Prof. Ornella Franzese graduated in Biological Sciences (master's degree) from the “Sapienza” University of Rome. She received her PhD in Hematology from the University of Rome "Tor Vergata". She worked for many years as a biomedical researcher at the Chair of Pharmacology of the University of Tor Vergata, interposed with long intervals of permanence at the University College of London (UK), Division of Infection & Immunity, directed by Prof. Arne Akbar. She now holds the position of Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Rome "Tor Vergata”. Her research activity is focused on the study of (i) the combination therapeutic strategies employing traditional chemotherapy and immunotherapy in the treatment of tumors; (ii) the identification of the mechanisms underlying the exhaustion of antitumor T lymphocytes and T-cell subpopulations that may benefit from immunotherapy with "checkpoint inhibitors"; and (iii) the mechanisms underlying senescence of the immune system and the therapeutic strategies aimed at counteracting this phenomenon.