Pasquale ScarciaCellular Biochemistry and Cellular Pharmacology,
University of Bari,
Italy
Biography
I was born in 1972 in Italy. I studied Medicinal Chemistry in University of Bari, in Bari. In 2002 I defend my PhD on the role of ATP transporter (ANT1p) in peroxisome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. From 2005 to 2010 I was Assistant professor in Clinical Biochemistry at Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in University of Bari. Since 2010 I am assistant professor in Department of Biosciences Biotechnologies Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari.
Main scientific interests are bioenergetics; biochemistry of Membrane proteins of transport; Identification of gene coding for mitochondrial carrier; Study the role of mitochondrial carriers into cellular metabolism and in pathogenesis; Gene expression by Real Time PCR
Research Interest
Scarcia?s scientific research concerned with the identification of genes encoding mitochondrial carriers and their involvement in cell metabolism and human diseases. By developing recombinant technologies for the expression and functional reconstitution of carriers, Scarcia contributed over the last 12 years to the identification of yeast genes and human genes encoding new mitochondrial carriers. The employed experimental platform consists of gene over-expression in E. coli or S. cerevisiae, purification of proteins and their functional reconstitution in liposomes reproducing biological membranes. Scarcia during his scientific career also matured experiences in techniques aimed at the characterization of the physiological roles of mitochondrial carriers in yeast as well as in mammalian living cells. Scarcia also contributed to the identification and elucidation of the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases recently associated to mitochondrial carriers, the autosomal dominant and recessive Peripherical External Ophtalmoplegia (adPEO and arPEO) caused by mutation on ADP/ATP carrier isoform 1 (SLC25A4, AAC1), and Autism syndrome in which is involved Aspartate/gluatamate carrier isoform 1 (SLC25A12, AGC1).
Main scientific interests: bioenergetics, biochemistry and molecular biology of transport proteins in intracellular membranes, regulation, homologus/heterologus over-expression, purification, reconstitution into liposomes, structure-function studies including site-direct mutagenesis and, metabolic role and pathophysiology of transport proteins in the intracellular membranes, studies of gene expression by Real-Time RT-PCR.