Biochemical and Biotechnological Sciences (Coordinator Prof. C. Emiliani)

Research outlines:

Biochemical and molecular biology approaches for investigating physiological and pathological mechanisms underlying cancer, infectious and neurodegenerative diseases; identification of risks and protective factors for the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases related to aging; innovative bio-based materials and biocatalysis for sustainable development in the context of circular economy and green chemistry.

Reasearch Group Members:

Sandra Buratta (Researcher)

Manlio Di Cristina (Associate Professor)

Roberto Fabiani (Associate Professor)

Ermanno Federici (Researcher)

Paolo Gorello (Ric. TDB)

Sabata Martino (Associate Professor)

Roberto Maria Pellegrino (Technician)

Serena Porcellati (Researcher)

Patrizia Rosignoli (Associate Professor)

Brunella Tancini (Researcher)

Lorena Urbanelli (Associate Professor)

Biotechnology Translational research: from bench to biomedical applications

- Biochemical and molecular characterization of native and recombinant lysosomal enzymes produced by stem cells and gene therapy technology for the development of therapeutic strategies for the lysosomal metabolic storage diseases, in particular GM2-Gangliosidosis, Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, and Krabbe disease.

- Development of biochemical assays (GCP, IS09001:2015) for monitoring the expression of target proteins in treaded and healthy biological samples (e.g. cerebrospinal fluid).

- Identification of molecular pathways (e.g. microRNAs expression; mechanotransduction signaling; autophagy) associated with the progression of neurodegenerative diseases involving cellular storage materials, for developing diagnostic tools and innovative therapeutic strategies.

- Development of stem cell - biomaterials systems for identifying molecular pathways dictating phenotypical reprogramming of stem cells for selected biomedical applications.

- In silico Protein and RNA Modeling: folding prediction; in silico mutagenesis; interaction modeling with a target molecule; molecular docking and molecular dynamics.

- Multivariate analysis and Machine Learning approaches for the study of the metabolic pathways in health and disease.

Translational research and identification of new genetic markers

- Molecular characterization of new genetic markers in patients affected by hemoglobinopathies, cancer, hereditary hemocromatosis and other blood diseases.

- DNA sequencing with Sanger and NGS methods.

Enzyme Immobilization on innovative materials

- Development of therapeutic strategies based on the use of immobilized enzymes for the therapy of lysosomal storage diseases.

- Conversion of agri-food waste in valuable products for agriculture and animal breeding.

- Isolation of bio-active molecules from agri-food wastes and/or by-products for nutraceutical and food industry

Extracellular Vesicles (EVs): from intracellular trafficking to nanomedicine

- Biochemical and biophysical characterization of EVs isolated by in vitro cell models and biological fluids (plasma, serum, saliva, urine).

- EV-mediated cell signalling and biological effects exerted by EVs on target cells.

- Study of molecular content of EVs released under autophagic-lysosomal impairment conditions.

- EV labeling using recombinant fluorescent constructs (EGFP-CD63 e mCherry-CD63).

Metabolomic and phospholipidomic analyses

- Comprehensive metabolomic and phospholipidomic profiling of biological fluids, tissues, cells and Extracellular Vesicles by LC/MS-MS (Mass Spectrometer Agilent 6530 Accurate Q-TOF combined with UPLC 1290 Infinity).

- Study of lipid-mediated signaling pathways and gene/proteins expression of phospholipid-related enzymes in physiological and pathological conditions.

Identification and characterization of autophagic pathway in Toxoplasma gondii

- In silico identification of genes encoding proteins potentially involved in the formation and regulation of T. gondii autophagosomes. Tagging with fluorescent markers (GFP or mCherry) of the genes identified by bioinformatics analysis using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and analysis of the sub-cellular localization of the tagged proteins by fluorescence microscopy.

- Generation of T. gondii knock-out cell lines in which the genes involved in the autophagic process have been deleted; phenotype analysis

- Identification of compounds capable to specifically block the autophagic process of T. gondii in order to induce the degeneration of T. gondii cysts typical of the chronic phase of the disease.

Prevention of chronic-degenerative diseases

- Study of Mediterranean diet components, environmental pollutants and genetic susceptibility effects on the molecular mechanisms (e.g. DNA damage, gene expression, oxidative stress, apoptosis, proliferation, inflammation) responsible for the onset of chronic-degenerative disease.

Study of interactions between environment, lifestyle, genetics and human health

- Identification of biomarkers of exposition and effect (DNA damage, oxidative stress, inflammation, proliferation, apoptosis).

- Isolation and identification of bioactive compounds from foods and agri-food wastes and characterisation of their chemopreventive functions by an in vitro digestion model to avoid test on animal models.

- Meta-analysis studies on association between chronic degenerative diseases and diet.

