First name: M. Paola
Family name: Turina
Born: Reggio Emilia, January 1962
Adress: University of Bologna, Department of Biology, Via
Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna. Tel: 051-2091322.
Curriculum:
July 1985: Master degree in Biological Sciences at the
University of Bologna.
September 1985 - April 1987: Reaserch activity at
the Institut for Cancer Research, University of Bologna, laboratory
of Prof. S.Grilli, as recipient of a scholarship from the Italian
Association for Cancer Research (AIRC). Research: mechanisms of
chemical carcinogenesis and set-up of in vitro assays for screening
of chemical carcinogens.
April 1987 - February 1991: PhD work at the Department of
Biology, University of Bologna, laboratory of Prof. B.A. Melandri.
Research: bioenergetics of photosynthetic bacterial systems;
catalytic and regulatory properties of the ATP synthase of the
photosynthetic bacterium Rb. capsulatus. PhD degree in
February 1991.
May 1991 - November 1995: Research activity as
postdoctoral associate at the Institute of Molecular Biology,
University of Oregon, in the laboratory of Prof. R.A. Capaldi.
Research: monitoring of conformational changes associated to the
catalytic steps of the ATP synthase of E.coli by
fluorescence labeling of site-directed cystein mutants; atomic
force microscopy imaging of the isolated and reconstituted Fo
sector of this enzyme.
November 1995 - present: Research Associate (class BIO/10),
at the Department of Biology, University of Bologna. Research.
Cloning and sequencing of the ATP synthase operon of
Rb.
capsulatus; site-directed mutagenesis of that enzyme and work
on the kinetic of the mutant enzymes. Investigation of intrinsic
uncoupling in the ATP synthases of
Rb. capsulatus and
E.coli. Isolation and reconstitution in liposomes of the ATP
synthases from
E.coli, spinach chloroplasts and
Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondria, and study of the
catalytic and thermodynamic properties of those enzymes. Study of
the conformational dynamics of photosynthtic Reaction Centers
embedded in saccharidic glass matrices.