Mario Leonardo Squadrito

Group leader

Mario Leonardo Squadrito obtained his PhD degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the San Raffaele University (Milan, IT) and the Open University (UK) in 2012. During his doctoral and post-doctoral studies, he studied how microRNAs regulate the pro-tumoral functions of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). In 2012, he joined EPFL (Lausanne, CH), where he discovered a mechanism by which microRNAs are enriched in microvesicles derived from macrophages and transferred to acceptor cells to modulate their phenotype. He also generated EVIR, a new chimeric receptor that endows dendritic cells with the ability to uptake and present tumor antigens to the immune system. In 2018, he has been appointed group leader in the Unit of Targeted Cancer Gene Therapy of the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, Milan, Italy. He is now employing innovative genetic tools to convey to tumors molecules, including cytokines, with therapeutic activity.