Dr. Sabato D’Auria
Senior Scientist and Group Leader
Via P. Castellino 111, 80131 Naples ITALY

Research Interests
The goal of this laboratory is to develop and apply advanced luminescence methodologies and optical measurements to solve questions of biochemical and medical interests.
In particular, our interests are focused on the study at a molecular level of the interactions involving proteins, enzymes, nuclei acids as well as small ligand molecules for contributing to shed light to the fields of proteomics, post-proteomics, interactomics and biosensing.
Our lab is equipped with the state-of-art instrumentations for investigating biological interactions by means of FRET, time-resolved FRET, fluorescence polarization, anisotropy decays, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy for single molecule detection, surface plasmon resonance (Biacore), circular dichroism in the far- and near-UV regions, stopped-flow methodologies, metal enhanced fluorescence.
In addition, we have established few core collaborations at national and international levels in the fields of bioinformatics, atomic force microscopy, linear spectroscopy, material engineering, and nanotechnology that allow us to handle research projects until they are completely fulfilled.
We are also active in the use of fluorescence to quantify structural features of biological molecules even at nano scale, and, consequently, to design advanced optical biochips, Lab-on-Chip, or just simple disposable biosensors for analyses of high social interest.
This capability in biophysical methodologies together with expertise in protein biochemistry, molecular genetics and microbiology allows the research team to challenge cutting-edge biochemical questions as well as to rapidly answer to biotechnological requests from SMEs and public institutions.

Personnel
A strength of the Lab and associated personnel is their many years of experience in biochemistry/molecular genetics and fluorescence spectroscopy.
This group collectively has 100 man/years of experience in fluorescence spectroscopy and biochemistry/ molecular genetics and has authored a large number of manuscripts on this topic. Actually, the Lab plays an important role in excellence networks of European labs for the physical-chemical characterization of biomolecules under severe conditions. The Lab is also member of several European Consortia for the development of frontier methodologies for monitoring food safety and homeland security.
To testify the high standard levels reached from the Lab, we are proud to announce that some of the research projects of the Lab have recently gained the front pages of three issues of Biochemical Journal (2004, Vol. 381) and one issue of Molecular Biosystems (2005, Vol. 5-6). In addition, on July 1st 2007 the American Chemical Society has published a RESEARCH PROFILE on the activity of the Lab (Analytical Chemistry 2007 July 1, page 4746) underlying the cutting-edge results obtained on the detection of traces gluten in food for celiac patients.

About the Group:
CNR Scientists
Vincenzo Aurilia - Microbiologists
Pierangelo Orlando - Chemist
Maria Staiano - Protein Biochemist
Tullio Labella - Molecular Geneticist

PhD Students
Elisa Apicella
Protein-protein interactions, protein labelling, circular dichroism.
Roberta Crescenzo
Development of nano-biosensors for homeland security based on the use of odorant-binding proteins; proteomics and interactomics.
Luisa Iozzino
Development of advanced biosensors for food safety.
Stefania Mura
Design and development of nano-biosensors for food safety.
Annalisa Vitale
Isolation, cloning, expression of new genes; protein purification.