Researcher Interested in studying the Biology of Metastasis

• Best Poster ABRCMS (Joe Wingate) - ABRCMS (11/01/2019)
• UTEP Academy Distinguished Teachers - University of Texas at El Paso (05/10/2019)
• UT Academy Distinguished Teachers - UT System (05/05/2019)
• 2018 ROTA Award ($25,000) (08/01/2018-08/31/2018)
• ROTA UTEP Nominee (08/01/2017-08/31/2017)
• Best Poster ABRCMS (Student; Jonathan Prieto) (11/01/2016-11/30/2016)
• ROTA Departmental Nominee (08/01/2016-08/31/2016)
• Invited Speaker (SABC Breast Cancer Oncology Educational Session) - prIME Oncology (12/01/2015-12/31/2015)
• Physics Departmental Award for Academic & Research Excellence (12/01/2015-12/31/2015)
• Best Poster ABRCMS (Student; Diana G. Garcia) (11/01/2015-11/30/2015)
• Best TA in Biology Department (05/01/2015-05/31/2015)
• Invited Speaker - Haifa, Israel (05/01/2015-05/31/2015)
• ROTA Departmental Nominee (12/01/2014-12/31/2014)
• UTEP Nomination for ROTA teaching Award 2014 - ROTA (10/01/2014-10/31/2014)
• Invited Speaker, Zurich (Switzerland) Symposium on Translational Animal Research - - Collegium Helveticum (11/20/2013)
• SACNAS Travel Scholarship - SACNAS (10/11/2012)
• ASCB MAC Travel Award - Minorities Affairs Committee (09/25/2012)
• UTEP Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates in Molecular and Cellular Biology - UTEP Dept. of Biological Sciences (05/26/2012)
• NIH Early Career Reviewer, Tumor Progression and Metastasis Study Section (02/01/2012-02/28/2012)
• 2012 ASCB MAC Junior Faculty and Postdoctoral Fellows Career Development Workshop Travel Award

• Ph D in Biology, ICRF/Kings College London (1998)
• BS in Biology, University of Bristol (1994)

• Pharmacodynamic biomarkers in metronomic chemotherapy: Multiplex cytokine measurements in gastrointestinal cancer patients Clinical and Experimental Medicine (2020), Paloma Valenzuela, Derrick Oaxaca, Teresa Di Desidero, Karla Parra, Georgialina Rodriguez, Marian M. Manciu, Giacomo Allegrini, Alfredo Falcone, , Guido Bocci, Robert A. Kirken, , Giulio Francia.
• Pharmacodynamic biomarkers in metronomic chemotherapy: multiplex cytokine measurements in gastrointestinal cancer patients Clin Exp Med . 2020 Oct 13. doi: 10.1007/s10238-020-00666-9. Online ahead of print. (2020), Valenzuela P et al, Oaxaca D, Parra K, Kirken RA, Giulio Francia.
• Development of a VLP-Based Vaccine Displaying an xCT Extracellular Domain for the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer Cancers (Basel) . 2020 Jun 8;12(6):1492. doi: 10.3390/cancers12061492. (2020), Rolih V et al, Giulio Francia, Cavallo, F.
• Synergistic activity of linifanib and irinotecan increases the survival of mice bearing orthotopically implanted human anaplastic thyroid cancer Am J Cancer Res . 2020 Jul 1;10(7):2120-2127. eCollection 2020. (2020), Banchi M et al, Giulio Francia, Bocci, G.
• Pre-clinical Evaluation of Gemcitabine’s efficacy in treating Breast Cancer Brain Metastases NIH Diversity Program Consortium (2020), Wingate, Giulio Francia.
• Pharmacological effects of vinorelbine in combination with lenvatinib in anaplastic thyroid cancer Pharmacol Res. 2020 Aug;158:104920. doi: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104920. Epub 2020 May 24. (2020), Di Desidero et al, Cayme G, Giulio Francia, Bocci, G.
• Overexpression of p62/IMP2 can promote cell migration in hepatocellular carcinoma via activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Cancers 12 1 (2020), Mengtao Xing, Xiao Wang, Jitian Li, Xiaojun Zhang, Yangcheng Ma, Giulio Francia, Jianying Zhang.
• Overexpression of p62/IMP2 can Promote Cell Migration in Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Activation of the Wnt/ β-Catenin Pathway Cancers (Basel). 2019 Dec 18;12(1):7. doi: 10.3390/cancers12010007. (2019), Mengtao Xing, Giulio Francia, Jianying Zhang.
• Intracranial breast cancer model (2019), Joseph Wingate et al, Giulio Francia.
