A thriving program of research, spanning from biochemistry and cell biology to structural analysis, is being carried out at Elettra. In-house research focus on proteins involved in fundamental biological processes with a strong relevance for tumor biology. Three research groups carry out independent research programs centered on eukaryotic DNA replication, genome stability and autophagy, with a number of overlaps and collaborations:

• Silvia Onesti

• Paola Storici

• Alessandro Vindigni

• Alfredo de Biasio

Click on the name of the PI for more details on the individual research program.

• The Prion Biology Laboratory from the International School of Advanced Studies (SISSA) is centered on biophysical studies of prion proteins, in order to understand the conformational transitions that leads to prion diseases.

• The group of Doriano Lamba from the Institute of Crystallography of the National Research Council (CNR) is focused on structural studies of protein drug targets of neurodegenerative diseases, including structure-based drug design of inhibitors of acetylcholinesterases as anti-Alzheimer therapy and neutralizing antibodies targeting NGF-mediated neuropathic pain.