My research activities are focused on the structural characterization of biomolecules endowed with a different level of molecular/structural complexity ranging from peptides to macromolecular complexes. These analyses are performed by combining computational and experimental approaches on a variety of diversified peptide/protein systems. In particular, my expertise includes the biophysical characterization of peptides/proteins in solution by means of spectroscopic techniques (circular dichroism, fluorescence) and light scattering, the structural characterization of proteins by X-ray crystallography, data mining in databases of peptide/protein structures, statistical analyses, and finally molecular design, molecular modeling, and molecular dynamics simulations. Principal research lines in which I am currently involved can be summarized as follow: • KCTD proteins • Protein geometry • Biomaterials based on self-assembling peptides in cross-beta structures • Structural bases of protein thermostability – manipulation of thermostable proteins • HCV proteins • Hemoglobin - structural transition of hemoglobins • Thrombin interaction with aptamers • Interaction of proteins with denaturants • Epitope recognition by MHC • Epidemiological analyses on COVID-19 disease • Mutational analyses on SARS-CoV-2 proteins |
1. Esposito L, Balasco N, Vitagliano L. Alphafold Predictions Provide Insights into the Structural Features of the Functional Oligomers of All Members of the KCTD Family. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Nov 1;23(21):13346. doi: 10.3390/ijms232113346. 2. Balasco N, Esposito L, De Simone A, Vitagliano L. Local Backbone Geometry Plays a Critical Role in Determining Conformational Preferences of Amino Acid Residues in Proteins. Biomolecules. 2022 Aug 26;12(9):1184. doi:10.3390/biom12091184. 3. Balasco N, Damaggio G, Esposito L, Villani F, Berisio R, Colonna V, Vitagliano L. A global analysis of conservative and non-conservative mutations in SARS-CoV-2 detected in the first year of the COVID-19 world-wide diffusion. Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 30;11(1):24495. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04147-1. 4. Troisi R, Balasco N, Autiero I, Vitagliano L, Sica F. Exosite Binding in Thrombin: A Global Structural/Dynamic Overview of Complexes with Aptamers and Other Ligands. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Oct 6;22(19):10803. doi:10.3390/ijms221910803. 5. Balasco N, Alba J, D'Abramo M, Vitagliano L. Quaternary StructureTransitions of Human Hemoglobin: An Atomic-Level View of the Functional Intermediate States. J Chem Inf Model. 2021 Aug 23;61(8):3988-3999. doi:10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00315. 6. Balasco N, Diaferia C, Morelli G, Vitagliano L, Accardo A. Amyloid-Like Aggregation in Diseases and Biomaterials: Osmosis of Structural Information. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2021 Mar 3;9:641372. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.641372. 7. Balasco N, Esposito L, Vitagliano L. Factors affecting the amplitude of the t angle in proteins: a revisitation. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol. 2017 Jul 1;73(Pt 7):618-625. doi:10.1107/S2059798317007793. 8. Balasco N, Barone D, Sandomenico A, Ruggiero A, Doti N, Berisio R, Ruvo M, Vitagliano L. Structural Versatility of Hepatitis C Virus Proteins: Implications for the Design of Novel Anti-HCV Intervention Strategies. Curr Med Chem. 2017 Nov 24;24(36):4081-4101. doi: 10.2174/0929867324666170508105544. 9. Balasco N, Barone D, Vitagliano L. Structural conversion of the transformer protein RfaH: new insights derived from protein structure prediction and molecular dynamics simulations. J Biomol Struct Dyn. 2015;33(10):2173-9. doi:10.1080/07391102.2014.994188. 10. Balasco N, Esposito L, De Simone A, Vitagliano L. Role of loops connecting secondary structure elements in the stabilization of proteins isolated from thermophilic organisms. Protein Sci. 2013 Jul;22(7):1016-23. doi: 10.1002/pro.2279. |
