ALESSIO MOLFINO

Prof. ALESSIO MOLFINO, MD, PhD
Date: 30/04/2025

General Information

Full Name Alessio Molfino
E-mail alessio.molfino@uniroma1.it
Spoken Languages Italian, English

Education

Type Year Institution
University graduation 2003 Sapienza University of Rome Master’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery. 110/110 cum laude
Licensure 2004 Sapienza University of Rome Licensed to practice as a Medical Doctor
Licensure 2004 “Ordine Provinciale di Roma dei Medici Chirurghi ed Odontoiatri” Registration to Italian’s Medical Board, position n. M 53263
Specialty 2008 Sapienza University of Rome Residency in Internal Medicine (Internal Medicine Specialist). 70/70 cum laude
PhD 2012 University of Rome Tor Vergata PhD programme in Clinical and Preventive Nutrition. Cycle XXIV
Post-doc positions 2012-2015 Sapienza University of Rome Post-doctoral Research Fellowships

Appointments

Academic Appointments

Start End Institution
2010 2015 Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis, U.S.A. Research Associate
2015 2018 Department of Translational and Precision Medicine (formerly Department of Clinical Medicine), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy Assistant Professor (Researcher L.240/10 type B) in Internal Medicine (MED/09)
2016 2018 Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Representative of the Researchers on the Faculty Board
2018 present Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy Associate Professor of Internal Medicine (MEDS-05/A, ex MED/09)
2020 present Ministry of University and Research (MUR) National Scientific Qualification for Full Professor of Internal Medicine (GSD: 06/MEDS-05; SSD: MEDS-05/A, ex MED/09)
2019 Present Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Master’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery “B” Vice-President
2019 Present Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Master’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery “B” Appointed Coordinator for the organization of Practical Evaluation Internship (TPVES)
2021 Present Sapienza University of Rome, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry President of the Joint Student-Faculty Committee (Commissione Paritetica Docenti-Studenti – CPDS)
2018 Present Sapienza University of Rome Member of the Academic Board of the PhD Program in "Innovative Biomedical Technologies in Clinical Medicine” since the 34th cycle
2015 Present Sapienza University of Rome Scientific Secretary, Level II Master’s Program in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism
2016 2019 Sapienza University of Rome Interfaculty Medical Education Committee (CMEI), participating in various working groups (faculty development, skill labs, teaching methodologies, etc.)
2023 Present Sapienza University of Rome, Residency Programme in Internal Medicine Vice-Director
2018 Present Sapienza University of Rome, QuID Program (Quality and Innovation in Teaching) Tutor

IIIB – Other Appointments

Start End Institution
2018 Present Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico Umberto I, Roma Medical Doctor in Internal Medicine – UOC Medicina Interna e Nutrizione Clinica
2008 2019 Sapienza University, Department of Clinical Medicine Scientific Secretary of the Conference "Giornate Romane di Medicina Clinica"
2015 Present Italian Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (SINuC) Funder and Treasurer
2018 Present NUTRENDO® Project (Italian Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism - SINuC) Among the Scientific Coordinators
2016 Present Frontiers in Nutrition (Section Clinical Nutrition) Associate Editor
2016 Present Nutrition (Elsevier) Member of the Editorial Board
2017 Present JCSM Communications (previously named as JCSM Rapid Communications) Associate Editor
2020 Present European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) Among the coordinators and members of Special Interest Groups (SIG) "Cachexia-anorexia in chronic wasting diseases"
2018 Present Heliyon (Elsevier) Editorial Board Member

Teaching experience

Teaching activity is provided at MD Programme, Residency Programme in Internal Medicine, PhD programme in Novel Biotechnology in Clinical Medicine - Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

Funding Information [grants as PI-principal investigator or I-investigator]

