We apply molecular and structural biology tools to study the basic genetic processes within the cell and to characterise some of the proteins involved. Structural biology is an interdisciplinary research area, requiring expertises from both the life sciences and the physical sciences. We use protein crystallography to determine the atomic structure of these proteins, as well as biochemical and biophysical approaches to understand how they work. Crystallographic studies are complemented by the concomitant use of electron microscopy to visualise the architecture of large complexes and/or small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to obtain additional structural information. Our research focus on DNA replication, genome stability and cell signalling. These are crucial events in the cell cycle, underpinning cellular processes with important consequences such as cell proliferation and genome stability. Failure to control these processes causes chromosome instability, which can lead to the development of cellular abnormalities, genetic diseases and the onset of cancer.
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SAXS envelope of GINS with Psf1 B domain |
We are on Facebook! If you want to find out more about our lab, our activities, and science in general, follow us on our Facebook page
Our AntiHelix project is now on Facebook! To find out more on helicases, genome maintenance and the development of anti-cancer drugs, follow us on the AntiHelix Facebook page.
Two hands-on schools on Macromolecular Crystallography organised by the Associazione Italiana di Cristallografia (together with Silvia Onesti and Paola Storici) will be held at Elettra, exploiting both the Structural Biology Laboratory facilities and the XRD2 beamline: From Gene to Crystal (21-24 January 2020); From Crystal to Structure (3-6 March 2020). More information at http://www.gecryschool-edition-1.it/
The AntiHelix website is live! If you want to find out about our MSCA-ETN project, our activities or in general about helicases, drug design, single molecule studies, DNA replication and repair, genomic instability, clnical oncology, as well as PhD opportunities, training events, interesting conferences in the field, and more... check the AntiHelix Website
Our presence at the Researcher's Night and Trieste NEXT 2019. Here are the appoinments involving our colleagues: Luisa Napolitano at Street Science "Fare Luce sul Cancro"; Paola Storici at the Elettra Stand "Proteine a Raggi X"; Silvia Onesti at "Sistemi Periodici", dialogo tra Chimica e Letteratura; Silvia Onesti at Teatro Miela "Il futuro della ricerca medica, tra app e nuove tecnologie"
New grant to Silvia Onesti and Luisa Napolitano, starting in October 2019. We have just signed the agreement as recipients of the MSCA-ETN grant AntiHelix. Together with colleagues in Naples, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Sheffield, Essen and Lyon, we will build a consortium of European Laboratories working on human DNA helicases, using complementary experimental approaches with the ultimate aim of designing inhibitors that can act as potential anti-tumor drugs.
Biophysical approaches to macromolecules and cells: integrated tools for life sciences and medicine. ICTP Advanced School in cooperation with the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), 9-20 September 2019, Arusha, Tanzania. Directors: L. Casalis, A. Mohammed Khaled, L. Kikuri, A. Hassanali, M. Nkuoa Ngavuoka, S. Onesti, D. Shadrack.
Elettra has hosted the 3rd Meeting of the TRANS-GLIOMA Consortium on the 11th of January 2019
Biophysics & Structural Biology at Synchrotrons. Workshop at the University of Cape Town aimed at introducing young African researchers to the power of synchrotron-based facilities in life sciences, with an emphasis on Structural Biology, 17-24 January 2019. Registration open!
Our laboratory is part of the INTERREG-funded TRANS-GLIOMA Consortium, which aims to increase cooperation among research institutes, hospitals, universities and companies to promote the development and transfer of innovative biomedical techniques to the field of brain cancer. If you want to find out more, follow us on the Trans-Glioma Facebook page
New grant to Silvia Onesti, starting in January 2018: "Understanding the role of RecQ4 in cancer development and progression". Financed by the Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca sul Cancro (AIRC).
INSTRUCT Training Course Advanced methods for the integration of diverse structural data, 19-23 February 2018, Florence, Italy. Organisers: D. Lamba, S. Onesti, R. Pierattelli, A. Rosato, M. Saviano. Deadline: 15th November 2017
Laboratory and synchrotron X-ray crystallography: applications to emerging countries. IUCr-IUPAP-ICTP Advanced School/OpenLab in cooperation with the Universitè Assane Seck de Ziguinchor, 20 Novembre - 2 December 2017, Ziguinchor, Senegal. Organisers: M. Camara, C. Lecomte, H. Merazig, J. Niemela, S. Onesti, I. Tonle, M. Zema, S. Scandolo. Deadline: 31st August 2017
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We are looking for two bright and motivated PhD students within the MSCA-ETN AntiHelix project (https://www.elettra.eu/AntiHelix/Main/ESRs). The positions are subjected to the usual MSCA eligibility rules (not more than 4 year from the degree that allows you to do a PhD, and transnational mobility) and will start in February/March 2020
Congratulations to Ilenia Bagnano for successfully defending her PhD thesis in SISSA, October 2019.
Congratulation to Antonio Longo for successfully defending his Master thesis in Functional Genomics, at the University of Trieste, October 2019.
Welcome to Raghurama Hegde and Andrea Flores-Ibarra, who have joined us to work on the Trans-Glioma INTERREG project with S. Onesti and P. Storici.
Welcome to Sebastiano Baldassar, a Master student from the University of Bologna who has joined us in April 2019 to work with S. Onesti.
Welcome to Elisa De Piante, a Master student from the University of Parma who has joined us in March 2019 to work with S. Onesti.
Welcome to Antonio Longo, a Master student from the University of Trieste who has joined us in January 2019 to work with S. Onesti.
Congratulations to Marco Franzon, and Veronica Delsoglio for successfully defending their Master thesis, at the Universities of Trieste and Turin, respecitvely, December 2018..
Welcome to Simone Pirrello, who has started a PhD in the Joint PhD Programme in Molecular Biology under the supervision of S. Onesti, November 2018.
Welcome to Marta Semrau, who has started a PhD at the University of Trento, under the supervision of P. Storici, November 2018.
Congratulation to Simone Pirrello for successfully defending his Master thesis, October 2018.
Welcome to Marco Franzon, Simone Pirrello e Stella Dibenedetto that have joined us to carry out their Diploma Thesis work, under the supervision of S. Onesti and P. Storici
Congratulations to Denise Liano and Cecilia Rocchi for successfully defending their Master thesis, December 2017.
Congratulations to Alfredo De Biasio who moved to Leicester as a Lecturer at the Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, starting from December 2017.
Welcome to Giuseppe Cortone, who has joined us for a PhD in Neurobiology (SISSA) under the supervision of S. Onesti, starting from November 2017.
Welcome to Veronica Delsoglio, a Master student from the University of Turin who has joined us in October 2017 to work with S. Onesti.
Welcome to Amaia Gonzalez Magaña, a PhD student from CIC Biogune (Bilbao) who has joined us in August 2017 to work with A. De Biasio & S. Onesti.
Congratulations to Elda Osmenaj for successfully defending her Master thesis, July 2017.
Welcome to Patrycja Kamińska and Patrycja Gralewska, from Lodz University of Technology, Łódź (Poland), spending two months in our lab with an Erasmus intership from July 2017, under the supervision of S. Onesti and P. Storici
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