Year of birth: 1953

BIOGRAPHY

Raffaella Giavazzi is an Italian pharmacologist and cancer researcher renowned for her pioneering work on metastasis and the tumor microenvironment. Born in Bergamo, Italy, she obtained her degree in Biological Sciences in 1979 and specialized in Pharmacology in 1984. Giavazzi furthered her expertise with a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Milan.

After completing her education, she joined the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research in Milan, where she has led the Laboratory of Biology and Treatment of Metastases. Her research focuses on the pre-metastatic niche, metastasis, tumor angiogenesis, and inflammation, bridging molecular mechanisms with therapeutic strategies. Giavazzi has published extensively, authoring over 340 publications, and has collaborated internationally, becoming a respected voice in translational oncology.

Her work has been instrumental in shifting cancer research from a tumor-centric to a systems-based view that includes stromal and immune components. Through mentorship and collaboration, she has also played a key role in shaping a generation of European cancer researchers.