Research interests
Research themes:
I am mainly involved in the following topics:
• ultrastructural characterization of nucleic acids and their interactions with other macromolecules and interfaces. The quantitative evaluation of atomic force microscopy (AFM) images and AFM-based force-spectroscopy signals allows the quantitative determination of such parameters as nucleic acids secondary structure, intrinsic curvature and flexibility, contour length, force and energy of interaction with solid interfaces.
• Nanobiotechnological applications of nucleic acids : DNA-based nano-objects and nano-devices are designed, prepared by self-assembly and characterized in the lab. Techniques such as optical microscopy, AFM, AFM-based single-molecule force spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy have been used in such characterizations.
• DNA biosensors . we are testing possible novel methods to exploit self-assembly towards novel generations of nucleic acids biosensors amenable of miniaturization.
• Single molecule techniques . Using single-molecule force spectroscopy, I am involved in experiments designed to study the mechanically-driven unfolding and refolding of proteins.
• Development of atomic force microscopy techniques and protocols towards structural and nanomechanical characterization of biomacromolecules, nanostructured surfaces, biomaterials, living cells.
Biographical sketch
Giampaolo Zuccheri, Ph.D. (assistant professor of organic chemistry and staff researcher, male, H-index=17, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4777-5391), is a bio-organic and biophysical chemist with a focus on nucleic acids and on nanotechnological methods for the characterization of biological molecules, nanostructures and nanostructured materials. He has more than 20 years of experience in atomic force microscopy. He has participated in several EU-funded collaborative projects (ESF and FP6) including serving as WP leader in DINAMICS (IP-FP6 under NMP)
Selected publications
• F. Massenzio, E. Peña-Altamira, S. Petralla, M. Virgili, G. Zuccheri, A. Miti, E. Polazzi, I. Mengoni , D. Piffaretti, B. Monti "Microglial overexpression of fALS-linked mutant SOD1 induces SOD1 processing impairment, activation and neurotoxicity and is counteracted by the autophagy inducer trehalose" Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2018 Oct 10;1864(12):3771-3785. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2018.10.013.
• A. Gandini, M. Bartolini, D. Tedesco, L. Martínez-González, C. Roca, N. Campillo, J. Zaldivar-Diez, C. Perez, G. Zuccheri, A. Miti, A. Feoli, S. Castellano, S. Petralla, B. Monti, M. Rossi, F. Moda, G. Legname, A. Martínez, M. L. Bolognesi (2018) "Tau-centric multi-target approach for Alzheimer’s disease: development of first-in-class dual glycogen synthase kinase 3β and tau-aggregation inhibitors" Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 61, 17, 7640-7656 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00610.
• F. Ferrarese Lupi, T. Jacopo Giammaria, A. Miti, G. Zuccheri, S. Carignano, K. Sparnacci, G. Seguini, N. De Leo, L. Boarino, M. Perego, and M. Laus (2018) "Hierarchical Order in Dewetted Block Copolymer Thin Films on Chemically Patterned Surfaces" ACS Nano DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b02832
• H. Ahmadzade Kermani, M. Hosseini, A. Miti, M. Dadmehr, G. Zuccheri,
S. Hosseinkhani, M. Reza Ganjali (2018) "A colorimetric assay of DNA methyltransferase activity based on peroxidase mimicking of DNA template Ag/Pt bimetallic nanoclusters" Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-018-1143-2
• P. Taddei, S. Tozzi, G. Zuccheri, S. Martinotti, E. Ranzato, V. Chiono, I. Carmagnola, M. Tsukada, (2017) "Intermolecular interactions between B. mori silk fibroin and poly(L-lactic acid) in electrospun composite nanofibrous scaffolds" Materials Science and Engineering C, 70, 777-787. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2016.09.055
• K. Sparnacci, D. Antonioli, M. Perego, T. J. Giammaria, G. Seguini, F. Ferrarese Lupi, G. Zuccheri, V. Gianotti, M. Laus (2016) High temperature surface neutralization process with random copolymers for block copolymer self-assembly, Polymer International 66:459-467. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pi.5285
• A. Abruzzo, G. Zuccheri, F. Belluti, S. Provenzano, L. Verardi, F. Bigucci, T. Cerchiara, B. Luppi, N. Calonghi, (2016) “Chitosan nanoparticles for lipophilic anticancer drug delivery: Development, characterization and in vitro studies on HT29 cancer cells” Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 145: 362-372. doi:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.05.023.