Research activities focus mainly on cell cycle regulation by nuclear receptors, aiming at understanding the genetic and molecular bases of the breast cancer (BC) promoting actions of estrogen hormones. More recently, Dr. Weisz has been applying DNA microarrays and other innovative technologies for mapping the hormone responsive transcriptome of BC cells, and is undertaking a genome-wide search for estrogen-responsive genes in BC.His research activities focus mainly on regulation of cell cycle specific gene transcription by nuclear receptors and extracellular stimuli, aiming at understanding the genetic and molecular bases of the growth promoting actions of estrogens. More recently, he has been applying DNA microarrays and other related genomic technologies for mapping and characterisation of the whole hormone responsive transcriptome and analysis mechanisms for epigenetic regulation of gene transcription. Since 1993 he participated to EU-supported networks focusing the molecular biology of nuclear receptors, and since 2002 coordinates HRBC Genomics, a national research network focusing on hormone responsive phenotype of breast cancer, linked to national and international scientific initiatives in genomics.

Born June 24 1955; M.D. degree, from the University of Naples and ECFMG certification in 1980, Board of Oncology in 1986. Since 2000: Professor of General Pathology, Fac. Medicine and Surgery, 2nd Univ. Naples. 1980-84: Post-doctorate at the 'K. Norris' Cancer Center of USC Los Angeles and UCSF. From 1987-89: EMBO Fellow at Lab. Génetique Mol. Eucaryotes, Univ. 'L. Pasteur' Strasbourg; 1992-93, 1996, 1997 JFPCR Fellow c/o Nat. Cancer Ctr Research Institute of Tokyo (Japan).

Scafoglio, C., Ambrosino, C., Cicatiello, L., Altucci, L., Ardovino, M., Bontempo, P., Medici, N., Molinari, A.M., Nebbioso, A., Facchiano, A., Calogero, R., Elkon, R., Menini, N., Ponzone, R., Biglia, N., Sismondi, P., De Bortoli, M., Weisz, A. Comparative gene expression profiling reveals partially overlapping but distinct genomic actions of different antiestrogens in human breast cancer cells. J. Cell. Biochem., 2006. In press
Nebbioso, A., Clarke, N., Volz, E., Germain, E., Ambrosino, C., Bontempo, P., Alvarez, R., Schiavone, E.M., Ferrara, F., Bresciani, F., Weisz, A., de Lera, A.R., Gronemeyer, H., Altucci, L. Tumor-selective action of HDAC inhibitors involves TRAIL induction in acute myeloid leukaemia cells. Nat. Medicine, 11: 77-84, 2005
Cicatiello, L., Addeo, R., Sasso, A.R., Altucci, L., Belsito Petrizzi, V., Borgo, R., Cancemi, M., Caporali, S., Caristi, S., Scafoglio, C., Teti, D., Bresciani, F., Perillo, B., Weisz, A. Estrogens and progesterone promote persistent CCND1 gene activation during G1 by inducing transcriptional de-repression via c-Jun/c-Fos/Estrogen Receptor (Progesterone Receptor) complex assembly to a distal regulatory element and recruitment of cyclin D1 to its own gene promoter. Mol. Cell. Biol. 24: 7260-7274, 2004
Cicatiello L., Natoli G., Scafoglio C., Altucci L., Cancemi M., Facchiano A., Calogero R., Iazzetti G., De Bortoli M., Sfiligoi C., Sismondi P., Biglia N., Bresciani F., Weisz, A. The gene expression program activated by estrogen in hormone-responsive human breast cancer cells. J. Mol. Endocrinol. 32: 719-775, 2004
Weisz A., Basile W., Scafoglio C., Natoli G., Altucci L., Bresciani F., Facchiano A., Sismondi P., Cicatiello L., De Bortoli M. Molecular identification of ERalpha-positive breast cancer cells by the expression profile of an intrinsic set of hormone regulated genes. J. Cell Physiol. 200: 440-450, 2004
Caporali, S., Imai, M., Altucci, L., Cancemi, M., Caristi, S., Cicatiello, L., Matarese, F., Penta, R., Sarkar, D.K., Bresciani, F., & Weisz, A. Distinct signalling pathways mediate stimulation of cell cycle progression and prevention of apoptosis by estrogen in rat pituitary tumor cells. Mol. Biol. Cell. 14: 5051-5059, 2003
Sorbello, V., Fuso, L., Sfiligoi, C., Scafoglio, C., Ponzone, R., Biglia, N., Weisz, A., Sismondi, P., De Bortoli, M. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis of eight novel oestrogen-regulated genes in breast cancer. Int. J. Biol. Marker, 18: 123-129, 2003