• Optimization of biomarkers-based classification scores as progression free survival predictors: an intuitive graphical representation Future Science Open Access 4 10 (2018), Marian M. Manciu, Sorour Hosseini, Teresa Desidero, Giacomo Allegrini, Alfredo Falcone, Guido Bocci, Robert A. Kirken, Giulio Francia, , , .
• Optimization of biomarkers-based classification scores as progression free survival predictors: an intuitive graphical representation Future Science Open Access 4 10 (2018), Marian M. Manciu, Sorour Hosseini, Teresa Desidero, Giacomo Allegrini, Alfredo Falcone, Guido Bocci, Robert A. Kirken, Giulio Francia, , , .
• Label-Free Raman Imaging to Monitor Breast Tumor Signatures 6th Annual Interdisciplinary Research and Education (IDRE) Symposium abstracts book, El Paso, Texas (2018), John Ciubuc, Giulio Francia, Marian M. Manciu, Karla Parra, Kevin Bennet, Emma Sundin, Paloma Valenzuela, Felicia S. Manciu.
• The Pursuit of Label‐free Breast Cancer Detection 6th Annual Interdisciplinary Research and Education (IDRE) Symposium abstracts book, El Paso, Texas (2018), Felicia S. Manciu, Giulio Francia.
• Pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenomics of metronomic vinorelbine in human endothelial cells Sixth International Meeting Metronomic Chemotherapy in Oncology abstracts book, Grand Rapids, Michigan (2018), Ivan Sosa, Karla Parra, P. Orlandi, T. Di Desidero, Pamela Valenzuela, K. Chavez, Diana Gonzales Garcia, J. Martinez, Felicia S. Manciu, Marian M. Manciu, Giulio Francia, Guido Bocci.
• Precision therapeutic targeting of human cancer cell motility. Nat Commun. 2018 Jun 22;9(1):2454. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-04465-5. (2018), L Xu, Giulio Francia, R Bergan.
• Metronomic vinorelbine is active on EGFRwt and EGFRL858R/T790M Non Small Cell Lung Cancer cells, alone and in combination with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors Biochem Pharmacol. 2018 Jun;152:327-337. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2018.04.011. Epub 2018 Apr 13. PMID: 29660315 (2018), P Orlandi, T Di Desidero, C Salvia, B Muscatello, Giulio Francia, G Bocci.
• Spatiotemporal assessment of spontaneous metastasis formation using multimodal in vivo imaging in HER2+ and triple negative metastatic breast cancer xenograft models in mice. PLoS One . 2018 May 3;13(5):e0196892. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196892. eCollection 2018. (2018), IB Fricke, Giulio Francia.
• Bromoethylindole (BEI-9) redirects NF-κB signaling induced by camptothecin and TNFα to promote cell death Apoptosis (2017), R Chowdhury , D Galles, P Valenzuela, S Miller , T Yehualaeshet , U Manne, Giulio Francia, T Samuel.
• The synergistic activity of irinotecan and sunitinib in anaplastic thyroid cancer: a new combined treatment approach Cancer Lett (2017), T Di Desidero, A Antonelli, P Orlandi, SM Ferrari, A Fioravanti, R Giannini, G Alì, G Fontanini, F Basolo, Giulio Francia, G Bocci.
• Label‑free Raman imaging to monitor breast tumor signatures Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment 16 4 (2017), Felicia S. Manciu, John D. Ciubuc, Karla Parra, Marian M. Manciu, Paloma Valenzuela, Emma Sundin, Luis Reza, Giulio Francia.
• Label‑free Raman imaging to monitor breast tumor signatures Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment 16 4 (2017), Felicia S. Manciu, John D. Ciubuc, Karla Parra, Marian M. Manciu, Paloma Valenzuela, Emma Sundin, Luis Reza, Giulio Francia.
• Resistance to metronomic chemotherapy and ways to overcome it. Cancer Lett (in press), M Riesco-Martinez, K Parra , R Saluja , Giulio Francia, U Emmenegger .
• Impact of CTLA-4 blockade in conjunction with metronomic chemotherapy on preclinical breast cancer growth British Journal of Cancer 116 3 (2017), K Parra, P Valenzuela, N Lerma, A Gallegos, L C. Reza, Georgialina Rodriguez, U Emmenegger, T DiDesidero, G Bocci, M S. Felder, Marian M. Manciu, Robert A. Kirken, Giulio Francia.
