Federica Pisaneschi, Ph.D.
Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, Division of Diagnostic Imaging
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2003 | University of Florence, Firenze, ITA, PHD, Chemical Sciences, Organic Chemistry |
| 1998 | University of Florence, Firenze, ITA, MSc+BSc, Chemistry |
Postgraduate Training
| 2003-2006 | Research Fellowship, Project title: Synthesis of modified peptides for novel therapies for the immune and antiviral response, University of Florence, Firenze |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Instructor, Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2017 - 2018
Research Scientist, Department of Cancer Systems Imaging, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2015 - 2016
Senior Postdoctoral Researcher, Comprehensive Cancer Imaging Centre, Imperial College, London, 2006 - 2013
Other Appointments/Responsibilities
Radiochemist, Imanova, Centre of Imaging Sciences, London, 2012 - 2013
Visiting Scientist, Technische Universitat, Dresden, 2004 - 2004
Research Associate, University of Florence, Firenze, 1999 - 2000
Socrates-Erasmus Exchange Term, University of Florence, Prof. Jacques Salaun, Firenze, 1998 - 1998
Honors & Awards
| 2019 | Robert M. Chamberlain Distinguished Mentor Award - Nominee, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2005 | Assegno di Ricerca (Research Fellowship), University of Florence, Italy |
| 2004 | Assegno di Ricerca (Research Fellowship), University of Florence, Italy |
| 2000 | Ph.D. Scholarship, University of Florence, Italy |
| 1998 | Socrates-Erasmus Scholarship, University of Paris-Sud XI, Paris, France |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Vashisht Gopal YN, Gammon S, Prasad R, Knighton B, Pisaneschi F, Roszik J, Feng N, Johnson S, Pramanik S, Sudderth J, Sui D, Hudgens C, Fischer GM, Deng W, Reuben A, Peng W, Wang J, McQuade JL, Tetzlaff MT, Di Francesco ME, Marszalek J, Piwnica-Worms D, DeBerardinis RJ, Davies MA. A novel mitochondrial inhibitor blocks MAPK pathway and overcomes MAPK inhibitor–resistance in melanoma. Clin Cancer Res 25(21):6429-6442, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31439581.
- Radaram B, Pisaneschi F, Rao Y, Yang P, Piwnica-Worms D, Alauddin MM. Novel Derivatives of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Inhibitors: Synthesis, Radiolabeling and Preliminary Biological Studies of Fluoroethyl Analogues of Crizotinib, Alectinib and Ceritinib. Eur J Med Chem 182:111571, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31425908.
- Pisaneschi F, Lin YH, Leonard PG, Satani N, Yan VC, Hammoudi N, Raghavan S, Link TM, K Georgiou D, Czako B, Muller FL. The 3S Enantiomer Drives Enolase Inhibitory Activity in SF2312 and Its Analogues. Molecules 24(13):2510, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31324042.
- Biagiotti G, Pisaneschi F, Gammon ST, Machetti F, Ligi MC, Giambastiani G, Tuci G, Powell E, Piwnica-Worms H, Pranzini E, Paoli P, Cicchi S, Piwnica-Worms D. Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes for combination therapy: a biodistribution and efficacy pilot study. J Mater Chem B 7(16):2678-87, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31073405.
- Orteca G, Pisaneschi F, Rubagotti S, Liu TW, Biagiotti G, Piwnica-Worms D, Iori M, Capponi PC, Ferrari E, Asti M. Development of a potential gallium-68 labelled radiotracer based on DOTA-curcumin for colon-rectal carcinoma: from synthesis to in vivo studies. Molecules 24(3):644, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30759785.
- Engel BJ, Gammon ST, Chaudhari R, Lu Z, Pisaneschi F, Yang H, Ornelas A, Yan V, Kelderhouse L, Najjar AM, Tong WP, Zhang S, Piwnica-Worms D, Bast, Jr. RC, and Millward SW. Caspase-3 Substrates for Noninvasive Pharmacodynamic Imaging of Apoptosis by PET/CT. Bioconjugate Chem 29(9):3180-95, 2018. e-Pub 2018. PMID: 30168713.