Applied and environmental microbiology

- Implementation of cultural and molecular-based approaches to investigate microbial diversity and functions in natural and built environment (e.g., soil, water, air), in biotechnological processes (e.g., bioremediation and disinfection) and in human health (e.g., Legionella, SARS-CoV).

 

The Environmental Chemistry and Technology (ECT) group at the Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology of the University of Perugia

http://amis.chm.unipg.it/activities/laboratories/traces-trace-analysis-for-chemical-speciation/

Coordinator: Prof. David Cappelletti, http://amis.chm.unipg.it/david.cappelletti/

Staff:

Dr. Stefano Crocchianti, RU
Dr. Roberta Selvaggi, PTA
Dr. Bartolomeo Sebastiani, PTA
Dr. Chiara Petroselli, Post Doc
Dr. Federica Bruschi, Ph.D. student
Dr. Paola Gravina, Ph.D. student
Dr. Eleonora Marchetti, fellowship
Dr. Beatrice Moroni, fellowship

The scientific activity of the ECT group is focused on various aspects of environmental chemistry, which includes atmospheric chemistry and physics, atmospheric aerosols, chemistry of water and snow, applications of analytical chemistry to the characterization of environmental samples and the search of novel bio-indicators.

Unit: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (Coordinator D. Cappelletti)
Chemistry and physics of atmospheric gases and aerosols; monitoring of atmospheric aerosols at urban and remote sites; indoor air pollution; Polar research;

Unit: Computational modelling of processes in the atmosphere (Coordinator S. Crocchianti)
Development and optimization of Lagrangian and Eulerian transport models; Source apportionment models;

Unit: Application of advanced analytical methods (Coordinator R. Selvaggi)
Monitoring, diagnostic and chemical characterisation of samples from various environmental matrices, including: mineral water, river and lake water, snow, particulate matter, soil, fossile and biomass derived fuels, food.

Research activities

1. Climatology of aerosol in the Arctic

Since 2011 the group is leading the aerosol vertical profiles activities at the Italian Arctic Base of Ny Alesund (Svalbard Islands). A long term dataset is available for analysis and modeling. Aerosol vertical profiles have been recorded also in various Italian cities (2009-2010, Milan, Terni, Merano).

Projects

2015 - AGAP: Atmospheric Gondola for Aerosol Profiling – Principal Investigator – supportato dall’ Italian Arctic Data Center (CNR).

Relevant publications

Lisa J. Beck, Nina Sarnela, Heikki Junninen, Clara J. M. Hoppe, Olga Garmash, Federico Bianchi, Matthieu Riva, Clemence Rose, Otso Perakyla, Daniela Wimmer, Oskari Kausiala, Tuija Jokinen, Lauri Ahonen, Jyri Mikkila, Jani Hakala, Xu‐Cheng He, Jenni Kontkanen, Klara K. E. Wolf, David Cappelletti, Mauro Mazzola, Rita Traversi, Chiara Petroselli, Angelo P. Viola, Vito Vitale, Robert Lange, Andreas Massling, Jakob K. Nøjgaard, Radovan Krejci, Linn Karlsson, Paul Zieger, Sehyun Jang, Kitack Lee, Ville Vakkari, Janne Lampilahti, Roseline C. Thakur, Katri Leino, Juha Kangasluoma, Ella‐Maria Duplissy, Erkki Siivola, Marjan Marbouti, Yee Jun Tham, Alfonso Saiz‐Lopez, Tuukka Petaja, Mikael Ehn, Douglas R. Worsnop, Henrik Skov, Markku Kulmala, Veli‐Matti Kerminen, Mikko Sipila, Differing mechanisms of new particle formation at two Arctic sites. Geophysical Research Letters, 48, e2020GL091334 (2021).

Rinaldi, M., Hiranuma, N., Santachiara, G., Mazzola, M., Mansour, K., Paglione, M., Rodriguez, C. A., Traversi, R., Becagli, S., Cappelletti, D., and Belosi, F. Ice-nucleating particle concentration measurements from Ny- ̊Alesund during the Arctic spring–summer in 2018, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 21, 14725–14748 (2021).

B. Moroni, C. Ritter, S. Crocchianti, K. Markowicz, M. Mazzola, S. Becagli, R. Traversi, R. Krejci, P. Tunved, and D. Cappelletti, Individual particle characteristics, optical properties and evolution of an ex- treme long-range transported biomass burning event in the European Arctic (Ny- ̊Alesund, Svalbard Islands), Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 125, e2019JD031535 (2020).

Ferrero, L., Cappelletti, D., Busetto, M., Mazzola, M., Lupi, A., Lanconelli, C., Becagli, S., Traversi, R., Caiazzo, L., Giardi, F., Moroni, B., Crocchianti, S., Fierz, M., Mocnik, G., Sangiorgi, G., Perrone, M. G., Maturilli, M., Vitale, V., Udisti, R., and Bolzacchini, E., Vertical profiles of aerosol and black carbon in the Arctic: a seasonal phenomenology along 2 years (2011-2012) of field campaigns, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 16, 12601--12629 (2016).

