Milena Casula

Milena Casula is a researcher of the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB) CNR, and she collaborates with the Institute for Genetic and Biomedical Research, CNR. She received her Academic Degree in Biological Science at the University of Sassari in 1999 and her PhD Degree in Biochemistry, Biology and Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Sassari in 2008. She has extensive background in biological sciences combined with a strong practical work experience in basic research, mainly focused on oncology studies. She worked abroad at the Doctor Negrin University Hospital of Gran Canaria studying the role of Wnt/beta-catenin and Toll Like Receptors Signaling Pathways in the acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome, testing new biological molecules on cell culture model for sepsis-related processes. She is the author of several scientific articles (Web of Science H-index: 20) and she is currently involved in the analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) using highly sensitive methods such as Next Generation Sequencing and Droplet Digital PCR.

1. Calabrò L, Rossi G, Morra A, Rosati C, Cutaia O, Daffinà MG, Altomonte M, Di Giacomo AM, Casula M, Fazio C, Palmieri G, Giannarelli D, Covre A, Maio M. Tremelimumab plus durvalumab retreatment and 4-year outcomes in patients with mesothelioma: a follow-up of the open label, non-randomised, phase 2 NIBIT-MESO-1 study. Lancet Respir Med. 2021 Sep;9(9):969-976. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00043-6. Epub 2021 Apr 9. PMID: 33844995.

2. Ottaviano M, Giunta EF, Rescigno P, Pereira Mestre R, Marandino L, Tortora M, Riccio V, Parola S, Casula M, Paliogiannis P, Cossu A, Vogl UM, Bosso D, Rosanova M, Mazzola B, Daniele B, Palmieri G, Palmieri G. The Enigmatic Role of TP53 in Germ Cell Tumours: Are We Missing Something? Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jul 2;22(13):7160. doi: 10.3390/ijms22137160. PMID: 34281219; PMCID: PMC8267694.

3. Palmieri G, Rozzo CM, Colombino M, Casula M, Sini MC, Manca A, Pisano M, Doneddu V, Paliogiannis P, Cossu A. Are Molecular Alterations Linked to Genetic Instability Worth to Be Included as Biomarkers for Directing or Excluding Melanoma Patients to Immunotherapy? Front Oncol. 2021 May 5; 11:666624. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.666624. PMID: 34026645; PMCID: PMC8132875.

4. Vanni I, Casula M, Pastorino L, Manca A, Dalmasso B, Andreotti V, Pisano M, Colombino M; Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) Study Group, Pfeffer U, Tanda ET, Rozzo C, Paliogiannis P, Cossu A, Ghiorzo P, Palmieri G; Italian Melanoma Intergroup (IMI). Quality assessment of a clinical next-generation sequencing melanoma panel within the Italian Melanoma Intergroup (IMI). Diagn Pathol. 2020 Dec 14;15(1):143. doi: 10.1186/s13000-020-01052-5. PMID: 33317587; PMCID: PMC7737361.

5. Casula M, Paliogiannis P, Ayala F, De Giorgi V, Stanganelli I, Mandalà M, Colombino M, Manca A, Sini MC, Caracò C, Ascierto PA, Satta RR; Melanoma Unit of Sassari (MUS), Lissia A, Cossu A, Palmieri G; Italian Melanoma Intergroup (IMI). Germline and somatic mutations in patients with multiple primary melanomas: a next generation sequencing study. BMC Cancer. 2019 Aug 5;19(1):772. doi: 10.1186/s12885-019-5984-7. PMID: 31382929; PMCID: PMC6683413.