Scientific Achievements
With over 35 years of experience in academic medicine and translational research, Professor Luigi Mariani has dedicated his career to advancing the understanding and treatment of brain tumors.
His research has made key contributions to the molecular characterization of diffuse gliomas, the most frequent and therapeutically challenging malignant brain tumors. His group identified genetic determinants, including prognostic markers such as p53, IDH1/2 mutations, and 1p/19q loss of heterozygosity, and predictive markers for chemotherapy responsiveness like 1p-19q loss of heterozygosity and MGMT promoter methylation.
More recently, his team developed a novel immunotherapy treatment using CAR-T cells in combination with molecules enhancing the immunogenic response in the tumor environment. A first-in-human Phase 1–2 clinical trial using a specially engineered CAR-T construct is in preparation.
Professor Mariani has also contributed to guideline-changing clinical research in neurosurgery, especially through the implementation of randomized clinical trials.
His work has significantly improved the management of skull base tumors, such as vestibular schwannomas, where he pioneered a functional-preservation strategy involving subtotal resection followed by radiosurgery, dramatically reducing facial nerve palsy without compromising tumor control.
In the field of pituitary adenomas, his innovations include the development of a microsurgical reconstruction technique to reduce the risk of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid fistulas, and providing evidence that transnasal surgery is a safe and effective alternative treatment for small prolactinomas. In 2024, he introduced a novel endoscopic approach to resect pituitary adenomas invading the cavernous sinus, aiming to improve rates of total resection and long-term remission in both hormone active and hormone inactive pituitary tumors.