Education
- 2012 – 2016: PhD in Pathology and Experimental Neuropathology, Department of Medical Biotechnologies and Translational Medicine, Thesis: “CX3CR1+ intestinal macrophages at the crossroad of tissue repair and tumor development” – Supervisor: Dr. Paola Allavena, University of Milan, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
- 2012: Master’s Degree in Medical Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine – Thesis: “Role of intestinal macrophages in experimental models of acute inflammation and carcinogenesis induced by inflammation in mice” – Supervisor: Dr. Massimo Locati, Graduated with full marks, University of Milan, Italy
- 2010: Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Biotechnologies – Thesis: “Analysis of peripheral blood in HCV-positive patients with hepatic cirrhosis and hepatocarcinoma”, Supervisor: Dr. Maurizio Sampietro, Graduated with full marks, University of Milan, Italy
Academic Appointments
- Current role: Assistant Professor
- 2019 – 2025: Senior Fellow, Humanitas Clinical and Research Centre, Milan, Italy
- 2016 – 2019: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Centre for Molecular Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), UK
- 2016: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Molecular Medicine, Division of Medicine, University College London (UCL), UK
- 2016: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Milan, Italy
Membership and Leadership Roles
- 2022: Under-40 collaborator on PNRR-MAD-2022-12376756
- Review Editor for the section Cancer Immunity and Immunotherapy within Frontiers in Immunology and Frontiers in Oncology
- Grant reviewer for the French National Research Agency (ANR)
- Reviewer for Journal of Immunology Research
My research is centered on tumor immunology, with a particular focus on the role of macrophages and immune microenvironment dynamics in cancer progression and response to therapy. By integrating immunology, cancer biology, and genetic engineering, I aim to uncover novel immunotherapeutic strategies. My work leverages cutting-edge approaches, including CRISPR whole-genome editing, oncolytic virus engineering, and immune profiling, to explore how tumors reprogram immune cells both locally and systemically, ultimately influencing treatment efficacy.
- Portale F, Carriero R, Iovino M, Kunderfranco P, Pandini M, Marelli G, … Di Mitri D. “C/EBPβ-dependent autophagy inhibition hinders NK cell function in cancer”, Nat Commun, 2024
- Marelli G, Morina N, Portale F, Pandini M, Iovino M, Di Conza G, Ho PC, Di Mitri D. “Lipid-loaded macrophages as new therapeutic target in cancer”, J Immunother Cancer, 2022
- Masetti M, Carriero R, Portale F, Marelli G, …, Di Mitri D. “Lipid-loaded tumor-associated macrophages sustain tumor growth and invasiveness in prostate cancer.“ J Exp Med., 2022
- Marelli G*, Chard LS*, Yuan M, Di Gioia C, Miao J., Cheng Z., Liu P., Ahmed J., Gangeswaran R., Lemoine N.R. and Wang, Y. “A systemically deliverable Vaccinia virus with increased capacity for inter- and intra-tumoral spread effectively treats pancreatic cancer” * Equal contribution, Journal for Immunotherapy of cancer, 2021
- Marelli G, Erreni M, Anselmo A, Taverniti V, Guglielmetti S, Mantovani A, Allavena P., “Heme Oxygenase-1 production by intestinal CX3CR1+ macrophages, promotes resolution of inflammation and protects against carcinogenesis”, Cancer Research, 2017