• Prof.ssa Ada Funaro, Associate Professor, PI
• Dr.Enza Ferrero, Assistant Professor
• Dr.ssa Erika Ortolan, Tecnico della Ricerca
• Dr. Yuliya Yakymiv, PhD student
• Dr.ssa Sara Marchisio, PhD student
• Rebecca Maria Casu, master degree student
• Letizia Vassoney, student
• Elisa Girotto, student

• Lab of Immunogenetics, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Torino,Via Santena, 19 - 10126 Torino, Italy
• Phone: (+39) 011-670-5991 (Lab)
• Phone: (+39) 011-696-1734 (office)
• E.mail: ada.funaro@unito.it

• Ada Funaro 
• Enza Ferrero 
• Erika Ortolan

• Interaction between tumor cells and microenvironment with particular reference to acute myeloid leukemia and cutaneous lymphomas
• Molecular mechanisms of immunosuppression in Sezary Syndrome
• Role of adenosinergic pathways in autoimmune diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma as models.
• Evaluation of the predictive and pathogenetic role of epitope-specific anti-PDGFRa autoantibodies in systemic sclerosis

List of publications of the last 3 years

1. CD39/CD73 dysregulation and adenosine metabolism contribute to T-cell immunosuppression in patients with Sézary syndrome.Yakymiv Y, Marchisio S, Ortolan E, Bracci C, Senetta R, Rumore MR, Tampieri C, Fia M, Ribero S, Funaro A, Quaglino P. Blood. 2023 Jan 5;141(1):111-116. doi: 10.1182/blood.2022017259.
2. Increased expression of the ectoenzyme CD38 in peripheral blood plasmablasts and plasma cells of patients with systemic sclerosis. Agarbati S, Benfaremo D, Viola N, Paolini C, Svegliati Baroni S, Funaro A, Moroncini G, Malavasi F, Gabrielli A. Front Immunol. 2022 Dec 21;13:1072462. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1072462. eCollection 2022.
3. CD157 signaling promotes survival of acute myeloid leukemia cells and modulates sensitivity to cytarabine through regulation of anti-apoptotic Mcl-1. Yakymiv Y, Augeri S, Bracci C, Marchisio S, Aydin S, D'Ardia S, Massaia M, Ferrero E, Ortolan E, Funaro A. Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 27;11(1):21230. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-00733-5.
4. CD157: From Myeloid Cell Differentiation Marker to Therapeutic Target in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Yakymiv Y, Augeri S, Fissolo G, Peola S, Bracci C, Binaschi M, Bellarosa D, Pellacani A, Ferrero E, Ortolan E, Funaro A. Cells. 2019 Dec 5;8(12):1580. doi: 10.3390/cells8121580.
5. Soluble CD157 in pleural effusions: a complementary tool for the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma. Augeri S, Capano S, Morone S, Fissolo G, Giacomino A, Peola S, Drace Z, Rapa I, Novello S, Volante M, Righi L, Ferrero E, Ortolan E, Funaro A. Oncotarget. 2018 Apr 27;9(32):22785-22801. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.25237. eCollection 2018 Apr 27.

• Associazione Italiana Ricerca Cancro (AIRC) IG15968. Dissecting the role of CD157 in malignant pleural mesothelioma: from prognosis to personalized therapy. 
• Menarini Ricerche. Project: Functional implications of MEN1112 in tumor-microenvironment interaction in acute myeloid leukemia.
• Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation. Mechanistic insights into the CD39/CD73 adenosinergic immunosuppressive axis in patients with Sézary Syndrome: association with disease course and treatment response.
• MUR-RiLo 2022: CD39/CD73 expression and adenosine metabolism in the cross-talk between Sézary Syndrome cells and blood-skin microenvironment.

• WO/2012/013813 

The present invention refers to peptides comprised in the extracellular region of human PDGF receptor (hPDGFR) alpha, their use for detecting auto-antibodies anti-hPDGFR alpha and to a method for the diagnosis or the monitoring control for therapy of SSc. The present invention also refers to antibodies or recombinant or synthetic derivatives thereof able to recognize and bind to the above peptide and to their use in the treatment of SSc

1. L. Moroncini, FUNARO, Ada, A. Gabrielli, E. V. Avvedimento, S. Svegliati Baroni, M. Santillo, R. Paternò (2012). Epitopes of the human PDGF receptor able to bind human auto-antibodies, antibodies and thereof, PRIUS Integrated Systems of Diagnosis and Therapy Ltd

• WO/2009003975

The present invention provides novel antibody sequences that bind and neutralize hCMV, and that can be used for preparing compositions for detecting, treating, inhibiting, preventing, and/or ameliorating hCMV infection or an hCMV-related disease.
FUNARO, Ada, GRIBAUDO, Giorgio, LANDOLFO, Santo Giuseppe (2009). Antibodies against Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV). Ribovax Biotechnology SA

• WO/2007/068758

The present Invention provides novel methods for immortalizing cells that secrete antibodies of one or more specific isotypes. Polyclonal, oligoclonal, and monoclonal populations of cells obtained using the methods of the Invention can be screened on the basis of the functional and/or binding activities of the antibodies they secrete,
FUNARO, Ada, GAROTTA G, MURPHY M. (2007). Methods for obtaining immortalized antibody secreting cells. Ribovax Biotechnologies