2. Atmosphere-Criosphere interaction

Deposition of contaminants on the snow and ice surface over the main glaciological apparatus in Svalbard islands and Italian appenines.

Projects

2020-2022: SMIVIA – Snow-coverage Modeling, Inversion and Validation using multi-mission multi-frequency Interferometric SAR in central Apennine (bando ASI, DC-UOT-2019-017).
2019: BC-HOR - Spatial Distributions of Black Carbon and Mineral Dust in Air and Snow Surface Layers on the Hornsund Glaciers, Principal investigator, INTERACT EU project, Funded by H2020 (Grant Agreement No. 730938).
2018-2020: BC-3D – Spatial Distribution of Black Carbon and Mineral Dust in Air and Snow Surface Layers upon Svalbard Glaciers – Principal Investigator – project. N. 283466, finanziato dal Norwegian Research Council, con il programma Svalbard Strategic Grant (SSG, 2018).
2017-2021: SIDDARTA – Source Identification of (mineral) Dust to AntaRcTicA - Local unit Coordinator, finanziato dal MIUR con il programma PNRA 2016.
2013-2014: Coupling of climatic system components and physical, chemical and biological processes at the interface in the Arctic – Local Unit Coordinator - Progetto Bilaterale finanziato dal MAE - PGR00168 (2013-2014) - Italia-Korea.

Relevant publications

Bertò, M., Cappelletti, D., Barbaro, E., Varin, C., Gallet, J.-C., Markowicz, K., Rozwadowska, A., Mazzola, M., Crocchianti, S., Poto, L., Laj, P., Barbante, C., and Spolaor, A., Variability of Black Carbon mass concentration in surface snow at Svalbard, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 21, 12479–12493 (2021).

Francois Burgay, Elena Barbaro, David Cappelletti, Clara Turetta, Jean-Charles Gallet, Elisabeth Isaksson, Barbara Stenni, Giuliano Dreossi, Federico Scoto, Carlo Barbante, Andrea Spolaor First discrete iron(II) records from Dome C (Antarctica) and the Holtedahlfonna glacier (Sval- bard), Chemosphere, 267, 129335 (2021).

Spolaor, A., Varin, C., Pedeli, X., Christille, J.M., Kirchgeorg, T., Giardi, F., Cappelletti, D., Turetta, C., Cairns, W.R.L., Gambaro, A., Bernagozzi, A., Gallet, J.C., Bj ̈orkman, M.P., Barbaro, E. Source, timing and dynamics of ionic species mobility in the Svalbard annual snowpack, Science of The Total Environment 751, 141640 (2021).

Spolaor, A., Barbaro, E., Cappelletti, D., Turetta, C., Mazzola, M., Giardi, F., Bj ̈orkman, M. P., Lucchetta, F., Dallo, F., Pfaffhuber, K. A., Angot, H., Dommergue, A., Maturilli, M., Saiz-Lopez, A., Barbante, C., and Cairns, W. R. L. Diurnal cycle of iodine, bromine, and mercury concentrations in Svalbard surface snow, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 19 13325–13339 (2019).

3. Long term aerosol measurements at the Regional Background site of Monte Martano

The site of Monte Martano (MM) has been set up in the 2009 by a joint research project of the University of Perugia and ARPA Umbria, funded by the Umbria Region and in part supported by a grant of Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio of Perugia. Since 2013 the monitoring site is part of the Sand and Dust Storm Warning Advisory and Assessment System (SDS-WAS, https://sds-was.aemet.es) network of the World Metrological Organization (WMO) for the observation of the Saharan dust advections. Since 2017 we joined the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) network (EMEP Regional Site n. IT00019R). There are various activities at the site, which include the characterization of Saharan dust intrusions and the use plant leaves as passive sampling for air pollutants.

Projects

2008-2015: Air quality: Source apportionment of particulate matter in urban environment in Umbria – Principal Investigator – Finanziato da ARPA Umbria (Principal Investigator).
2009-2010: Aerosol vertical profile by tethered balloon over the cities of Terni, Milano and Merano, Principal Investigator – Finanziato da Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Terni e Narni and EURAC (Bolzano).
2009: Realization of a high altitude air quality monitoring station for the study of transnational pollutants transport, Principal Investigator – Finanziato da Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Perugia.
2008-2012: Chemical and morphological characterization of particulate matter in Umbria, finanziato dalla Regione Umbria (PI).

Relevant publications

Chiara Petroselli, Elena Montalbani, Gianandrea La Porta, Stefano Crocchianti, Beatrice Moroni, Chiara Casagrande, Elisa Ceci, Roberta Selvaggi, Bartolomeo Sebastiani, Isabella Gandolfi, Andrea Franzetti, Ermanno Federici, David Cappelletti, Characterization of long-range transported bioaerosols in the Central Mediterranean,  Science of The Total Environment, 763, 143010 (2021).