• Impact of CTLA-4 blockade in conjunction with metronomic chemotherapy on preclinical breast cancer growth British Journal of Cancer 116 3 (2017), K Parra, P Valenzuela, N Lerma, A Gallegos, L C. Reza, Georgialina Rodriguez, U Emmenegger, T DiDesidero, G Bocci, M S. Felder, Marian M. Manciu, Robert A. Kirken, Giulio Francia.
• Experimental therapeutics of orthotopic colon cancer models BBRC Symposium 2017 (2017), J Lopez, Giulio Francia, Marian M. Manciu.
• Impact of CTLA-4 blockade in conjunction with metronomic chemotherapy on preclinical breast cancer growth BBRC Symposium 2017 (2017), K Parra, Marian M. Manciu, Giulio Francia.
• Pharmacodynamic biomarkers in metronomic chemotherapy: Multiplex cytokine measurements in gastrointestinal cancer patients AACR 2017 (2017), P. Valenzuela, Giulio Francia.
• Preclinical models of widespread metastatic disease BBRC Symposium 2017 (2017), P. Valenzuela, Giulio Francia, Marian M. Manciu.
• Evaluation of CTLA-4 blockage with metronomic chemotherapy for the treatment of preclinical breast cancer British Journal of Cancer (in press), K Parra, P Valenzuela, N Lerma, L Reza, G Rodriguez, U Emmenegger, G Bocci, MS Felder, M Manciu, RA Kirken, Giulio Francia.
• Evaluation of CTLA-4 blockage with metronomic chemotherapy for the treatment of preclinical breast cancer British Journal of Cancer (in press), K Parra, P Valenzuela, N Lerma, L Reza, G Rodriguez, U Emmenegger, G Bocci, MS Felder, M Manciu, RA Kirken, Giulio Francia.
• Impact of CTLA-4 blockade in conjunction with metronomic chemotherapy on preclinical breast cancer growth BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER 429 (2016), Karla Parra, Paloma Valenzuela, Natzidielly Lerma, Alejandra Gallegos, Luis C. Reza, Georgiana Rodriguez, Urban Emmenegger, Teresa Di Desidero, Guido Bocci, Mitchell S. Felder, Marian M. Manciu, Robert A. Kirken, Giulio Francia.
• Oral chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer; expert perspectives on its role in clinical practice Cancer Treatment Communications 6 (2016), F Cardoso, M Colleoni, M Di Leo, G Francia, A Gennari, J Gligorov, A Llombart.
• Novel dienone curcumin-like analogues display high selective cytotoxicity and pro-apoptotic properties towards aggressive triple-negative breast cancer cells. Cell Oncol (Dordr) (in press), A. Varela-Ramirez, U Das, N.M. Ortega, E Robles-Escajeda, K Parra, Giulio Francia, J.R. Dimmock, R.J. Aguilera.
• A novel curcumin-like dienone induces apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer cells. Cellular oncology (Dordrecht) 39 3 (2016), E Robles-Escajeda, U Das, N M. Ortega, K Parra, Giulio Francia, J R. Dimmock, A Varela-Ramirez, Renato Aguilera.
• Clinical, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic results of a prospective phase II study on oral metronomic vinorelbine and dexamethasone in castration-resistant prostate cancer patients. Invest New Drugs. 2016 Dec;34(6):760-770. Epub 2016 Aug 24. (2016), Teresa Di Desidero et al.
• Label-free Raman imaging to monitor breast tumor signatures Technol Cancer Res Treat. 2016 Jul 4. pii: 1533034616655953. [Epub ahead of print] (2016), Felicia S. Manciu, K Parra, P Valenzuela, E Sundin, Giulio Francia, , .
• A novel curcumin-like dienone induces apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer cells. Cellular oncology (Dordrecht) 39 3 (2016), E Robles-Escajeda, U Das, N M. Ortega, K Parra, Giulio Francia, J R. Dimmock, A Varela-Ramirez, Renato Aguilera.
• A novel curcumin-like dienone induces apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer cells CELLULAR ONCOLOGY 39 3 (2016), Elisa Robles-Escajeda, Umashankar Das, Nora M. Ortega, Karla Parra, Giulio Francia, Jonathan R. Dimmock, Armando Varela-Ramirez, Renato Aguilera.

• Impact of gemcitabine chemotherapy regimens on breast cancer brain metastases (2020), Levario, Giulio Francia.
• AAA12 Paclitaxel Directed Screening to identify novel anti-cancer drugs (2020), Wingate J, Diana Gonzalez et al, Giulio Francia.
• From Experimental therapeutics to Paclitaxel directed drug screening (2019), Giulio Francia.
• Devising therapeutic strategies for metastatic breast cancer (2019), Giulio Francia.
