Short cv

2009: Master’s Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, University of Padova, Italy 

2010-2013: Ph.D. Program in Molecular Sciences, Doctoral course in Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Padova, Italy 

2013-2016: Post-doctoral Fellow at the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Italy 

2014 and 2015: Visiting Fellow at The RNA Institute, State University of New York, SUNY Albany, NY, USA 

2016: Temporary Worker for the development of innovative technologies in the field of sensors at ARC Centro Ricerche Applicate srl, Padova, Italy 

2017-2019: Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow (Individual Fellowship-Global Fellowship; Grant Agreement number: 751931) at the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Italy

• Outgoing phase at The RNA Institute, State University of New York, SUNY Albany, NY, USA
• Incoming phase at Dept. of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Italy 

2019-present: Researcher (SSD CHIM/08)

  Courses

Educational offer

  Office hours

Please contact via email for appointment

  Scientific Activities

Dr. Sosic is a medicinal chemist specialized in drug development and in the evaluation of drugs molecular mechanisms of action. Her reaserch is mainly focused on the study of Nucleic Acids representing a valid target for new antiviral and anticancer agents. 

Part of her research was devoted to the study of synthetic and natural compounds as inhibitors of the nucleocapsid protein (NC) of HIV-1. She developed and optimized a platform for the screening of NC inhibitors. Her work produced new important insights in this research field, leading to the identification of different classes of potent in vitro anti-NC agents. She explored the structure-activity relationship of these NC inhibitors identifying positive hits and demonstrated their molecular mechanisms of NC inhibition. 

Dr. Sosic worked productively also on the biological evaluation of new classes of potential anticancer agents and the study of their molecular mechanisms of action. In particular, she studied various classes of small molecule drugs with anticancer potential by inhibiting the activity of essential DNA-processing proteins, such as topoisomerases. 

Moreover, she developed distinctive expertise in the using of Mass Spectrometry for Nucleic Acids to elucidate protein-nucleic acids-ligand interactions. She works on the development of tools for the investigation of RNA structures, structure-function relationships of RNA-ligands and RNA-protein complexes involved in essential biological processes. 

She is member of the Italian Chemistry Society (SCI, Societa Chimica Italiana) – Medicinal Chemistry Division, Mass Spectrometry Division and Biotechnologies Division; American Chemistry Society (ACS); American Society for Mass Spectrometry (ASMS) and Czech Society for Mass Spectrometry (CSMS). 

Peer reviewer for international journals on Medicinal Chemistry. 

Editorial Board Member of “The Open Medicinal Chemistry Journal”.

  Technical expertise

• Chemistry of nucleic acids: synthesis, modification, purification of nucleic acids; Enzymatic restriction and ligation of DNA; In vitro transcription of RNA; DNA and RNA Radiolabelling, PCR and real-time PCR 
• Aptamers folding, manipulation and applications 
• UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Fluorescence Quenching Assays, FRET and Melting Assays, Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy 
• Microarrays: aptamer-based Microarray systems for protein detection, Multiplex Sandwich Aptamer Microarray development and optimization 
• Mass Spectrometry (MS): using of ESI-MS via direct infusion nanospray ionization and tandem MS to investigate macromolecular complexes (nucleic acids-protein, ligand-nucleic acids, ligand-protein) 
• Ion Mobility Spectrometry-Mass Spectrometry (IMS-MS): detection, quantification and characterization of macromolecular complexes (nucleic acids-protein, ligand-nucleic acids, ligand-protein and ternary complexes) and analysis of their conformational changes via direct infusion nanospray ionization

  Publications

C. Carraro, A. Francke, A. Sosic, F. Kohl, T. Helbing, M. De Franco, D. Fabris, R. Göttlich, and B. Gatto. “Behind the Mirror: Chirality Tunes the Reactivity and Cytotoxicity of Chloropiperidines as Potential Anticancer Agents”, ACS Med. Chem. Lett. DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.8b00580. 
 

A. Sosic, I. Saccone, C. Carraro, T. Kenderdine, E. Gamba, G. Caliendo, A. Corvino, P. Di Vaio, F. Fiorino, E. Magli, E. Perissutti, V. Santagada, B. Severino, V. Spada, D. Fabris, F. Frecentese, and Barbara Gatto. “Non-Natural Linker Configuration in 2,6-Dipeptidyl- Anthraquinones Enhances the Inhibition of TAR RNA Binding/Annealing Activities by HIV-1 NC and Tat Proteins”, Bioconjugate Chem., 2018, 29, 7, 2195-2207.


A. Sosic,* I. Zuravka, N.K. Schmitt, A. Miola, R. Göttlich, D. Fabris, and B. Gatto. “Direct and Topoisomerase II Mediated DNA Damage by Bis-3-chloropiperidines: The Importance of Being an Earnest G”. ChemMedChem, 2017, 12, 1471 – 1479. * First and corresponding author. 
 

F. Frecentese,* A. Sosic,* I. Saccone, E. Gamba, K. Link, A. Miola, M. Cappellini, M. G. Cattelan, B. Severino, F. Fiorino, E. Magli, A. Corvino, E. Perissutti, D. Fabris, B. Gatto, G. Caliendo, V. Santagada. “Synthesis and in vitro screening of new series of 2,6-dipeptidyl- anthraquinones: influence of side chain length on HIV-1 nucleocapsid inhibitors”. J. Med. Chem., 2016, 59 (5), 1914-1924 *Authors equally contributed and corresponding authors. 
 

A. Sosic, L. Sinigaglia, M. Cappellini, I. Carli, C. Parolin, G. Zagotto, G. Sabatino, P. Rovero, D. Fabris, and B. Gatto. “Mechanisms of HIV‐1 Nucleocapsid Protein Inhibition by Lysyl-Peptidyl-Anthraquinone Conjugates”. Bioconjugate Chem., 2016, 27, 247-256. 


  Complete list of publications

Alice Sosic in Padua Research Archive IRIS (Institutional Research Information System)

  Research projects and Funds

H2020-MSCA-IF-2016. Marie Sklodowska Curie Action – Individual Fellowship – Global Fellowship – Call 2016. Project: “BICEPSvsHIV. Novel strategies for anti-HIV-1 therapy: Small molecules targeting RNA partners of the nucleocapsid protein” funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Grant Agreement number: 751931. 

ICU2017. The project of was funded by the University of Padova for the “Iniziative di cooperazione universitaria 2017” programme. The action included an international mobility with the aims of continue and consolidate the two-way collaboration between the research groups of the University of Padova (Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy) and the University of Albany (State University of New York at Albany, NY, USA).