B. Moroni, S. Castellini, S. Crocchianti, A. Piazzalunga, P. Fermo, F. Scardazza, D. Cappelletti Ground-based measurements of long-range trans- ported aerosol at the rural regional background site of Monte Martano (Central Italy), Atmospheric Research, 155 23–36 (2015).

C. Petroselli, S. Crocchianti, B. Moroni, S. Castellini, R. Selvaggi, S. Nava, G. Calzolai, F. Lucarelli, D. Cappelletti Disentangling the major source areas for an intense aerosol advection in the Central Mediterranean on the basis of Potential Source Contribution Function modeling of chemical and size distribution measurements, Atmospheric Research 204 67-77 (2018).

L. Ferrero, M. Castelli, B. S. Ferrini, M. Moscatelli, M. G. Perrone, G. Sangiorgi, G. Rovelli, L. D’Angelo, B. Moroni, F. Scardazza, G. Mocnik, E. Bolzacchini, M. Petitta, and D. Cappelletti Impact of black carbon aerosol over Italian basin valleys: high resolution measurements along vertical profiles, radiative forcing and heating rate, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 14, 9641-9664 (2014).

4. Atmospheric dispersion and pollutants forecast.

Lagrangian and Eulerian models are run daily to forecast Saharan dust intrusions at the MM site. This activity is conducted in collaboration with the SDS-WAS center at the Barcelona. Moreover, pollution forecasts (O3, NOx, PM) are conducted daily in collaboration with ARPA Umbria with the CHIMERE model. Long term campaign for pollutants dispersion in urban context by mobile measurements platforms.

Projects

2012-2015: PMETRO: Particulate matter monitoring in real time by means of a mobile station. Principal Investigator - finanziato da ARPA Umbria, Regione dell’Umbria and Comune di Perugia.
2005: Structure and dynamics of species of atmospheric interest of relevance for Greenhouse effect and global warming, Principal Investigator – Finanziato da Galileo Project, Italian-France Coordinated action.

Relevant publications

Crocchianti, S., Del Sarto, S., Ranalli, M.G., Moroni, B., Castellini, S., Petroselli, C., Cappelletti, D, Spatiotemporal correlation of urban pollutants by long-term measurements on a mobile observation platform, Environmental Pollution, 268, Article number 115645 (2021).

Tositti, L., Moroni, B., Dinelli, E., Morozzi, P., Brattich, E., Sebastiani, B., Petroselli, C., Crocchianti, S., Selvaggi, R., Goretti, E., Cappelletti, D. Deposition processes over complex topographies: Experimen- tal data meets atmospheric modeling, Science of The Total Environment 744, 140974 (2020)

S. Sandrini, S. Fuzzi, A. Piazzalunga, P. Prati, P. Bonasoni, F. Cavalli, M. C. Bove, M. Calvello, D. Cappelletti, C. Colombi, D. Contini, G. de Gennaro, A. Di Gilio, P. Fermo, L. Ferrero, V. Gianelle, Michele Giugliano, P. Ielpo, G. Lonati, A. Marinoni, D. Massab\'o, U. Molteni, B. Moroni, G. Pavese, C. Perrino, M. G. Perrone, M. R. Perrone, J.-Ph. Putaud, T. Sargolini, R. Vecchi, S. Gilardoni, Spatial and seasonal variability of carbonaceous aerosol across Italy, Atmospheric Environment, 99, 587-598 (2014).

B. Moroni, D. Cappelletti, F. Marmottini, F. Scardazza, L. Ferrero, E. Bolzacchini, Integrated single particle-bulk chemical approach for the characterization of local and long range sources of particulate pollutants, Atmospheric Environment, 50, 267--277 (2012).

5. Search of novel bioindicators

The ECT group has a strong collaboration with the Ecology group of the DCBB in developing novel bioindicators. The latters include chironomids, bees, butterflies and some mammalian predators. The work is mainly focused on the determination of trace compounds in the tissues of the potential bio-indicators with advanced analytical methodologies.

Projects

2014-2015: Biodiversity and biomagnification in lepidoptra: effects of atmospheric deposition and soil nature – Principal Investigator – finanziato da ARPA Umbria

Relevant publications

E. Goretti, M. Pallottini, R. Rossi, G. La Porta, T. Gardi, B.T. Cenci Goga, A.C. Elia, M. Galletti, B. Moroni, C. Petroselli, R. Selvaggi, D. Cappelletti, Heavy metal bioaccumulation in honey bee matrix, an indicator to assess the contamination level in terrestrial environments, Environmental Pollution, 256, 113388 (2020).

