Saverio Gentile, Ph.D.

As a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS/NIH) and later in the Cardiology Department at Duke University I carried out a multi-approach investigation on the role of voltage- gated potassium and calcium channels activity in epithelial derivative cells including cancer cells and neurons. I have a strong background in electrophysiology, calcium imaging, biochemistry, molecular biology, cancer cell biology and signal transduction, which allowed me to develop conceptual expertise and a successful technical approach that allowed dissecting ion channels-dependent activation of biochemical pathways in cancer. About 10 years ago, we discovered that high expression of specific potassium channels is a favorable predictor factor for a variety of cancers independent of their histogenesis. We discovered that pharmacological stimulation of these channels significantly affects a variety of hallmarks of cancer including proliferation, motility and metabolism. As results of these studies, we have produced relevant preliminary data that have inspired our application to several grants (NIH; DoD) and we have activated a clinical trial in which we use an FDA approved drug (minoxidil) to treat platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients.