Francesco Calzaferri (he/him)

Recent paper from the Giordani group, hot off the press! 🔥

The Young Investigator Award I received last week in Galway by the Society for Free Radical Research - Europe (SFRR-E) and @elsevierconnect.bsky.social . It was such a surprise! Thanks a lot! ✨

Our Carbon Dots are also at the 22nd SFRR-I Biennial Meeting in Galway! ✨

@sfrre-ecr.bsky.social @researchireland.ie @dcu-lsi.bsky.social

Thanks also to @ibmm-balard.bsky.social @cnrs.fr for hosting me during these years and to @fondationarc.bsky.social for funding my postdoctoral research.

This work represents an extensive research my collaborators and I have carried out in the last years.
Thanks to all of them, especially Marie Lopez and Eric Julien for their massive support!

Rational Design and Synthesis of Highly Stable Haloflavanone DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors Inducing Tumor Suppressor Gene Re-expression in Cancer Cells DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification involved in cancer. The clinically approved nucleoside DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitors 5-azacytidine and 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine lack selectivity and stability, resulting in high toxicity. Previously, we discovered 3-halo-3-nitroflavanones as non-nucleoside DNMT inhibitors. Here, we designed and synthesized a new series of 2-substituted haloflavanones to increase compound chemical stability. Moreover, replacement of the nitro by an additional halogen enhanced compound potency. Indeed, compound 34b (anti-3-bromo-3-chloro-2-methoxyflavanone) exhibited submicromolar DNMT3A inhibitory activity, upregulated the expression of DNMT-targeted genes, and impaired cell proliferation. Importantly, 34b triggered a critical cell cycle arrest in the G1/S transition, notably in p53-depleted HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells, which paves the way for novel therapeutic opportunities. 34b competes for the same DNMT catalytic pocket as confirmed by saturation transfer difference-nuclear magnetic resonance, but assuming different docking poses as shown by computational studies. Overall, the high stability and activity of 34b make it a promising DNMT inhibitor for anticancer research and therapy.

A new tool for epigenetic reprogramming? 😎

We have finally found out how to increase our flavanones stability and obtain DNA methyltransferase inhibitors with nanomolar potency 🥳

pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....

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US colleagues: Looking to launch or move your lab to France? The ARC Foundation is recruiting outstanding US-based scientists to lead research in oncology. Generous support & relocation help included.
Details here: www.fondation-arc.org/projets/recr...
Interested? Contact us!

I have finally a professional picture! 🤓 Ahaha
But I don't wanna remove the picture of me in the Katherine Gorges in Australia 🥲🦘

YouTube video by Dublin City University Fighting Cancer with Nanotechnology – Prof Silvia Giordani

What do we do in our research group? ⚗️🧪🧬

Our group leader Prof Silvia Giordani tells you about it in this video! 👇🏻

I enjoyed so much this filming session 🤣 and the result is amazing!

@dublincityuni.bsky.social @dcu-lsi.bsky.social @dcuresearch.bsky.social

youtu.be/sAAvrxyg-BI?...

We are greatful to Sean Duke and The Irish Times for highlighting the latest paper from the Giordani group! 🎉

@sciencespinning.bsky.social
@irishtimes.com
@dublincityuni.bsky.social
@researchireland.bsky.social

B/N-doped carbon nano-onions as nanocarriers for targeted breast cancer therapy Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and represents a significant burden on global health systems. Many existing chemotherapy treatments come with severe side effects, ranging from h...

The Giordani group has just published a new paper on Nanoscale! 📝

We have developed B/N carbon nano-onions properly functionalised to target brest cancer cells 🧫

Go have a look! 🤗🎉

@dcu-lsi.bsky.social @dublincityuni.bsky.social

pubs.rsc.org/en/content/a...

Last week I introduced myself and my research to the LSI-Café at @dcu-lsi.bsky.social . I received such a warm welcome from everyone! Thank you a lot! Happy to be part of @dublincityuni.bsky.social 🧬⚗️🧪

I've just read from editor-in-chief Craig Lindsley that some tenure-track researchers in the US received termination notices. This is so sad. I imagine how this will impact the careers of young researchers in academia like me in the US.

Determining structures of RNA conformers using AFM and deep neural networks - Nature HORNET, a method that uses unsupervised machine learning and deep neural networks to analyse atomic force microscopy data enables structural determination of RNA molecules in multiple conformations.

Degenhardt et al. report on AFM+machine learning method that decodes dynamic RNA structures without crystallization. Using AFM topography & deep neural networks, it identifies multiple conformations and predicts accuracy. The advance aids understanding RNA flexibility. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

3-Halo-3-nitro-aza/thioflavanones: DNMT inhibitors with a two-site binding mode in the hDNMT3A catalytic pocket Flavonoid derivatives are natural product analogues that have shown great interest for therapeutic applications as modulators of DNA methylation. In t…

I've dedicated my last years to explore the flavanone scaffold as original and curious DNMT inhibitor.

Here's finally the 1st paper of the efforts Alex & I have made to try to improve these molecules.

But beware! Hopefully more will come soon! 🧑🏻‍🔬 Enjoy!

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...