Mariarita De Felice

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Main research topic

My research focuses on the biochemical analysis of proteins and enzymes involved in DNA replication and repair. Initially, I concentrated on studying archaeal DNA replication and repair machineries, which represent simplified versions of their eukaryotic counterparts. Based on this premise, they serve as a valuable model system to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying eukaryotic replication and repair processes.

In recent years, I have leveraged my biochemical expertise in DNA replication and repair to steer my research toward a more biotechnology-oriented approach, emphasizing the application of replication and repair enzymes in advanced isothermal amplification techniques. These methods have increasingly gained prominence over conventional PCR due to their speed, simplicity, and operational flexibility. Notably, their compatibility with point-of-care (POC) settings makes them particularly well-suited for rapid and decentralized diagnostic applications.

University Education

July-September 1994: Under-graduate summer stage at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Advisor Prof. G. H. Haughn. DNA cloning in bacterial cells and gas-chromatography sampling and analysis.

December 1995 - July 1997: Experimental work for Master’s thesis at IBP-CNR, Naples, Italy.

July 1997: Graduation (Italian “Laurea”) cum laude in Biological Sciences at the University of Naples Federico II. Thesis: “ Amino acid residues involved in the processivity of the 3’-5’ exonuclease activity of a family B DNA polymerase from the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus”. Supervisors: Prof. M. Rossi and Dr F. M. Pisani.

October 1997 - October 2001: PhD thesis in “Biological Chemistry and Molecular Biology” at IBP-CNR, Naples, Italy. Thesis: “Enzymology of DNA replication in the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus”. Advisors: Prof. M. Rossi and Dr F. M. Pisani.

September 1999-September 2000: Stage as a part of thesis work at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA, in the laboratory of Prof. J. Hurwitz. Participation to a project of cloning and expression of yeast DNA polymerase delta subunits in insect cells and to the study of proteins involved in yeast DNA replication initiation.

April-July 2007: stage at The Burnham Institute for Medical Research, La Jolla, CA, USA, in the laboratory of Prof. W. Jiang for a scientific collaboration aimed at producing some human DNA replication factors in insect cells and at analyzing their possible interaction in vitro and in vivo.

Selected Publications

(full list available at CNR People)

Fighting nosocomial antibiotic-resistant infections through rapid and sensitive isothermal amplification-powered point-of-care (POC) diagnostics

De Felice M, De Falco M, Serra A, Frisulli V, Antonacci A, Isticato R, de Stefano L, Scognamiglio V

Year: 2023

CRISPR-Cas assisted diagnostics: A broad application biosensing approach

Masi A, Antonacci A, Moccia M, Frisulli V, De Felice M, De Falco M, Scognamiglio V

Year: 2023

The Finely Coordinated Action of SSB and NurA/HerA Complex Strictly Regulates the DNA End Resection Process in Saccharolobus solfataricus

De Falco M, Porritiello A, Rota F, Scognamiglio V, Antonacci A, del Monaco G, De Felice M

Year: 2022

Isothermal amplification-assisted diagnostics for COVID-19

De Felice M, De Falco M, Zappi D, Antonacci A, Scognamiglio V

Year: 2022

Next-generation diagnostics: augmented sensitivity in amplification-powered biosensing

Mariarosaria De Falco a, Mariarita De Felice a, Federica Rota a, Daniele Zappi b, Amina Antonacci b, Viviana Scognamiglio b

Year: 2022

The Sulfolobus solfataricus RecQ-like DNA helicase Hel112 inhibits the NurA/HerA complex exonuclease activity

De Falco M, Massa F, Rossi M, De Felice M

Year: 2018

NurA Is Endowed with Endo- and Exonuclease Activities that Are Modulated by HerA: New Insight into Their Role in DNA-End Processing

De Falco M, Catalano F, Rossi M, Ciaramella M, De Felice M

Year: 2015