E. Goretti, M. Pallottini, M. I. Ricciarini, R. Selvaggi, D. Cappelletti Heavy metals bioaccumulation in selected tissues of red swamp crayfish: an easy tool for monitoring environmental contamination levels, Science of the Total Environment 559 339-346 (2016)

6. Atmosphere-plant-bacteria interactions

The ECT group has a long standing collaboration with the microbiology group of the DCBB in the study of the interaction of atmospheric pollutants that may be deposited on the plant leaves and defining the role of bacterial population leaving on the plants themselves. Sampling and characterization of pollutants adsorbed on the plant leaves is the main contribution of the ECT group at the project.

Projects

2022-2023: ECOROADS – Innovative barriErs for mitigation of noise and Chemical pOllution from ROADS, PON 2014-2020, (cod. ARS01_00752) Perugia unit coordinator.
2016: SINERGIA - Fillobiorisanamento: utilizzo delle interazioni piante-batteri come strumento innovativo per il trattamento biologico di inquinanti volatili per la sicurezza negli impianti produttivi - Local Unit Coordinator – finanziato da INAIL con il programma BRIC.

Relevant publications

Andrea Franzetti, Isabella Gandolfi, Giuseppina Bestetti, Emilio Padoa Schioppa, Claudia Canedoli, Diego Brambilla, David Cappelletti, Bartolomeo Sebastiani, Ermanno Federici, Maddalena Papacchini, Roberto Ambrosini, Plant-microorganisms interaction promotes removal of air pollutants in Milan (Italy) urban area, Journal of Hazardous Materials, 384, 121021 (2020).

E. Federici, C. Petroselli, E. Montalbani, C. Casagrande, E. Ceci, B. Moroni, G. La Porta, S. Castellini, R. Selvaggi, B. Sebastiani, S. Crocchianti, I. Gandolfi, A. Franzetti, D. Cappelletti Airborne bacteria and persistent organic pollutants associated with an intense Saharan dust event in the Central Mediterranean, Science of the Total Environment 645 401-410 (2018).

Research area: Chemical and physical behaviour of materials in specific environments. Structure and composition of heterogeneous materials in artworks for the diagnosis of their state of conservation. Origin and mechanisms of materials’ degradation phenomena. Micro-spectroscopy for the study of the in-depth distribution of organic and inorganic materials in cross sections. Protection and consolidation of porous materials. Materials and execution techniques in contemporary art. Protocols for the assessment of the state of conservation of artworks in case of emergency.
Considerable efforts are devoted to develop new methodologies and portable instrumentation for non-contact analyses to be carried out in-situ, without any sampling or movement of the artwork, within MOLAB programs.
Laboratory experiments include the exploitation of synchrotron radiation and of other laboratory techniques, as micro-FT-IR, micro-Raman, XRF, XRD,UV-VIS-NIR absorption and emission spectroscopies, GC-MS, ICP-AES, LA-ICP-MS, SEM, AFM, and NMR relaxation.

Theoretical calculations are also used to model structural, electronic, and spectroscopic properties of materials for spectral assignments.

The research group participates in the activities of the SMAArt (Scientific Methodologies applied to Archaeology and Art) Center of Excellence, currently involved in the European project IPERION-HS (Integrated Platform for the European Research Infrastructure-Heritage Science) and in the activities of E-RIHS (European-Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science).

Scientific categories: Comparative Biology and Cytology (BIO/06), Genetics (BIO/18), Microbiology (BIO/19)

Our research activities aim to investigate the molecular, cellular and developmental diversity of organisms at different levels of evolutionary complexity: microorganisms, plants, animals and humans. The relationships among individuals and/or populations, and among them and the environment, are described by means of modern genomic techniques and cellular/morphometric tools. This multidisciplinary approach allows for a much needed and exhaustive description of natural biodiversity, potentially placing the Bio-Molecular Diversity & Evolutionary Biology group in the forefront of both basic and applied research.

Specific Research Objectives

Applied and environmental microbiology (E. Federici)

Implementation of cultural and molecular-based approaches to investigate bacterial diversity and functions in the environment (e.g., soil, water, particulate matter, host), in biotechnological processes (e.g., bioremediation and disinfection) and in human health (e.g., Legionella infections).

Conservation genetics and molecular ecology (L. Lucentini)

Mitochondrial and nuclear phylogenetic, phylogeography and DNA variations patterns evaluations to clarify evolution, dispersal patterns and taxonomic relationships of wild populations and domesticated stocks with theoretical and applied scopes, as pursue forensic and conservation genetics purposes. Application of integrative taxonomy to wild and domesticated stocks.

Cellular and molecular biology vs environment (I. Di Rosa, A. Fagotti)

Biological responses of animal models to different types of stress, various levels of biological organization (sub-organismal, individual and population). Measurement of biomarkers under natural and controlled conditions.

Population genetics and molecular evolution (H. Lancioni)

Genetic analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence variation with the aim of better defining origins, evolution and dispersal patterns of human and livestock populations. Definition of the role played by the human and animal genome variation in association studies and in forensic surveys.

