STAFFResearchers and technologists ICB
Fabrizio Chiodo
Researcher
Fabrizio Chiodo
ResearcherFabrizio Chiodo studies carbohydrate-mediated immunological responses mostly in the context of conjugate-vaccines and host-pathogen interactions. He defended his PhD in 2013 in Spain (Applied Chemistry, working on synthetic vaccines and nanotechnology applied to vaccinology), and in 2014 he obtained a personal grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research working at the Leiden Institute of Chemistry and Leiden University Medical Center. He initiated and strengthened International collaborations in the field of vaccinology especially with the Finlay Institute in Havana (Cuba), where he is appointed as Invited Lecturer at the Faculty of Chemistry. In 2018 he was awarded with a personal grant from the Amsterdam Infection and Immunity Institute working independently at the Y. van Kooyk group. From October 2020 he is a Research Assistant Professor at the Italian National Research Council (CNR) working at the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Naples, keeping his affiliation and position also in Amsterdam.
Competenze GlycoScienceGlycoImmunology
Carbohydrate-mediated interactions
Conjugate-vaccines
Innate responses Pubblicazioni
SARS-CoV-2 RBD-Tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine induces a strong neutralizing immunity in preclinical studies. Y. Valdes-Balbin, D.Santana-Mederos, L. Quintero, S. Fernandez, L. Rodriguez, B. Sanchez-Ramirez, R. Perez, […], F. Chiodo, F. Paquet, G. Chen, D. G Rivera, D. Garcia-Rivera, V. Verez-Bencomo. 2021, ACS Chemical Biology, 16, 7, 1223–1233
Q. Zhu, Z. Shen, F. Chiodo, S. Nicolardi, A. Molinaro, A. Silipo, B. Yu. Chemical synthesis of glycans up to a 128-mer relevant to the O-antigen of Bacteroides vulgatus. 2020, Nature Communications, 11, 4142
Q. Zhang, A. Gimeno, D. Santana, Z. Wang, Y. Valdes-Balbin, L. Rodriguez-Noda, T. Hansen, L. Kong, M. Shen, H. Overkleeft, V. Verez-Bencomo, G. van der Marel, J. Jiménez-Barbero, F. Chiodo, J. Codée. Synthetic, zwitterionic Sp1-oligosaccharides adopt a helical structure crucial for antibody interaction. 2019, ACS Central Science, 5, 1407-1416
S. Nicolardi, Y. van der Burgt, M. Wuhrer, J. Codee. C. H. Hokke, F. Chiodo. Structural characterization of bio-functionalized gold nanoparticles by ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry. 2017, ACS Nano, 11, 8257-8264
M. Marradi, F. Chiodo, I. García, S. Penadés. Glyconanoparticles as multifunctional and multimodal carbohydrate systems. 2013, Chemical Society Reviews, 42, 4728-4745
Contatti


ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3619-9982 Web of science Scholar View curriculum

Direttore ICB

Ricercatori e tecnologi

Tecnici e amministrativi
- Email: f.chiodo@icb.cnr.it
Maria Letizia Ciavatta
Researcher
Maria Letizia Ciavatta
Researcher



