Giovanni Zito, PhD
Researcher at Mediterranean Institute for Transplantation and Advanced Specialized Therapies, Italy
2011 NYSCF – Druckenmiller Fellow Alumnus
PhD, University of Palermo, Italy
Postdoctoral Training, Yale University
Bio
Dr. Zito studied a specific skin cancer tumor, called a Keratoacanthoma, that grows and then self-regresses. His fellowship research was focused on understanding the molecular mechanism underlying this regression. He found a specific molecular pathway that led to self-regression and was able to turn this pathway on in other skin cancers to see whether it resulted in a similar self-regressing effect. By manipulating this pathway, he was able to effectively switch off stem cell populations in these other types of tumors, opening up possibilities for a novel type of skin cancer treatment. He completed his postdoctoral studies at Yale in Dr. Valentina Greco’s lab.