Since I recently moved from IBB CNR (Naples) to Rome, most of my research activities are based on collaborations with my previous group. |
Dr. Luigi Vitagliano, Dr. Luciana Esposito, Dr. Alessia Ruggiero, Dr. Antonella Paladino, Dr. Ida Autiero - IBB CNR Naples Dr. Giovanni Smaldone - IRCCS SDN SYNLAB Naples Prof. Mario Guarracino - University of Cassino Dr. Amarinder Singh Thind - University of Wollongong, Australia Dr. Vincenza Colonna - IGB CNR Naples Dr. Cinzia Giannini - IC CNR Bari Prof. Alfonso De Simone - Imperial College Londra, University Federico II Naples Prof. Giuseppe Graziano - University of Sannio Benevento Prof. Filomena Sica, Dr. Romualdo Troisi - University Federico II Naples Prof. Giancarlo Morelli, Prof. Antonella Accardo, Dr. Carlo Diaferia - University Federico II Naples Prof. Marco D’Abramo - Sapienza University of Rome |
EDUCATION 2015 December: Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biotechnology, Second University of Naples, Thesis: “Analysis of the main determinants of protein three-dimensional structures”. 2011 October: Master degree in Chemistry (Curriculum: Physical-Chemistry) at Sapienza University of Rome. Thesis: “Oxidation of human albumin: a structural and spectroscopic study”. Final result: 110/110 cum laude. 2009 September: Bachelor of Chemistry at Sapienza University of Rome. Thesis : “Human serum albumin: correlation between stability and binding”. Final result: 110/110 cum laude. 2006 July: High school diploma – Liceo scientifico “Leonardo da Vinci”, Fiumicino (Rome). Final result: 100/100. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 2022 February - Present: Researcher at Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology IBPM CNR, Rome. 2012 October - 2022 January: Fellowship at Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging IBB CNR, Naples. 2015 April - May: Research activity at Division of Molecular Biosciences, Imperial College, London, UK. 2012 June - September: Intern (Regulatory and Medical Affairs) at Johnson & Johnson S.p.A., Rome. TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES Advanced skills in Structural and Computational Biology: - Biophysical characterization of peptides/proteins in solution by means of spectroscopic techniques (circular dichroism, fluorescence) and light scattering. - Structural characterization of proteins by X-ray crystallography. - Data mining in databases of protein/peptide structures and statistical analyses. - Molecular design, molecular modeling, molecular dynamics simulations. PUBLICATIONS H-index = 14 (SCOPUS) 50 published papers (26 as first/co-first author, 8 as corresponding author) 6 preprints RESEARCH PROJECT PI Principal investigator in the following CINECA ISCRA projects: IsCa3 AF-Koli (2022-2023), IsC95 AntHbs (2021-2022), IsC82 ArgSens (2020-2021), IsC70 HsHbDYN (2019-2020), IsC52 KCTDOLI (2017-2018). SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION 2019 August 29 -September 3: Member of the Organizing Committee of “AIC International Crystallographic School 2019 CIF”, Naples. 2019 September 4-7: Member of the Organizing Committee of “Fifth Meeting of the Italian and Spanish Crystallographic Associations MISCA V”, Naples. TEACHING ACTIVITY 2014 October - 2019 September: Teaching Assistant of Chemistry (Engineering course) at University of Sannio, Benevento. 2012 August - 2013 August: Teacher of Chemistry at Alpha Test S.r.l. OTHER ACTIVITIES Co-author of 14 crystallographic protein structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank. Co-author of the website (https://alphafold.ibb.cnr.it/) that reports a database of AlphaFold predicted structures of KCTD oligomers. Co-author of the website RECOVER-COVID-19 (http://health.ibb.cnr.it/recover) that reports epidemiological and mutational analyses on COVID-19 disease and SARS-CoV-2 proteins, respectively. Co-author of the website QUIPROQUA for the analysis of the protein fine structure in quality assessment. |