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- Phone: 081 8675243
- Email: lciavatta@icb.cnr.it
Maria Colombino
Researcher
Maria Colombino
ResearcherDr. MariaColombinograduated in Molecular Biology and obtained the PhD in Biochemistry, Biology and Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Sassari, Italy. She worked as Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow at the Laboratory of Genetics at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She is Research’sCNR (National Research Council) of the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB)butactually she is affiliateof the Sassari Branch ofthe Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research (IRGB). Her research activity is correlate to the identification and characterization of somatic and germline alterations in candidate genes involved in susceptibility to neoplasm and/or in tumorigenesis with particular focus in Malignant Melanoma and Non Small Cell Lung Cancer. Dr. Colombinois author of more than 42peer-reviewed publications (Scopus H-index: 20, WoS H-index: 19) and several book chapters. She has been invited as Speakerin more than 10Congresses in past ten years
Skills Cancer BiomarkerCancer genetic Melanom
Molecular Biology
Translational Medicine
Next Generation Sequencing
Real Time PCR
Pyrosequencing Publications
Genetic Instability Markers in Cancer. Palmieri G, Casula M, Manca A, Palomba G, Sini MC, Doneddu V, Cossu A, Colombino M.Methods Mol Biol. 2020;2055:133-154. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9773-2_6. PMID: 31502150
Comparison of BRAF Mutation Screening Strategies in a Large Real-Life Series of Advanced Melanoma Patients. Colombino M, Rozzo C, Paliogiannis P, Casula M, Manca A, Doneddu V, Fedeli MA, Sini MC, Palomba G, Pisano M, Ascierto PA, Caracò C, Lissia A, Cossu A, Palmieri G. J Clin Med. 2020 Jul 30;9(8):2430. doi: 10.3390/jcm9082430. PMID: 32751423
EGFR, KRAS, BRAF, ALK, and cMET genetic alterations in 1440 Sardinian patients with lung adenocarcinoma.Colombino M, Paliogiannis P, Cossu A, Santeufemia DA; Sardinian Lung Cancer (SLC) Study Group, Sini MC, Casula M, Palomba G, Manca A, Pisano M, Doneddu V, Palmieri G. BMC Pulm Med. 2019 Nov 11;19(1):209. doi: 10.1186/s12890-019-0964-x. PMID: 31711449
Molecular Pathways in Melanomagenesis: What We Learned from Next-Generation Sequencing Approaches. Palmieri G, Colombino M, Casula M, Manca A, Mandalà M, Cossu A; Italian Melanoma Intergroup (IMI). Curr Oncol Rep. 2018 Sep 14;20(11):86. doi: 10.1007/s11912-018-0733-7. PMID: 30218391
BRAF/NRAS mutation frequencies among primary tumors and metastases in patients with melanoma. Colombino M, Capone M, Lissia A, Cossu A, Rubino C, De Giorgi V, Massi D, Fonsatti E, StaibanoS, Nappi O, Pagani E, Casula M, Manca A, Sini M, Franco R, Botti G, Caracò C, Mozzillo N, Ascierto PA, Palmieri G. J Clin Oncol. 2012 Jul 10;30(20):2522-9.doi: 10.1200/JCO.2011.41.2452. PMID: 22614978
Contacts



Scopus Author Identifier: 6602522509
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8051-3356
Web of Science ResearcherID: AAX-7371-2020 View curriculum

ICB Director

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- Email: m.colombino@icb.cnr.it
Grazia Maria Letizia Consoli
Researcher
Grazia Maria Letizia Consoli
ResearcherGrazia Maria Letizia Consoli graduated in Biological Sciences at the University of Catania in 1989 with 110 cum laude. He holds a Specialization in Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry at the University of Catania. He has carried out research activities at the Institute for the Study of Natural Substances of Food and Chemical-Pharmaceutical Interest (scholarships funded by MIUR). Since 1999 she has been a researcher at the CNR Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry. In 2004 she was visiting researcher at the University of Konstanz (Germany). He deals with organic synthesis, structural characterization and supramolecular chemistry aimed at drug discovery and drug delivery.
Skills Organic synthesisStructural characterization
Supramolecular chemistry
Host-guest chemistry
Multivalent compounds
Nanostructured systems
Drug discovery
Drug delivery
Antimicrobials
Anticancers Publications Contacts



ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9608-5138
Researcher ID: AAY-9836-2021 Scopus Webofscience Scholar View curriculum

ICB Director

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- Phone: 095 7338319
- Email: grazia.consoli@icb.cnr.it
Nicola Culeddu
Researcher
Nicola Culeddu
Researcher



