Developed skills and lines of research
Laura Lentini is an Associate Professor of Biological, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies at the University of Palermo. In 1999 and 2000, she received funding from the University of Palermo under the “Young Research Project” scheme and was a co-researcher funded by the Italian Association for Cancer Research. For the Italian Cystic Fibrosis Research Foundation, she is responsible for a project focused on identifying and validating new molecules obtained through computational studies and biological assays to overcome premature stop codons in CF cells.
Projects funded by FFC Ricerca as Principal Investigator or as Research Manager
FFC#6/2020
Validation of the distribution and activity of new optimized leads in mouse model and other CF model systems
FFC#3/2017
Optimization of a new lead promoting the readthrough of nonsense mutations for the CFTR rescue in human CF cells
FFC#1/2014
Identification and validation of novel molecules obtained by integrated computational and experimental approaches for the read-through of PTCs in CF cells
Publications from FFC Research projects
- Lentini L, Melfi R, Di Leonardo A, et al. Toward a rationale for the PTC124 (Ataluren) promoted readthrough of premature stop codons: a computational approach and GFP-reporter cell-based assay. Mol Pharm. 2014 Mar 3;11(3):653-64. doi: 10.1021/mp400230s. Epub 2014 Feb 7.
- Lentini L, Melfi R, Pibiri I, et al. Premature termination codon: 124 derivates as a novel approach to improve the read-through of premature amber and ochre stop codons. Journal of Biological Research. 2015.
- Pibiri I, Lentini L, Melfi R et al. Enhancement of premature stop codon readthrough in the CFTR gene by Ataluren (PTC124) derivatives. Eur J Med Chem. 2015 Aug 28;101:236-44. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2015.06.038. Epub 2015 Jun 21
- Pibiri I, Lentini L, Tutone M, et al. Exploring the readthrough of nonsense mutations by non-acidic Ataluren analogues selected by ligand-based virtual screening. Eur J Med Chem. 2016 Oct 21;122:429-435. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.06.048. Epub 2016 Jun 29.
- Pibiri I, Lentini L, Melfi R, et al., Rescuing the CFTR protein function: Introducing 1,3,4-oxadiazoles as translational readthrough inducing drugs. Eur J Med Chem. 2018 Nov 5;159:126-142. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.09.057. Epub 2018 Sep 26.
- Ambra Campofelice, Laura Lentini, Aldo Di Leonardo, et al. Strategies against Nonsense: Oxadiazoles as Translational Readthrough-Inducing Drugs (TRIDs). Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Jul; 20(13): 3329.
- Marco Tutone, Ivana Pibiri, Laura Lentini, Andrea Pace, Anna Maria Almerico. Deciphering the Nonsense Readthrough Mechanism of Action of Ataluren: An in Silico Compared Study. ACS Med. Chem. Lett. 2019, 10, 4, 522-527