Mauro Di Pilato, Ph.D.
Department of Immunology, Division of Discovery Science
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology, Division of Discovery Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Assistant Professor, Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2015 | Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, ES, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Ph.D |
| 2008 | Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari BA, IT, Medical Biotechnologies and Molecular Medicine, M.S |
| 2006 | Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari BA, IT, Health and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies, BS |
Postgraduate Training
| 2019-2020 | Research Fellowship, In vivo characterization of distinct neutrophil subtype responses after infection with vaccinia virus, IRB Bellinzona - Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Bellinzona |
| 2015-2019 | Research Fellowship, The role of Carma1 in regulatory T cells: from the homeostasis to the control of tumor response; and identifying the relevant target cells of anti-PD-1 cancer immunotherapy, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston, Massachusetts |
| 2015-2015 | Research Fellowship, In vivo characterization of distinct neutrophil subtype responses after infection with Vaccinia virus, IRB Bellinzona - Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Bellinzona |
Honors & Awards
| 2017 | Marie Curie Global Individual Fellowship |
| 2015 | European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Long-Term Postdoctoral Fellowship |
| 2015 | Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) Short-Term Fellowship |
| 2010 | Ayudas Predoctoral de Formación en Investigación en Salud PhD (PFIS) Fellowship |
| 2009 | One of Fifty Winners of Leonardo da Vinci Scholarships Unipharma - Graduates 5 |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Pulfer, A, Pizzagalli, DU, Segura, MP, Germic, N, Virgilio, T, Di Pilato, M, Carrillo Barbera, P, Palladino, E, Antonello, P, Thelen, M, Simon, HU, Krause, R, Gonzalez, SF. An in vivo microscopy dataset for the characterization of leukocyte death. Scientific Data 12(1), 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40204757.
- Citron F, Ho IL, Balestrieri C, Liu Z, Yen EN, Cecchetto L, Perelli L, Zhang L, Castillo Montanez LA, Blazanin N, Dyke CA, Shah R, Attanasio S, Srinivasan S, Chen KC, Chen Z, Scognamiglio I, Pham N, Khan H, Jiang S, Pan J, Vanderkruk B, Leung C, Mattohti M, Rai K, Chu Y, Wang L, Gao S, Deem AK, Carugo A, Wang H, Yao W, Tonon G, Xiong Y, Lorenzi PL, Bonini C, Zal A, Hoffman B, Giuliani V, Heffernan T, Jeter CR, Lissanu Y, Genovese G, Di Pilato M, Viale A, Draetta GF. WRAD core perturbation impairs DNA replication fidelity promoting immunoediting in pancreatic cancer. bioRxiv, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 39484624.
- Pittet MJ, Di Pilato M, Garris C, Mempel TR. Dendritic cells as shepherds of T cell immunity in cancer. Immunity 56(10):2218-2230, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37708889.
- Di Pilato M, Gao Y, Sun Y, Fu A, Grass C, Seeholzer T, Feederle R, Mazo I, Kazer SW, Litchfield K, von Andrian UH, Mempel TR, Jenkins RW, Krappmann D, Keller P. Translational Studies Using the MALT1 Inhibitor (S)-Mepazine to Induce Treg Fragility and Potentiate Immune Checkpoint Therapy in Cancer. J Immunother Precis Oncol 6(2):61-73, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37214210.
- Ozga AJ, Chow MT, Lopes ME, Servis RL, Di Pilato M, Dehio P, Lian J, Mempel TR, Luster AD. CXCL10 chemokine regulates heterogeneity of the CD8+ T cell response and viral set point during chronic infection. Immunity 55(1):82-97, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34847356.
- Crainiciuc G, Palomino-Segura M, Molina-Moreno M, Sicilia J, Aragones DG, Li JLY, Madurga R, Adrover JM, Aroca-Crevillén A, Martin-Salamanca S, Del Valle AS, Castillo SD, Welch HCE, Soehnlein O, Graupera M, Sánchez-Cabo F, Zarbock A, Smithgall TE, Di Pilato M, Mempel TR, Tharaux PL, González SF, Ayuso-Sacido A, Ng LG, Calvo GF, González-Díaz I, Díaz-de-María F, Hidalgo A. Behavioural immune landscapes of inflammation. Nature 601(7893):415-421, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34987220.