ICB Director

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- Phone: 079 2841211
- Email: nicola.culeddu@icb.cnr.it
Luigia Cristino
Researcher
Luigia Cristino
ResearcherLuigia Cristino is Senior Researcher at ICB-CNR. She coordinates the research group “Neurochemistry and Cell Signaling” for studies in “Chemistry for Health” and biological evaluation of the effects of small bioactive organic molecules, natural or synthetic, by exploiting time-lapse integrated microscopy techniques (cell imaging and patch-clamp registration) and the IncuCyte® platform for preclinical research in medicinal chemistry applied to neuroscience and immunology.
Her research is focused on the study of chemical communication between cells and identification of molecular pathways of signal transduction at GCPRs receptors (mainly in particular (endo)cannabinoids, (endo)vanilloids, orexin, SCFAs and endocannabinoid-like metabolites produced by gut microbiota) with metabolic, morphological and functional effect on synaptic homeostasis and microbiota-gut-brain axis, in physiological or neuroinflammatory states (mainly obesity and aging), in mouse and cellular models. For research activity she has received funding from national and international research agencies (MIUR: PRIN_PNRR2022 “NeuroFood”; PON «R&I»ARS01_01270 IDF SHARID; PRIN2017 # 2017M42834_002; HORIZON 2020/Marie Curie Action INCIPIT; Canada Sentinelle Nord; Plantex; GW and Jazz Pharma).
Orexin/hypocretin
hypothalamus
Cannabinoids
Cell signal trasduction
Immuno-cytochemistry
Immuno-histochemistry
Confocal and Electron Microscopy
Time lapese cell imaging
Elettrophysiology Publications
1. “Cannabinoids and the expanded endocannabinoid system in neurological disorders” Cristino L, Bisogno T, Di Marzo V. NATURE REVIEW NEUROLOGY, 2020. 16:9-29. DOI: 10.1038/s41582-019-0284-z.
2. “Orexin-A and endocannabinoids are involved in obesity-associated alteration of hippocampal neurogenesis, plasticity, and episodic memory in mice”. Forte N, Boccella S, Tunisi L, Fernández-Rilo AC, Imperatore R, Iannotti FA, De Risi M, Iannotta M, Piscitelli F, Capasso R, De Girolamo P, De Leonibus E, Maione S, Di Marzo V, Cristino L. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 2021;12:6137. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26388-4.
3. “Orexin induces the production of an endocannabinoid-derived lysophosphatidic acid eliciting hypothalamic synaptic loss in obesity”. Fernández-Rilo AC, Forte N, Palomba L, Tunisi L, Piscitelli F, Imperatore R, Di Costanzo A, Di Marzo V, Cristino L.
MOLECULAR METABOLISM. 2023;72:101713. DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101713.
4. “Orexin-A represses satiety-inducing POMC neurons and contributes to obesity via stimulation of endocannabinoid signaling”. Morello G, Imperatore R, Palomba L, Finelli C, Labruna G, Pasanisi F, Sacchetti L, Buono L, Piscitelli F, Orlando P, Di Marzo V, Cristino L. PNAS 2016; 26,113:4759-64. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1521304113.
5. “Obesity-driven synaptic remodeling affects endocannabinoid control of orexinergic neurons”. Cristino L, Busetto G, Imperatore R, Ferrandino I, Palomba L, Silvestri C, Petrosino S, Orlando P, Bentivoglio M, Mackie K, Di Marzo V.
PNAS 2013; 110:E2229-38. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1219485110.




ICB Director

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Technical and administrative
- Phone: 081 8675134
- Email: luigia.cristino@icb.cnr.it
Francesca Cunsolo
Senior Researcher
Francesca Cunsolo
Senior ResearcherIn 1983 she graduated in Chemistry cum laude from the University of Catania discussing a thesis entitled: “Oxoalgerienol and oxoalgeriendiol: two new metabolites from the brown alga Cystoseira Algeriensis”.
From September 1986 to November 1988 she had two scholarships from the CNR and in December 1988 she started as a permanent researcher at the ISSN-CNR in Catania.
In the period August 2001-April 2002, thanks to the short term mobility program and CNR-NATO Senior Grant, she attended the chemistry laboratory directed by Prof. AD Hamilton at Yale University, collaborating on the synthesis of new surface receptors for biomacromolecules.
The activity, started in the field of natural molecules with the isolation and structural characterization of secondary metabolites, turned to the study and possible applications in the bioorganic field of supramolecular chemistry, with particular attention to the synthesis and conformational pre-organization of calixarene macrocycles.
She has been involved in many research projects and has carried out several teaching and tutoring activities.
Now she is currently involved in the design and synthesis of macroporous polymeric materials and their applications in the biomedical and environmental fields.
Skills Supramolecular ChemistryCalixarenes
Molecular Recognition
Polyelectrolites
Hydrogel
Macroporous polymers
Cryogel Publications
1) T. Mecca et al. N-methyl-D-glucamine based cryogels as reusable sponges to enhance heavy metals removal from water; Chemical Engineering Journal 399, 125753 (2020)
2) M. Ussia et al. ZnO–pHEMA Nanocomposites: An Ecofriendly and Reusable Material for Water Remediation; ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 10, 46, 40100 (2018)
3) G. Granata et al. Potential Eye Drop Based on a Calix[4]arene Nanoassembly for Curcumin Delivery: Enhanced Drug Solubility, Stability, and Anti-Inflammatory Effect; Mol. Pharmaceutics, 14, 1610 (2017)
4) R. La Spina et al. Chemically modified poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) cryogel for the adsorption of heparin; J. Biomed. Mater. Res. Part B, 102, 1207 (2014)
5) T. Mecca et al. Novel pH responsive calix[8]arene hydrogelators: self-organization processes at a nanometric scale; Chem. Commun., 49, 2530 (2013)
Contacts


ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6766-8174
Scopus Author ID: 6602806308 Scholar View curriculum

ICB Director

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Technical and administrative
- Phone: 095 7338333
- Email: francesca.cunsolo@icb.cnr.it
Nicola D’Antona
Researcher
Nicola D’Antona
ResearcherHead of the research site of Catania
Biography Skills Publications Contacts BiographyHe graduated in Chemistry (Organic-Biologic specialization) at the University of Catania in 1997. Since 1997 to 2007 he has worked as postdoc at the ISSN-CNR, lately known as ICB-CNR. In 2004 he was Visiting Researcher at the “Institut für Bioverfahrenstechnik” – University of Stuttgart, Germany – in the group of Prof. C. Syldatk. Since 2008 he is researcher at Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare of Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ICB-CNR), and since 2017 he is Head of Catania branch of ICB-CNR.
His scientific activity has been according to some macro topics characterized by an high grade of multidisciplinarity and more specifically focused on:
Chemistry of natural compounds.
Enzymatic biocatalysis and organometallic catalysis.
Organic “green” synthesis.
Valorization of biomasses.
Organic synthesis
Chiral resolution
Lipases
Nitrilases
Green chemistry
Valorisation of waste biomasses
Sustainable Processes Publications
Di Mauro M.D.; Fava G.; Spampinato M.; Aleo D.; Melilli B.; Saita M.G.; Centonze G.; Maggiore R.; D’Antona N. Polyphenolic Fraction from Olive Mill Wastewater: Scale-Up and in Vitro Studies for Ophthalmic Nutraceutical Applications. Antioxidants (2019), 8(10), 462; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox8100462.
Colombo, A.; Schievano, A.; Trasatti, S.P.; Morrone, R.; D’Antona, N.; Cristiani, P. “Signal trends of microbial fuel cells fed with different food-industry residues.” Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 2017, 42, 1841-1852.
D’Antona, N.; Morrone, R.; Gambera, G.; Pedotti, S. “Enantiorecognition of planar “metallocenic” chirality by a nitrile hydratase/amidase bienzymatic system.” Org. Biomol. Chem. 2016, 14, 4393-4399.
D’Antona, N.; Morrone, R.; Nicolosi, G.; Pedotti, S. Novel enzymatic recognition of the ferrocene framework: nitrile hydratase/amidase catalyzed cascade biotransformations. RSC Adv (2013), 3, 11456-11458.
Morrone, R.; D’Antona, N.; Biondi, D.; Lambusta, D.; Nicolosi, G. “Preparation of n3-PUFAs ethyl esters by an efficient biocatalyzed solvent-free process.” Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic 2012, 84, 173-176.




Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1711-8262 View curriculum

ICB Director

Researchers and technologists

Technical and administrative
- Phone: 095 7338342
- Email: nicola.dantona@icb.cnr.it
Adele Cutignano
Senior Researcher
Adele Cutignano
Senior ResearcherAdele Cutignano graduated summa cum laude in 1993 in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Naples Federico II, where she also obtained her PhD in Agricultural Chemistry in 1997; in 1999 she got the Specialization in Hospital Pharmacy at University of Salerno with highest marks and honors. From 1997 to 2001 she obtained Post-doc and Research Assistant positions at University of Salerno. In 2001 she obtained a permanent position as Researcher at CNR- ICB where she currently is Senior Researcher since 2020.
Skills Natural product chemistry Drug discovery Secondary metabolites biosynthesis Mass spectrometry methodologies Lipidomics Publications-
A. Cutignano*, G Mamone, F Boscaino, A Ceriotti, M Maccaferri, G. Picariello. “Monitoring changes of lipid composition in durum wheat during grain development”, J. Cereal Sci. 2021, 97, 103131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2020.103131
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R. Sacchi, A. Cutignano, G. Picariello, A. Paduano, A. Genovese, F. Siano, G. Nuzzo, S. Caira, C. Lubritto, P. Ricci, A. D’Auria, G. Di Pasquale, A. Motta, F. Addeo. “Olive oil from the 79 A.D. Vesuvius eruption stored at the Naples National Archaeological Museum (Italy)” NPJ Food of Science, 2020, 4, 19. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-020-00077-w
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I. Ben Haj Yahia, Y. Zaouali, M. L. Ciavatta, A. Ligresti, R. Jaouadi, M. Boussaid and A. Cutignano* “Polyphenolic Profiling, Quantitative Assessment and Biological Activities of Tunisian Native Mentha rotundifolia (L.) Huds.” Molecules, 2019, 24, 2351. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24132351
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E. Manzo, C. Gallo, R. Sartorius, G. Nuzzo, A. Sardo, P. De Berardinis, A. Fontana, A. Cutignano* “Immunostimulatory Phosphatidylmonogalactosyldiacylglycerols (PGDG) from the marine diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii: inspiration for a novel synthetic TLR-4 agonist” Mar. Drugs, 2019, 17, 103. https://doi.org/10.3390/md17020103
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A. Cutignano*; E. Luongo; G. Nuzzo; D. Pagano; E. Manzo; A. Sardo; A. Fontana. “Profiling of complex lipids in marine microalgae by UHPLC/tandem mass spectrometry”, Algal Res., 2016, 17, 348-358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2016.05.016





