Dr Cristina L Ronchi MD, PhD

Dr Cristina Ronchi

Department of Metabolism and Systems Science
Reader in Endocrine Oncology and Consultant Endocrinologist
President-Elect of ENSAT

Contact details

Email
c.l.ronchi@bham.ac.uk
Twitter
@CryRonchi
View my research portal
Address
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Cristina Ronchi is a clinician scientist with long-standing translational expertise in endocrine tumors. Her research field mostly focuses on mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of adrenal tumours, as well as prognostic biomarkers and novel drug targets for adrenocortical cancer.  She is particularly active in research dissemination and collaborates with several world-leading groups around Europe. Clinically active as a Consultant in Endocrinology, she leads the Adrenal Tumour Service at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. Dr Ronchi is regularly involved in teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students at the Birmingham Medical School.

Qualifications

  • Reader in Endocrine Oncology 2021 (UoB, UK)
  • Honorary Consultant in Endocrinology 2018 (UHB NHS Trust, UK)
  • MSc 2014 (Germany)
  • PhD in Endocrine Sciences 2008 (Italy)
  • CCT in Endocrinology & Diabetes 2005 (Italy)
  • MBChB 2000 (Italy)

Biography

Dr Ronchi studied medicine and obtained the Specialisation in Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at the University of Milan (Italy). From 2010 to 2017 she worked at the Division of Endocrinology at the University Hospital of Würzburg (Germany), where she also led the section “Translational Tumor Endocrinology”.

She has been a core member of the European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumours Executive Board since 2021 and recently elected President of the ENSAT.

She has obtained several fellowships, prizes and grants as financial support for her research projects. She has published more than 110 peer-reviewed journal articles and attended more than 160 national and international conferences as presenting author or invited speaker.

Dr Ronchi is a member of four scientific societies, two editorial boards and active as peer-reviewer for journals, grants and conferences. She is member of the Editorial Board of JCEM and Endocrine Oncology.

She coordinates the Birmingham Adrenal Team and organises regular educational activities as well as public and patient involvement and engagement events.

Dr Ronchi takes part in regular didactic activities at UoB and UHB including the supervision of undergraduate students. She also mentors and supervises visiting International Clinical Fellows. 

Teaching

  • Adrenal Lecture MBChB Year 1
  • SGT MBChB Year 1 and 2 (Adrenal, Endocrine Disorders)
  • Personal Academic Tutor MBChB Year 1 and 2 since 2019
  • Leader of MBChB Year 1 research Taster Experience
  • Undergraduate supervision: BMedSc (Clinical Sciences Intercalated Degree) course

Postgraduate supervision

2013-2020 supervision of three MD Students at the University Hospital of Wuerzburg (Esther Henning graduated 2020, Valeria Laufs graduated 2020, Raimunde Liang graduated 2021)

2014-2020 Co-Supervision of two PhD Students

  • Juliane Lippert (collaboration with the Institute of Human Genetics, Würzburg, PhD finished 2021)
  • Barbara Altieri (collaboration with the University of Rome, PhD finished 2019)

Dr Ronchi is currently available for supervision of self-funded PhD students on projects related to adrenocortical tumours

Research

  • Adrenocortical tumors

-       Pathogenesis of adrenocortical tumors and adrenal Cushing Syndrome.

-       Prognostic and predictive molecular markers in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC)

-       Molecular targets for innovative therapies for ACC.

-       Precision medicine for adrenocortical tumours.

  • Genetic studies in endocrine tumors.
  • Pituitary tumors: patho-physiology, clinic characterisation and treatment.
  • Neuroendocrinology: patho-physiology, clinic and therapy of GH excess and deficiency. Therapeutic applications of somatostatin analogs. Regulation of ghrelin secretion in physiological and pathological conditions.
  • University Hospital of Wuerzburg
  • European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumours 

Other activities

  • Dr Ronchi is Associate Editor for the journal Endocrine Oncology (Bioscientifica) and member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Precision Medicine
  • Dr Ronchi is elected member of the Clinical Committee of the national Society for Endocrinology.
  • Since 2021, Dr Ronchi is head of the NAPACA working group and member of the Executive Board of the European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumours 
  • Dr Ronchi has been active in clinical activities as Consultant Endocrinologist since 2005
  • Since 2018, she is leading the Adrenal Tumour Service at QEHB and the Adrenal Multi-Disciplinary Team at UHB (Queen Elizabeth Hospital)

