The Laboratory of Advanced Pathology at IFOM, led by Professor Claudio Tripodo, is dedicated to studying tumor biology, with a particular focus on the mechanisms governing tumor heterogeneity and stromal tissue remodeling in cancer progression. Through a multidisciplinary approach that integrates quantitative pathology, immunology, and cell biology, the lab examines the spatial and temporal dynamics of tumors within their native microenvironments. Additionally, leveraging digital pathology technologies, the lab facilitates translational and clinical studies, enabling spatial multi-omics analyses and the integration of derived data to guide the development of new therapeutic strategies.
The Laboratory of Advanced Pathology focuses its research on how tumor heterogeneity and stromal remodeling influence cancer progression and therapy response. The research program is organized into four main areas:
Tumor heterogeneity is one of the major challenges in cancer treatment, driven by genetic and epigenetic alterations that give rise to distinct subpopulations of cells within the tumor. These subclones may exhibit different biological characteristics, impacting tumor growth and resistance to treatments. The laboratory employs advanced molecular profiling and digital pathology techniques to map these populations, providing a deeper understanding of their roles in tumor evolution and therapeutic response.
Stromal remodeling is critical for cancer progression. The lab investigates how tumors manipulate the surrounding stromal tissue, particularly the extracellular matrix (ECM), to promote their growth and invasion. Using high-resolution imaging techniques and computational models, the lab studies changes in the stroma that facilitate tumor invasion and immune evasion. These studies offer new insights into identifying therapeutic targets within the tumor microenvironment.
The immune system plays a vital role in tumor control, but many neoplasms develop mechanisms to evade immune surveillance. The lab explores how tumors alter the immune microenvironment to escape immune detection. By analyzing immune cell infiltration and immunosuppressive niches, the lab has highlighted the key role of the ECM in modulating immune responses within the tumor microenvironment, providing new targets for immunotherapies.
The lab also investigates how tumors affect the hematopoietic system, reprogramming immune responses and promoting the expansion of immunosuppressive cells. Through the use of multi-omics techniques and experimental models, the lab examines these systemic adaptations from the early stages of the disease, offering insights into how tumors influence the bone marrow and immune responses at the systemic level.
The research conducted at the Laboratory of Advanced Pathology has a direct impact on understanding the mechanisms that govern tumor heterogeneity and stromal remodeling, with important implications for the development of personalized therapies. The integration of spatial multi-omics technologies, such as single-cell sequencing and proteomics, combined with advanced digital imaging, allows for the creation of detailed maps of cellular interactions within the tumor microenvironment. These maps enable the identification of tumor regions resistant to therapy and the development of targeted therapeutic approaches.
The application of these approaches to translational and clinical studies allows for real-time monitoring of tumor evolution during therapy, enabling the dynamic optimization of treatments based on patient-specific responses. This approach has been shown to improve diagnostic precision and therapeutic efficacy in preclinical models and is now being applied to clinical trials in complex solid tumors, such as breast and gastrointestinal cancers.
The combination of digital pathology and multi-omics analysis opens new avenues in precision medicine, with the goal of improving therapeutic response prediction and reducing tumor recurrence, providing personalized treatments based on the specific vulnerabilities of each tumor.