- Biagiotti G, Fedeli S, Tuci G, Luconi L, Giambastiani G, Brandi A, Pisaneschi F, Cicchi S, Paoli P. Combined therapies with nanostructured carbon materials: there is room still available at the bottom. J Mat Chem B 6(14):2022-2035, 2018.
- Pisaneschi F, Kelderhouse LE, Hardy A, Engel BJ, Mukhopadhyay U, Gonzalez-Lepera C, Gray JP, Ornelas A, Takahashi TT, Roberts RW, Fiacco SV, Piwnica-Worms D, Millward SW. Automated, Resin-Based Method to Enhance the Specific Activity of Fluorine-18 Clicked PET Radiotracers. Bioconjug Chem 28(2):583-589, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28150941.
- Leonard PG, Satani N, Maxwell D, Lin YH, Hammoudi N, Peng Z, Pisaneschi F, Link TM, Lee GR, Sun D, Prasad BA, Di Francesco ME, Czako B, Asara JM, Wang YA, Bornmann W, DePinho RA, Muller FL. SF2312 is a natural phosphonate inhibitor of enolase. Nat Chem Biol 12(12):1053-1058, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27723749.
- Slade RL, Pisaneschi F, Nguyen QD, Smith G, Carroll L, Beckley A, Kaliszczak MA, Aboagye EO. Identification of ABC Transporter Interaction of a Novel Cyanoquinoline Radiotracer and Implications for Tumour Imaging by Positron Emission Tomography. PLoS One 11(8):e0161427, 2016. e-Pub 2016. PMID: 27552105.
- Witney TH, Pisaneschi F, Alam IS, Trousil S, Kaliszczak M, Twyman F, Brickute D, Nguyen QD, Schug Z, Gottlieb E, Aboagye EO. Preclinical evaluation of 3-18F-fluoro-2,2-dimethylpropionic acid as an imaging agent for tumor detection. J Nucl Med 55(9):1506-12, 2014. e-Pub 2014. PMID: 25012458.
- Pisaneschi F, Slade RL, Iddon L, George GP, Nguyen QD, Spivey AC, Aboagye EO. Synthesis of a new fluorine-18 glycosylated 'click' cyanoquinoline for the imaging of epidermal growth factor receptor. J Labelled Comp Radiopharm 57(2):92-6, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24307532.
- George GP, Pisaneschi F, Nguyen QD, Aboagye EO. Positron emission tomographic imaging of CXCR4 in cancer: challenges and promises. Mol Imaging 13, 2014. PMID: 25341373.
- George GP, Stevens E, Åberg O, Nguyen QD, Pisaneschi F, Spivey AC, Aboagye EO. Preclinical evaluation of a CXCR4-specific (68)Ga-labelled TN14003 derivative for cancer PET imaging. Bioorg Med Chem 22(2):796-803, 2014. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24365390.
- George GP, Pisaneschi F, Stevens E, Nguyen QD, Åberg O, Spivey AC, Aboagye EO. Scavenging strategy for specific activity improvement: application to a new CXCR4-specific cyclopentapeptide positron emission tomography tracer. J Labelled Comp Radiopharm 56(13):679-85, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 25196030.
- Pisaneschi F, Witney TH, Iddon L, Aboagye EO. Synthesis of 3-[18F] fluoro-2,2-dimethylpropionic acid: an improved PET imaging probe for the fatty acid synthesis pathway in tumours. Med Chem Comm 4:1350-1353, 2013.
- Srikaran R, Kontorgiorgis CA, Warren SA, Pisaneschi F, Spivey AC. Synthesis of a 4-aryl-2-anilinopyrimidine using a germanium-functionalised non cross-linked polystyrene (NCPS) support. Synlett 4:1663-1666, 2013.
