Activities

The group research activity is focused on the development of analytical mass spectrometry (MS) methods for the identification, structure determination and quantification of bioactive molecules.

Group professors serve as mentor and tutor of Master degrees in Biotechnology, Chemistry, and Biology and PhD degree in Chemical and Materials Sciences. Group members have developed collaborations and agreements with companies, public control, forensic and research organizations. The main third mission activity of the laboratory is related to the quality control of the mineral waters of the springs of central-northwestern Italy.

The laboratory instrumentation involves ten spectrometers and separators. The research projects deal with development and application of new analytical methods both in the field of small molecules (metabolomics, lipidomics, enviromics) and macromolecules (proteomics): 

• • 3 gas chromatographs (GC) coupled to different MS analyzers for volatile organic compounds analysis: ion trap, single quadrupole and triple quadrupole; online extraction devices as solid phase micro extraction (SPME) and purge&trap system are included,
  • 3 liquid chromatographs (LC) hyphenated with tandem MS analyzers as Q-trap and triple quadrupoles; one system is equipped with online SPME,
  • 2 liquid chromatographs hyphenated with hybrid high resolving power orbitrap systems; one system is equipped with both micro- and nanoLC and with electron transfer dissociation atmospheric pressure ion source (figure 1),
  • 1 inductively coupled plasma – MS for elemental analysis,
  • 1 ion chromatograph with electrochemical detector for anions/cations analysis.

The most recent research topics are: 

• 1. Characterization of mineral water quality: official quality control of physical-chemical parameters: inorganic anions and cations by ion chromatography and trace elements by ICP-MS; evaluation of volatile organic pollutants by purge&trap-GC-MS and stirring bar sorptive extraction (SBSE)- GC-MS; study of food contact materials: release of contaminants.

On-going projects:

Evaluation of emerging contaminants (pesticides, plasticizers, etc.) by on-lineSPE-HPLC-MS and SBSE-GC/LC-MS (figure 2)

Development of validated methods for microplastics analysis – Partner: water bottling companies.

• 2. Quantitation of bioactive peptides and proteins: Development and validation of targeted nanoLC-HRMS methods to detect neuropeptides (GnRH, AMH) in human plasma and nervous tissues of laboratory animals; identification and quantitation of proteins in biological/archaeological samples.

On-going projects:

Evaluation of multiple neuropeptides in studies about polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – Partner: Inserm Lille.

Identification and quantitation of proteins of archaeological interest – Partner: Life Sciences and System Biology Dept

• 3. Characterization of plant secondary metabolites): Development and validation of targeted GC and HPLC-MS methods to quantify plant bioactive principles in vegetal extracts; Plant metabolomics to identify putative biomarkers of exposure to pathogens.

On-going projects:

Identification and quantitation of bioactive terpenoids in the hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from uncommon plant species. Pharmacological molecular characterization of the extracts. Partner: Biosfered company.

Untargeted metabolomics of Xylella-infected trees, Punica granatum fruits and different wine cultivars. Partners: Universities of Salento and Calabria.

Targeted metabolomics of Brassicaceae plant preparations by selective tandem MS methods (vegetal biomarkers identification and quantitation).

• 4. Targeted and untargeted metabolomics: molecular determination of biochemicals: endogenous toxins formed by interaction of sugars and proteins; enzymatic products of drugs and lipid molecules; food bioactive components quantitation.

On-going projects: 

Identification/measurement of quorum sensing molecules (semi-targeted) and uremic toxins (targeted, extendable to untargeted), in blood of septic patients. Evaluation of different filtering materials in hemoperfusion. 

Extracellular vesicles metabolome characterization.

Identification/measurement of AGEs (advanced glycation end products) and sphingolipids (targeted lipidomics), in blood of lab animals and nephrology patients. Evaluation of different diets

• 5. Assessment of the transformation of bioactive molecules by HPLC coupled to high resolution multistage mass spectrometry to study drug metabolism, environmental fate of drugs and toxics compounds. - Studies about MS fragmentation pathways and application to structural determination of synthetic intermediates or unknown molecules. These studies are centered on molecular identification of metabolites or degradants formed in vitro, in vivo or in lab simulation based on photocatalytical experiments (figure 3).

Group

• Prof. Claudio Medana (PI)
• Federica Dal Bello - Associate Professor
• Aigotti Riccardo - Senior Technician (EP)
• Enrica Mecarelli – Junior Technician
• Alberto asteggiano – Phd Student
• Sandra Vietti M. - Phd Student
• Alex Affricano – - Phd Student
• Valentina Schiavo – Research Fellow
• Rita Aprile – Graduate student