Francesca Vallese received her B.S. and Master in Biotechnology from the University of Padova, Italy, before obtaining her Ph.D. in Biosciences and Biotechnologies from the University of Padova for her research on the assemblies and activity of the enzyme [FeFe]-hydrogenase (HydA). Continuing her training in structural biology, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Zanotti, obtaining X-ray structures of H. pylori proteins involved in chronic inflammation. Dr. Vallese then joined Columbia University to learn single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Since then, she has solved the first structure of E. coli cytochrome bo3 in nanodisc, published a paper on the SARS-CoV-2 envelope (E) protein, and solved the structure of the ankyrin-1 complex from human erythrocytes, a result that provides new insights into the architecture, dynamics, and regulation of red blood cells. She has now joined the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC) and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at City College as a tenure-track assistant professor.

Postdoctoral research, Columbia University; advisor: Oliver B. Clarke, Ph.D. (2019-2024)

Postdoctoral research, University of Padova; advisor: Giuseppe Zanotti, Ph.D. (2013-2019)

Ph.D., Biosciences and Biotechnologies, University of Padova, Italy; advisors: Paola Costantini and Giorgio Giacometti (2010-2013)

M.S., Biotechnology, University of Padova, Italy (2006-2009)

B.S., Biotechnology, University of Padova, Italy (2003-2006)

The Vallese Lab employs an integrated structural biology approach to explore the functional intricacies of protein assemblies within their natural cellular environment. Cryo-electron microscopy allows visualization of molecular interactions, conformational changes, and dynamic processes within their biological context. Vallese’s research is focused on ankyrin complexes, which play a crucial role in maintaining the structural integrity of cells. Investigating these protein complexes in different cell types provides valuable insights into their critical role in cellular structure and function, potentially leading to advancements in understanding diseases related to cell membrane organization and signaling.

Michalski K, Abdulla T, Kleeman S, Schmidl L, Gómez R, Simorowski N, Vallese F, Prüss H, Heckmann M, Geis C. and Furukawa H. “Structural and functional mechanisms of anti-NMDAR autoimmune encephalitis”. (2024) Nat Struct Mol Biol . doi: 10.1038/s41594-024-01386-4

Poggio E*, Vallese F*, Hartel AJW*, Morgenstern TJ, Kanner SA, Rauh O, Giamogante F, Barazzuol L, Shepard KL, Colecraft HM, Clarke OB, Brini M, Calì T. “Perturbation of the host cell Ca2+ homeostasis and ER-mitochondria contact sites by the SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins E and M”. (2023) Cell Death Dis. 29;14(4):297. doi: 10.1038/s41419-023-05817-w. PMID: 37120609

Saponaro A, Vallese F, Porro A, Clarke OB. “Validation of the binding stoichiometry between HCN channels and their neuronal regulator TRIP8b by single molecule measurements”. (2022) Front Physiol. 13:998176. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.998176. PMID: 36225302

Vallese F, Maso L, Giamogante F, Poggio E, Barazzuol L, Salmaso A, Lopreiato R, Cendron L, Navazio L, Zanni G, Weber Y, Kovacevic-Preradovic T, Keren B, Torraco A, Carrozzo R, Peretto F, Peggion C, Ferro S, Marin O, Zanotti G, Calì T, Brini M, Carafoli E. “The ataxia-linked E1081Q mutation affects the sub-plasma membrane Ca2+-microdomains by tuning PMCA3 activity”. (2022) Cell Death Dis.13(10):855 PMID: 36207321

Vallese F, Kim K, Yen LY, Johnston JD, Noble AJ, Calì T, Clarke OB. “Architecture of the human erythrocyte ankyrin-1 complex” (2022). Nat Struct Mol Biol. PMID: 35835865

Park J, Zuo H, Frangaj A, Fu Z, Yen LY, Zhang Z, Mosyak L, Slavkovich VN, Liu J, Ray KM, Cao B, Vallese F, Geng Y, Chen S, Grassucci R, Dandey VP, Tan YZ, Eng E, Lee Y, Kloss B, Liu Z, Hendrickson WA, Potter CS, Carragher B, Graziano J, Conigrave AD, Frank J, Clarke OB, Fan QR. “Symmetric activation and modulation of the human calcium-sensing receptor” (2021). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. PMID: 34916296

Li J*, Han L*, Vallese F*, Ding Z, Choi SK, Hong S, Luo Y, Liu B, Chan CK, Tajkhorshid E, Zhu J, Clarke O, Zhang K, Gennis R. “Cryo-EM structures of Escherichia coli cytochrome bo3 reveal bound phospholipids and ubiquinone-8 in a dynamic substrate binding site”. (2021). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 118(34):e2106750118. PMID: 34417297

Vallese F, Catoni C, Cieri D, Barazzuol L, Ramirez O, Calore V, Bonora M, Giamogante F, Pinton P, Brini M, Calì T. “An expanded palette of improved SPLICS reporters detects multiple organelle contacts in vitro and in vivo”. (2020). Nat Commun. 11(1):6069. PMID: 33247103

Di Marco G, Vallese F, Jourde B, Bergsdorf C, Sturlese M, De Mario A, Techer-Etienne V, Haasen D, Oberhauser B, Schleeger S, Minetti G, Moro S, Rizzuto R, De Stefani D, Fornaro M, Mammucari C. “A High-Throughput Screening Identifies MICU1 Targeting Compounds”. (2020) Cell Rep. 30(7):2321-2331.e6. PMID: 32075766