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Criseno, S, Ravi, S, Sagu, R, Gillett, C, Prete, A & Ronchi, C 2026, 'Adrenal Tumour Diagnostic Pathway: Results of a National Survey in the United Kingdom', Endocrine Connections. https://doi.org/10.1530/EC-25-0792

Mangone, A, Altieri, B, Ferrante, E, Bancos, I, Luconi, M, Ziółkowska, B, Nekić, AB, Libe, R, Ceccato, F, Pittaway, JFH, Laganà, M, Di Dalmazi, G, Peverelli, E, Kimpel, O, Fard, BB, Canu, L, Kotecka-Blicharz, A, Kastelan, D, Bouys, L, Tizianel, I, Bennett, G, Schauer, MP, Elhassan, Y, Detomas, M, Zanatta, L, Sadiq, M, Mantovani, G & Ronchi, CL 2026, 'Clinical Predictors of Outcome in Advanced Adrenocortical Carcinoma: a multicentre international ENSAT study', European Journal of Endocrinology. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejendo/lvag046

Kimpel, O, Cosentini, D, Calabrese, A, Jouinot, A, Altieri, B, Kircher, S, Di Dalmazi, G, Elhassan, YS, Vassiliadi, D, Chrysoula, K, Puglisi, S, Coscia, K, Gallego, NV, Loli, P, Boudina, M, Lagana, M, Cremaschi, V, Pignatelli, D, Rios, E, Villavicencio, CA, McKenzie, TJ, Rayes, N, Ronchi, CL, Bancos, I, Terzolo, M, Berruti, A, Assié, G, Kroiss, M & Fassnacht, M 2026, 'Current clinical management and outcome of patients with adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC) with rare histological subtypes—an ENSAT cohort study', ESMO Open, vol. 11, no. 3, 106092. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esmoop.2026.106092

Howarth, S, MacFarlane, J, Yang, L, Harper, I, Shaw, A, Elhassan, YS, Kosmoliaptsis, V, Gurnell, M, Ronchi, CL & Casey, RT 2026, 'Is adrenal adenoma to carcinoma transformation possible? – Illustrative cases and literature review', Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgag022

Altieri, B, Kircher, S, Herterich, S, Jahn, A, Teleanu, M-V, Lippert, J, Landwehr, L-S, Kimpel, O, Reuter, M, Remde, H, Stenzinger, A, Glimm, H, Bargou, RC, Fröhling, S, Ronchi, CL, Appenzeller, S, Fassnacht, M & Kroiss, M 2026, 'Mismatch repair deficiency and microsatellite instability in adrenocortical carcinoma', ESMO Open, vol. 11, no. 2, 106030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esmoop.2025.106030

Xu, M, Tourigny, D, Lippert, J, Crastin, A, Appenzeller, S, Asia, M, Podstawka, O, Smith, G, Elhassan, Y, Skordilis, K, Prete, A & Ronchi, C 2025, 'ccfDNA analysis for the classification of adrenocortical adenomas', Journal of endocrinological investigation, vol. 48, pp. 1207–1216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-025-02540-5

Jamaluddin, A, Wyatt, RA, Pasaliu, A, Ruggles, O, Calebiro, D, Gorvin, CM & Ronchi, CL 2025, 'Characterisation of a GNAS variant linked to cortisol-producing adrenocortical adenoma', Endocrine Oncology , vol. 5, no. 1, e250009. https://doi.org/10.1530/EO-25-0009

Catalano, R, Nozza, E, Altieri, B, Esposito, E, Croci, GA, Barbieri, AM, Treppiedi, D, Di Bari, S, Kimpel, O, Detomas, M, Tamburello, M, Schauer, MP, Herterich, S, Angelousi, A, Luconi, M, Canu, L, Nesi, G, Hantel, C, Sigala, S, Landwehr, L-S, Di Dalmazi, G, Cassinotti, E, Baldari, L, Palmieri, S, Mangone, A, Ferrante, E, Ronchi, CL, Mantovani, G & Peverelli, E 2025, 'Emerging role of IGF1R and IR expression and localisation in adrenocortical carcinomas', Cell Communication and Signaling, vol. 23, no. 1, 119. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12964-025-02115-0

