University of Padua researcher awarded grant for melanoma metabolism study

Researcher Michela Rossini has been awarded the Pezcoller-SIC Grant by the Italian Cancer Society to support oncology research at the University of Padua. The project, conducted in Professor Luigi Leanza’s laboratory, investigates how metabolic changes and diet influence melanoma cell growth.

The study focuses on physical contacts between cellular organelles, which serve as communication hubs for exchanging signals and metabolites to maintain cellular homeostasis. Preliminary observations suggest that while intermittent fasting reduces the proliferation of unmutated melanoma cells, certain tumor cells with altered organelle communication mechanisms may react differently, potentially increasing their growth.