D. visiting student in the lab since 2018. She gained her bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from University of Milan-Bicocca. Then, she obtained a Master degree in Medical Biotechnology from University of Padova. She is currently enrolled in the Ph.D. program of Clinical and Experimental Immunology at the University of Padova. Silvia joined the Radiation Oncology Department at Perelman School of Medicine in 2017 under the supervision of Dr. Facciabene.
Her research is focused on understanding the interaction between cancer and gut microbiome using in vivo tumor models. She is also investigating the impact of gut microbiota upon immunotherapies efficacy.
Francesa Costabile
PhD Student
Francesca.Costabile@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Francesca Costabile gained her bachelor’s degree in Biology followed by a Master’s degree in Molecular Diagnostics at the University of Naples “Federico II”, IT. She is currently a PhD candidate in Clinical and Experimental Immunology at Department of Experimental Medicine of the University of Genova, in Italy. Dr. Costabile joined the Radiation Oncology Department at Perelman School of Medicine on 2021, as doctoral student under the supervision of Dr. Facciabene.
Her research has always been focused on tumor immunology. Her current research interest includes investigation on tumor microenvironment and cell interactions. Furthermore, she is also examining tumor mitochondria as a source of antigens to drive anti-tumor immunity.
Nektarios Kostopoulos
PhD Student
Nektarios.Kostopoulos@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
Nektarios Kostopoulos finished his BS/MS degree in Biological Applications and Technologies at the University of Ioannina, Greece. In 2019, he joined Dr. Facciabene lab to complete his master’s thesis on the impact of the intestinal microbiota on CAR T Cell Cancer Immunotherapy efficacy. Since 2020, Nektarios remained at the Radiation Oncology Department of Perelman School of Medicine as a doctoral student, under the supervision of Dr. Facciabene. Ηe is currently a PhD candidate in Cancer Immunology at the Department of Biological Applications and Technology, University of Ioannina, Greece.
His main research interest is tumor immunology and the development of novel cancer immunotherapies. Currently, his research is focused on the interaction between the intestinal microbiota and CAR T Cell immunotherapy and radiation therapy.
