Date and place of birth: 23.8.1951, Torino (Italia)
Education:
- High school (Lycaeum), July 1969.
- Biological Sciences, Dicember 1973, "summa cum laude", University of Torino.
- General Pathology, August 1982, "summa cum laude", University of Torino.

RESEARCH AND TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
- 1974-1983: Research and Assistant Professor of Histology, School of Medicine, University of Trieste.
- 1975-1977: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, National Cancer Institute (N.I.H.), Bethesda, Md, USA
- 1979: Visiting Scientist, National Cancer Institute (N.I.H.), Bethesda, Md, USA
- 1981: Senior Investigator, Deutsche Krebs Forschung Zentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, GFR.
-1983-1998: Research and Assistant Professor of Histology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Torino.
- 1990-1998: Assistant Professor of Histology, University of Torino, Medical School of Novara.
- 1994-1996: Assistant Professor of Histology, University of Torino, Medical School of S.Luigi.
- 1995-1996: Assistant Professor of Histology, University of Torino, Medical School of Dentistry
- 1998-2001: Associate Professor of Histology, School of Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro", Novara.
- Since 2002: Full Professor of Histology, School of Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro", Novara.

PUBLICATIONS: >100 papers on international journals witheditorial board
PATENTS AND COMMERCIALIZED REAGENTS: 3 international patents, 2 european patents; 4 products (monoclonal antibodies) of her research have been patented and released to UBI/Millipore and Biosource/Invitrogen.

SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES: American Physiology Society, Heart and Cardiovascular Research (APS-HCR), Italian Society for Cardiovascular Research (Società Italiana per la Ricerca Cardiovascolare - SIRC), Cell Biology and Differenziation Society (Associazione della Biologia Cellulare e Differenziamento " ABCD), Italian Society of Anatomy and Histology (SIAI).

MAIN FIELDS OF INVESTIGATION AND AREA OF INTEREST:
- Receptor tyrosine kinases: structure and function in physiological and pathological situations
- Biological effects of growth factors
- Adult stem cells and tissue engineering
- Tumor associated markers and oncoproteins in human tumors
- Targeted nanoparticles

MAIN SOURCES OF RESEARCH GRANTS:
- National Research Council [Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) (Progetto Finalizzato Applicazioni Cliniche della Ricerca Oncologica (ACRO), Italia-USA Bilateral Project]
- Ministry of University, Scientific Research and Technology and Ministry of Instruction, University and Research [MURST and MIUR]; Italy-Spain Bilateral Projects
- National Institute of Health [Istituto Superiore della Sanità (ISS) National Program of Research on AIDS].
- Regione Piemonte ((Progetti di ricerca sanitaria finalizzata; Progetti di ricerca scientifica applicata)
- CARIPLO Foundation (Project in "Ricerca scientifica e tecnologica sui materiali avanzati").

Baldanzi G, Pietronave S, Locarno D, Merlin S, Porporato P, Chianale F,
Filigheddu N, Cantelmo AR, Albini A, Graziani A, Prat M. (2011) Diacylglycerol kinases are essential for hepatocyte growth factor-dependent proliferation and motility of Kaposi's sarcoma cells. Cancer Sci. 102(7):1329-36.

Dal Ponte C, Alchera E, Follenzi A, Imarisio C, Prat M, Albano E, Carini R. (2011) Pharmacological postconditioning protects against hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury. Liver Transpl. 17(4):474-82.

Pagliari S, Vilela-Silva AC, Forte G, Pagliari F, Mandoli C, Vozzi G,
Pietronave S, Prat M, Licoccia S, Ahluwalia A, Traversa E, Minieri M, Di Nardo P. (2011) Cooperation of biological and mechanical signals in cardiac progenitor cell differentiation. Adv Mater. 25;23(4):514-8.

Iafisco M, Di Foggia M, Bonora S, Prat M, Roveri N. (2011) Adsorption and
spectroscopic characterization of lactoferrin on hydroxyapatite nanocrystals.
Dalton Trans. 28;40(4):820-7.

Iafisco M, Varoni E, Battistella E, Pietronave S, Prat M, Roveri N, Rimondini
L. (2010) The cooperative effect of size and crystallinity degree on the resorption of biomimetic hydroxyapatite for soft tissue augmentation. Int J Artif Organs. 33(11):765-74.

Iafisco M, Sabatino P, Lesci IG, Prat M, Rimondini L, Roveri N. (2010)Conformational modifications of serum albumins adsorbed on different kinds of biomimetic hydroxyapatite nanocrystals. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 81(1):274-84.

Cantelmo AR, Cammarota R, Noonan DM, Focaccetti C, Comoglio PM, Prat M, Albini
A. (2010) Cell delivery of Met docking site peptides inhibit angiogenesis and vascular tumor growth. Oncogene. 29(38):5286-98.

Pietronave S, Forte G, Locarno D, Merlin S, Zamperone A, Nicotra G, Isidoro C,
Nardo PD, Prat M. (2010) Agonist monoclonal antibodies against HGF receptor protect cardiac muscle cells from apoptosis. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 298(4):H1155-65.

Valente G, Nicotra G, Arrondini M, Castino R, Capparuccia L, Prat M, Kerim S,
Tamagnone L, Isidoro C. (2009) Co-expression of plexin-B1 and Met in human breast and ovary tumours enhances the risk of progression. Cell Oncol. 316):423-36.

Merlin S, Pietronave S, Locarno D, Valente G, Follenzi A, Prat M. (2009)Deletion of the ectodomain unleashes the transforming, invasive, and tumorigenic potential of the MET oncogene. Cancer Sci. 100(4):633-8.

Forte G, Minieri M, Cossa P, Antenucci D, Sala M, Gnocchi V, Fiaccavento R,
Carotenuto F, De Vito P, Baldini PM, Prat M, Di Nardo P. Hepatocyte growth factor effects on mesenchymal stem cells: proliferation, migration, and differentiation. (2006) Stem Cells. 24(1):23-33.

Pietrapiana D, Sala M, Prat M, Sinigaglia F. (2005) Met identification on human
platelets: role of hepatocyte growth factor in the modulation of platelet
activation. FEBS Lett. 579(20):4550-4.

Bardelli C, Sala M, Cavallazzi U, Prat M. (2005) Agonist Met antibodies define the signalling threshold required for a full mitogenic and invasive program of
Kaposi's Sarcoma cells. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 334(4):1172-9.

Fiaccavento R, Carotenuto F, Minieri M, Fantini C, Forte G, Carbone A,
Carosella L, Bei R, Masuelli L, Palumbo C, Modesti A, Prat M, Di Nardo P. (2005) Stem cell activation sustains hereditary hypertrophy in hamster cardiomyopathy. J Pathol. 205(3):397-407.

No projects are available to students for the current accademic year.