Short Cv

2019 - : Researcher (RTDA), Dept. of Pharmaceutical & Pharmacological Sciences., University of Padova (Italy)
2017-19: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Dept. of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, E. Doisy Medical Center, St. Louis University (USA)
2014-16: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Dept. of Chemical Sciences and Dept. of Pharmaceutical & Pharmacological Sciences., University of Padova (Italy)
2014: PhD in Molecular Sciences – curriculum Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Padova (Italy)
2010: Degree cum laude in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, University of Padova (Italy)

Dr. Acquasaliente joined the DSF in the Biochemistry Unit in April, 2019. 
She pursued a master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology in 2010, with 110/110 cum laude, at the University of Padua.
Her PhD was obtained in Biochemistry and Molecular Sciences, at the University of Padua, defending a Thesis entitled: “Discovering Novel Interactions of Thrombin".
She started the post-doctoaral formation at Padua, funded by the Excellence Research Project of the CaRiPaRo, and then concluded at the Saint Louis University (Missouri, USA).
During these years, Dr Acquasaliente has mastered a wide range of experimental techniques in basic molecular biology, protein chemistry, enzyme biochemistry, immunochemistry, and biophysical chemistry. She has actively worked in medical research, focusing on discovering novel physiological interactions of coagulation proteins with relevant target ligand. This gave her the advantage to work in top class laboratories in  academia under the direction of exceptional scientists: Proff. De Filippis (Padova), Di Cera (St. Louis), De Cristofaro (Roma), Pengo (Padova), Peyvandi (Milano), and Vasiley (S. Pietroburgo).

  Courses

Educational offer

  Office hours

  Scientific Activities

The main topic is understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to many life-threatening disorders such as thrombosis, immunothrombosis, cancer and neurodegeneration, using a unique combination of structural biology, protein engineering, enzymology, biochemical and biophysical techniques. The long-term goal is to characterize the molecular mechanisms ai the interface between thrombosis, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, and to better understand the role of platelets-cell interactions in this scenario.

  Technical expertise

• Protein Chemistry Techniques: solid-phase peptide synthesis; chemical modification of proteins.
• Analytical Techniques: protein purification; chromatographic and electrophoretic techniques; mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS); identification of post-translational modifications by peptide mass fingerprint analysis.
• Spectroscopic Techniques: UV-Vis absorption, circular dichroism, and fluorescence spectroscopy; Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS); basic Small-Angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)
• Molecular Recognition: Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR); Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC); Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
• Enzyme Kinetics: determination of enzyme kinetic constants under steady-state and rapid conditions (stopped flow); determination of enzyme inhibition constants.
• Molecular Biology techniques: protein expression in mammalian cells, yeast and E.coli; plasmin-DNA purification; site-directed mutagenesis.
• Practical Haemostasis Techniques: determination of clinical coagulation parameters (TT, PT, aPTT, SCT); fibrin generation; platelet agglutination by turbidimetric and impedance aggregometry; multimer size distribution of von Willebrand Factor by agarose gel-electrophoresis.
• Bioinformatics: data analysis software (Origin 8.0, SigmaPlot); interrogation of databases for protein identification and characterization (EXPASY, MASCOT); molecular visualization and modelling software (ViewerPro, PyMol, HyperChem, Chimera, MOE); molecular docking software (HEX, ClusPro); protein structure analysis software (BLUUES, APBS).
• Protein Structure Techniques: robot-automated crystallization; micro-scale crystallization techniques (hanging drop and sitting drop); basic knowledge of NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance).

  Publications

1) Acquasaliente L., Pelc L.A., Di Cera E. (2019) Probing prothrombin structure by limited proteolysis. Scientific Reports 9(1),6125
2) Chakraborty P., Acquasaliente L., Pelc L.A., Di Cera E. (2018) Interplay between conformational selection and zymogen activation. Scientific Report 8(1),4080
3) Pontarollo G.*, Acquasaliente L.*, Peterle D., Artusi I., De Filippis V. (2017) Non-canonical proteolytic activation of human prothrombin by subtilisin from Bacillus subtilis may shift the procoagulant–anticoagulant equilibrium toward thrombosis. Journal of Biological Chemistry 292(37), pp. 15161-15179
4) Acquasaliente L., Peterle D., Tescari S., Pozzi N., Pengo V., De Filippis V. (2016) Molecular mapping of α-Thrombin (αT)/β2- glycoprotein I (β2GpI) interaction reveals how β2GpI affects αT functions. Biochemical Journal 473(24), pp. 4629-4650
5) Acquasaliente L.*, Sokolov A.V.*, Kostevich V.A., Frasson R., Zakharova E.T., Pontarollo G., Vasilyev V.B., De Filippis V. (2015) Thrombin inhibits the anti-myeloperoxidase and ferroxidase functions of ceruloplasmin: relevance in rheumatoid arthritis. Free Radical Biology and Medicine 86,12431, pp. 279-294
* co-first author