Francisci Silvia

Biography

Since 1975 began the collaboration, in quality of internal student, with the research group of the Prof. Laura fronts at the Chemistry Laboratory of the fermentations and bacteriology industrial part of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Rome La Sapienza Rome for the preparation of an experimental thesis entitled "Characterization of the alanyl-mitochondrial tRNA in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae" with which he obtained a degree in Biological Sciences on 31 October 1977. Since then the scientific interest has been directed primarily to the study of the phenomena regolativi connected to physiological variations reproducible as those encountered in yeast S. cerevisiae which represents an excellent example of a microorganism capable of growing both in aerobiosis that in anaerobic conditions. From November 1978 to November 1980 he worked as a scholar of the Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti-Istituto Pasteur at the Institute of Genetics of the University of Munich, to deepen the study of alterations of metabolism in various physiological conditions and cultivation. In this period he has isolated a series of mutants of S.cerevisiae insensitive to repression by glucose and li has characterized genetically even at the molecular level (translation and mitochondrial transcription). The scientific activity in Germany is continued until 1/6/1981 with a research contract Deutsche Forschung Gemeinschaft (body comparable to the CNR). From June 1981 took over the activities of research at the University of Rome La Sapienza, Faculty of Sciences deepening the modalities of transcription and maturation of mitochondrial transcripts in yeast S. cerevisiae. From December 1982 until 1/10/1983 has had an allowance of vocational training of the CNR and worked at the center Nucleic Acids, at the Institute of General Physiology at the University La Sapienza of Rome. In 1983 he won the 1st free competition for researcher in grouping n.76 (Evolutionary Biology) and in October of the same year he took up service at the Faculty of Sciences - Department of Cell Biology and development- of the University La Sapienza. From 1986 carries out research in the Department above (with new name of Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin") as confirmed researcher. The study of the mechanisms of transcription and maturation of mitochondrial transcripts of tRNA in yeast strains and mutants able to accumulate transcripts precursors of these genes, has allowed us to identify the points of the start of transcription and the cleavage sites of transcripts intermediates. These results have enabled the formulation of a model for the transcription and maturation of mitochondrial tRNA. The research activity has also focused on the study of interactions core cytoplasmic-and in particular the influence of nuclear factors and sequence-structures of mitochondrial genome on the maturation of tRNA precursors. It has been part of different research groups interuniversity, projects designed CNR Biotechnology and University. From 1988 to 2010 was responsible (PI) of projects of university research for the study of the events of the maturation of the mitochondrial tRNA in yeast and more recently, for the analysis of mutants of the genes for the mitochondrial tRNA with substitutions equivalent to those pathogenetic. He has participated as investigator to draft EEC HCM (Human Capital and Mobility) directed to the study of Biogenesi of mitochondria and draft EEC Eurofan (European Network as a teacher the practical course, Yeast systems for analysis of RNA-protein interactions, which was held in Rome at the Department 3-8 November 2003. In 2005 he obtained a Telethon financing with a project on the study of mutations in the genes for the mitochondrial tRNA related in man to encefalomiopatie. In 2011 (Call 2006) has obtained a FIRB financing-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti with a project "Yeast as a model system for understanding the molecular basis of diseases" as Responsible (PI) of one of the Research Unit (Yeast as a model to study mitochondrial diseases). The international aspect of this project (in collaboration with the Institute Pasteur-Parigi)has also included the organization of a workshop organised in Rome (28-29 May 2012). Since 2007 is Scientific responsible of the bilateral agreement of Co.

Research Interest

Molecular biology and genetics.