- Åberg O, Pisaneschi F , Smith G, Stevens E, Nguyen QD, Aboagye EO. 18F-Labelling of a cyclic pentapeptide inhibitor of the chemokine receptor CXCR4. J Fluorine Chem 135:200-206, 2012.
- Pisaneschi F, Sejberg JJP, Blain C, Ng WH, Aboagye EO, Spivey AC. 2-Substituted-2,3-dihydro-1H-quinolin-4-ones via acid catalyzed tandem Rupe rearrangement/Donnelly-Farrell ring-closure of 2-(3’-hydroxypropynyl)anilines. Synlett 2:241-244, 2011.
- Pisaneschi F, Nguyen QD, Shamsaei E, Glaser M, Robins E, Kaliszczak M, Smith G, Spivey AC, Aboagye EO. Development of a new epidermal growth factor receptor positron emission tomography imaging agent based on the 3-cyanoquinoline core: synthesis and biological evaluation. Bioorg Med Chem 18(18):6634-45, 2010. e-Pub 2010. PMID: 20797871.
- Salvati M, Cordero FM, Pisaneschi F, Melani F, Gratteri P, Cini N, Bottoncetti A, Brandi A. Synthesis, SAR and in vitro evaluation of new cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp pseudopentapeptides containing a s-cis peptide bond as integrin alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta5 ligands. Bioorg Med Chem 16(8):4262-71, 2008. e-Pub 2008. PMID: 18343671.
- Lumini M, Cordero FM, Pisaneschi F, Brandi A. Straightforward synthesis of α-substituted prolines by cross-metathesis. Eur J Org Chem 2008(16):2817-2824, 2008.
- Pisaneschi F, Cordero FM, Lumini M, Brandi A. Click chemistry: a straightforward route to decorated prolines. Synlett 18:2882-2884, 2007.
- Salvati M, Cordero FM, Pisaneschi F, Cini N, Bottoncetti A, Brandi A. New cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp pseudopentapeptide containing the -turn mimetic GPTM. Synlett 13:2067-2070, 2006.
- Pisaneschi F, Piacenti M, Cordero FM, Brandi A. Stereoselective synthesis of a new trihydroxyindolizidine lactone. Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 17:292-296, 2006.
- Cordero FM, Pisaneschi F, Salvati M, Valenza S, Faggi C, Brandi A. Application of Mosher's method for absolute configuration assignment and resolution of 2-hydroxypyrrolizidinones. Chirality 17(3):149-53, 2005. PMID: 15704198.
- Cordero FM, Pisaneschi F, Meschini Batista K, Valenza S, Machetti F, Brandi A. A new bicyclic dipeptide isostere with pyrrolizidinone skeleton. J Org Chem 70(3):856-67, 2005. PMID: 15675843.
- Pisaneschi F, Gensini M, Salvati M, Cordero FM, Brandi A. 1,3-Dipolar cycloadditions of 2-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-1-pyrroline N-oxide with chiral acrylates and acrylamides. Heterocycles 67:413-420, 2005.
- Salvati M, Cordero FM, Pisaneschi F, Bucelli F, Brandi A. New developments in the synthesis of pyrrolizidinone-based dipeptide isosteres. Tetrahedron 61:8835-8847, 2005.
- Cordero FM, Salvati M, Pisaneschi F, Brandi A. Novel prospects of the acidic thermal rearrangement of spirocyclopropane isoxazolidines to β-lactams. Eur J Org Chem:2205-2213, 2004.
- Cordero FM, Pisaneschi F, Salvati M, Paschetta V, Ollivier J, Salaün J, Brandi A. Selective ring contraction of 5-spirocyclopropane isoxazolidines mediated by acids. J Org Chem 68(8):3271-80, 2003. PMID: 12688801.
- Pisaneschi F, Cordero FM, Brandi A. A concise total synthesis of (+)-heliotridine. Eur J Org Chem:4373-4375, 2003.
- Pisaneschi F, Cordero FM, Brandi A. Resin linked dipolarophiles to mask nitrones. Synlett:1889-1891, 2003.
