Gerry Melino, Cambridge University, England
Gerry Melino is Head of the Apoptosis & Cancer Laboratory, Medical Research Council Toxicology Unit, UK; and Professor of Molecular Biology (Medicine), University of Rome "Tor Vergata". He was awarded the Academia Lincei "Feltrinelli" Prize, the highest distinction by the President of Italy. His scientific interest focuses upon programmed cell death in cancer and skin. On the epidermis he works on the molecular events leading to death of keratinocytes, both in animal models as well as in human pathologies. Gerry's major work investigates the two recently identified members of the p53 family – p63 and p73. The molecular events driven by DNA damage to elicit the function of p63/p73 is investigated in vitro (transcriptional targets, proteosomal degradation, inhibitors) as well in ad hoc transgenic animal models.
