Vito Genna, PhD

Director of Nucleic Acids Department at Nostrum Biodiscovery

Speaker

Dr. Vito Genna's journey in computational chemistry and nucleic acids-centered research began in 2009 when he was awarded an "Erasmus Placement" fellowship. This opportunity led him to join the research group of Prof. Gervasio at Cnio Centro Nacional De Investigaciones Oncológicas in Madrid, Spain. It was there that Dr. Genna delved into the world of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, using them as a powerful tool to investigate the potential of HIV (type-I/II) reverse transcriptase for anti-viral drug discovery. Undeterred by challenges, Dr. Genna's pursuit of excellence continued 2011, where he had the privilege of collaborating with Prof. Giacomo Cao's Molecular Modeling group at CRS4. Their joint research focused on understanding the intricate interactions between type-II human leukocyte antigen and peptides linked to multiple sclerosis susceptibility. Their outstanding work earned Dr. Genna well-deserved recognition as the Best Master Student of the Year in 2013 by the prestigious University of Cagliari in Italy.

Eager to advance his computational skills further, Dr. Genna then joined the research group of Prof. Dal Peraro at EPFL in Switzerland. Here, he dived into the fascinating realm of two-metal-aided catalysis by Human DNA Polymerase-η, a process vital for DNA lesion bypass. This discovery led him on a passionate quest to identify potent Pol-η inhibitors due to the enzyme's aberrant expression in melanoma cells, offering potential therapeutic implications. In 2013, driven by his dedication to unravel the secrets of enzyme-mediated nucleic acids (NA) editing, Dr. Genna embarked on a Ph.D. at Italian Institute of Technology (IIT). During this period, his collaborative research with EPFL yielded groundbreaking results, resulting in numerous publications in top-tier scientific journals. Their work uncovered a unifying mechanism in NA polymerization, and the impact of their discoveries was acknowledged with several J. Am. Chem. Soc. cover articles, and publications in prestigious journals like Nature Chemistry, Cell, and Nucleic Acids Research (NAR). The Alma Mater Studiorum of Bologna also recognized Dr. Genna's contributions with the prestigious Prize Doctor Europeus.

In 2015, Dr. Genna continued his scientific odyssey by joining the research group of Prof. Paolo Carloni at Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany. There, he conducted in-depth studies on phosphoryl-transfer reactions using hybrid Car-Parrinello quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulations, delving into the intricacies of NA extension. Fueling his passion for cutting-edge research, Dr. Genna's journey took an exciting turn when he was awarded an EMBO Long-Term Fellowship at IRB Barcelona in 2018. He joined the group of Prof. Modesto Orozco, where his focus shifted to XNAzymes and non-natural nucleic acids in general, an innovative area of synthetic biology. Dr. Genna worked towards targeted hydrolysis of viral genomes and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) implicated in cancer onset. His groundbreaking research was published in the prestigious journal Chem (Cell Press), and in collaboration with MRC Laboratories in Cambridge, UK, he explored stereo-specific phosphonated-DNA synthesis on native DNA templates.

Dr. Genna's comprehensive understanding of biophysics, combined with his relentless pursuit of cutting-edge research, opens up groundbreaking applications in cancer research and synthetic biology. Since mid-2022, he has been heading the Nucleic Acids Department at Nostrum Biodiscovery, actively engaged in high-challenging projects in collaboration with top players in the field such as IONIS and Biogen. Having published over 20 scientific articles and book chapters and presented as a speaker at more than 35 international conferences, Dr. Vito Genna's contributions to the scientific community are remarkable. Recently, his exceptional qualities were recognized by the Italian Ministry of Science, highlighting his potential as an academic Professor in Biochemistry. With his main and current focus centered on non-natural nucleic acids and reverse-engineering for therapeutic purposes, Dr. Genna continues to be a trailblazer in the field of computational chemistry and nucleic acids-centered research, poised to leave an indelible mark on scientific advancements in the years to come.