Sonia Melino - Curriculum Vitae#

Full Professor of Biochemistry (SSD BIOS-07) at the Department of Experimental Medicine University of Rome "Tor Vergata"

Studies and Academical Titles

• 1992 graduated with honors in Biological Sciences from the University of Rome "La Sapienza"
  
• 1995 earned a Specialization with honors in Biotechnological Applications with a Montedison Scholarship
  
• From 1996 to 1997, she held a scholarship at the Department of Biological Sciences of UTV for a research project funded by the Italian Pharmacotherapeutic Institute
  
• 1999 Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Cytogenetics from the University "G. D'Annunzio" of Chieti with a MIUR scholarship;
  
• 2000, Research Fellow of two years
  
• 2002, Researcher in Bio/10
  
• 2009, Assistant Professor
  
• 2013, National Scientific qualification as Associate Professor in Biochemistry
  
• 2015, Associate Professor in Biochemistry SSD Bio/10
  
• 2018, National Scientific qualification as Full Professor SSD Bio/10
  
• 2024, Full Professor in Biochemistry SSD Bios-07(ex Bio/10)

Professional work Positions

• 2000, she obtained a two-year research fellowship in Biochemistry at the DSTC of UTV
  
• From 2002 to 2015, she worked as a Researcher in Bio/10 at the DSTC of UTV
  
• Since 2015, she has been an Associate Professor of Biochemistry (SSD Bio/10) at the Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies of the University of Rome "Tor Vergata" (UTV)
  
• Since 2010, she has been a member of the board of professors for the interfaculty Ph.D program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UTV
  
• Since 2004, she has been a member of the Interdepartmental Center for Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at UTV
  
• Since 2015, she is a Member and part of the Scientific Council of the university spin-off Algares s.r.l.
  
• Since 2015, she is a Member of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at UTV (CIMER)
  
• Since 2016, she has been a member of the Didactic Commission for the Materials Science and Technology degree program;
  
• From 2017 to 2020, she was a member of the Joint Commission of the Chemistry and Applied Chemistry degree program at the University of Rome Tor Vergata
  
• Since 2018, she is a member of the Committee for the Organization of Science Guidance in the Macroarea of Sciences at the University of Rome Tor Vergata
  
• Since 2021, she is a member of the Interdepartmental Center NAST (Centre Nanoscience, Nanotechnologies, Innovative Instrumentation)
  

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

Her research activity has mainly focused on biochemistry, particularly the production and structural-functional characterization of proteins/enzymes involved in cellular detoxification processes and metallopeptides with antibacterial activity. Much of her research has aimed to study the structure and function of proteins and peptides, identifying "consensus" structural motifs relevant to induce the correct protein folding and structural stability.

Current Research Lines

Purification and Characterization of Organosulfur Compounds (OSCs): This involves studying natural sulfur-containing compounds capable of releasing H2S and synthesizing new molecules GSH-conjugates (GSGa). The goal is to investigate their mechanism of action and evaluate their effects on the processes of proliferation, migration, and differentiation in both tumor cells and adult stem cells. Production and optimization of 3D cell culture systems based on hybrid-protein hydrogel.