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Hire Michele D.

Italy

USD 20 /hr

Chemist and Structural Biologist

Profile Summary

I am a biomedical researcher graduated cum laude in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology at the University of Padua. I am interested in the elucidation of macromolecular structures, mechanisms and biological interactions in order to guide the rational design and development of drugs through X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and computational methods. My research interests specifically concern antibiotic resistance, the development of new antibiotics and anticancer drugs, protein motors and enzymology. I have experience in the production and purification of recombinant proteins, in macromolecular X-ray crystallography and in single-particle cryo-EM. In addition, I also employ complementary biochemical, molecular biology, computational and biophysical techniques to study interactions in biological systems.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ☆ Crystallography
• ☆ X-Ray Crystallography
• ☆ Biochemistry
• ☆ Structural Biology
• ☆ Molecular Biology
• ☆ Cell Biology
• ☆ Biophysics
• ☆ Electron Microscopy
• ☆ Drug Discovery
• ☆ Medicinal Chemistry

Services

• Research
• Consulting
• Data & AI

Research Scientific and Technical Research, Systematic Literature Review

Consulting Scientific and Technical Consulting

Data & AI Predictive Modeling, Data Visualization

Work Experience

Dottorandi

Università di Padova

October 2023 - October 2026

Visiting PhD Researcher

King's College London

March 2024 - July 2024

Education

Master's Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology (Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences)

University of Padua

October 2018 - September 2023

Certifications

• Certification details not provided.

Publications

PREPRINT

Gerhard Hofer, Lei Wang, Laura Pacoste, Paul Hager, Alexis Fonjallaz, Lewis Williams, Emma Scaletti Hutchinson, Pål Stenmark, Jonathan Worral, et al., Michele Di Palma (2025). Continuous Serial Electron Diffraction for High Quality Protein Structures .

Michele Di Palma, Giulia Mori, Anastasia Liuzzi, Luca Ronda, Magda S. Chegkazi, Soi Bui, Mitla Garcia-Maya, Jasmine Ragazzini, Marco Malatesta, Emanuele Della Monica, et al. (2023). Cysteine enrichment mediates co-option of uricase in reptilian skin and transition to uricotelism .

Michele Di Palma, Nicola Salvarese, Carolina Gobbi, Alessandro Dolmella, Cristina Bolzati (2023). Copper(II) and copper(I) complexes with a bidentate hydrazinic dithiocarbazate: synthesis and crystal structures .

JOURNAL ARTICLE

J. Atherton, M. S. Chegkazi, M. Leusciatti, M. Di Palma, E. Peirano, L. S. Pozzer, M. V. A. Meli, S. Pasqualato, T. Foran, G. Morra, et al. (2025). Microtubule association induces a Mg-free apo-like ADP pre-release conformation in kinesin-1 that is unaffected by its autoinhibitory tail . Nature Communications.

Michele Di Palma, Yasmin M. Surani, Matthew E. Wand, Pietro Picconi, Riccardo Zenezini Chiozzi, Md. Mahbub Hasan, Paolo Andriollo, Stefan Grätz, Kazi S. Nahar, Michael Maynard-Smith, et al. (2025). Convergent evolution of antibiotic resistance mechanisms between pyrrolobenzodiazepines and albicidin in multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae . npj Antimicrobials and Resistance.

Vanni, Giada and Citron, Anna and Suli, Ambela and Contessotto, Paolo and Caire, Robin and Gandin, Alessandro and Mantovan, Giovanna and Zanconato, Francesca and Brusatin, Giovanna and Di Palma, Michele and Peirano, Elisa and Pozzer, Lisa Sofia and Albanese, Carlo and Steiner, Roberto A. and Cordenonsi, Michelangelo and Panciera, Tito and Piccolo, Stefano(2025). Microtubule architecture connects AMOT stability to YAP/TAZ mechanotransduction and Hippo signalling . NATURE CELL BIOLOGY. Nature Research

Di Palma, Michele, Surani, Yasmin M., Wand, Matthew E., Picconi, Pietro, Zenezini Chiozzi, Riccardo, Hasan, Md. Mahbub, Andriollo, Paolo, Gratz, Stefan, Nahar, Kazi S., Maynard-Smith, Michael, et al. (2025). Convergent evolution of antibiotic resistance mechanisms between pyrrolobenzodiazepines and albicidin in multidrug resistant <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> . Npj Antimicrobials and Resistance.

Atherton, J., Chegkazi, M.S., Leusciatti, M., Di Palma, M., Peirano, E., Pozzer, L.S., Meli, M.V.A., Pasqualato, S., Foran, T., Morra, G., et al.(2025). Microtubule association induces a Mg-free apo-like ADP pre-release conformation in kinesin-1 that is unaffected by its autoinhibitory tail . Nature Communications. 16. (1).

