Download Curriculum Vitae – Maria Vinci

Curriculum Vitae – Maria Vinci
Personal information
Current address
Nationality
Date of birth
22 Kings Road,
Belmont, SM2 6DG, UK
mobile. +44 (0)7933 440708
tel.
+44 (0)20 8643 3013
Italian
21st August 1974
Current position
2012-
e-mail
Senior Post-Doctoral Fellow
Glioma Team
Centre for Evolution and Cancer
Divisions of Molecular Pathology and Cancer Therapeutics
The Institute of Cancer Research
15 Cotswold Road, Sutton, SM2 5NG, UK
tel. +44(0)2087224376
[email protected]
Research Interests
During my scientific career I have gained varied and complementary skills that range
from tumour-vascular biology, stem cell biology, in vitro high-throughput 2D and 3D
tumour models, in vivo mouse modelling, and more recently cancer genomics.
In the past few years the focus of my research has been a group of paediatric brain
tumours which include paediatric glioblastoma (pGBM) and diffuse intrinsic pontine
glioma (DIPG). These are rare but devastating cancers that affect children and
young adults and for which there are currently no effective treatments. Using a
combination of advanced sampling strategies, high-throughout image analysis of
sorted primary cell cultures, next-generation sequencing and in vivo modeling, I have
been exploring the evolutionary dynamics inherent to pGBM and DIPG. My aim is to
understand the complex subclonal architecture of these tumours and to identify early
and late events in tumour evolution. I have developed a novel technique for isolating
genetically and phenotypically distinct subclones from primary tumour material, and I
am currently investigating the subclonal co-operativity between subclonal
populations.
The dismal prognosis of those young patients makes me very passionate and
committed to continue studying paediatric brain tumours. I intend to expand on the
knowledge I have gained from the current project and plan to investigate: i. their
heterogenous invasive mechanisms in vitro and in vivo; ii. to further elucidate the
interclonal communication between different sub-clones through the paracrine and
autocrine signaling that feeds this intratumoral heterogeneity; iii. to understand the
role of the microenvironment in determining such diversity. My ultimate goal is to
identify novel therapeutic targets to guide prioritization of rational combination
approaches for the treatment of paediatric GBM and DIPG.
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General Information
Education
2004-2007
July 2010
PhD (Tumour vascular biology)
“Analysis of endothelial progenitor cells recruitment to tumour
angiogeneisis”. Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty
Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg
PhD viva
1993-2002:
Bachelor Degree in Biology (Valuation 109/110)
University of Bari, Italy
1989-1993:
High school diploma (Valuation 58/60)
High School Lyceum “Leonardo Da Vinci”, Fasano, Italy
Previous work experience and training
2010–2012
Post-Doctoral Training Fellow (NC3Rs grant)
Tumour Biology and Metastasis Team
Division of Cancer Therapeutics
The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
Research project: Replacement of animals in anticancer drug development using
3D in vitro functional assays for increased predictive power.
2008-2010
Pre-Doctoral Fellow (part-time)
Tumour Biology and Metastasis Team
Division of Cancer Therapeutics
The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
Research project: 3D models: tumour spheroid assays
06/2005:
Internship - technical training in cell adhesion and cell migration
assays (Prof. Engelhardt lab)
Theodor-Kocher-Institute, University of Bern, Switzerland
Research fellow (Vascular biology, Prof. Dejana’s lab)
IFOM-Institute FIRC of Molecular Oncology, Milan, Italy
Research project: Role of Junctional Adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) in leukocyte
infiltration
2002-2004
2000-2002:
Internship in the laboratory of General Physiology (Director Prof.
Valeria Casavola, supervisor Ass. Prof. Stephan J. Reshkin)
Department of Physiology, University of Bari, Italy
Research project: Analysis of the interaction NHE1/NHERF1 in the regulation of
intracellular pH in human tumor cells
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Honours
2013
Selected scientist for the Royal Society Pairing Scheme
(National competition designed to build bridges between
parliamentarians and some of the best scientists in the UK)
2013
Selected scientist to present at SET for BRITAIN
(Recognition of Britain’s future scientific and technological
leaders, House of Commons, London)
2011
Cyntellect’s Travel Award, poster presentation at AACR 2011
Research grants
2015
DIPG Collaborative Grant (co-applicant with Dr Chris Jones) “The
evolutionary dynamics of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma”; $99,479
(renewal of the 2014 grant).
2015
Pathway to Independence - Dean’s Award, The Institute of
Cancer Research; £5000.
2014
DIPG Collaborative Grant (co-applicant with Dr Chris Jones) “The
evolutionary dynamics of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma”;
$95,325.
Society membership
201520142010-
The British Association for Cancer Research (BACR)
European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
Courses and workshops
July 2016
Leadership in Action Programme. UCL and ICR, London, UK
Mar. 2013
Flow Cytometry Course, The fundamentals of flow. Excyte expert
cytometry, London, UK
Apr.2012
UK Home Office Licence for animal experimentation, Royal
Veterinary College, London, UK
May 2012
Effective Research Degree Supervision training workshop, ICR,
London, UK
Sep. 2011
Compound de-risking with 3D-cell-culture systems;
Biomimetic Microtissue Teschnology, Manchester, UK
InSphero
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Mentorship-associate supervisor
2014-
Mariama Fofama, PhD student (Glioma Team)
“Pre-clinical evaluation of functional imaging biomarkers
associated with molecular subtypes of paediatric glioblastoma”
(joint with Dr Simon Robinson and Jessica Boult, Preclinical
Imaging, ICR)
2012 - 2015
Kathryn Taylor, PhD student (Glioma Team)
“Translational genomics of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma”
Editorial
Reviewer of submitted papers for the following journals:
PLoS ONE, BMC Cell Biology, Clinical & Experimental
Metatstasis, F1000 research, Biomaterials.
Member of scientific committee of international meetings
2014
Scientific Organising Committee, “Goodbye flat biology: 3D
Models and Tumour Microenvironment”, EACR conference series,
2-5 Nov. 2014, Berlin, Germany.
2016
Scientific Organising Committee, “Goodbye flat biology: Models,
mchanisms and microenvironment”, EACR conference series, 2-5
Oct. 2016, Berlin, Germany.
Other activities
2014-
STEM ambassador for London area
2014-
Member of the Athena Swan Silver Steering working group
committe, ICR
2016
Reviewer for project grant for Worldwide Cancer Research
(formerly known as AICR)
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