• Overexpression of p62/IMP2 can promote cell migration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) via activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway. (2019), Volume Atlanta, Georgia, Mengtao Xing, Giulio Francia, Jianying Zhang.
• Overexpression of p62/IMP2 can promote cell migration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) via activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway. (2019), Volume Atlanta, Georgia, Mengtao Xing, Giulio Francia, Jianying Zhang.
• Novel Drug Identification for Biomarker Tagged Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells to Study Pre-clinical Brain Metastases (2019), Wingate, J et al, Giulio Francia.
• Surgical involvement in Colorectal Cancer in Mice Models and the Effects of Gemcitabine in Colorectal Metastasis (2019), Sanchez E et al, Giulio Francia.
• The Pursuit of Label‐free Breast Cancer Detection (2018), Volume El Paso, Felicia S. Manciu, Giulio Francia.
• Label-Free Raman Imaging to Monitor Breast Tumor Signatures (2018), Volume El Paso, TX, John D. Ciubuc, Giulio Francia, Marian M. Manciu, Karla Parra, Kevin E. Bennet, Emma M. Sundin, Pamela Valenzuela, Felicia S. Manciu.
• Label-Free Raman Imaging to Monitor Breast Tumor Signatures (2018), Volume El Paso, TX, John D. Ciubuc, Giulio Francia, Marian M. Manciu, Karla Parra, Kevin E. Bennet, Emma M. Sundin, Pamela Valenzuela, Felicia S. Manciu.
• Label-Free Raman Imaging to Monitor Breast Tumor Signatures (2018), Volume El Paso, John D. Ciubuc, Giulio Francia, Marian M. Manciu, Karla Parra, Kevin E. Bennet, Emma M. Sundin, Paloma Valenzuela, Felicia S. Manciu.
• Metronomic Chemotherapy-Based Regimens: Combination Versus Sequential Administration (2018), Volume Gran Rapids, Michigan, Giulio Francia.
• Optimization of biomarkers-based classification scores as Progression Free Survival predictors: An intuitive graphical representation (2018), Volume Grand Rapids, Michigan, Marcos Amendariz, Karla Parra, Paloma Valenzuela, Sorour Hosseini, Teresa Di Desidero, Giacomo Allegrini, Alfredo Falcone, Guido Bocci, Robert A. Kirken, Giulio Francia, Marian M. Manciu.
• Optimization of biomarkers-based classification scores as Progression Free Survival predictors: An intuitive graphical representation (2018), Volume Grand Rapids, Michigan, Marcos Amendariz, Karla Parra, Paloma Valenzuela, Sorour Hosseini, Teresa Di Desidero, Giacomo Allegrini, Alfredo Falcone, Guido Bocci, Robert A. Kirken, Giulio Francia, Marian M. Manciu.
• Pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenomics of metronomic vinorelbine in human endothelial cells (2018), Volume Grand Rapids, Michigan , Ivan Sosa, Karla Parra, Paola Orlandi, Teresa Di Desidero, Paloma Valenzuela, Karen Chavez, Diana Gonzalez, Joel Martinez, Felicia S. Manciu, Marian M. Manciu, Giulio Francia, Guido Bocci.
• Pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenomics of metronomic vinorelbine in human endothelial cells (2018), Volume Michigan, Ivan Sosa, Karla Parra, Paola Orlandi, Teresa Di Desidero, Paloma Valenzuela, Karen Chavez, Diana Gonzalez Garcia, Joel Martinez, Felicia S. Manciu, Marian M. Manciu, Giulio Francia, Guido Bocci.
• Pharmacodynamics and pharmacogenomics of metronomic vinorelbine in human endothelial cells (2018), Volume Grand Rapids, Michigan , Ivan Sosa, Karla Parra, Paola Orlandi, Teresa Di Desidero, Paloma Valenzuela, Karen Chavez, Diana Gonzalez, Joel Martinez, Felicia S. Manciu, Marian M. Manciu, Giulio Francia, Guido Bocci.
• P62/IMP2 Promotes metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by regulating EMT in different signaling pathway. (2018), Volume Chicago, Mengtao Xing, Jitian Li, Giulio Francia, Jianying Zhang.
• P62/IMP2 Promotes metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by regulating EMT in different signaling pathway. (2018), Volume Chicago, Mengtao Xing, Jitian Li, Giulio Francia, Jianying Zhang.
• Label-free Raman Imaging to Monitor Breast Tumor Signatures (2017), Volume El Paso, Texas, John D. Ciubuc, Giulio Francia, Karla Parra, Marian M. Manciu, Kevin Bennet, Felicia S. Manciu.
