Alessandro Fatatis

Alessandro Fatatis, MD, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology at Drexel University College of Medicine. He earned his MD from the University of Naples, Italy, and his PhD from the University of Chieti, Italy. His research focuses on metastatic mechanisms in solid tumors, particularly prostate and breast cancers, with an emphasis on identifying biomarkers and therapeutic targets. His lab investigates chemokine receptors (e.g., CX3CR1) and signaling pathways (e.g., PDGFR) involved in metastasis to bone, lungs, and brain.

Research achievements include pioneering studies on CX3CR1’s role in cancer cell adhesion to bone marrow and the development of PDGFR-targeted therapies. Collaborative efforts with Eli Lilly led to phase II clinical trials for Olaratumab (IMC-3G3) in advanced prostate cancer. Dr. Fatatis has received awards such as the Drexel Young Scientist Award (2006) and the Director’s Award for Outstanding Member (2016).

• Key Projects: Small-molecule inhibitors of CX3CR1, PDGFR-regulated genes in metastasis, inflammatory breast cancer models.
• Labs/Teams: Principal Investigator of the Fatatis Lab, part of the Cancer Biology (CBIO) Program at Drexel.
• Grants: $100,000 from Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition (2015) for metastasis research.