My research is dedicated to understanding the molecular basis and the biology of hormone-related cancers and identifying potential targets for new molecular-based therapies for these diseases. I had a training period in a very qualified Cancer Center laboratory (in San Diego, CA, under the supervision of Dr. J.Y.J. Wang) and published a series of relevant papers, all regarding the role of tumor suppressors in thyroid carcinogenesis. I was awarded the fellowship for Cancer Research from the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC, 2001–2004), the “Salvatore prize” (2005) from the Italian Society of Endocrinology for studies on thyroid cancer, and the fellowship for Cancer Research from the American Italian Cancer Foundation (AICF, 2007–2008). During these years, I attended a PhD program focused on the molecular basis of hormonal function (2004–2008). Then, I had a post-doc fellowship (2009-2011) on thyroid carcinogenesis, identifying ambiental factors through epidemiologic, cellular, and molecular biological studies on thyroid cells. This has yielded several published papers, the most relevant of which regard the role of insulin/IGF system in the pathogenesis of hormone-dependent tumors. I have more than 20 years of extensive expertise in molecular and cellular biology. At the present, I work as Associate Professor in Endocrinology at the University of Catania, and I am still involved in translational research focused on the insulin/IGF system.