Synthesis of therapeutically active biomolecules

In the DF are active several research groups that work on the design and synthesis of peptides and peptido-mimetics as receptors binding candidates, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antiviral agents or in diagnostic and nanomedicine applications. Several research groups work on the synthesis of nucleic and peptido-nucleic acids to obtain therapeutically active aptamers, bioprobes or novel biopolymers.

Research groups:

  • (Modilabs) Studies on peptides, peptido-mimetics, and conformationally-restrained non coding ammino acids.
  • (PS-MEDCHEM) The research activity is devoted to the design and synthesis of novel biologically active peptidic and peptidomimetic derivatives. The main fields of interest are the synthesis and structure-activity relationships study of anti-cancer and antiviral agents, NCX modulators, protease inhibitors and protease-activated receptors (PARs) ligands. In recent years the group's interest has been also focused to the development of molecular hybrids that can release H2S enzymatically and not, and to the design of inhibitors of the enzymes involved in the physiological production of such gaseous mediator.
  • (MIMALUVA) Synthesis and structural characterization of phosphorammidites, the building blocks of nucleosides and non-nucleosides. Insertion of specific modifications in short fragments of nucleic acids aimed at the development of biological activities and at the study of molecular recognition mechanisms in which the selected nucleic acids intervene.
  • (Laboratory of Biomolecular Design) Design and synthesis of variously modified nucleic and peptide-nucleic acids. Variously modified DNA and PNA are realized as potential aptamers, as functional bioprobes, nano materials and as building blocks for the construction of new polymeric biomaterials.
  • (PepNanoMed) Development of peptide-based devices for diagnostic therapeutical and nanomedical applications. i) development of theranostic selective targets based on bioactive peptides. Labeled peptides for application in nuclear medicine and MRI. Development of nanodevices with antibacterial and antiviral properties. Synthesis and structural characterization of nanostructures functionalized with peptides; ii) studies of biomolecular interactions through NMR and computational methodologies; iii) characterization of peptides for intracellular transport and their use for the development of nanocarriers and nanosystems active in drug delivery and theranostic compounds; iv) intrinsically disordered peptides; v) design, synthesis and characterization of PNA and modified PNA for targeting and imaging of RNA/DNA; vi) identification of new peptide-based compounds as inhibitors of protein-protein through the screening of libraries and biochemical and biophysical characterization of protein-protein interactions through spectroscopic techniques.
  • (LAB.O.TE.DNA) Design, synthesis and study of the chemico-physical and biological properties of aptamers and analogous G-quadruplex forming structures. The design and synthesis of RNA analogues for the regulation and study of miRNAs involved in multiple medulloblastomas and myelomas. The design and synthesis of small organic interacting molecules with G-quadruplex structures of biological interest.

Partecipants:

  • Antonella Accardo
  • Nicola Borbone
  • Giuseppe Caliendo
  • Alfonso Carotenuto
  • Gabriella D’Auria
  • Stefano D’Errico
  • Veronica Esposito
  • Lucia Falcigno
  • Francesco Frecentese
  • Stefania Galdiero
  • Aldo Galeone
  • Paolo Grieco
  • Elisa Magli
  • Daniela Marasco
  • Luciano Mayol
  • Giancarlo Morelli
  • Ettore Novellino
  • Gennaro Piccialli
  • Alessandra Romanelli
  • Filomena Rossi
  • Vincenzo Santagada
  • Beatrice Severino
  • Diego Tesauro
  • Michela Varra
  • Antonella Virgilio