- Lesch S, Blumenberg V, Stoiber S, Gottschlich A, Ogonek J, Cadilha BL, Dantes Z, Rataj F, Dorman K, Lutz J, Karches CH, Heise C, Kurzay M, Larimer BM, Grassmann S, Rapp M, Nottebrock A, Kruger S, Tokarew N, Metzger P, Hoerth C, Benmebarek MR, Dhoqina D, Grünmeier R, Seifert M, Oener A, Ö U, Joaquina S, Vimeux L, Tran T, Hank T, Baba T, Huynh D, Megens RTA, Janssen KP, Jastroch M, Lamp D, Ruehland S, Di Pilato M, Pruessmann JN, Thomas M, Marr C, Ormanns S, Reischer A, Hristov M, Tartour E, Donnadieu E, Rothenfusser S, Duewell P, König LM, Schnurr M, Subklewe M, Liss AS, Halama N, Reichert M, Mempel TR, Endres S, Kobold S. T cells armed with C-X-C chemokine receptor type 6 enhance adoptive cell therapy for pancreatic tumours. Nat Biomed Eng 5(11):1246-1260, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34083764.
- Di Pilato M, Kfuri-Rubens R, Pruessmann JN, Ozga AJ, Messemaker M, Cadilha BL, Sivakumar R, Cianciaruso C, Warner RD, Marangoni F, Carrizosa E, Lesch S, Billingsley J, Perez-Ramos D, Zavala F, Rheinbay E, Luster AD, Gerner MY, Kobold S, Pittet MJ, Mempel TR. CXCR6 positions cytotoxic T cells to receive critical survival signals in the tumor microenvironment. Cell 184(17):4512-4530.e22, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34343496.
- Marangoni F, Zhakyp A, Corsini M, Geels SN, Carrizosa E, Thelen M, Mani V, Prüßmann JN, Warner RD, Ozga AJ, Di Pilato M, Othy S, Mempel TR. Expansion of tumor-associated Treg cells upon disruption of a CTLA-4-dependent feedback loop. Cell 184(15):3998-4015.e19, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34157302.
- Cadilha BL, Benmebarek MR, Dorman K, Oner A, Lorenzini T, Obeck H, Vänttinen M, Di Pilato M, Pruessmann JN, Stoiber S, Huynh D, Märkl F, Seifert M, Manske K, Suarez-Gosalvez J, Zeng Y, Lesch S, Karches CH, Heise C, Gottschlich A, Thomas M, Marr C, Zhang J, Pandey D, Feuchtinger T, Subklewe M, Mempel TR, Endres S, Kobold S. Combined tumor-directed recruitment and protection from immune suppression enable CAR T cell efficacy in solid tumors. Sci Adv 7(24):eabi5781, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34108220.
- Di Pilato M, Palomino-Segura M, Mejías-Pérez E, Gómez CE, Rubio-Ponce A, D'Antuono R, Pizzagalli DU, Pérez P, Kfuri-Rubens R, Benguría A, Dopazo A, Ballesteros I, Sorzano COS, Hidalgo A, Esteban M, Gonzalez SF. Neutrophil subtypes shape HIV-specific CD8 T-cell responses after vaccinia virus infection. NPJ Vaccines 6(1):52, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33846352.
- Pérez P, Marín MQ, Lázaro-Frías A, CÓS S, Di Pilato M, Gómez CE, Esteban M, García-Arriaza J. An MVA Vector Expressing HIV-1 Envelope under the Control of a Potent Vaccinia Virus Promoter as a Promising Strategy in HIV/AIDS Vaccine Design. Vaccines (Basel) 7(4):208, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31817622.
- Ligorio M, Sil S, Malagon-Lopez J, Nieman LT, Misale S, Di Pilato M, Ebright RY, Karabacak MN, Kulkarni AS, Liu A, Vincent Jordan N, Franses JW, Philipp J, Kreuzer J, Desai N, Arora KS, Rajurkar M, Horwitz E, Neyaz A, Tai E, Magnus NKC, Vo KD, Yashaswini CN, Marangoni F, Boukhali M, Fatherree JP, Damon LJ, Xega K, Desai R, Choz M, Bersani F, Langenbucher A, Thapar V, Morris R, Wellner UF, Schilling O, Lawrence MS, Liss AS, Rivera MN, Deshpande V, Benes CH, Maheswaran S, Haber DA, Fernandez-Del-Castillo C, Ferrone CR, Haas W, Aryee MJ, Ting DT. Stromal Microenvironment Shapes the Intratumoral Architecture of Pancreatic Cancer. Cell 178(1):160-175.e27, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31155233.
- Di Pilato M, Kim EY, Cadilha BL, Prüßmann JN, Nasrallah MN, Seruggia D, Usmani SM, Misale S, Zappulli V, Carrizosa E, Mani V, Ligorio M, Warner RD, Medoff BD, Marangoni F, Villani AC, Mempel TR. Targeting the CBM complex causes Treg cells to prime tumours for immune checkpoint therapy. Nature 570(7759):112-116, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 31092922.
