Francesco Maura

Francesco is an Assistant Professor and co-PI of the Myeloma Computational and Translational Laboratory at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center/University of Miami. After completing his residency in Hematology at the University of Milan in 2016, Francesco spent 3 years as a postdoctoral fellow at the Cancer, Ageing and Somatic Mutation Programme at Wellcome Sanger Institute, directed by Peter J. Campbell. During this experience, Francesco gained research skills in cancer genomics with a focus in analysis of whole genome and whole exome sequencing data. Furthermore, he carried out several genomic investigations focused on identifying key mutational processes active in cancer (i.e., mutational signatures) and reconstructing the genomic life history of lymphoproliferative disorders. In 2019 he was hired as faculty at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York to initiate a multiple myeloma genomic laboratory together with Dr. Ola Landgren. First at MSKCC and now at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Francesco's lab has integrated clinical and genomic data via computational modeling to better characterize the pathogenesis and (sub)clonal evolution of multiple myeloma and precursor conditions. Furthermore, Francesco's team has extensively worked in deciphering the mechanisms of tumor escape to novel emerging immunotherapies in lymphoproliferative disorders (e.g., CAR-T and bispecific antibodies). Finally, Francesco has also investigated which mutational processes are involved in the pathogenesis of lymphoproliferative disorders (i.e., multiple myeloma, aggressive B-cell lymphomas, and Hodgkin lymphomas), and how exposure to chemotherapy promotes the development of secondary malignancies.