Anna Ceccarelli

Research

My research bridges clinical oncology and computational biology, focusing on how the gut microbiome shapes anti-tumor immunity in colorectal cancer. In cancer, dendritic cells — particularly the cDC1 subset — play a critical role in priming effective T cell responses, and this process is often disrupted within the tumor microenvironment.

I investigate how microbiome composition and spatial organization influence dendritic cell function and immune infiltration in colorectal cancer, aiming to link the microbial-metabolic-immune axis to clinical outcomes. My goal is to identify prognostic biomarkers and mechanistic targets that could improve immunotherapy response in colorectal cancer patients.

Curriculum vitae

I obtained my Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology at the University of Sannio in Italy. I then completed my medical degree at Sapienza University of Rome in 2021 and began my residency in medical oncology. During this time, driven by my interest in translational research, I spent an 18-month internship within the Cancer-Immune-Microbiome group in Leiden, led by Dr. Jessica Roelands — an experience that shaped my decision to pursue a PhD in this field. I am currently a final-year medical oncology resident and a doctoral candidate in the Network Oncology and Precision Medicine PhD programme at Sapienza University of Rome. I am now continuing the collaboration with the Cancer-Immune-Microbiome group, conducting my research co-supervised by Dr. Jessica Roelands.