Research Projects

Espressione e localizzazione di biomarker predittivi dello sviluppo di asma in bambini affetti da rinite allergica (Responsabile Scientifico: Dott.ssa LIVIA LUCENTINI)

Sviluppo di modelli su scala di laboratorio per la validazione di molecole biocide per la sanificazione dell’acqua (Responsabile Scientifico: Dott. ERMANNO FEDERICI)

Research area

Unit: Inorganic and inorgano-organic solids with layered and framework structure: synthesis, characterization and application in catalysys, photochemistry and polymer nanocomposites

Design, synthesis and structural characterization of layered and framework inorganic and inorgano-organic solids including metal phosphonates and modified hydrotalcites.
Development of heterogeneous catalysts, based on synthetic hydrotalcites, for process of interest in the field of renewable energy exploitation.
Synthesis of zirconium phosphate and hydrotalcite nanoparticles to be used as fillers of polymer nanocomposites. Studies on exfoliation and aspect ratio of the nanoparticles.
Development of nanocomposites with enhanced thermal, mechanical and barrier properties based on biodegradable polymers filled with layered zirconium phosphate, phosphonates and hydrotalcites.
Studies on proton transport, hydration, mechanical properties and thermal stability of nanocomposite membranes made of perfluorinated sulfonated polymers and zirconium phosphate and phosphonates for application as polymer electrolytes in fuel cells.
Development of organic-inorganic hybrids made of zirconium phosphates and hydrotalcites intercalated with dyes and species with biological activity.
The laboratory is equipped with techniques for materials characterization including X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (TGA, DTA, DSC), surface area determination, conductivity measurements by the impedance technique and stress-strain mechanical tests under controlled environment conditions.

Spin-off activity

Since 2008 the research group has been hosting a University spin-off, named Prolabin&Tefarm, led by prof. Umberto Costantino. The spin-off activity deals with development , production and commercialization of nanostructured inorganic-organic lamellar materials usable as polymer additives, heterogeneous catalysts and active ingredients for health care and cosmetics. The investigated materials belong mainly to the class of hydrotalcites, known also as Layered Double Hydroxides or anionic clays, and zirconium phosphates and phosphonates.

Unit: Molecular Catalysts for Olefin Polymerization and Water Oxidation

The activity of our research group mainly focuses on synthesizing, investigating and testing in catalysis of two classes of compounds: i) metallocene and post-metallocene complexes for olefin polymerization and ii) robust coordination complexes for water oxidation to molecular oxygen. As far as point i) is concerned, our main aim is to rationalize the effects of ion pairing and, in general, of co-catalyst/catalysts interactions on the performances of catalysts. Investigation of the intermolecular structure of aggregates in solution is carried out taking advantages of the NMR methodologies developed during the last years. Coming to point ii), water oxidation is an essential process for constructing an artificial photosynthetic apparatus aimed at the splitting of H2O into H2 and O2, whose realization would contribute to solve the energetic problem in a green and sustainable way [5]. We recently entered in such a fascinating research area by synthesizing new iridium(III) catalysts that showed remarkable catalytic activity.

Research area: theory and computational modelling in various fields including:

Fundamental processes and chemical mechanisms of dye-sensitized and organic solar cells. Spectroscopy, Photochemistry and non linear optical properties of complex systems and nanoscale devices, Relativistic quantum chemistry and 4-component DFT, Gold chemistry and gold-based homogeneous catalysis, Reaction mechanisms in organic, Bio-inorganic and organometallic chemistry, Molecular single and multiple ionization and electronic decay processes. Green’s function theory, Intermolecular interactions and weak charge transfer phenomena, Nanochemistry: carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoribbons, Atmospheric chemistry, Arts heritage chemistry and spectroscopy, Silicon chemistry in microelectronics, High-performance computing.

Research area: The research activity is focused on the synthesis, characterization and optimization of innovative compounds with potential pharmaceutical interest. Wet-lab and in silico approaches are combined to reach our goals. Concerning the wet-lab experimental work, this includes the synthesis, purification, and characterization of organic compounds of pharmaceutical interest but also the study of their metabolic stability and the safety risk assessment through metabolomics, lipidomics and high-content imaging analyses. Concerning the in silico approaches, they range from target identification, high-throughput virtual screening, drug repurposing, hit-to-lead optimization, physical-chemical and ADMET properties prediction, QSAR, artificial intelligence.

Main Topics

- Target identification. Innovative methods for target identification are available, based on protein-protein comparison and docking approaches.

- Hit discovery and hit-to-lead optimization. From virtual screening campaigns (ligand-based, structure-based, pharmacophore-based) to the in silico evaluation of physico-chemical and ADMET properties for optimization purposes.