- Cordero FM, Pisaneschi F, Salvati M, Ollivier J, Salaün J, Brandi A. Selective ring contraction of 5-spirocyclopropane isoxazolidines mediated by acids. J Org Chem 68:3271-3280, 2003.
- Cordero FM, Pisaneschi F, Gensini M, Goti A, Brandi A. Stereodivergent approach to enantiopure hydroxyindolizidines through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of 3-hydroxypyrroline N-oxide derivatives. Eur J Org Chem:1941-1951, 2002.
- Cordero FM, Pisaneschi F, Goti A, Ollivier J, Salaün J, Brandi A. New synthesis of beta-lactams by ethylene extrusion from spirocyclopropane isoxazolidines. J Am Chem Soc 122(33):8078-8076, 2000.
- Pisaneschi F, Cordero FM, Goti A, Paugam R, Ollivier J, Brandi A, Salaün J. Palladium(0)-catalysed nucleophilic substitution of asymmetric 1-alkenylcyclopropyl esters by amino acid. Tetrahedron: Asymmetry 11:897-909, 2000.
- Lin Y-H, Satani N, Hammoudi N, Ackroyd JJ, Khadka S, Yan VC, Georgiou DK, Sun Y, Zielinski R, Tran T, Pando SC, Wang X, Maxwell D, Peng Z, Pisaneschi F, Mandal P, Leonard PG, Xu Q, Wu Q, Jiang Y, Czako B, Kang Z, Asara JM, Priebe W, Bornmann W, Marszalek JR, DePinho RA, Muller FL. Eradication of ENO1-deleted Glioblastoma through Collateral Lethality. PNAS.
Abstracts
- Biagiotti G, Pisaneschi F, Gammon G, Paoli P, Machetti F, Piwnica-Worms D, Brandi A, Cicchi S. Drug delivery system based on carbon nanotubes: synthesis and biological essays. Merck-Elsevier Young Chemists Symposium, Rimini, Italy. 2018 November 19-21, 2018.
- Pisaneschi F, Biagiotti G, Gammon ST, Powell E, Paoli P, Piwnica-Worms H, Piwnica-Worms D, Cicchi S. Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes as Drug Delivery Systems for Combination Therapy: Preliminary Biodistribution via PET/CT and Efficacy. World Molecular Imaging Congress 2018, Seattle, 2018.
- Biagiotti G, Pisaneschi F, Gammon S, Paoli P, Machetti F, Powell E, Piwnica-Worms H, Piwnica-Worms D, Giulia Tuci G, Giambastiani G, Cordero FM, Brandi A, Cicchi S. Discovery of a Drug Delivery System Based on Carbon Nanotubes: Synthesis and Biological Studies. International Conference of Organic Synthesis, Firenze, Italy. 2018 September 16-21, 2018.
- Biagiotti G, Pisaneschi F, Gammon S, Paoli P, Powell E, Piwnica-Worms H, Piwnica-Worms D, Brandi A, Cicchi S. Labeling of a drug delivery system based on Carbon nanotubes with 68Ga and 64Cu: an in vivo biodistribution study. Therachem 2018, Bolzano, Italy. 2018 September 26-29, 2018.
- Biagiotti G, Pisaneschi F, Gammon S, Paoli P, Machetti F, Powell E, Piwnica-Worms H, Piwnica-Worms D, Brandi A, Cicchi S. Multimodal Drug Delivery System Based on Carbon Nanotubes. Chemistry for the Future, Pisa, Italy. 2018 July 4-6, 2018.
- Gammon ST, Pisaneschi F, Bandi M, Smith M, Rao Y, Yennu Nanda VG, Sun Y, Davies M, Di Francesco E, Marszalek J, Piwnica-Worms D. [18F]FAZA PET imaging reveals precise pharmacodynamics in vivo of the novel chemotherapeutic IACS-010759. Proceedings of the AACR Annual Meeting 2018, April 2018, 2018.
- Biagiotti G, Cicchi S, Paoli P, Pisaneschi F. Combined Therapy Using Carbon Nanotubes. ChemOnTubes 2018, 2018.
