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Staff Profile

Dr Alessio Iannetti

Lecturer in Biochemistry/Pharmacology

  • Telephone: 01912084389
Background

Lecturer in Biochemistry/Pharmacology at the School of Biomedical, Nutritional and Sport Sciences since April 2022.


School and Faculty Roles

Module Leader for "Cell Biology and Disease" (BMS2002) and "Research in Biochemistry and Genetics" (BGM3046)

Curriculum co-chair for the Biomedical Sciences degree

International Admission Tutor/Deputy Admission Tutor

Stage 1 study skills/advisor

PSF Mentor and Reviewer

PhD review panel member


Qualifications & Memberships

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)

Member of the Royal Society of Biology (MRSB)

Member of the FMS Education Research Theme

Member of the Cell, Gene and molecules Research Theme

Member of the Newcastle University Technology Enhanced Learning Advocates network (NUTELA)


Current Funding

Education Enhancement Fund

2024: Enhancing support for international students in FMS


Past Funding

FMS Education Research Development and Practice Grant (ERDP grant)

Investigating the factors driving students' choices of optional modules in the Stage 3 of the Biomedical Sciences degree

BBSRC-DTP-PhD studentship

2018-2022: Regulation of NF-kB signalling by ribotoxic stress with N Perkins, N Watkins and S Rocha (University of Liverpool)

Education Enhancement Fund

2019: Students-Staff partnership in the review of the Stage 2 curriculum of the School of Pharmacy

FMS Education Research Development and Practice Grant

2019: Tackling the common issues of the faculty’s student academic representation system in a half-day event with L Wakeling (School of Dentistry)

School of Pharmacy Staff Development Funds 

Day-visit for students in a Pharmaceutical Company

Previous positions at Newcastle University

2017-2022: Lecturer at the School of Pharmacy (2017-2022). Stage3 Module Lead, Stage3 Literature Review assessment Lead, Student-Staff Committee staff facilitator, Chair of the Student Voice Panel, Peer Mentoring Coordinator

2015-2017: Senior Research Associate at the Northern Institute for Cancer Research. I was part of the Bioscience/Target Validation Team of the Drug Discovery Group where I managed and led some of the activities of several projects. In particular the identification, study and validation of targets for cancer therapy with the development of new molecular and genetic approaches. These projects were part of a strategic alliance with Astex Pharmaceuticals to identify and develop new cancer drugs and associated biomarkers.  

2010-2015: Research Associate at the Institute of Cell and Molecular Biosciences. I studied the molecular mechanisms of the cross-talks regulating the activity of the transcription factor NF-kB and the oncosuppressor p53 in cellular senescence and stress responses. I also identified new proteins regulating the alternative NF-kB pathway by proteomic screening. In 2013 I was successful in securing funding from WorldWide Cancer Research, which funded my remaning period in the lab

Education  


2005-2009: PhD student at University of Naples Federico II, Institute of Cellular-Molecular Pathology. PhD project: "The Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin" (NGAL), a NF-kB regulated gene, is a survival factor for thyroid neoplastic cells"

2000-2005: Msci in Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II  



Research

Current research Interests

Targeting HIV1 RT interaction with eEF1A via development of novel small molecules, in collaboration with M Ashton (School of Pharmacy)

Other research interests

Cell signalling focussing on the Identification and study of novel NF-kB interacting proteins and regulated genes in cancer and other diseases

Inflammation and cancer, focussing on the role of the NF-kB transcription factor and the role of cross-talks between NF-kB and p53 and additional transcription factors 

Identification and validation of novel targets for cancer therapy

Development of new technologies in molecular biology (CRISPR technology for cell line engineering and pull-down assay for the study of DNA-proteins interaction)


Review Editor for Frontiers in Oncology

Book Reviewer for Janeway's Immunobiology 10th edition


Education Research interests

The use of learning technologies to enhance student experience and promote student engagement. In particular the use of games and generative AI in education

Enhancing support for international students

Development of Student-Staff partnership in curriculum review and development

Improving the Faculty’s Student Academic Representation system



Teaching

School of Biomedical, Nutritional and Sport Sciences


Teaching and marking activities

Cell Biology and disease (BMS2002)

Research in Biochemistry and Genetics (BGM3046)

Pharmacology (PED1003)

Systems Pharmacology (PED2006)

Professional and Practical Skills for Bioscientists (CMB1011)

Cell Biology (CMB1004)

Practical and Presentation Skills in Biosciences (BMS2013)

Research Project (CMB3000)

Therapeutic applications of cell signalling pathways (MMB8050)

Partners


Student supervision

Supervision and training in research of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Research Students


Previous teaching

Master of Pharmacy with Honours. B230. Stage 1-2-3-4

Lectures

Stage 1-2-3-4: Cell Biology, Physiology, Immunology, Pathophysiology, Oncology, Pharmacology

Practicals

Stage 1-2: Physiology & Pharmacology classes

Seminars

Stage 1-2-3: Pharmacology tutorials and workshops

Student supervision

Supervision and training in research of undergraduates, postgraduates and summer students



Publications

  • Articles

    • Iannetti A, Ledoux AC, Tudhope SJ, Sellier H, Zhao B, Mowla S, Moore A, Hummerich H, Gewurz BE, Cockell SJ, Jat PS, Willmore E, Perkins ND. Regulation of p53 and Rb Links the Alternative NF-kappaB Pathway to EZH2 Expression and Cell Senescence. PLoS Genetics 2014, 10(9), e1004642.
    • Ledoux AC, Sellier H, Gillies K, Iannetti A, James J, Perkins ND. NF kappa B regulates expression of Polo-like kinase 4. Cell Cycle 2013, 12(18), 3052-3062.
    • Pacifico F, Crescenzi E, Mellone S, Iannetti A, Porrino N, Liguoro D, Moscato F, Grieco M, Formisano S, Leonardi A. Nuclear factor-{kappa}B contributes to anaplastic thyroid carcinomas through up-regulation of miR-146a. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 2010, 95(3), 1421-30.
    • Iannetti A, Pacifico F, Acquaviva R, Lavorgna A, Crescenzi E, Vascotto C, Tell G, Salzano AM, Scaloni AM, Vuttariello E, Chiappetta G, Formisano S, Leonardi A. The neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), a NF-κB-regulated gene, is a survival factor for thyroid neoplastic cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America PNAS, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2008, 105(37), 14058-14063.
    • DelVecchio P, Carullo P, Barone G, Pagano B, Graziano G, Iannetti A, Acquaviva R, Leonardi A, Formisano S. Conformational stability and DNA binding energetics of the rat thyroid transcription factor 1 homeodomain. Proteins 2008, 70(3), 748-760.
    • Mauro C, Pacifico F, Lavorgna A, Mellone S, Iannetti A, Acquaviva R, Formisano S, Vito P, Leonardi A. ABIN-1 Binds to NEMO/IKKγ and Co-operates with A20 in Inhibiting NF-κB. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 2006, 281(27), 18482-8.

  • Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)