- Design and synthesis of innovative organic compounds of pharmaceutical interest. A fully equipped laboratory of organic synthesis is available. Current research efforts are focused on the synthesis of small drug-like compounds and PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) small molecules, which are designed to induce target protein degradation .

- Metabolic stability, soft spot prediction and metabolites identification. In silico and wet-lab approaches for evaluating the effect of metabolism on organic compounds prior or after synthesis. Cheminformatics approaches are also used to automatically identify the formed metabolites by HRLC-MS/MS analysis. Metabolism can be studied in several biological matrices (e.g. purified enzymes, S9 fraction, human liver microsomes, human and rat hepatocytes, cells)

- Safety risk assessment by omics approaches. Study of the effect of an organic compound on the metabolomics and lipidomics profiles, as an early evaluation of potential toxicity. HRLC-MS/MS combined to novel in silico tools for big data handling are used to rapidly get information from untargeted approaches.

- High content imaging. The new Operetta CLS equipped with Harmony software completes the safety and mechanistic studies allowing to reveal fine sub-cellular details.

Research area:

1) A multidisciplinary approach to gain sustainable improvement of rice productivity through the co-cultivation with the fern Azolla and its cyanobacterial symbiont

Achieving a steady increase in cereal crop yield has become a top research priority. The increment of world population, expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, coupled to food shortage, poses in fact a serious threat to social and political stability. Globally, food crop yields are already dangerously stagnating, indicating that further yield gains through conventional breeding and increased use of soil fertilizers are strategies that are not more pursuable. Further to this, enhanced plant productivity has to be achieved while preventing extensive land-use increase, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution. Therefore, urgent alternative and sustainable strategies to keep yield improvement in pace with world-wide population growth is mandatory. This multidisciplinary research proposal focuses on sustainable yield increase in rice grain production through the co-cultivation with Azolla-Anabaena. Rice (Oryza sativa) is both a model grass species and the world’s second-most produced staple cereal crop. Azolla is an aquatic pteridophyte that has coevolved with Anabaena azollae, a symbiotic nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria inhabiting the fern leaflets. In Asia Azolla co-cultivation with rice has been used for many centuries as an organic nitrogen fertilizer in wetland rice cultivation whereas in Europe its use is limited. The benefits of Azolla as a bio-fertilizer are well documented through decades of agronomic studies aimed at improving nitrogen use efficiency in rice. Beyond that, in virtue of their capacity to emit volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) and other signaling molecules (i.e hormones), the Azolla-Anabaena symbionts might positively interfere with rice plant development and resilience, thereby representing a potential natural resource to grow rice sustainably. Unfortunately, the nature of molecular interactions and the effects of the BVOCs emitted from Azolla-Anabaena on rice plants still remain unknown and unexplored.

The research project uses a multidisciplinary approach involving, physiological, molecular and genetic research to investigate the role of BVOCs emitted from Azolla-Anabaena in rice plant development, grain productivity and tolerance to environmental stresses. In particular, this project will first investigate in vivo the emission of BVOCs by Azolla-Anabaena both qualitatively and quantitatively. Then, the effects of the co-cultivation with Azolla-Anabaena on rice plant development (aerenchyma formation) will be investigated. To gain insight on how exogenous BVOCs exert beneficial effects on rice, the rice regulatory network controlling responses to BVOCs will be studied. Regulatory genes will be identified by transcriptome analysis using a next generation sequencing approach. Mutants for candidate genes will be obtained through a CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing approach or by overexpression analysis and functionally characterized upon application of specific exogenous BVOCs or co-cultivation with Azolla-Anabaena. The know-how generated in this project will create important opportunities for (molecular) breeding programs focused on rice germplasm that will fully exploit the beneficial effects of Azolla-Anabaena co-cultivation. In turn, this project will provide fundamental evidence on the interplay between crop plants and BVOCs emitted by other organisms being of pivotal importance for breeding and management of other crops. Importantly, this project is a beautiful showcase to demonstrate the valuable solutions for sustainable agriculture. On this concern, the achieved results will be disseminated to breeders, farmers and consumers.

This project is funded by the grant PRIN 2017 2017N5LBZK_004

Pasqualini

 

2. Airborne pollen of olive meets carries and suffers air pollution

The linkage between pollen allergy and air pollutants was first reported at the end of the '80s but international research still talks about it today (Smiljanic et al., 2019). Allergic diseases, caused by pollen as well as by air pollution, are increasing and needs the definition of correct preventive measures. A crucial aspect is the lack of knowledge regarding the role and potential synergies of both pollen and air pollutants. The research attended to analyse the effect of air pollutants on the allergenic pollen of olive, particularly interesting for the widespread of this cultivation and especially for the most recent introduction of the olive in urban contexts as an ornamental tree. The study will be conducted in Umbria (Central Italy) during the 2019 pollen season. Three sites continuously monitored by Regional Agency of Environmental Protection (ARPA) and characterized by different quality pollution were chosen; i. Perugia, urban pollution from vehicular traffic; ii. Terni, emissions from the steel industry, iii. Monte Martano, regional background (EMEP site), as control.  

