Prof. Dr. Dolores Di Vizio | Biochemistry | Best Researcher Award
Professor at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center | United States
Dr. Dolores Di Vizio is a globally recognized physician-scientist whose research has significantly advanced the fields of cancer biology, extracellular vesicles (EVs), and translational oncology. She holds multiple academic positions at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and plays a leading role in international scientific organizations. Dr. Di Vizio is best known for pioneering the discovery of large oncosomes, a novel type of extracellular vesicle implicated in cancer progression and metastasis.
Publication Profile
Scopus
Educational Background
Dr. Di Vizio earned both her M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Naples Federico II in Italy. Following her graduate education, she completed postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School, where she honed her expertise in molecular and cancer biology, laying the foundation for her later groundbreaking work in EVs and cancer metastasis.
Professional Experience
Dr. Di Vizio is a Professor in the Departments of Surgery, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, and Biomedical Sciences at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She also serves as Co-Director of the Cancer Biology Program at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute. Her international presence includes visiting faculty positions at Yonsei University in Korea, the University of Calabria in Italy, and IRCCS Regina Elena in Italy. Prior to her tenure at Cedars-Sinai, she held a faculty position at Harvard Medical School. Her editorial influence is substantial, serving as Deputy Editor of the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles and sitting on the editorial boards of prominent journals such as Oncotarget, Biomedicines, and Frontiers in Oncology. Additionally, she has organized and chaired major scientific conferences including the Gordon Research Conference and the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) meetings in 2021 and 2023.
Research Interests
Dr. Di Vizio’s research centers on the biology of extracellular vesicles, particularly large oncosomes, and their role in tumor dissemination, with a focus on prostate cancer. She investigates the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving cancer metastasis and signal transduction, including cytoskeletal remodeling and intercellular communication. Her work also emphasizes translational research, with a goal of developing EV-based diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies for advanced cancers.
Awards and Honors
Throughout her career, Dr. Di Vizio has secured over $10 million in competitive research funding from prestigious agencies including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Defense (DoD), Avon Foundation, and the American Italian Cancer Foundation (AICF). She has been an invited speaker at more than 70 national and international institutions and high-profile events, such as Nature Webinars, Keystone Symposia, and AACR meetings. She has also served as a reviewer and panelist for NIH study sections, the DoD Prostate Cancer Program, and the European Research Council (ERC). Her contributions to mentorship and training are equally impressive, with leadership roles in NIH T32, R25, and CTSI-supported programs and mentorship roles in DoD and SPORE-funded initiatives.
Publications
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Title: Extracellular vesicle heterogeneity through the lens of multiomics
Year: 2025
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Title: Roadblocks of Urinary EV Biomarkers: Moving Toward the Clinic
Year: 2025
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Title: Emerin Dysregulation Drives the Very-Small-Nuclear Phenotype and Lineage Plasticity That Associate with a Clinically Aggressive Subtype of Prostate Cancer
Year: 2025
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Title: A class of large cell-like extracellular vesicles: Extracellular vesicles
Year: 2025
Citations: 3
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Title: Mechanisms governing lineage plasticity and metabolic reprogramming in cancer
Year: 2025
Citations: 3
Conclusion
Dr. Dolores Di Vizio is an internationally respected leader in cancer research whose pioneering contributions to extracellular vesicle biology have reshaped current understanding of tumor progression and metastasis. Her dedication to translational science, strong record of mentorship, and active leadership in global scientific communities position her as a standout figure in contemporary oncology research. She is exceptionally well-qualified for recognition through high-level research awards, embodying a career defined by scientific innovation, educational commitment, and impactful interdisciplinary collaboration.