Precision oncology

Cancer cell GPS in the new centre of excellence at Pascale in Mercogliano

Thanks to state-of-the-art instrumentation, it is possible to map the geographical interaction of neoplastic cells with the immune system so as to make therapy increasingly effective and accessible to a growing number of patients

by Alfredo Budillon *, Paolo Ascierto **

16 March 2026

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The vital map of a tumour may appear on the screen of microscopes as a brightly coloured abstract work, almost like Van Gogh's 'Starry Night'. In reality, what we observe is an extraordinarily precise representation of the tumour microenvironment, a true GPS map of the cells. It is the most advanced frontier of precision medicine: spatial biology.

The Mercogliano workshop

This is what happens every day in Mercogliano, in the province of Avellino, where the first laboratory in Southern Italy dedicated exclusively to research in immunoncology has been inaugurated. Here, in fact, studies converge that range from the analysis of the microbiome to the genetic profiling of patients through so-called gene signatures, to the identification of new molecular biomarkers. However, the most advanced line of research we are exploring concerns spatial biology, a revolutionary discipline that makes it possible to study the tumour microenvironment with surgical precision.

Traditional genomics analyses tissues as if they were a 'smoothie' of cells. Spatial biology, on the other hand, makes it possible to keep the architecture of the tumour intact, preserving its topographical context. Thanks to state-of-the-art instrumentation, we can therefore map not only the presence of tumour cells, but also their geographical interaction with the immune system.

This approach makes it possible to study the mechanisms of resistance to therapies much more accurately and to work on increasingly personalised treatments. The aim is to make immunotherapy increasingly effective and accessible to a growing number of patients.

An ecosystem of innovation

The Mercogliano laboratory is not just a new technological facility. It is an ecosystem of innovation involving the entire research team of the Pascale Institute, with researchers engaged in the development of advanced immunoncology projects. In this context, the Mercogliano centre represents a strategic point because the Institute's main technological platforms have been centralised here.

With this laboratory, we make a further quantum leap in precision medicine. We are no longer limiting ourselves to observing tumour cells in isolation, but analysing their organisation in space and the relationships they establish with each other and with the immune system. Understanding this biological architecture can help us understand why some patients respond to therapies and others do not, paving the way for increasingly targeted treatments capable of reducing side effects and maximising the effectiveness of treatments.

From mourning to hope

This new centre of excellence at the Irccs Fondazione Pascale, which was created thanks to a generous donation from the Irti Foundation, is also linked to a personal story that deserves to be remembered. After a serious family bereavement, Nicola Irti chose to turn grief into a gesture of hope, promoting a total donation of 400,000 euro through the Irti Foundation. This contribution has made possible the purchase of advanced technologies that place Campania at the centre of the European scientific map in the field of immunoncology. This is an important signal not only for research, but also for the region. Investing in science and young researchers means building treatment opportunities for patients and strengthening the role of Irccs Pascale as an international reference in oncological research.

* Scientific Director of the Pascale Institute in Naples

** Full Professor of Oncology at the Federico II University of Naples and Director of the Melanoma Oncology and Oncological Immunotherapy and Innovative Therapies Unit at the Pascale Institute in Naples