Curriculum Vitae
Name and Surname : Alessandra Baracca
Nationality : Italian
Date and Place of birth: 25 september 1957, Ravenna
Professional address : Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Bologna,Via Irnerio 48- 40126 Bologna (Italy).
Tel.
+39-051-2091244
Fax: +39-051-2091224
e-mail: alessandra.baracca@unibo.it
Qualification:
1982 Laurea cum laude in Biological Sciences, Faculty of of Mathematic, Physic and Natural Sciences - University of Bologna, Italy
1988 Ph.D. in Cellular Biology and Physiology, University of Bologna, Italy.
Position held and professional experience:
1983-1987 PhD student in Cellular Biology and Physiology, University of Bologna, Italy.
1988-91 Post-doctoral research fellowship supported by Consorzio Italiano Tecnologie Farmaci Invecchiamento (CITFI): Studies on cerebral ageing, Department of Biochemistry-University of Bologna.
1992-94 Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Biochemistry- University of Bologna, Italy.
1995-98 Research Contracts by Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento S. Anna- Pisa: Energy metabolism impairment in mitochondrial diseases.
1999-2015 Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine - University of Bologna, Italy.
2015-19 Professor, Associate of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, School of Medicine and Surgery- University of Bologna, Italy.
2019-present Full Professor of Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, School of Medicine and Surgery- University of Bologna, Italy.
1986 Research fellow at the Department of Bioenergetics, Institute of Physiology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague (Dr J. Houstek).
2002 Guest fellow at the Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York Columbia University, collaboration with Prof. S. DiMauro and Prof. E Schon.
Main academic and scientific advisory duties: member of the Advisory board of the Dept of Biochemistry (a.a. 2001/02-2011/12), member of the Advisory board of the Dept of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (2012/15; 2015/18), member of the Research Advisory board of the Dept of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (2018/21-2021/present), member of the Council of the School of Medicine and Surgery (2005/08; 2008/11; 2012/15; 2015/18), member of the Management Committee of the Italian Group of Bioenergetics and Biomembranes (GIBB) (2007/09 e 2009/2011).
Main teaching experience:
2004-present
Lecturer of Biochemistry, Laurea Magistrale in Medicina e Chirurgia , School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Bologna, Italy
2003-2017
Lecturer of Biochemistry, Laurea triennale in Tecniche della Prevenzione nell’Ambiente e nei Luoghi di Lavoro, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Bologna, Italy
2016-present
Lecturer of Biochemistry, Laurea triennale in Tecniche di Neurofisiopatologia, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Bologna, Italy
2017-present
Lecturer of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurea triennale in Ostetricia, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Bologna, Italy
2016-present
Lecturer of Biochemistry, Scuola di Specializzazione in Anatomia Patologica, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Bologna, Italy
2019-present
Lecturer of Biochemistry, Scuola di Specializzazione in Patologia Clinica e Biochimica Clinica, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Bologna, Italy
Research interests in the recent years
The scientific research covers a number of topics under the general
heading of bioenergetics and in particular it focuses on aspects of
mitochondrial pathophysiology. Specifically the topics are:
- Cellular bioenergetics and metabolism in normal and cancer
cells
- Hypoxia in mitochondrial physiology and pathology
- The role of the endogenous inhibitor protein (IF1) of F0F1-ATPase (ATP synthase) of mammalian mitochondria in normal and transformed cells.
- The pathogenic mechanisms of neurological disorders associated to mtDNA mutations
Funded research projects (last 10 years)
PRIN 2010-11 Meccanismi mitocondriali della cancerogenesi (36 Mesi) - Coordinatore P. Bernardi, Univ. Padova. Componente U.R. di Bologna (G. Solaini)
Fondazione del Monte di Bologna e Ravenna (2014) -Macroarea: Innovazione tecnologica- (Prof. R. Bartesaghi) Titolo: Identificazione delle basi molecolari di patologie, quale strumento per la progettazione di terapie mirate- Linea 3 - Progetto di Ricerca: Metabolismo mitocondriale nei tumori: ruolo dell’inibitore endogeno dell’ATP sintasi nella cancerogenesi- Responsabile U.R.