- Usmani SM, Murooka TT, Deruaz M, Koh WH, Sharaf RR, Di Pilato M, Power KA, Lopez P, Hnatiuk R, Vrbanac VD, Tager AM, Allen TM, Luster AD, Mempel TR. HIV-1 Balances the Fitness Costs and Benefits of Disrupting the Host Cell Actin Cytoskeleton Early after Mucosal Transmission. Cell Host Microbe 25(1):73-86.e5, 2019. e-Pub 2019. PMID: 30629922.
- Di Pilato M, Mejías-Pérez E, Sorzano COS, Esteban M. Distinct Roles of Vaccinia Virus NF-κB Inhibitor Proteins A52, B15, and K7 in the Immune Response. J Virol 91(13):e00575-17, 2017. e-Pub 2017. PMID: 28424281.
- Di Pilato M, Sánchez-Sampedro L, Mejías-Pérez E, Sorzano COS, Esteban M. Modification of promoter spacer length in vaccinia virus as a strategy to control the antigen expression. J Gen Virol 96(8):2360-2371, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25972354.
- Sánchez-Sampedro L, Perdiguero B, Mejías-Pérez E, García-Arriaza J, Di Pilato M, Esteban M. The evolution of poxvirus vaccines. Viruses 7(4):1726-803, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25853483.
- Di Pilato M, Mejías-Pérez E, Zonca M, Perdiguero B, Gómez CE, Trakala M, Nieto J, Nájera JL, Sorzano CO, Combadière C, Pantaleo G, Planelles L, Esteban M. NFκB activation by modified vaccinia virus as a novel strategy to enhance neutrophil migration and HIV-specific T-cell responses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 112(11):E1333-42, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25739961.
- Daszkiewicz L, Vázquez-Mateo C, Rackov G, Ballesteros-Tato A, Weber K, Madrigal-Avilés A, Di Pilato M, Fotedar A, Fotedar R, Flores JM, Esteban M, Martínez-A C, Balomenos D. Distinct p21 requirements for regulating normal and self-reactive T cells through IFN-γ production. Sci Rep 5:7691, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25573673.
- Di Pilato M, Esteban M. Neutrophil and vaccine. Cell Cycle 14(11):1615-6, 2015. e-Pub 2015. PMID: 25927421.
- Di Pilato M, Mejías-Pérez E, Gómez CE, Perdiguero B, Sorzano COS, Esteban M. New vaccinia virus promoter as a potential candidate for future vaccines. J Gen Virol 94(Pt 12):2771-2776, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24077296.
- Perdiguero B, Gómez CE, Di Pilato M, Sorzano CO, Delaloye J, Roger T, Calandra T, Pantaleo G, Esteban M. Deletion of the vaccinia virus gene A46R, encoding for an inhibitor of TLR signalling, is an effective approach to enhance the immunogenicity in mice of the HIV/AIDS vaccine candidate NYVAC-C. PLoS One 8(9):e74831, 2013. e-Pub 2013. PMID: 24069354.
Patents
- Mempel TR, Di Pilato M, von Andrian UH. Interval dosing of MALT1 inhibitors for optimal efficacy in combination with checkpoint inhibitors in cancer immunotherapy. Patent Number: 030258-095000PL01.
- Mempel TR, Di Pilato M. Targeting the CBM signalosome complex induces regulatory T cells to inflame the tumor microenvironment. Patent Number: WO/2019/133809.
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2023. Odyssey Annual Retreat. Conference. Odyssey Annual Retreat. Houston, TX, US.
- 2023. Town Hall: “Our War on Cancer - from Junior Recruits”. Conference. Town Hall: “Our War on Cancer - from Junior Recruits”. Houston, TX, US.
- 2022. Monthly Melanoma Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) Meetings. Conference. Monthly Melanoma Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) Meetings. Houston, TX, US.
- 2022. Discovery Biomedicine Series. Conference. Discovery Biomedicine Series. Houston, TX, US.
- 2022. Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG)/Molecular and Cellular Oncology (MCO) Distinguished Seminar Series. Conference. Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG)/Molecular and Cellular Oncology (MCO) Distinguished Seminar Series. Houston, TX, US.
- 2021. Town Hall Research Highlights. Conference. Town Hall Research Highlights. Houston, TX, US.
- 2021. Cancer Biology Invited Speaker Series. Conference. Cancer Biology Invited Speaker Series. Houston, TX, US.
- 2021. Immunology Faculty Seminar Series. Conference. Immunology Faculty Seminar Series. Houston, TX, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2024. Dissecting tumor immune microenvironment: from A(PC) to T. Conference. Dissecting tumor immune microenvironment: from A(PC) to T, TX, US.