Husebye, ES, Assie, G, Krone, NP, Achermann, JC, Altieri, B, Amar, L, Araujo-Castro, M, Brown, MJ, Casey, RT, Claahsen-van der Grinten, HL, Davies, EH, Deinum, J, Flück, CE, Kastelan, D, Kroiss, M, Mulatero, P, Laakso, S, Pearce, SH, Reincke, M, Reisch, N, Robledo, M, Ronchi, C, Vassiliadi, DA, Wiegering, V & Zennaro, M-C 2025, 'EndoCompass project: research roadmap for adrenal and cardiovascular endocrinology', European Journal of Endocrinology, vol. 193, no. Supplement_2, pp. ii12–ii22. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejendo/lvaf063

Saygili, ES, Elhassan, Y, Prete, A, Lippert, J, Altieri, B & Ronchi, C 2025, 'Machine learning-based survival prediction tool for adrenocortical carcinoma', Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, vol. 110, no. 10, pp. e3185-e3192. https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgaf096

Abstract

Cristofolini, G, Detomas, M, Puglisi, S, Novizio, R, Canu, L, Lasolle, H, Ceccato, F, Angelousi, A, Świątkowska-Stodulska, R, Pittaway, J, Ambroziak, U, Kastelan, D, Bancos, I, Ronchi, CL & Altieri, B 2025, 'OC31 - Prognostic value of serum inflammation-based scores in localized adrenocortical carcinoma undergoing adjuvant mitotane therapy: a multicenter ENSAT study', European Journal of Endocrinology , vol. 193, no. Supplement_1, lvaf168.061, pp. i30. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejendo/lvaf168.061

Catalano, R, Cristofolini, G, Küppers, S, Pimentel Mendoza, C, Secerner, KA, Detomas, M, Schauer, MP, Kimpel, O, Herterich, S, Ronchi, CL, Sbiera, S, Peverelli, E, Mantovani, G, Fassnacht, M & Altieri, B 2025, 'OC39 - Exploring tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) polarisation in adrenocortical adenomas', European Journal of Endocrinology , vol. 193, no. Supplement_1, pp. i34-i35. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejendo/lvaf168.069

Tucci, L, Vara, G, De Leo, A, Skordilis, K, James, L, Mosconi, C, Dhesi, B, De Biase, D, Lippert, J, Mohamed, A, Di Dalmazi, G & Ronchi, CL 2025, 'OC43 - Radiogenomics pilot study in adrenocortical carcinoma: assessing the relationship between genetic background and computerized tomography texture', European Journal of Endocrinology , vol. 193, no. Supplement_1, lvaf168.080, pp. i40-i41. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejendo/lvaf168.080

Comment/debate

Terzolo, M, Fassnacht, M, Berruti, A & Ronchi, C 2025, 'Navigating Uncertainty in Adjuvant Mitotane Therapy', Endocrine practice : official journal of the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, vol. 31, no. 7, pp. 975-976. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eprac.2025.03.012

Letter

Mariniello, K, Pittaway, JFH, Altieri, B, Borges, KS, Hadjidemetriou, I, Ribeiro, C, Ruiz-Babot, G, Tourigny, D, Lim, JA, Foster, J, Cleaver, J, Sosabowski, J, Rahman, N, Doroszko, M, Hantel, C, Sigala, S, Abate, A, Tamburello, M, Kiseljak-Vassiliades, K, Wierman, M, Hall, C, Parvanta, L, Abdel-Aziz, TE, Chung, T-T, Di Marco, A, Palazzo, F, Gomez-Sanchez, CE, Taylor, DR, Rayner, O, Ronchi, C, Gaston-Massuet, C, Sbiera, S, Drake, WM, Rognoni, E, Kroiss, M, Breault, DT, Fassnacht, M & Guasti, L 2025, 'Dlk1 is a novel adrenocortical stem/progenitor cell marker that predicts malignancy in adrenocortical carcinoma', Cancer Communications, vol. 45, no. 6, pp. 663-668. https://doi.org/10.1002/cac2.70012

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