Rutilio A. Fratti

Rutilio A. Fratti is a Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics & Quantitative Biology at the University of Illinois, affiliated with the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology. His research focuses on protein-lipid interactions, membrane fusion, and lipid metabolism, particularly in the context of diseases like cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's. He earned his B.S. from California State University, Long Beach (1992), Ph.D. from the University of Michigan (2002), and completed postdoctoral work at Dartmouth Medical School (2002-2006).

Key research interests include regulatory lipids (e.g., phosphatidic acid, phosphoinositides) and their roles in membrane microdomains, SNARE protein function, and drug discovery targeting fungal pathogens. His lab uses yeast vacuoles and synthetic vesicles to study lipid-protein interactions during membrane fusion.

Publications highlight advancements in methods like Bio-Layer Interferometry, microscale thermophoresis, and spectroscopic techniques for studying lipid-protein interactions. Collaborations span drug discovery (e.g., SQ109 antifungal mechanisms) and mechanistic insights into Sec18 protein dynamics and Ypt7 regulation.

Affiliated with the Center for Biophysics & Quantitative Biology, his work bridges fundamental lipid biology with translational applications in metabolic and infectious diseases.