معرفی
Luca Pellegrini is a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of genomic stability, particularly the coordination of DNA replication and repair processes. He leads the Pellegrini Group, which investigates protein complexes involved in DNA replication fork stability, homologous recombination, and chromatin interactions. Key projects include structural studies of replisome components like CMG helicase and Ctf4, as well as the role of RAD51 in DNA repair pathways.
His work combines structural biology (e.g., cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography) with biochemical and cellular approaches to elucidate how replication machinery interacts with obstacles like DNA damage or histones. Recent studies highlight the functional interplay between replication proteins and their roles in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
Publications span structural insights into DNA repair proteins (e.g., CtIP tetramerization, BRCA2-RAD51 interactions) and viral factors affecting replication (e.g., SARS-CoV-2 nsp1). The lab actively collaborates on translational projects targeting genome instability, such as developing small-molecule inhibitors of replication complexes.
Opportunities exist for students and researchers at all levels, with a focus on training in cutting-edge structural and molecular biology techniques. His group is based in the Sanger Building at the University of Cambridge.
