Education
2012 - PhD in Cellular, Molecular and Industrial Biology: Project n.2 “Functional and Molecular Biology”. Supervisor: Prof. G. Venturoli. Title of the thesis: “The coupling between electron transfer and protein/solvent dynamics in photosynthetic reaction centers: spectroscopic studies in amorphous matrices“.
2008 - Master Degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Bologna (110/110 with honours). Supervisor: Prof. Giovanni Venturoli; Co-supervisor: Prof. Francesco Francia.
2006 - Bachelor Degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Bologna (110/110 with honours). Supervisor: Dr. Maria Paola Turina.
Courses
2018 - Introduction to Python programming; 24-25 September, CINECA - Bologna.
2015 - High Performance Molecular Dynamics; 18-20 November, CINECA - Bologna.
2015 - Introduction to Scientific and Technical Computing in C, 4-6 May, CINECA – Bologna.
2010 - ASTER DOC 2010, organised by ASTER (High Technology Network Emilia-Romagna), 5-10 July 2010, Bologna, Italia.
2010 - 5th Italian Course “Introduction to Photochemistry”, 13-15 Settember 2010, University ofBologna, Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”.
Research activities
March 2017 – June 2018: Postdoctoral Research Fellow.
Project: “Acute myeloid leukemia Investigation with functional Device in lieu of Animals: AIDA”, founded by the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC); Tutor Dr. Stefania Rapino. Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, University of Bologna. Group of Functional Imaging and Cellular Chemistry (ChiC).
January 2012 – September 2016: Postdoctoral Research Fellow.
Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna. Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Biophysics.
Teaching activities
AA 2016-2017, AA 2015-2016, AA 2014-2015, AA 2013-2014, AA 2012-2013, AA 2011-2012, AA 2010-2011, AA 2009-2010 – Tutorial activity at the Laboratory of Biochemistry. Bachelor Degree in Biological Sciences. University of Bologna: School of Sciences.
AA 2018-2019, AA 2017-2018, AA 2015-2016, AA 2014-2015, AA 2013-2014 – Tutorial activity at Laboratory of Physical Chemistry. Master Degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology. University of Bologna: School of Pharmacy, Biotechnology and Sport Sciences.
Awards
2014: Best postdoctoral presentation.
Annual Meeting of the Italian Group of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics (GIBB) 2014, Matera, May 29th -31st, 2014.
2013: EMBO Short term fellowship.
Title of the research project: “Towards a structural and kinetic characterization of light-induced conformational changes in photosynthetic reaction centers: time-resolved differential FTIR spectroscopic studies in reaction center films at different hydration levels”, (ASTF 256 – 2013).
2012: Best postdoctoral presentation.
Annual Meeting of the Italian Group of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics (GIBB) 2012, Arcavacata (Cosenza), June 21st-23th, 2012.
Oral communications at International Congresses
2018: The 69th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Electrochemistry, ISE2018, Bologna (September 2nd-7th, 2018): “Reactive Oxygen Species Produced by Mitochondrial Respiratory Complexes Monitored with Modified Microelectrodes”.
2016: European Bioenergetics Conference EBEC 2016, Riva del Garda, Italy (July 2nd-7th 2016): “Charge-recombination kinetics in Photosystem I embedded in trehalose glasses at different hydration levels”.
2015: Frontiers in Water Biophysics 2015, Erice, Italy (September 7th-12nd, 2015):
“Protein-matrix coupling in photosynthetic reaction centers embedded in trehalose and sucrose glasses: the effect of protein concentration”.
2012: European Bioenergetics Conference EBEC 2012, Freiburg, Germany (September 14th-20th, 2012): “Exploring the coupling between electron transfer and protein dynamics in photosynthetic reaction centers embedded into dehydrated amorphous matrices”.
2010: Water Biophysics 2010, Trieste, Italy (May 23th-26th, 2010):
“Electron transfer kinetics in films of photosynthetic reaction centers at different hydration levels”.
Posters at International Congresses
2015: European Biophysics Congress EBSA 2015, Dresden, Germany (July 18th-22nd, 2015):
“Protein-matrix coupling in photosynthetic reaction centers embedded in trehalose and sucrose glasses”.
