Since April 12th, 2026, we are happy to have a new member in the OxyPI lab: welcome to the world, Diana! 

In the latest edition of the science news program TG Leonardo, Beatrice discussed the induction dynamics of the hypoxic response in both plants and animals. 

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Big congratulations to Yuri for securing a YTF grant to attend the FEBS Practical Course on Generative AI for Protein Engineering. We are proud of this achievement and look forward to the innovative insights he will bring back to our research team! 

The DeepEn project, led by Prof. Benedetta Mennucci  in collaboration with the OxiPI Lab, has been awarded funding from the Fondo Italiano per la scienza (FIS2.0). The project focuses on the design of innovative photoenzymes, proteins capable of using light to catalyze the synthesis of new molecules. The proposed strategy combines computational chemistry and artificial intelligence, followed by experimental validation directly in living cells. This integrated approach opens new avenues for the rational design of highly efficient and application-ready catalytic proteins.

For more details visit the website: https://www.pisatoday.it/cronaca/fondo-italiano-scienza-finanziamenti-fis2-ricerche-universita-pisa-2024.html

The REMIND project (Do crop plants remember stress? Effect of water stress memory on crop resilience in response to recurrent drought and recovery events), in collaboration with Chiara Pagliarani (CNR Torino), has been awarded funding under the PRIN 2022 program. The project focuses on the mechanisms of stress memory in tomato plants, investigating how they respond to and recover from recurrent drought cycles. The strategy combines advanced epigenetic and molecular techniques to decode the biological basis of plant resilience. This integrated approach aims to provide new tools for improving crop sustainability and performance in the context of climate change.  

We are proud to announce that the team coordinated by Prof. Beatrice Giuntoli and led by Yuri Telara has been awarded the Silver Medal at the iGEM competition held in Paris – the world’s largest synthetic biology event!

Congratulations to all the undergraduate and graduate students involved for this remarkable achievement. Your hard work, dedication, and innovation have made us proud! 

For more info visit the website: https://2024.igem.wiki/pisa-it/jamboree

Congratulations to Yuri for receiving a Special Mention at the Iberian Plant Biology 2023 conference for his outstanding poster presentation. The work focused on molecular studies exploring the connection between oxygen sensing and iron homeostasis, highlighting innovative approaches and valuable insights in the field of plant biology.

Well done, Yuri!

Mikel has been awarded the Talento all'Opera prize, granted by Intesa Sanpaolo in recognition of his outstanding performance during his PhD.

Selection criteria  defined by the coordinators of each PhD program — include scientific publications, involvement in strategic and/or innovative projects, and the development of initiatives or events with institutional impact, with careful consideration of the specific nature of each doctoral path. Congratulation Mikel! 

The cover image of Plant Physiology, Volume 189, Issue 2 (June 2022), features work from Luca Piccinini’s research on optogenetics.

This recognition highlights the significance and visual impact of Luca's contribution to the field. Congratulations, Luca!

During the Nobel Prize 2019 ceremony in Stockholm, laureate Sir. Prof. Peter Ratcliffe expressed his gratitude to Prof. Beatrice Giuntoli and Prof. Francesco Licausi   for their scientific contributions to the study of oxygen sensing.

For more details visit the website: https://old.unipi.it/index.php/news/item/16263-nobel-per-la-medicina-a-peter-ratcliff-la-collaborazione-con-i-ricercatori-pisani