Fondazione del Monte di Bologna e Ravenna (2015) Macroarea Tematica: Malattie oncologiche-Titolo: Modulazione Metabolica delle Cellule Tumorali in Ipossia. Responsabile Progetto di Ricerca
Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna (2018) Modulazione del metabolismo tumorale associata al silencing di IF1 come nuova strategia terapeutica. Responsabile Progetto di Ricerca
PRIN 2019-2022 (201789LFKB) The APP-mitochondria axis in iPSCs derived-neurones from Fragile X related-disorders (36 Mesi) - Coordinatore C. Bagni, Univ. di Torvergata, Roma. Componente U.R. di Bologna (V. Giorgio)
PRIN 2022 (20224CY2L9) Pathogenic insights and search for biomarkers in RFC1-ataxia/CANVAS: a model to a deeper understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying late-onset neurodegeneration. Responsabile U.R. di Bologna
National and international research awards and recognition
1986-“Research Award” funded by the Italian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SIB) as a means of supporting a research stay at the Department of Bioenergetics, Institute of Physiology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague.
1986-“Research Award” funded by the International Union of Biochemistry- International Union for Pure and Applied Bioenergetics Groups (IUB-IUPAB Bioenergetics Groups) as a means of supporting a research stay at the Department of Bioenergetics, Institute of Physiology, Czechoslova Academy of Sciences, Prague.
Top articles
-Literature-monitoring service provided by BioMedLib (May 2012)
List 1: Top 20 Articles, in the Domain of Article 17497220, Since its Publication (2007)
Evaluating mitochondrial membrane potential in cells. .SOLAINI G, SGARBI G, LENAZ G, BARACCA A: Biosci Rep; 2007 Jun; 27(1-3):11-21.
- ScienceDirect, Elsevier B.V.
Top 25 Hottest Articles
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology > Biochimica et Biophysica Acta
(BBA)-Bioenergetics
January to December 2011 and 2012 full year
Oxidative phosphorylation in cancer cells. SOLAINI G., SGARBI G., BARACCA A. (2011) BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS, vol. 1807, p. 534-542.
Hypoxia and mitochondrial oxidative metabolism. SOLAINI G., BARACCA A., LENAZ G., SGARBI G. (2010) BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS, vol. 1797, p. 1171-1177
-ScienceDirect, Elsevier B.V.
Top 25 Hottest Articles
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology > Biochimica et Biophysica Acta
(BBA)-Bioenergetics
January to March 2013 full year
Oxidative phosphorylation in cancer cells. SOLAINI G., SGARBI G., BARACCA A. C (2011) BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS, vol. 1807, p. 534-542.
-ScienceDirect, Elsevier 5 most Downloaded Articles
in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Bioenergetics
January to July 2016.
Hypoxia and mitochondrial oxidative metabolism. SOLAINI G., BARACCA A., LENAZ G.,
SGARBI G. (2010) BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS, vol. 1797, p. 1171-1177.
-The most downloaded articles from ScienceDirect BBA-Bioenergetics in the last 90 days (2014, 2015, 2019):
Rhodamine 123 as a probe of mitochondrial membrane potential: evaluation of proton flux through F0 during ATP synthesis, by Baracca A. et al. (2003) BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS, vol. 1606, p. 137-146
Hypoxia and mitochondrial oxidative metabolism, by Solaini G. et al. (2010) BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS, vol. 1797, p. 1171-1177.
Editorial comments
-Comment by Prof. Hirano M. and Prof. DiMauro S: “Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy: Biochemical Lights in a Blurry Scenario in Arch Neurol (2005) 62, 711-12 to: Severe impairment of Complex I-driven adenosine triphosphate synthesis in Leber hereditary optic neuropathy cybrids, by Baracca et al ARCHIVES OF NEUROLOGY, vol. 62, p. 730-736
-Comment by Prof. Haller RG. and Prof. Vissing J.: “Drilling for Energy in Mitochondrial disease” in Arch Neurol (2009) 66, 931-32 to: Human NARP mitochondrial mutation metabolism corrected with alpha-ketoglutarate/aspartate: a potential new therapy, by Sgarbi et al ARCHIVES OF NEUROLOGY, vol. 66, p. 951-957.
-Editorial Comment by Sonia R. Singh, Jeffrey Robbins: “Desmin and Cardiac Disease An Unfolding Story” in Circ. Res. (2018) 122, 1324-1326 to: Desmin phosphorylation triggers preamyloid oligomers formation and myocyte dysfunction in acquired heart failure, by Rainer PP. et al. Circ Res. 2018, 122(10): e75–e83.
Bibliometric parameters of scientific production (Scopus):
Citations = 4433
H index = 29
Reviewer ad hoc for scientific journals, including: Biochemical Journal, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, The International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Neurobiology of desease, Clinical Science, International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, Bioscence Reports, Cells, and Biochemical Society Transactions with expertise in mitochondrial pathophysiology and in structure, function and regulation of the ATP synthase complex.
Guest Editor of the Special Issue (2018) “Mitochondrial Bioenergetics in Cancer Cell Biology” in Cells