Magro M, Baratella D, Colò V, Vallese F, Nicoletto C, Santagata S, Sambo P, Molinari S, Salviulo G, Venerando A, Basso CR, Pedrosa VA, Vianello F. “Electrocatalytic Nanostructured Ferric Tannate as Platform for Enzyme Conjugation: Electrochemical Determination of Phenolic Compounds”. (2020) Bioelectrochemistry. PMID: 31835109

Vallese F, Barazzuol L, Maso L, Brini M, Calì T. “ER-Mitochondria Calcium Transfer, Organelle Contacts and Neurodegenerative Diseases”. (2020) Adv Exp Med Biol. 1131:719-746. PMID: 31646532

Vicario M, Cieri D, Vallese F, Catoni C, Barazzuol L, Berto P, Grinzato A, Barbieri L, Brini M, Calì T. “A split-GFP Tool Reveals Differences in the Sub-Mitochondrial Distribution of Wt and Mutant Alpha-Synuclein”. (2019) Cell Death Dis. 10(11):857. PMID: 31719530

Capitani N*, Codolo G*, Vallese F, Minervini G, Grassi A, Cianchi F, Troilo A, Fischer W, Zanotti G, Baldari CT, de Bernard M, D'Elios MM. “The lipoprotein HP1454 of Helicobacter pylori regulates T-cell response by shaping T-cell receptor signalling” (2019). Cell Microbiol. 21(5):e13006. PMID: 30646431

Calì T, Ottolini D, Vicario M, Catoni C, Vallese F, Cieri D, Barazzuol L, Brini M. “SplitGFP Technology Reveals Dose-Dependent ER-Mitochondria Interface Modulation by α-Synuclein A53T and A30P Mutants”. (2019). Cells. 8(9):1072. PMID: 31547305

Cieri D*, Vicario M*, Vallese F, Berto P, Grinzato A, Brini M, Cali' T. “Tau localizes within mitochondrial sub-compartments and its caspase cleavage affects ER-mitochondria interactions and cellular Ca2+ handling”. (2018). Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. PMID: 30006151

Vicario M*, Zanni G*, Vallese F, Santorelli F, Grinzato A, Cieri D, Berto P, Frizzarin M, Lopreiato R, Zonta F, Ferro S, Sandre M, Marin O, Ruzzene M, Bertini E, Zanotti G, Brini M, Calì T, Carafoli E. “A V1143F mutation in the neuronal-enriched isoform 2 of the PMCA pump is linked with ataxia.”(2018). Neurobiol Dis. PMID: 29655659

Cieri D*, Vicario M*, Giacomello M*, Vallese F, Filadi R, Wagner T, Pozzan T, Pizzo P, Scorrano L, Brini M, Calì T. “SPLICS: a split green fluorescent protein-based contact site sensor for narrow and wide heterotypic organelle juxtaposition”. (2017). Cell Death Differ. PMID: 29229997

D'Elios MM, Vallese F, Capitani N, Benagiano M, Bernardini ML, Rossi M, Rossi GP, Ferrari M, Baldari CT, Zanotti G, de Bernard M, Codolo G. “The Helicobacter cinaedi antigen CAIP participates in atherosclerotic inflammation by promoting the differentiation of macrophages in foam cells” (2017). Sci Rep.;\7:40515. PMID: 28074932

Vallese F*, Mishra NM*, Pagliari M, Berto P, Codolo G, de Bernard M, Zanotti G. “Helicobacter pylori antigenic Lpp20 is a structural homologue of Tipα and promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition”.(2017). Biochim Biophys Acta. PMID: 28947343

Vicario M, Calì T, Cieri D, Vallese F, Bortolotto R, Lopreiato R, Zonta F, Nardella M, Micalizzi A, Lefeber DJ, Valente EM, Bertini E, Zanotti G, Zanni G, Brini M, Carafoli E. “A novel PMCA3 mutation in an ataxic patient with hypomorphic phosphomannomutase 2 (PMM2) heterozygote mutations: Biochemical characterization of the pump defect”. (2017). Biochim Biophys Acta. PMID: 28807751

Vecelio Reane D, Vallese F, Checchetto V, Acquasaliente L, De Filippis V, Zanotti G, Rizzuto R, Raffaello A. “A MICU1 splice variant confers high sensitivity to the Ca2+ uptake machinery of skeletal muscle”. (2016). Molecular Cell. PMID: 27818145

Albertini M, Galazzo L, Maso L, Vallese F, Berto P, De Rosa E, Di Valentin M, Costantini P, Carbonera D.  “Characterization of the [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Maturation Protein HydF by EPR Techniques: Insights into the Catalytic Mechanism”. (2015) Topic in catalysis.

Vallese F, Percudani R, Fischer W, Zanotti G. “The crystal structure of Helicobacter pylori HP1029 highlights the functional diversity of the sialic acid-related DUF386 family” (2015). FEBS J. PMID: 26096900

Vallese F, Berto P, Ruzzene M, Cendron L, Sarno S, De Rosa E, Giacometti GM, Costantini P. “Biochemical analysis of the interactions between the proteins involved in the [FeFe]-hydrogenase maturation process”(2012). J Biol Chem. PMID: 22932901