Michele Di Palma, Maria Beatrice Morelli, Miriam Caviglia, Carlo Santini, Jo’ Del Gobbo, Laura Zeppa, Fabio Del Bello, Gianfabio Giorgioni, Alessandro Piergentili, Wilma Quaglia, et al. (2024). Copper-Based Complexes with Adamantane Ring-Conjugated <i>bis</i>(3,5-Dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)acetate Ligand as Promising Agents for the Treatment of Glioblastoma . Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

Beatrice Morelli, Maria and Caviglia, Miriam and Santini, Carlo and Del Gobbo, Jo' and Zeppa, Laura and Del Bello, Fabio and Giorgioni, Gianfabio and Piergentili, Alessandro and Quaglia, Wilma and Battocchio, Chiara and Bertelà, Federica and Amatori, Simone and Meneghini, Carlo and Iucci, Giovanna and Venditti, Iole and Dolmella, Alessandro and Di Palma, Michele and Pellei, Maura(2024). Copper-Based Complexes with Adamantane Ring-Conjugated bis(3,5-Dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)acetate Ligand as Promising Agents for the Treatment of Glioblastoma . JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY. 67. (11). p. 9662--9685. AMER CHEMICAL SOC

Morelli, M.B., Caviglia, M., Santini, C., Del Gobbo, J., Zeppa, L., Del Bello, F., Giorgioni, G., Piergentili, A., Quaglia, W., Battocchio, C., et al.(2024). Copper-Based Complexes with Adamantane Ring-Conjugated bis(3,5-Dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)acetate Ligand as Promising Agents for the Treatment of Glioblastoma . Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 67. (11). p. 9662-9685.

Di Palma, Michele, Morelli, Maria Beatrice, Caviglia, Miriam, Santini, Carlo, Del Gobbo, Jo&#39;, Zeppa, Laura, Del Bello, Fabio, Giorgioni, Gianfabio, Piergentili, Alessandro, Quaglia, Wilma, et al. (2024). Copper-Based Complexes with Adamantane Ring-Conjugated <i>bis</i>(3,5-Dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)acetate Ligand as Promising Agents for the Treatment of Glioblastoma . Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

Michele Di Palma, Giulia Mori, Anastasia Liuzzi, Luca Ronda, Magda S Chegkazi, Soi Bui, Mitla Garcia-Maya, Jasmine Ragazzini, Marco Malatesta, Emanuele Della Monica, et al. (2023). Cysteine Enrichment Mediates Co-Option of Uricase in Reptilian Skin and Transition to Uricotelism . Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Mori, Giulia and Liuzzi, Anastasia and Ronda, Luca and Di Palma, Michele and Chegkazi, Magda S and Bui, Soi and Garcia-Maya, Mitla and Ragazzini, Jasmine and Malatesta, Marco and Della Monica, Emanuele and Rivetti, Claudio and Antin, Parker B and Bettati, Stefano and Steiner, Roberto A and Percudani, Riccardo(2023). Cysteine Enrichment Mediates Co-Option of Uricase in Reptilian Skin and Transition to Uricotelism . MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION. 40. (9).

Mori, G., Liuzzi, A., Ronda, L., Di Palma, M., Chegkazi, M.S., Bui, S., Garcia-Maya, M., Ragazzini, J., Malatesta, M., Della Monica, E., et al.(2023). Cysteine Enrichment Mediates Co-Option of Uricase in Reptilian Skin and Transition to Uricotelism . Molecular Biology and Evolution. 40. (9).

Di Palma, Michele, Mori, Giulia, Liuzzi, Anastasia, Ronda, Luca, Chegkazi, Magda S., Bui, Soi, Garcia-Maya, Mitla, Ragazzini, Jasmine, Malatesta, Marco, Della Monica, Emanuele, et al. (2023). Cysteine Enrichment Mediates Co-Option of Uricase in Reptilian Skin and Transition to Uricotelism . Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Di Palma, Michele, Salvarese, Nicola, Gobbi, Carolina, Dolmella, Alessandro, Bolzati, Cristina (2023). Copper(II) and copper(I) complexes with a bidentate hydrazinic dithiocarbazate: synthesis and crystal structures . ChemRxiv.

Di Palma, Michele, Mori, Giulia, Liuzzi, Anastasia, Ronda, Luca, Chegkazi, Magda S., Bui, Soi, Garcia-Maya, Mitla, Ragazzini, Jasmine, Malatesta, Marco, Della Monica, Emanuele, et al. (2023). Cysteine enrichment mediates co-option of uricase in reptilian skin and transition to uricotelism . BioRxiv.

