Host defence peptides - evolution and structure-activity relationships (Prof. Tossi)

Prof. Alessandro Tossi

Phone: +39 040 558 8705
E-mail:  atossi@units.it
Skype:  alessandro.tossi

 

Biosketch

Prof. Alessandro Tossi obtained his PhD degree at Trinity College, the University of Dublin, in 1987, with a thesis on the study of the binding and photochemical reactions of ruthenium polypyridyl complexes with oligonucleotides. Subsequently, he carried out post-doctoral research on the photochemistry and radiation chemistry of nucleic acids at the Max-Planck-Institute für Strahlenchemie in Mülheim a.d. Ruhr, Germany and at the Chemistry Dept. in Dublin University, where he studied site-specific photochemical modifications of DNA. He then studied DNA/peptide interactions as a Training Fellow at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in Trieste, where he learnt peptide synthesis, bioinformatics and molecular modelling techniques.

 In 1992 he became Assistant Professor, in 2002 Associate Professor and in 2020 Full Professor at the University of Trieste,  where he teaches Biochemistry courses in the Master’s degree courses in Pharmaceutical science and technology and Functional Genomics. He has contributed to the identification and/or characterization of several mammalian antimicrobial peptides of the cathelicidin and beta-defensin families, and designed and synthesized numerous variants or completely artificial antimicrobial peptides for studies on SAR, mode of action and effects of evolutionary variations. He is interested in the evolution of host-defence peptides in mammals, particularly cathelicidins and beta-defensins. He collaborates in the identification and characterization of antimicrobial peptides from marine invertebrates.  He has also contributed to the design and synthesis of numerous peptidomimetic inhibitors of HIV aspartic protease.  He is co-inventor in patents on both AMPs and HIV inhibitors.

He has been involved in several research projects financed by the Italian CNR, Ministry of Research, National Institute of Health and FVG Region. He was unit coordinator in 5th and 7th Framework EU projects on AMPs, as well as Interreg projects for 3rd mission.  He coordinated the FVG regional project R3A2 (Regional Research Network on Anti-infective Agents). He has actively collaborated with research groups in both industry and academia, in Italy, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Croatia and Israel. 

He is co-author of more than 120 papers in international refereed journals.

 

 

 

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Last update: 12-23-2024 - 23:30