Donato Tedesco's Biography

Donato Tedesco, Lead Research Scientist, Cellecta Inc

In 1993, I received my BS in Molecular and Cell Biology from La Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, and then my doctoral degree in Biotechnology from the same institution in 1998. During that time, I studied the genetic mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis, with a focus in the identification of key regulators of the cell replication cycle G1/S and G1/G0 transitions. During my post-doctoral position in the Reed lab at the Scripps Research Institute, I studied the role of protein ubiquitylation in cancerogenesis. I also collaborated in a study employing a prolactin-inducible mouse model of breast cancer aimed at uncovering the synergistic effects of oncogene-induced genomic instability and p53 heterozygosity. Between 2005-2007, I worked for the pharmaceutical company Berlex/Schering AG on several projects aimed at the identification of targets for small molecule anticancer drugs in the ubiquitin/proteasome protein degradation pathway. I developed cell-based and molecular biology assays for the identification of potential targets through siRNA/shRNA screens, used both enzymatic and high content image assays to reveal synthetic lethality relationships between cancer specific mitotic exit defects and target candidates, co-developed high throughput biochemical assays for small compound library screens. In late 2007, I joined Cellecta where I have been responsible for the development and validation of the DECIPHER RNAi screening platform (www.decipherproject.net), and have led several target discovery projects in diverse cancer cell models.