Mario Capasso is Professor of Medical Genetics at University of Naples Federico II where he and his research group investigate the genetic causes of neuroblastoma. His research interests are focused on translational genomics in pediatric cancers. He has the expertise in bioinformatics and in vitro functional analysis of genomic data obtained by diverse methodological approaches such as SNP array, Gene Expression array, Next Generation Sequencing. He has been able to identify the several neuroblastoma susceptibility genes (BARD1, NEFL, LIN28B). He has performed the first Italian Next Generation Sequencing of neuroblastoma that revealed somatic mutations that affect key pathways involved in cancer progression. Moreover, he has performed the first Italian Whole Genome Sequencing of neuroblastoma showing that noncoding mutations, affecting regulatory elements, can have a role in NB development. He is currently the Head of Bioinformatics Service for NGS.

Since 1983 Prof. Iolascon works in the field of rare anemias and he gradually gained international recognition in this field. Using continuously renewed methods in molecular biology and medical genetics, he characterized a large number of previously unknown genes and mutations: SPTA1, ANK1, AE1, SEC23B, ABCB6, and PIEZO1. Currently, Achille Iolascon is a Full Professor of Medical Genetics at the University of Naples “Federico II”, director of Post-graduate School of Medical Genetics - University Federico II of Naples, head of the Medical Genetics Unit of Federico II University Hospital, and PI of a research group at CEINGE – Advanced Biotechnologies, Naples, Italy. Prof. Iolascon Research group is currently an international reference group for the genetics of rare hemolytic anemias, either due to hyporegenerative defects and RBCs membrane defects. He is the president of the Italian Society of Human Genetics since 2019.

Immacolata Andolfo is a researcher of CEINGE, biotecnologie avanzate, Napoli. Her major interest is the study of the genetics of rare diseases, mainly hereditary anemias, with a focus on Dehydrate hereditary stomatocytosis and iron metabolism. After the degree in medical Biotechnologies, she attended the postgraduate Residency school in Medical Genetics; subsequently, she gave a Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine and Medical biotechnologies. Currently, she is the principal investigator of a project that aims to dissect the genetic bases of iron overload linked to variants in the PIEZO1 gene that encodes a mechanoreceptor involved in several biological processes.