- 2023. Defining the Role of CCR7+ Dendritic Cells in Melanoma. Conference. Defining the Role of CCR7+ Dendritic Cells in Melanoma, US.
- 2023. Eliciting Anti-Tumor Immunity. Conference. Eliciting Anti-Tumor Immunity, US.
- 2023. CD83 A New ICB. Conference. CD83 A New ICB, US.
- 2023. CD83 A New ICB. Conference. CD83 A New ICB, US.
- 2023. Inter-Skin SPORE Monthly Webinar. Conference. Inter-Skin SPORE Monthly Webinar. Philadelphia, PA, US.
National Presentations
- 2025. CD83 via CCR7+DC limits intratumoral CD8 responses and promotes tumor growth. Poster. Honolulu, Hawaii, US.
International Presentations
- 2024. International Seminar. Invited. International Seminar. Mexico City, MX.
- 2024. International Seminar. Invited. International Seminar. Frankfurt am Main, DE.
- 2022. International Seminar. Conference. International Seminar. Brescia, IT.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2026 - 2030 |
| Title: | Overcoming ICB Resistance: CD83 as a Novel Therapeutic Target |
| Funding Source: | American Cancer Society (ACS) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | FP00026699 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2028 |
| Title: | Targeting CD83 to Overcome Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Tumors |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | RP 260242 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
| Title: | Deciphering the Role of CCR7+ dendritic Cells Within Tumor Microenvironment |
| Funding Source: | Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | FP00022834 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
| Title: | Tackling CD83 to Control Tumors Unresponsive to Conventional ICB |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | FP00023787 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
| Title: | Chromosome 6q Shallow Deletion as a Biomarker of Response to Immunotherapy Across Tumors |
| Funding Source: | V FOUNDATION |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| ID: | FP00025910 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2030 |
| Title: | Targeting Immunosuppression in Colorectal Cancer Minimal Residual Disease |
| Funding Source: | NIH |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| ID: | 1R01 CA303030-01 |
| Date: | 2025 - 2028 |
| Title: | Exploring Cellular and Microenvironmental Perturbations Induced by Body Care Products During Melanomagenesis |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| ID: | RP 250335 |
| Date: | 2024 - 2029 |
| Title: | The Functional and Biochemical Characterization of the WRAD Core in Safeguarding Genome Stability in Pancreatic Cancer |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| ID: | 1 R01 CA296182-01 |
| Date: | 2024 - 2026 |
| Title: | Defining the Intratumoral Role of CCR7+ Dendritic Cells |
| Funding Source: | Andrew Sabin Family Fellows Program |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | RCTS 00063741; Fund: 129132 |
| Date: | 2024 - 2027 |
| Title: | A Novel Mechanism Safeguards Anti-tumor Pyroptosis |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| ID: | RP 240252 |
| Date: | 2023 - 2026 |
| Title: | Define the Intratumoral Role of CCR7+ Dendritic Cells |
| Funding Source: | Life Sciences Research Foundation |
| Role: | Mentor |
| ID: | FP00017795 |
| Date: | 2023 - 2024 |
| Title: | Defining the Intratumoral role and infiltration of CCR7+ dendritic cells |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center – Melanoma SPORE - Developmental Research Program (DRP) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | Fund: 128333 |
| Date: | 2023 - 2026 |
| Title: | Mapping the Geospatial Tumor Clonal Architecture to Restore Immune Recognition in Pancreatic Cancer |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | Co-I |
| ID: | RP 230373 |
| Date: | 2023 - 2024 |
| Title: | Pinpointing the CCR7+ Dendritic Cells on the Tumor Map |
| Funding Source: | American Association of Immunologists (AAI) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | FP00017485; Project: 00015035 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2023 |
| Title: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, CCSG New Faculty Award |
| Funding Source: | NIH/NCI |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 5P30CA016672-46; Project: 00858074 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2024 |
| Title: | Define the Intratumoral Role of CCR7+ Dendritic Cells |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center - Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | FP00016322; Project: 00014277 |
| Date: | 2022 - 2023 |
| Title: | Pinpointing the CCR7+ Dendritic Cells on the Tumor Map |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center – Melanoma SPORE - Developmental Research Program (DRP) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | Fund: 125122 |
| Date: | 2021 - 2026 |
| Title: | Start-Up Funds |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | Fund: 123622 |
| Date: | 2021 - 2024 |
| Title: | UT System Rising STARs Award |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas System |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | Fund: 123545 |
| Date: | 2021 - 2026 |
| Title: | Start-Up Funds |
| Funding Source: | The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | Fund: 123459 |
| Date: | 2020 - 2025 |
| Title: | Recruitment of First-Time Tenure-Track Faculty Members |
| Funding Source: | Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | RR 210017; Project: 00012275 |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified June 12, 2025