New BRIC-group leader: The beauty of this job is generating knowledge that cures people
Asking the right questions is crucial to conduct science that has an impact. Cristian Bellodi, Professor and new Group Leader at BRIC, strives to bridge fundamental research and innovation to make an impact.
A passion for understanding the biology in RNA and a wish to impact society. That is what drives Cristian Bellodi in his science, fueled by personal losses of cared ones who died of cancer.
“I have a personal vendetta against cancer, but my motivation for science goes beyond this; My research should promote new knowledge that guides the development of new therapies and help society,” says Cristian Bellodi.
From January 1, 2025, the Bellodi Group is established at BRIC. They study how RNA modification and interaction affect development of cancer.
Fundamental researcher and Co-Founder
In Bellodi’s view, fundamental research and innovation can be deeply connected, which reflects his dual roles as Group Leader and Co-Founder of the spin-off biotech company, SACRA Therapeutics. As co-founder, he brings his knowledge from the lab to the company.
SACRA Therapeutics builds upon Bellodi’s discoveries of RNA modifications’ role in stem and cancer cells to develop novel therapeutic strategies that can challenge life-threatening diseases lacking effective treatments.
“SACRA Therapeutics stems from the research performed in my laboratory. I have been venturing a new area of research at the interface between RNA and hematology for the past 15 years, it obviously has fundamental aspects, which is translated into clinically relevant discoveries,” Bellodi explains.”
Multidisciplinaricy empowers impactful research
The clinical relevance guides Bellodi’s research questions to focus his research towards clinically unmet needs, and this requires a cross-disciplinary approach where clinicians are involved in basis science. He foresees great opportunities at BRIC to develop an interdisciplinary program to unveil novel cancer vulnerabilities.
“BRIC is a unique research institute because it has a multidisciplinary research constellation and an infrastructure that allows thinking outside the box. This is where innovation starts,” he says.
His ambition is to connect the dots between Bellodi Group, BRIC’s research environment, Rigshospitalet, Bio Innovation Institute, ReNEW, and Copenhagen based research community.
“My research group at BRIC will investigate how chemical modifications affecting RNA—one of life’s essential molecules—shape genetic information and influence cell function in health and disease, with a particular emphasis on blood and cancer development,” he concludes.
About Cristian Bellodi
- Professor and Group Leader at BRIC from January 2025.
- Group Leader at RNA and Stem Cell Biology at Lund University
- Postdoc at University of California, San Fransisco
- Ph.D. at University of Leicester
Bellodi receives an 8 million DKK Starter Grant from Novo Nordisk Foundation.
His research is within RNA stem cells and cancer biology.