A common aim of the components of the operative unit deals with research activities aimed at addressing fundamental questions in different fields of modern medicine and at harnessing biotechnological approaches for the development of innovative diagnostic tools and drug therapies for human diseases, mostly focused, but not limited to cancer, viral and metabolic diseases. The Operative Unit addresses signalling events, miRNA function, as well as stress-related events in cancer cells, such as those linked to TRAP1 chaperone functions, carbonic anhydrase IX involvement in nucleolar stress. Biotechnological issues are strongly implemented via selection and generation of monoclonal and/or compact antibodies, interfering with cancer cell signalling and issues related to immune evasion. A pipeline for antibody selection is also active against HCV infections. Metabolomic and Proteomic issues are also strongly addressed within the operative unit, facing inborn errors of metabolism. Accordingly, the research activities of the components of the Operative Unit face the most advanced topics and technologies in Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Proteomics, Cancer Research, Metabolic diseases, Biotechnology.