Keep in touch with meI'm using Intch to connect with new people. Use this link to open chat with me via Intch app
Work Background
University of GothenburgConformational dynamics and RNA target recognition of therapeutic oligonucleotides
May. 2022Gothenburg, Vastra Gotaland County, SwedenOligonucleotide therapeutics offer ground-breaking possibilities for pharmacological intervention by enabling potent, sequence-specific modulation of principally any disease-related gene product. Thereby, diseases that are not possible to treat using traditional small-molecule drugs can now be addressed. The predominant subclass among current therapeutic oligonucleotides are the antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs). These drugs bind to their cognate mRNA transcripts through Watson-Crick base pairing, with the desired effect typically being degradation of the mRNA and a consequent knock-down of target protein levels. Despite the apparent simplicity of such oligonucleotide-target mRNA interactions, the molecular mechanisms of hybridization initiation and the dynamics of the binding process are poorly characterized.
Therapeutic antisense oligonucleotides contain extensive chemical modifications, which improve stability to enzymatic cleavage, but which alters binding affinity relative to natural RNA/DNA oligonucleotides in unpredictable ways. Therefore, development programs for new antisense oligonucleotides typically utilize a costly, wet-lab trial-and-error process. To address these current knowledge gaps, this project therefore aims to 1) optimize and validate force field parameters for atomistic simulations of oligonucleotides, to include support for the common chemical modifications used in therapeutic antisense oligonucleotides, and use these to; 2) delineate the conformational dynamics of prototypical oligonucleotides and their intramolecular hybridization potential and; 3) decipher the molecular mechanisms of the target sequence recognition in antisense oligonucleotide-mRNA hybridization.
USI Università della Svizzera italianaExploring IRE1-small organic molecules recognition pathways using computational approaches
Aug. 2020Lugano, Ticino, SwitzerlandInositol Requiring Enzyme 1 (IRE1) is a bifunctional serine/threonine kinase and endoribonuclease that is the major mediator of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) during endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The association of IRE1 dysregulation with a wide range of human diseases, stimulated research towards the discovery of small organic molecules able to modulate IRE1 signaling, and to successfully be used as novel potential therapeutics. With this proposal, we integrate the results achieved during my PhD work, and to do so by studying IRE1-small organic molecules recognition pathways. This research has been carried out under the supervision of Vittorio Limongelli, Full Professor in Computational Biology and Pharmacology: authority in the field, chosen also for their great interest in deciphering the complex recognition process between a ligand and its biological target. This research will drive forward the understanding and exploitation of structure-based drug design for the development of novel IRE1 pharmaceutical therapeutics, which could prove crucially useful for the treatment of a wide range of human diseases.
USI Università della Svizzera italianaExploring IRE1-small organic molecules recognition pathways using computational approaches
Aug. 2020Lugano, Ticino, SwitzerlandInositol Requiring Enzyme 1 (IRE1) is a bifunctional serine/threonine kinase and endoribonuclease that is the major mediator of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) during endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The association of IRE1 dysregulation with a wide range of human diseases, stimulated research towards the discovery of small organic molecules able to modulate IRE1 signaling, and to successfully be used as novel potential therapeutics.
With this proposal, we integrate the results achieved during my PhD work, and to do so by studying IRE1-small organic molecules recognition pathways. This research has been carried out under the supervision of Vittorio Limongelli, Full Professor in Computational Biology and Pharmacology: authority in the field, chosen also for their great interest in deciphering the complex recognition process between a ligand and its biological target.
This research will drive forward the understanding and exploitation of structure-based drug design for the development of novel IRE1 pharmaceutical therapeutics, which could prove crucially useful for the treatment of a wide range of human diseases.
AstraZenecaInternship in the Computational Chemistry group in AstraZeneca
Oct. 2019 - Nov. 2019Gothenburg Metropolitan AreaInternship in the Computational Chemistry group in AstraZeneca during my one month vacation period from my PhD student position at University of Gothenburg. Literature search and setup of classical Molecular Dynamics simulation for the discovery of drug-like molecules that bind hidden allosteric sites under the team lead by Anders Hogner, Associate Director (Medicinal Chemistry, Early CVRM BioPharmaceuticals R&D).
National University of Ireland, GalwayThree-month secondment in the lab of Prof. Afshin Samali
Jun. 2017 - Sep. 2017Galway, County Galway, IrelandI investigated various experimental methods used in drug design and discovery to be used for testing potential new hits compounds against IRE1 and PERK activity found from previous in silico studies.
University of GothenburgMarie Curie Early Stage Researcher in Natural Science Specialising in Chemistry
Jan. 2016 - Jan. 2020Gothenburg Metropolitan AreaI investigated various experimental methods used in drug design and discovery to be used for testing potential new hits compounds against IRE1 and PERK activity found from previous in silico studies.
Training at Deparment of Neurological, BioMedical and Movement Sciences Sect. Of Biological ChemistrTraining
Sep. 2015 - Dec. 2015University of Verona (Italy)
Farmacia di RomanoProfessional Training
Aug. 2014 - Jan. 201548, Piazza Cadorna - 36060 Romano D'Ezzelino (VI)
MMS-Molecular Modeling Section-University of PadovaProfessional training
Feb. 2014 - Sep. 2014
MMS-Molecular Modeling Section-University of PadovaProfessional training
Feb. 2014 - Sep. 2014
I.O.V. - Istituto Oncologico Veneto - I.R.C.C.S.Professional Training
May. 2013 - Jul. 2013
Intch is a Professional Networking App for the Future of WorkSee more people like Antonio on Intch
300k+ people
130+ countries
AI matching
Get Intch if you'd like to
500512 people
15
CIO-IT Manager @ Bonniernews
25
Founder @ Cloudscale Nordic AB
15
Management Consultant @ SaaS - Staffan as a Service AB
134244 people
25
Founder @ Cloudscale Nordic AB
15
Management Consultant @ SaaS - Staffan as a Service AB
15
UX/UI Product Designer @ WizLyfe AB