Year Title
2005 Branched-chain amino acids in the treatment of muscle atrophy during neoplastic cachexia: interference with molecular targets – Investigator (Prot n.: 2005060735_003) Sapienza University of Rome, Progetto di Unità di Ricerca – modello B
2007 Oxidative stress and neoplastic anorexia-cachexia syndrome: evaluation of the efficacy of antioxidant supplementation in neoplastic rats - Investigator (Prot n.: C26A07J5K5) Sapienza University of Rome, Progetto di Ricerca di Università (ex Ateneo)
2007 Effects of administration of an antioxidant-enriched diet on anorexia-cachexia syndrome in experimental models of neoplasia - Investigator (Prot n.: C26F074597) Sapienza University of Rome, Progetto di Ricerca di Ateneo Federato delle Scienze delle Politiche Pubbliche e Sanitarie SPPS
2008 - 2009 New molecular targets for the prevention and treatment of muscle mass loss during neoplasia – Investigator (Prot n.: C26A08J3C9 and C26A09Y33B) Sapienza University of Rome, Progetto di Ricerca di Università (ex-Ateneo)
2008 – 2009 Role of the Nutrition MedPass program on the nutritional status and morbidity of patients admitted to a medical ward.- Investigator (Prot n.: C26F088X3R and C26F09N4KT) Sapienza University of Rome, Progetto di Ricerca di Ateneo Federato delle Scienze delle Politiche Pubbliche e Sanitarie SPPS
2011 Prevalence and determinants of malnutrition by default in nursing homes in the Lazio Region - Investigator (Prot n.: C26A11WK89) Sapienza University of Rome, Progetto di Ricerca di Università
2012 Effect of the preoperative supplementation with immunonutrients on cancer inflammatory microenvironment - Investigator (Prot n.: C26A12YHC8) Sapienza University of Rome, Progetto di Ricerca di Università
2013 Vitamin D signaling and molecular mechanisms of muscle atrophy during cancer - Investigator (Prot n.: C26A12YHC8) Sapienza University of Rome, Progetto di Ricerca di Università
2013 Marginal donor liver transplantation: new techniques for perfusion and graft maintenance - Investigator (Prot n.: C26N13RJAH) Sapienza University of Rome, Progetto di Avvio alla Ricerca
2016 Cancer anorexia: epigenetic mechanisms underlying the loss of appetite in lung cancer patients – Principal Investigator (Prot n.: RM11615500F8855D) Sapienza University of Rome, progetti medi
2017 Role of Growth and Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF-15) and MicroRNAs in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia in lung cancer patients – Investigator (Prot n.: RG11715C7E5E4516) Sapienza University of Rome, progetti grandi
2018 The adipose tissue in cancer cachexia: a study of the lipolytic mechanisms and thermogenic changes determining perturbed energy balance – Principal Investigator (Prot n.: RG11816427B021CF) Sapienza University of Rome, progetti grandi
2019 Role of muscle microRNAs in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia associated and not with obesity in women with breast cancer - Principal Investigator (Prot n.: RM11916B7ABE5965) Sapienza University of Rome, progetti medi
2019 Use of near-infrared fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green (ICG) in laparoscopic and oncologic surgery for optimizing surgical outcomes – Investigator (Prot n.: MA21916B7A79DBBF) Sapienza University of Rome, progetti Medie Attrezzature 2
2020 Epigenetics-driven mechanisms determining anorexia and muscle loss in cancer– Principal Investigator (Prot n.: RG120172B8DFB08E) Sapienza University of Rome, progetti grandi
2020 Cholangiocytes pathophysiology and Cholangicarcinoma – Investigator (Prot n.: GA12017300CF936D) Sapienza University of Rome, grandi attrezzature
2021 Assessment of a signature profile of pro-resolving lipid mediators in women with breast cancer - Investigator (Prot n.: RM12117A86CCB2C6) Sapienza University of Rome, progetti medi
2021 Assessment of circulating Lipocalin 2 levels in cancer-associated anorexia – Tutor of the project (Prot n.: AR12117A788EA3F1 Sapienza University of Rome, avvio alla ricerca tipo 1
2021 High-parameter spectral cell sorting for the study of inflammation and immunity in metabolic diseases - Investigator (Prot n.: GA12017300CF936D) Sapienza University of Rome, Grandi Attrezzature
2021 Studying the involvement of M1/M2 macrophages in subcutaneous, peritumoral adipose tissue and in colorectal cancer tissue according to the presence/absence of cachexia - Tutor of the project (Prot n.: AR12117A8001CE49) Sapienza University of Rome, avvio alla ricerca tipo 1
2022 Adipose and muscle related microRNAs in the pathophysiology of changes in adiposity and sarcopenic obesity in women with breast cancer - Principal Investigator (Prot n.: RG1221816C673852) Sapienza University of Rome, progetti grandi
2022 MicroRNAs as potential target for adipose tissue lipolysis in patients with cancer cachexia - Tutor of the project (Prot n.: AR1221816C72B9CD) Sapienza University of Rome, avvio alla ricerca tipo 1
2023 Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cell phenotypes, clusters and ctDNA profile in Hormone Receptor-positive metastatic Breast Cancer patients. LUM-LIQUID1 – Investigator (Prot n.: RM123188D81E02BB) Sapienza University of Rome, progetti medi
2023 Serological evaluation of tumor-related factors in gastrointestinal cancer patients with and without cachexia - Tutor of the project (Prot n.: AR123188B4CFEFE4) Sapienza University of Rome, avvio alla ricerca tipo 1
2024 Gut microbiome profiling in breast cancer patients and association with adherence to Mediterranean diet and physical activity level - Principal Investigator (Prot n.: RG124190BB492794) Sapienza University of Rome, progetti grandi
2024 Assessment of circulating adipose tissue-specific miRNAs with changes in body composition in patients with a new diagnosis of breast cancer - Tutor of the project (Prot n.: AR12419078514748) Sapienza University of Rome, avvio alla ricerca tipo 1
2012 - 2013 Multidimensional assessment of long-term cancer survivors including discovery of genetic bases of susceptibility, depressive stage, prevention of affective disorder – Co-Principal Investigator in collaboration with Professor Catherine M. Alfano, from National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA National Cancer Research Centre Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II” Bari (Italy) through
the Italian Ministry of Health
2022 – present PRIN 2022: The Energy Crisis in The Nerve-Muscle System As A Driver Of Cancer Cachexia: Innovative Mitochondria-Targeted Strategies – Principal Investigator of the Research Unit of Sapienza University of Rome (National Coordinator of the project: Professor Costelli P. – CUP: B53D23020360006) Minister of University and Research (MUR)
2008 – 2010 PRIN 2008: Possible role of the dystrophin system in the pathogenesis of muscle atrophy in neoplasia – Investigator (National Coordinator of the project: Professor Rossi Fanelli F. – Prot. n 20077ZRW9C_001) Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR)
2022 - Present RT_SPOKE_6 - ROME TECHNOPOLE - Spoke 6 -B83C22002820006 - ECS 00000024 – Investigator Minister of University and Research (MUR) - PNRR
2022 - Present PE10-ONFOODS-SPOKE-6 - PE10-ON FOODS-RESEARCH AND INNOVATION NETWORK ON FOOD AND NUTRITION SUSTAINABILITY, SAFETY AND SECURITY - WORKING ON FOODS-SPOKE 6 - B53C22004030001 - PE_00000003 - Investigator Minister of University and Research (MUR) - PNRR

Research Activities

Professor Alessio Molfino is author of 180 original articles, total citations 3177, h index 31 (Scopus), (April 2025), 14 book chapters, and more than 160 conference proceedings presented at national and international congresses