Our faculty presently consists of two associate professors, Cristian Micheletti (head) and Alessandro Laio (deputy head), one tenure-track scientist, Giovanni Bussi and one co-opted assistant professor, Alessandra Magistrato from CNR who is responsible for the Biophysics research line of the CNR-IOM Democritos Center for Atomistic Simulations in Trieste.
Main research lines in the Molecular and Statistical Biophysics Group are:
(1) Characterising the effect of spatial confinement on the structural, topological and mechanical properties of biopolymers, particularly DNA. (PI: Prof. C. Micheletti)
(2) Elucidating the relationship between structure and function in proteins and enzymes. (PI: Prof. C. Micheletti)
(3) Simulating rare events in biological systems (PI: Prof. A. Laio)
(4) Molecular Mechanisms of Diseases and Drugs (PI: Dr. A. Magistrato) Hide
DNA Damage Recognition and Repair
In this respect we are currently studying the molecular recognition mechanism of repair enzymes (i.e. Uracil-DNA-Glycosylase (in collaboration with Dr. G. Bussi, SISSA) and photolyases) aiming at unveiling the principles of DNA damage recognition, one of the most fascinating open question in biology. In addition, we have recently focused on the study of inorganic molecules (Rh metalloinsertors) that selectively recognize DNA mismatches, cleaving the DNA filament, and being active as anticancer drugs in vivo.
Metal Based Anticancer Drugs and Devices:
The most characterized metal drug is cisplatin, routinely used on the clinics.
In recent years we have studied the structural properties of platinated drugs/DNA adducts. Next studies will be aimed at understanding the interactions between platinated drug-DNA/repair enzymes to shed light on the resistance mechanisms to cisplatin.
In collaboration with the experimental group of Prof. D. Bonifazi, University of Namur, Belgium, we have recently focused in the design and synthesis of magnetic nanotubes functionalized with tumoral biomarkers to be employed in the specific recognition of cancer cells.
Osteoarticolar disesases.
In collaboration with the University of Siena and the University of Florence we are focusing in the assembly of hydrogels and calcium phosphate (CP) nanocrystals functionalized with synthetic inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) enzymes with the aim of synthesizing and characterizing engineered materials to counteract the tissues degradation provoked by MMPs, which results in the osteoarticolar diseases.
(5) Enzymatic and biomimetic catalysis (PI: Dr. A. Magistrato)
(6) Simulation of small ribonucleic acid (RNA) (PI: Dr. G. Bussi)
(7) PLUMED Development (PI: Dr. G. Bussi)