• Label-free Raman Imaging to Monitor Breast Tumor Signatures (2017), Volume El Paso, Texas, John D. Ciubuc, Giulio Francia, Karla Parra, Marian M. Manciu, Kevin Bennet, Felicia S. Manciu.
• Label-free Raman Imaging to Monitor Breast Tumor Signatures (2017), Volume El Paso, Texas, John D. Ciubuc, Giulio Francia, Karla Parra, Marian M. Manciu, Kevin Bennet, Felicia S. Manciu.
• Label-free Raman Imaging to Monitor Breast Tumor Signatures (2017), Volume Dallas, Texas, John D. Ciubuc, Giulio Francia, Karla Parra, Marian M. Manciu, Kevin Bennet, Felicia S. Manciu.
• Label-free Raman Imaging to Monitor Breast Tumor Signatures (2017), Volume Dallas, Texas, John D. Ciubuc, Giulio Francia, Karla Parra, Marian M. Manciu, Kevin Bennet, Felicia S. Manciu.
• Preclinical models of widespread metastatic disease (2017), Volume UTEP, Paloma Valenzuela, Karla Parra, Luis Reza, Marian M. Manciu, Jose Lopez, Valeria Rolih, Valerie Galegos, Giulio Francia.
• Preclinical models of widespread metastatic disease (2017), Volume UTEP, Paloma Valenzuela, Karla Parra, Luis Reza, Marian M. Manciu, Jose Lopez, Valeria Rolih, Valerie Galegos, Giulio Francia.
• Evaluation of metronomic chemotherapy in zebrafish; impact of continuous low-dose valproic acid with alternating cyclophosphamide and etoposide administration (2017), Jose A. Hernandez, Giulio Francia, Benjamin Carcamo, Anita Quintana.
• Evaluation of metronomic chemotherapy in zebrafish; impact of continuous low-dose valproic acid with alternating cyclophosphamide and etoposide administration (2017), Jose A. Hernandez, Giulio Francia, Benjamin Carcamo, M. .
• Evaluation of metronomic chemotherapy in zebrafish; impact of continuous low-dose valproic acid with alternating cyclophosphamide and etoposide administration (2017), Jose A. Hernandez, Giulio Francia, Benjamin Carcamo, Anita Quintana.
• Overexpression of P62/IMP2 promotes metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma via inhibition of E-cadherin expression (2017), Volume Washington, DC, Mengtao Xing, Giulio Francia, Jianying Zhang.
• Overexpression of P62/IMP2 promotes metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma via inhibition of E-cadherin expression (2017), Volume Washington, DC, Mengtao Xing, Giulio Francia, Jianying Zhang.
• Metronomic Chemotherapy: Preclinical cancer studies at UTEP (2017), Volume UTEP, Giulio Francia.
• Luciferase and Chorionic Gonadotropin Tagging to Study Preclinical Breast Cancer Models (2016), Jonathan Prieto, Giulio Francia.
• Mechanisms of Metastasis and Resistance to Therapy (2016), Giulio Francia.
• Impact of CTLA-4 blockade in conjunction with metronomic chemotherapy on preclinical breast cancer growth (2016), Volume New Orleans, Loisiana, Giulio Francia, Karla Parra, Paloma Valenzuela, Alejandra E. Gallegos, Natzidielli Lerma, Luis Reza, Georgialina Rodriguez, Urban Emmenegger, Marian M. Manciu, Teresa Di Desiderio, Guido Bocci, Mitchell S. Felder, Robert A. Kirken.
• Translational Cancer Biology Studies at UTEP (2016), Volume UTEP, Giulio Francia.

• SC1 SCORE : The role of breast cancer organ specific metastasis on the therapeutic impact of anti-cancer drugs
• Single cell RNA sequencing
• Evaluation of metronomic chemotherapy regimens in ovarian cancer models
• Preclinical models of circulating colon cancer cells to evaluate anti-cancer therapies
• Paclitaxel Directed Drug Screening; a new strategy to identify anti-cancer drugs (SC2 SCORE)
• Evaluation of mechanisms contributing to the effective CTLA-4 blockade-based cancer therapies -Second URI
• Development of gene expression plasmids for genetic alteration of human cancer cell line models.
• High time for changing the treatment paradigms and unraveling the therapeutic tangle in anaplastic thyroid cancer
• Intracecal orthotopic models of human colon cancer from Hispanic patients
• Characterization of novel compounds with anti-lymphoma activity
• CTLA-4 Targeting plus chemotherapy as an anti-tumor therapeutic strategy