Research Topics

The biochemistry track includes a wide range of topics involving in vitro and in vivo models to tackle human health and disease.

Biochemical analysis of bacterial proteins involved in the pathogenesis of infectious diseases, with a focus on the identification of molecular mechanisms of disease and the discovery of potential small molecule inhibitors.
Analysis of biological fluids from chronic lung disease patients to investigate the role of proteases and associated inhibitors in pulmonary extracellular matrix degradation; development of new therapeutic strategies aimed at preserving/restoring alpha1-antitrypsin functional activity.
Biochemistry of human erythrocyte; pathogenetic mechanisms of diseases related to protein-misfolding: disease biochemical markers.
Platelet biochemistry in thrombosis, hemostasis, cancer and degenerative disorders; characterization of platelet function from basic molecular mechanisms to complex functional responses.
Molecular bases of diseases associated to aging and amyloidosis. Analysis of connective matrix in normal and pathological conditions; proteins of biomedical interest: functional and structural studies.
Elucidation of the molecular mechanism of amyloid fibrils formation in vivo and in experimental models of the disease. Investigation of structure, folding/misfolding dynamics of amyloidogenic proteins. Mechanism of toxicity of amyloid fibrils in vivo.
Generation and characterization of cells and animal models (mouse and zebrafish) of human diseases: basic to translational research.

Projects

Amyloid diseases: from the molecular mechanism toward discovering  new therapies
Research group: Vittorio Bellotti, Patrizia Mangione, Sofia Giorgetti, Sara Raimondi, Francesca Lavatelli, Loredana Marchese, Guglielmo Verona

Biochemical analysis of bacterial proteins involved in pathogenesis to identify alternative strategies to antibiotics and/or to enhance their effects
Research group: Giampiero Pietrocola, Angelica Pellegrini

Generation and characterization of cells and animal models (mouse and zebrafish) of human diseases: basic to translational research
Research group: Antonella Forlino, Antonio Rossi, Roberta Besio

Protein Biochemistry: functional and structural studies of proteins with pathological implications
Research group: Maria Enrica Tira, Claudio Seppi, Laurent Chiarelli

Chronic lung disorders: study of the biochemical features of proteins involved during inflammation and development of new therapeutic interventions
Research group: Simona Viglio, Paolo Iadarola, Maura D’Amato

Red blood cell biochemistry: role of lipid regulation in the life cycle of red blood cells in health and disease
Research group: Giampaolo Minetti, Annarita Ciana, Cesare Achilli

The molecular basis of blood platelets function in physiological and pathological conditions
Research group: Ilaria Canobbio, Gianni Guidetti, Marta Zarà, Mauro Torti