DATA SET

X-ray structure of the drug binding domain of AlbA in complex with the KMR-14-14 compound of the pyrrolobenzodiazepines class @misc{Di_Palma_2024, title={X-ray structure of the drug binding domain of AlbA in complex with the KMR-14-14 compound of the pyrrolobenzodiazepines class: 8rky}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.2210/pdb8rky/pdb}, DOI={10.2210/pdb8rky/pdb}, journal={Worldwide Protein Data Bank}, publisher={Worldwide Protein Data Bank}, author={Di Palma, M. and Surani, Y.M. and Rahman, K.M. and Steiner, R.A.}, year={2024}, month=jan } . Worldwide Protein Data Bank.

M. Di Palma, M. Chegkazi, S. Bui, G. Mori, R. Percudani, R.A. Steiner (2024). Crystal structure of the cysteine-rich Gallus gallus urate oxidase in complex with the 8-azaxanthine inhibitor under oxidising conditions (space group C 2 2 21) .

M. Di Palma, M. Chegkazi, S. Bui, G. Mori, R. Percudani, R.A. Steiner (2024). Crystal structure of the cysteine-rich Gallus gallus urate oxidase in complex with the 8-azaxanthine inhibitor under oxidising conditions (space group P 21 21 21) .

M. Di Palma, M. Chegkazi, S. Bui, G. Mori, R. Percudani, R.A. Steiner (2024). Crystal structure of the cysteine-rich Gallus gallus urate oxidase in complex with the 8-azaxanthine inhibitor under reducing conditions (space group C 2 2 21) .

M. Di Palma, M. Chegkazi, S. Bui, G. Mori, R. Percudani, R.A. Steiner (2024). Crystal structure of the cysteine-rich Gallus gallus urate oxidase in complex with the 8-azaxanthine inhibitor under reducing conditions (space group P 21 21 21) .

OTHER

Surani, Y.M., Wand, M., Picconi, P., Di Palma, M., Chiozzi, R.Z., Hasan, Md.M., Maynard-Smith, M., Steiner, R.A., Rahman, K.M., Hind, C.K., et al.(2024). Convergent evolution of antibiotic resistance mechanisms between synthetic pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs) and the naturally occurring albicidin in multidrug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae . Research Square.

Di Palma, Michele and Salvarese, Nicola and Gobbi, Carolina and Dolmella, Alessandro and Bolzati, Cristina(2023). Copper(II) and copper(I) complexes with a bidentate hydrazinic dithiocarbazate: synthesis and crystal structures .

Di Palma, M., Salvarese, N., Gobbi, C., Dolmella, A., Bolzati, C.(2023). Copper(II) and copper(I) complexes with a bidentate hydrazinic dithiocarbazate: synthesis and crystal structures . Chemrxiv.

Mori, G., Liuzzi, A., Ronda, L., Di Palma, M., Chegkazi, M.S., Bui, S., Garcia-Maya, M., Ragazzini, J., Malatesta, M., Monica, E.D., et al.(2023). Cysteine enrichment mediates co-option of uricase in reptilian skin and transition to uricotelism . Biorxiv.

CONFERENCE ABSTRACT

Copper complexes of bis(pyrazolyl)acetates conjugated with biologically active molecules as potential anticancer and antiviral agents @conference{ 11577_3506181, author = {Caviglia, Miriam and Santini, Carlo and Del Gobbo, Jo’ and Del Bello, Fabio and Quaglia, Wilma and Beatrice Morelli, Maria and Zeppa, Laura and DI PALMA, Michele and Dolmella, Alessandro and Pellei, Maura}, title = {Copper complexes of bis(pyrazolyl)acetates conjugated with biologically active molecules as potential anticancer and antiviral agents}, year = {2023}, booktitle = {Book of Abstracts}, abstract = {Copper complexes show broader spectra of activities and lower toxicity, thereby providing the possibility of circumventing the problems encountered by platinum drugs, such as dose-limiting toxicity and inherent/acquired resistance [1]. We have recently reported copper complexes with heteroscorpionate ligands conjugated with the derivatives of the antineoplastic drug lonidamine (L1-L4, Fig. 1), endowed with cytotoxic activity toward a panel of human tumor cell lines [2]. Here we describe the synthesis and biological evaluation of new Cu(I) and Cu(II) complexes functionalized with the antiviral agent amantadine (L5 and L6, Fig. 1). The bis(pyrazol-1-yl)acetic acids were selected as bifunctionalizable coordinating agents for the synthesis of the ligands due to the presence of a carboxylic function suitable for the coupling with primary amine groups. All the complexes with amantadine-conjugated ligands were primarily evaluated for their cytotoxicity on two mammalian immortalized cell lines, such as HaCaT and Vero E6 cells, by MTT cell viability assay. The results highlighted that all the Cu(II) complexes and the Cu(I)-PTA complexes showed good biocompatibility profiles at both the studied cell lines and have been selected to be tested in vitro for their antiviral activity by using lentiviral vectors expressing luciferase in Vero E6 cells.}, keywords = {copper, cytotoxic, antitumor, antiviral, inorganic chemistry}, url = {http://inorg2023.chm.unipg.it} } .