Sara Lucia Giustina Sigismund

Sara Lucia Giustina Sigismund

Email	[email protected]
Telephone	+39 02 9437-5057 (lab) or -2662 (office)
Location	Building 13 Floor 3rd Via Adamello 16, Milano

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Member of

• Endocytosis, Signalling and Cancer - Group Scientist

Sara Sigismund is Assistant Professor at the Dept. of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, and Researcher at the Dept. of Experimental Oncology, IEO, Milan, where she supervises efforts connected with subversion of endocytosis in cancer within the Endocytosis, Signaling and Cancer Lab directed by Prof. Pier Paolo Di Fiore. Since earning her PhD in Life Sciences in 2004 at IFOM, Milan, her long-standing research goal is to understand the role of endocytosis in the regulation of EGFR signaling. Through the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms governing EGFR ubiquitination and endocytosis, Sara’s work led to the discovery of a novel clathrin-independent mode of EGFR internalization, non-clathrin endocytosis (NCE). This internalization route involves contact sites between the endoplasmic reticulum and the plasma membrane that are critical for EGFR internalization when ligand concentrations are high. EGFRs internalized by NCE are targeted to lysosomes for degradation leading to signal attenuation. In the field of endocytosis, Sara’s work has helped establish the concept that integration of distinct endocytic routes is critical for determining the final signaling output. Her current research interests include elucidation of the functional significance of EGFR-NCE in normal cell physiology and in disease, particularly in cancer. Her work has received funding support from the Worldwide Cancer Research and the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research.