info@medicampus.edu.mt
(+356) 2546 6007
Prof. Riccardo Miggiano, PhD
Riccardo Miggiano, PhD, is a researcher in Biochemistry and Structural Biology at the University of Piemonte Orientale. He teaches Protein Science, Structural Biochemistry, Clinical Nutrition and Drug Discovery. His research focuses on protein structure and function, DNA replication and repair, and the molecular mechanisms of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, with the aim of identifying new therapeutic targets for infectious diseases and cancer. He is also co-founder of a university spin-off specialising in protein science.
Education and Positions
2023
Italian National Scientific Qualification as Full Professor in Biochemistry.
2021–present
Fixed-Term Researcher, Type B, in Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont “A. Avogadro”, Novara, Italy.
2020
Italian National Scientific Qualification as Associate Professor in Biochemistry.
2019–2021
Fixed-Term Researcher, Type A, in Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont “A. Avogadro”.
2014–present
Co-Founder and Researcher at IXTAL S.r.l., a university spin-off operating as a contract research organisation in protein science.
2013–2019
Postdoctoral Researcher, Biochemistry and Structural Biology Unit, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont “A. Avogadro”.
2014
PhD in Pharmaceutical and Food Biotechnologies, University of Eastern Piedmont “A. Avogadro”.
Thesis: Biochemical and Structural Studies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis O6-Methylguanine Methyltransferase and Mutated Variants.
2010
Master’s Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, University of Parma.
The Most Significant Publications
ALBERTI, M.; POLI, G.; BROGGINI, L.; et al. An alternative conformation of the N-terminal loop of human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase drives binding to a potent antiproliferative agent. Acta Crystallographica Section D: Structural Biology, 2024, 80: 386–396.
ALBERTI, M.; SAINAS, S.; RONCHI, E.; et al. Biochemical characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis dihydroorotate dehydrogenase and identification of a selective inhibitor. FEBS Letters, 2023, 597(16): 2119–2132.
MERLO, R.; MATTOSSOVICH, R.; GENTA, M.; et al. First thermostable CLIP-tag by rational design applied to an archaeal O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, 2022, 20: 5275–5286.
SAINAS, S.; GIORGIS, M.; CIRCOSTA, P.; et al. Targeting acute myelogenous leukemia using potent human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitors based on the 2-hydroxypyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine scaffold. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 2022, 65(19): 12701–12724.
ESPOSITO VERZA, A.; MIGGIANO, R.; LOMBARDO, F.; et al. Biochemical and structural analysis of a cytosolic sulfotransferase of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae overexpressed in the reproductive tissues. Current Research in Structural Biology, 2022, 4: 246–255.
FERRARIO, E.; MIGGIANO, R.; RIZZI, M.; FERRARIS, D.M. The integration of AlphaFold-predicted and crystal structures of human trans-3-hydroxy-L-proline dehydratase reveals a regulatory catalytic mechanism. Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal, 2022, 20: 3874–3883.
Professional Activities
Teaching Activities
Teaching Protein Science within the Master’s Degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology.
Teaching Biochemical and Clinical Nutrition within the Master’s Degree in Food, Health and Environment.
Teaching within the Erasmus Mundus Master course The Pillars of Drug Discovery and Development.
Previous teaching activities in Structural Biochemistry, Enzymology and Molecular Biology.
Supervision of six PhD students in Chemistry and Biology.
Research Activities
Research focused on biochemistry, structural biology and protein science.
Study of DNA replication and repair mechanisms in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and their role in bacterial persistence, adaptation and pathogenesis.
Structural and biochemical characterisation of enzymes and macromolecular complexes as potential therapeutic targets.
Application of crystallography, protein engineering and biochemical methods to drug discovery, infectious diseases and cancer research.
Development of biosensors and protein-based technologies for biomedical and diagnostic applications.
Research Projects
Principal Investigator and Coordinator of national and international projects concerning tuberculosis, bacterial DNA repair, replication mechanisms, fibrosis biomarkers and drug discovery.
Research collaborator in projects funded by the National Science Foundation and the Italian Association for Cancer Research.
Coordinator of a scientific exchange project between the University of Eastern Piedmont and the City University of New York.
Academic and Editorial Activities
Member of the Scientific Committee of the PhD Programme in Chemistry and Biology.
Member of the Quality Assurance Group for the Master’s Degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology.
Review Editor for the Structural Biology section of Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences and Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology.
Co-Editor of a special issue on Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenesis, prevention and treatment.
Scientific Societies and Conference Activities
Member of the Italian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Coordinator of its Youth Section representative committee.
Member of the Junior Section Board of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
Chair and Scientific Committee Member of international conferences organised by FEBS.
Awards and Innovation
Recipient of the Best Poster Award at the Proteine2016 conference.
Recipient of a scholarship for international research activities through the ASSUNI competition.
Co-Founder of IXTAL S.r.l., recognised with the 100 Italian Excellences award for technology transfer and research.