ICB Director

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Technical and administrative
- Phone: 081 8675313
- Email: acutignano@icb.cnr.it
Francesco De Francesco
Technologist
Francesco De Francesco
Technologist
Publications
Contacts




ICB Director

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Maria Antonietta Dettori
Researcher
Maria Antonietta Dettori
Researcher



ICB Director

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Technical and administrative
- Phone: 079 2841224
- Email: antonella.dettori@icb.cnr.it
Vincenzo Di Marzo
Research Director
Vincenzo Di Marzo
Research DirectorVincenzo Di Marzo’s research activity has been dedicated to the understanding of the mechanisms of chemical communication between cells. His scientific career took an important turn when he began to study the biology of the chemical signals that act in our body on the same receptors as delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychotropic/euphoric component of marijuana. These molecules, that he named endocannabinoids, have a crucial pleiotropic function as pro-homeostatic signals by regulating the function of other chemical signals in our organism. Any therapeutic tool – including some cannabinoids from Cannabis – that regulates either the tissue concentration or the action of endocannabinoids, can theoretically be used to treat diseases such as neuropsychiatric, neuroinflammatory and metabolic disorders. His over 750 publications on these topics gained Di Marzo a stable place in the list of about 6000 Highly Cited world scientists since 2014. He currently studies the chemical communication between the cells of our body and the microorganisms that stably populate it: the microbiome. As Director of the Joint International Unit for the Study of the Microbiome, between the CNR and the Université Laval in Quebec City (www.umilaval.cnr.it), Canada, he coordinates experiments on the interactions between the intestinal microbiome and endocannabinoids.
Skills Chemical signallingBioactive lipids
Endocannabinoids
Endovanilloids
Cannabinoids
TRP Channels
Microbiome Publications
Iannotti FA, Pagano E, Guardiola O, Adinolfi S, Saccone V, Consalvi S, Piscitelli F, Gazzerro E, Busetto G, Carrella D, Capasso R, Puri PL, Minchiotti G, Di Marzo V. Genetic and pharmacological regulation of the endocannabinoid CB1 receptor in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Nat Commun. 2018;9(1):3950. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30262909/
Cristino L, Busetto G, Imperatore R, Ferrandino I, Palomba L, Silvestri C, Petrosino S, Orlando P, Bentivoglio M, Mackie K, Di Marzo V. Obesity-driven synaptic remodeling affects endocannabinoid control of orexinergic neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013;110(24):E2229-38. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23630288/
An endogenous capsaicin-like substance with high potency at recombinant and native vanilloid VR1 receptors. Huang SM, Bisogno T, Trevisani M, Al-Hayani A, De Petrocellis L, Fezza F, Tognetto M, Petros TJ, Krey JF, Chu CJ, Miller JD, Davies SN, Geppetti P, Walker JM, Di Marzo V. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002;99(12):8400-5 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12060783/
Leptin-regulated endocannabinoids are involved in maintaining food intake. Di Marzo V, Goparaju SK, Wang L, Liu J, Bátkai S, Járai Z, Fezza F, Miura GI, Palmiter RD, Sugiura T, Kunos G. Nature. 2001 Apr 12;410(6830):822-5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11298451/
Di Marzo V, Fontana A, Cadas H, Schinelli S, Cimino G, Schwartz JC, Piomelli D. Formation and inactivation of endogenous cannabinoid anandamide in central neurons. Nature. 1994;372(6507):686-91. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7990962/



ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1490-3070 CERC-MEND ERG Umilaval View curriculum Myhealthywaist

ICB Director

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- Phone: 081 8675024
- Email: vdimarzo@icb.cnr.it