Molinari Maurizio

Maurizio Molinari is a Group Leader at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) in Bellinzona, Switzerland, since October 2000. He earned his PhD in Biochemistry from ETH-Zurich in 1995 and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Padua and ETH-Zurich. His work focuses on protein folding, quality control, and degradation mechanisms within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), with implications for rare diseases and Alzheimer’s pathology.

• Affiliation: IRB Bellinzona, Adjunct Professor at EPFL since 2008
• Education: PhD in Biochemistry (ETH-Zurich, 1995)

Dr. Molinari’s research explores the ER-phagy pathway, proteostasis, and lysosomal degradation as failsafe mechanisms during ER stress. His studies link these processes to neurodegenerative diseases, myelin maintenance, and rare genetic disorders.

Recent publications highlight his contributions to allosteric enzyme modulation, organelle fragmentation, and computational tools for autophagy quantification. He received the Friedrich-Miescher Award in 2006 for his work in molecular biology.

• Scientific Networks: European Research Council (ERC), Rare Diseases Platform (Switzerland)
• Leadership Roles: Advisory Board, Centro Malattie Rare della Svizzera italiana