The University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (University founded in 1175) is one of the few examples of Italian Universities organised according to a "location network" model. Its main feature therefore is that it is supported by a complementary and unitary development project as regards the management of the two distinct academic poles. Modena and Reggio Emilia did in fact begin boosting the potential of the University in 1998 and this has so far led to the creation of 8 faculties in Modena and 4 in Reggio Emilia (30 Departments, 16.000 students).

The Experimental Haematology Laboratory is part to the Department of Oncology and Haematology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. The Dept. of Oncology and Haematology in total houses experts involved in the study of the biological bases of hematological and solid tumors, and in standard and innovative treatment of cancer patients. Under INCA, we want to investigate: The tropism of KSHV for human bone marrow CD34 positive and other hemopoietic cells, by establishing a model of KSHV infection in a SCID mouse. The contribution of genetic polymorphisms in cellular genes such as IL-6, VEGF, IFN-gamma, etc. relevant to the KS pathogenesis , in a population of classic and post-transplant KS patients. The dynamics of T cell responses against KSHV lytic and latent antigens and its correlation with the viral load in patients with post-transplant KS, treated with different immunosuppressive regimens.

Luppi M, Barozzi P, Potenza L, Morselli M, Torelli G. Is it now the time to update treatment protocols for lymphomas with new anti-virus systems? Leukemia 2004;18:1572-75. Barozzi P*, Luppi M*, Facchetti F, Mecucci C, Alu M, Sarid R, Rasini V, Ravazzini L, Rossi E, Festa S, Crescenzi B, Wolf DG, Schulz TF, Torelli G. Post-transplant Kaposi sarcoma originates from the seeding of donor-derived progenitors. Nat Med. 2003;9:554-61 (*these authors shared first authorship) Luppi M, Barozzi P, Schulz TF, Setti G, Staskus K, Trovato R, Narni F, Donelli A, Maiorana A, Marasca R, Sandrini S, Torelli G. Bone marrow failure associated with human herpesvirus 8 infection after transplantation. N Engl J Med. 2000;343:1378-85. Luppi M, Barozzi P, Santagostino G, Trovato R, Schulz TF, Marasca R, Bottalico D, Bignardi L, Torelli G. Molecular evidence of organ-related transmission of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus or human herpesvirus-8 in transplant patients. Blood. 2000;96:3279-81. Luppi M, Barozzi P, Schulz TF, Trovato R, Donelli A, Narni F, Sheldon J, Marasca R, Torelli G. Nonmalignant disease associated with human herpesvirus 8 reactivation in patients who have undergone autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. Blood. 2000;96:2355-7.