Personale docente

He carries out investigations aimed at the understanding of structure-dynamics-function relationships of proteins in solution, and immobilized in silica gels and in the crystalline state. The catalytic mechanism, regulation and folding of enzymes that depend on pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, and on NAD and FAD were studied by spectroscopic methods and protein engineering. He has designed inhibitors for PLP-dependent enzymes and has developed computational methods for the evaluation of protein-ligand interactions. He has investigated oxygen and carbon monoxide binding to hemoglobin fixed in the T and R quaternary states. Results support the Tertiary Two State model that expands the Monod, Wyman and Changeux allostreic model. He carries out stidies aimed at the development of blood substitutes, also applying proteomic methods. He has invetsigated the dynamics and folding of green fluorescent protein also at single molecule level. He is developing the exploitation of therapeutic proteins, such as methionine gamma lyase fo anticancer activity, and alpha1 antitrypsin for the treatment of lung emphysema. He has active collaborations with Italian and foreign researchers. He is principal investigator of scientific projects funded by the Ministry of Instruction, University and Research, the European Union, MRC, Cariparma Foundation, and pharmaceutical and biotechnological companies. He has receivde grant from the American National Institutes of Health. He has participated to three European COST Actions. He is PI of a ITN MSCA on the development of novel antibiotics. He is author of 202 international refereed papers and books. He was member of the board committee of the session on enzyme catalysis for the 2013 FEBS meeting, St. Petersbourgh. He has been the organizer of several national and international meeting held in Parma since 2000, on blood substitutes, cofactor and coenzymes, and proteins involved in diseases. He is the coordinator of the Protein Group of the Italian Biochemistry Society since 2016