Research area: photophysics and photochemistry by steady-state and time-resolved spectrophotometric and fluorimetric techniques.

Research units

Photobehaviour of drugs – Studies on photophysical and photochemical properties of compounds of pharmaceutical and biological interest and on interactions of drugs with biological targets (polynucleotides, proteins and DNA). Micelles and cyclodextrines as drug carriers.

Photochemistry of aryl olefins – Luminescence properties, photoreaction (isomerization, cyclization) mechanisms and conformational equilibria of diarylethenes and distyrylarenes. The effects of heteroatoms, additives (energy, electron and proton donor/acceptors) and complex matrices are particularly investigated.

Chromogenic systems – The study deals with different interrelated lines: (i) spectral and kinetic behaviour of new photochromic compounds; (ii) inclusion into organised systems and solid matrices searching for a route to optically switchable materials for applications; (iii) role of selective electronic and vibronic excitation on the photochromic reaction; (iv) interactions of photochromes with biomolecules; (v) development of molecular processors for Fuzzy and Boolean logic.

Nanostructured materials – (i) Synthesis and morphological characterization of inorganic and hybrid colloidal nanoparticles useful for bio-medical applications and energy conversion; investigation of the photophysical and photochemical behavior of the nanomaterials as function of their surface functionalization. (ii). Preparation and characterization of inclusion compounds formed by inorganic nanostructured solids and organic dyes; investigation of the optical and photochemical properties of the dyes as function of their arrangements in the matrices; evaluation of the interactions of the organo-inorganic composites with biomacromolecules.

Materials used in works of art – Spectral characterization and photodegradation processes of colorants and additives present in painted layers (binders and varnishes) and artistic textiles (mordants); assemblage and validation of portable instrumentation. Investigation of laboratory samples (mimicking materials used in polychromatic surfaces) and original works by using non destructive, in situ, reflectance fluorimetric and spectrophotometric techniques.

Scintillators – Optical properties of liquid scintillators. Optimization of their performances (emission yield, response time, attenuation length, durability) for their use in large-scale detectors of solar neutrinos and dark matter searches.

Photoresistors – This study concerns the photophysical and photochemical characterization of some classes of photoacid-generators and their mechanism of action in photolithography. Preparation and characterization of photo-catalysts to perform water splitting through solar energy. Up conversion of incoherent light through organic, coordination compounds and rare earth ions.

Ultrafast processes – Femtosecond spectro-kinetic measurements in absorption and emission (λexc = 266 and 300-600 nm) to investigate the mechanisms of photoinduced reactions at early stage after excitation and the dynamics of the media around the excited species.

Design, synthesis and characterization of amphiphilic molecules and ionic liquids – The research activity is focused on the study of chemical and biochemical reactivity, transport and delivery of biologically-active molecules in presence of amphiphilic supramolecular systems, gels and ionic liquids. The ultimate objective is that of preparing more efficient and specific materials to be exploited in several applications in the fields of chemistry, biomedicine and more generally in the materials science area. More recently strong interest is also devoted to study of amphiphilic nanostructure effects on photophysics and photochemical properties of tetracyclines and chemosensors.

Chemosensors – Fluorescent and chromogenic chemosensors are developed able to reveal quickly, selectively and sensitively ionic species in aqueous and micellar solutions. The target is the use of these systems to reveal the presence of ions in particular in vitro and in vivo cellular tests and to make this approach more promising than other analytical methods.

TiO2 photocatalytic reactions – Mechanistic investigations are in progress on the primary oxidation steps of the TiO2-sensitized photooxidation of organic compounds in aqueous and surfactant solutions, which could provide useful information about the degradation pathways involved in the mineralization of organic pollutants in waste water.

Research area

The research of Green S.O.C. is aimed at the definition of environmentally-friendly and chemically-efficient synthetic methodologies for the formation of carbon-carbon or carbon heteroatom bonds. Organic transformations are investigated to develop a modern and efficient organic synthesis accordingly to Green Chemistry principles.

Main features of our approach are:

- the use of safe recoverable solvent deriving from biomasses to replace classic toxic organic solvents,

- preparation and use of new polymer supported catalytic system

- definition of waste-minimized processes based on the use of recoverable heterogeneous catalysts and continuous-flow reactors

- Application of green metrics to quantify sustainability advance of our procedures

- Continuous-flow protocols for valorization of biomass and design of bio-derived chemicals

Green S.O.C. is also involved in the “fully green approach to energy” and “Benign Solvent Design”.

Our goal is to define environmentally efficient synthetic methodologies for the large-scale preparation of organic materials to really contribute to the development of organic photovoltaics as a renewable energy source and to ace innovative safe solvents.