- Biagiotti G, Pisaneschi F, Gammon S, Paoli P, Machetti F, Powell E, Piwnica-Worms H, Piwnica-Worms D, Brandi A, Cicchi S. Combined Therapy Using Carbon Nanotubes. International Meeting on the Chemistry of Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes 2018 April 22-26, Biarritz, France, 2018.
- Gammon ST, Pisaneschi F, Yennu Nanda VG, Sun Y, Bandi ML, Smith M, Rao Y, Muller F, Di Francesco E, Davies M, Marszalek J, Piwnica-Worms D. Imaging Target Engagement in Collateral Lethality, [18F]FAZA PET Imaging Reveals Pharmacodynamics of IACS-010759, a Novel Complex 1 Inhibitor. 18th European Molecular Imaging Meeting, EMIM 2018, San Sebastian, Spain. March 20–23, 2018, 2018.
- Engel BJ, Ornelas A, Lu Z , Pisaneschi F, Chaudhari R, Gammon ST, Yang H, Yan V, Kelderhouse L, Najjar AM, Tong WP, Piwnica-Worms D, Zhang S, Bast Jr. RC, Millward S. Radiolabeled caspase-3 substrates for non-invasive imaging of apoptosis by PET/CT. J. Nucl. Med. 2018 59(2):352-378, 2018.
- Pisaneschi F, Gammon ST, Piwnica-Worms D. Imaging of MPO in deep tissues with PET: Novel radiotracers to monitor innate immunity activity. World Molecular Imaging Congress, WMIC 2017, Philadelphia 60:S189, 2017.
- Pisaneschi F, Gammon ST, Piwnica-Worms D. Imaging of MPO in deep tissues with PET: Novel radiotracers to monitor innate immunity activity. 22nd International Symposium of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, J. Label. Comp. Radiopharm 2017 60:S189, 2017.
- Pisaneschi F, Gammon ST, Bandi ML, Smith MG, Davies MA, Yennu Nanda VG, Di Francesco ME, Marszalek J, Piwnica-Worms D. Mitochondrial OxPhos Inhibitor IACS-010759 and [18F]FAZA PET Imaging: Non-invasive Monitoring of Target Engagement. World Molecular Imaging Congress, WMIC 2016, NEW YORK, 2016.
- Kelderhouse L, Hardy A, Pisaneschi F, Peleg Y, Hu B, Engel B, Grey JP, Ornelas A, Yang P, Gammon S, Howell SM, Piwnica-Worms D, Wang P, Takahashi TT, Roberts RW, Fiacco S, Millward SW. Directed evolution of PET imaging agents by scanning unnatural protease resistance (SUPR) mRNA display. Proceedings of the 252nd American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition 2016, 2016.
- Kelderhouse LE, Hardy A, Pisaneschi F, Gray JP, Gammon S, Roberts RW, Takahashi TT, Fiacco S, Millward SW. SUPR-PET: Nuclear imaging of Her2-positive breast cancer with SUPR peptides. Proceedings of the AACR Annual Meeting 2016, 2016.
- Lin Y-H, Satani N, Hammoudi N, Pisaneschi F, Leonard P, Maxwell D, Peng Z, Link T, Lee G, Sun D, Marszalek J, Sun Y, McMurray J, Mandal P, Di Francesco M, Czako B, Wang A, Bornmann W, DePinho R, Muller F. POMHEX, a cell-permeable enolase inhibitor for collateral lethalitytargeting of ENO1-deleted glioblastoma. Eur. J. Cancer 2016 69:S124, 2016.
Book Chapters
- Brandi A, Gensini M, Pisaneschi F. Chapter 14 Molecular Rearrangements: Part 2. In: Organic Reaction Mechanisms 2004. WILEY Publication: London, 2008.
- Brandi A, Gensini M, Pisaneschi F. Chapter 14 Molecular Rearrangements: Part 2. In: Organic Reaction Mechanisms 2002. WILEY Publication: London, 2002.