A scientist focused on helping patients
Dr. Flavia Picchiorri has spent much of her career asking one key question: How can discoveries in the laboratory help patients faster?
Based in Los Angeles, she works at the intersection of translational science and clinical research, focusing on blood cancers such as multiple myeloma and acute leukemia. His work explores therapeutic targets such as CD38 and CD84, as well as radiation-based treatment strategies designed to improve patient outcomes.
But his path into cancer research didn't start in a hospital or laboratory. It began in the Roman countryside.
“I grew up riding horses every morning before school,” she recalls. “That environment taught me discipline and focus very early in life.”
Those lessons would later shape his approach to science.
Growing up in Rome: Discipline and curiosity
Picchiorri was born in Rome in 1974 and grew up in a family deeply connected to analytical fields. His mother worked in statistics and organizational science. His father was a mechanical engineer who worked on large industrial projects throughout Europe and the Middle East.
The home environment emphasized structure and problem solving. But his childhood also included being outdoors for long periods of time.
He spent several years living near the historic Appia Antica, an ancient Roman road filled with archaeological ruins. Before school, she would often ride horses in the surrounding countryside. He also competed in show jumping for almost twenty years.
“That experience taught me resilience,” she says. “In science, like horseback riding, you have to stay focused and keep going even when things don't go according to plan.”
From classical studies to molecular biology
Picchiorri's academic path began with classical literature. In high school he studied Latin and Greek, which sharpened his analytical thinking.
Later, she transferred to science at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, where she studied molecular biology and biochemistry. He earned a master's degree in biochemistry and enzymology in 1999, graduating with top honors.
His early research focused on enzyme polymorphisms and protein interactions. He received training on advanced biochemical techniques such as Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy, FPLC and HPLC.
Soon after graduating, she joined the Italian National Research Council, where she began studying growth factors influencing the growth of multiple myeloma cells.
That work introduced him to the disease that would define his scientific career.
“At that time, patients with multiple myeloma often lived only a short period of time after diagnosis,” she explains. “There was a great need to understand the biology of the disease.”
Going to the United States for cancer research
In the early 2000s, Picchiorri joined research teams in the United States. He worked at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and later at Ohio State University, where he completed doctoral research on tumor suppressor genes and cancer biology.
His studies explored fragile site genes and molecular mechanisms involved in tumor development.
During this period he helped develop a diagnostic assay based on clusterin, a circulating biomarker, for the detection of colon cancer.
The project led to a patented screening method and early clinical applications.
But the turning point in his career came during his postdoctoral research.
A breakthrough in multiple myeloma research
After completing his PhD, Picchiorri focused on understanding how multiple myeloma cells grow and survive.
His research revealed that the disease is affected not only by genetic mutations, but also by epigenetic changes induced by oncogenic pathways such as c-Myc.
The findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The paper quickly became one of the most cited publications in its field.
“This showed that plasma cell degeneration is not just about genetic mutations,” she says. “Epigenetic regulation also plays a major role.”
This discovery helped open new avenues for medical research.
Creation of a translational research program
In 2011, Picchiorri began his independent research career as an assistant professor in internal medicine. He received several major grants and began leading translational programs focused on new treatments for blood cancers.
His work helped advance the clinical development of AR-42 (REC-2282), an HDAC inhibitor that has been studied for hematologic malignancies.
He also contributed to research on oncolytic viral therapy, including pelariorep, which is designed to target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissues.
“The goal is always the same in translational research,” she says. “You take ideas from the lab to the clinic, and then back again to refine them.”
Advancing CD38 and CD84 targeted therapies
In 2016, Picchiorri joined City of Hope, where she expanded its research programs and received several federal grants.
His team developed a new antibody-based therapy targeting CD38, a protein widely expressed on myeloma cells. Some of these treatments combine antibodies with radioactive isotopes to deliver targeted treatment directly to cancer cells.
This work has already led to clinical trials in multiple myeloma and acute leukemia.
His group also identified CD84 as a therapeutic target in acute myeloid leukemia, leading to the development of an antibody that was later licensed to a biotechnology company.
Another project involves the single-chain CD38-directed T-cell engager, a therapeutic approach designed to help immune cells recognize and destroy leukemia stem cells.
a philosophy focused on scientific rigor
Despite a long list of grants, publications, and clinical programs, Picchiorri measures success in a different way.
“I pay very little attention to success,” she says. “In science, it can be fleeting.”
Instead, she focuses on the sustainability of scientific findings.
She explains, “True scientific value comes when results stand the test of time.” “It requires patience and careful verification.”
He believes that meaningful progress often requires challenging established thinking.
“Scientific progress depends on questioning assumptions,” she says. “That's how new knowledge is created.”
looking ahead
Today, Picchiorri continues to work on translational therapies targeting CD38, CD84, and radiation-based treatments for blood cancers.
His research spans laboratory experiments, animal models, and early-stage clinical trials. The goal is the same: to bring new treatments to the patients who need them.
Outside the lab, she finds balance in hiking, gardening, horseback riding, and writing about science.
During tough times, she keeps her priorities simple.
“In times of change, I focus on what I value most,” she says, “writing science and being present with my family.”
For Picchiorri, curiosity remains the driving force.
“Every day brings new questions,” she says. “Staying engaged with those questions is what helps science move forward.”