Recent research interests are focused on the control of nucleotide sensing and metabolism. The group studies various processes in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including biofilm formation, host-pathogen interactions and metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells. These processes are investigated in hypoxia and normoxia, to unravel the contribution of oxygen and other gaseous molecules to cellular behavior. A multidisciplinary approach encompassing Molecular and Cell Biology, Biochemistry and Structural Biology is employed. Latest advancements move one step ahead, trying to couple basic research to translational studies, in order to identify inhibitors of selected protein targets.

Ongoing projects deal with:

-Metabolic reprogramming in proliferating cells. The main interest is one-carbon metabolism, a complex network of reactions yielding nucleotides, NADPH and methyl groups. Several papers have been published in this area on serine metabolism and on the role and inhibition of human serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT), the key enzyme controlling metabolites fluxes in one carbon metabolism. Recent results include the riboregulation of metabolic enzymes activity to be exploited to control cellular metabolism, aiming at designing RNA-based inhibitors (see also PRESS RELEASE).

- Cyclic dinucleotides and nitric oxide (NO) signaling. Here the main focus is on role of cyclic-di-GMP, a master regulator of biofilm formation in bacteria. Contributions in this field include: structure of several proteins involved in the biosynthesis of c-di-GMP and pGpG. Identification of inhibitors of c-di-GMP synthesis and degradation to be used as anti-biofilm drugs. In parallel, the interplay with metabolism of nitric oxide has been studied, by characterizing NO-synthetizing enzymes and NO-responsive transcription factors.

GRANTS  (SELECTION)

2023-2025: PRIN 2022 - MUR Italy

2022-2025: Progetto CN3- Centro Nazionale RNA PNRR

2021-2023:  Regional Funding from Regione Lazio Project "APTASER" FESR Fondo Europeo di Sviluppo Regionale  Project Abstract

2021-2025:  Horizon-2020 European Infrastructures Project "Molecular Scale Biophysics Research Infrastructure", MOSBRI Project website

2021-2024:      Ministero Salute Finalizzata 2019  - PI Unità Operativa Sapienza

2021:         Banca d'Italia- research support for excellent projects

2020-24     Investigator Grant, AIRC (Assoc. Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro)

2019:         Joint Project "Molecular Biophysics in Europe Research Infrastructure", MRSEI-ANR.

2016-2018: Investigator Grant, AIRC (Assoc. Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro)

2015-2017: Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti.

2013-2015: Investigator Grant, AIRC (Assoc. Italiana Ricerca sul Cancro)

2012: FIRB - MIUR-Italy

2011:         PRIN 2009 MIUR-Italy.

Patents

WO1997035011A1 Recombinant process for the production in pseudomonas putida of the cytochrome c551 of pseudomonas aeruginosa