2012: European Bioenergetics Conference EBEC 2012, Freiburg, Germany (September 14th-20th, 2012): “Exploring the coupling between electron transfer and protein dynamics in photosynthetic reaction centers embedded into dehydrated amorphous matrices”.
2011: Journees de la Sociètè Française de Photosynthèse, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France (May 16th-17th, 2011) “Effects of dehydration on the stability of primary charge separation in bacterial reaction centers: studies by optical and differential FTIR spectroscopy”.
2010: Rèunion annuelle organisèe conjointement par la Sociètè Française de Photosynthèse, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France (May 6th-7th, 2010): “Electron transfer kinetics in films of photosynthetic reaction centers at different hydration levels”.
2009: European Biophysics Congress EBSA 2009, Genova, Italy (July 11th-15th, 2009):
Oral Communications at Italian Congresses
2018: XLVI Congresso della Divisione di Chimica Fisica, Bologna (June 25th-28th, 2018): “Redox Balance Monitored by Modified Microelectrodes in Cellular Models of a Human Multysistem Disorder”.
2018: Winter GEI (Giornate dell’Elettrochimica Italiana) 2018, Sestriere (January 21st -25th, 2018): “Production of reactive oxygen species in cellular models of a human multystem disorder monitored with modified microelectrodes”.
2017: First International GIBB Meeting, Catania (June 14th-16th, 2017): “The cytochrome b H291L mutation strongly impairs ubiquinol oxidation and proton translocation at the bacterial bc1 QO site”.
2015: Annual Meeting of the Italian Group of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics GIBB 2015, Udine (June 18th-20th, 2015): “Mutation of cytochrome b H291 impairs ubiquinol oxidation at the Qo site of the bacterial cytochrome bc1 bc1 complex”.
2015: Annual Meeting of the Italian Society of Photobiology SIFB 2015, Bari (June 11st-13th, 2015): “Bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers exposed to high temperatures for weeks retain their native structure and photoactivity when embedded into solid disaccharide matrices”.
2014: Annual Meeting of the Italian Group of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics GIBB 2014, Matera (May 29th-31st, 2014): “The conformational dynamics of photosynthetic reaction centers in trehalose and sucrose glasses: the effect of protein concentration”.
2012: Annual Meeting of the Italian Group of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics GIBB 2012, Arcavacata (June 21st-23th, 2012): “Inhibition of RC dynamics in dehydrated RC films and trehalose glasses”.
2011: Annual Meeting of the Italian Group of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics GIBB 2011, Roma (May 24th-27th, 2011): “Effects of dehydration on the stability of primary charge separation in bacterial reaction centers: studies by optical and differential FTIR spectroscopy”.
2010: Annual Meeting of the Italian Group of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics GIBB 2010, Bertinoro, Forlì-Cesena (June 10th-12nd, 2010): “The role of bound water molecules in stabilizing the primary charge separation of photosynthetic reaction centers”.
2009: Annual Meeting of the Italian Group of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics GIBB 2009, Udine (June 14th-16th, 2009): “Electron transfer kinetics and protein dynamics in wild type and carotenoid-less bacterial reaction centers: studies in trehalose glasses”.
Invited seminars
2012: Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Mülheim-an-der-Ruhr, Germany (February 28th, 2012): “Electron transfer and protein dynamics coupling in photosynthetic reaction centers embedded in trehalose glassy matrices and in dehydrated films”.
2010: Service de Bioénergétique Biologie Structurale et Mécanismes CEA-CNRS, Saclay, France (May 10th, 2010): “Electron transfer and protein dynamics coupling in photosynthetic reaction centers embedded in amorphous sugar glassy matrices and in dehydrated RC-detergent films”.
Reviewer for the following scientific journals: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics – PCCP; Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences; Photosynthesis Research; New Journal of Chemistry.
Member of the following Scientific Societies: GIBB, Gruppo Italiano di Bioenergetica; SCI, Società Chimica Italiana; ISE, International Society of Electrochemistry.
