The research activity of this U.O. is mainly focused on: 1) protein engineering applied to industrial enzymology and to medical biotechnology, 2) the investigation of the life basis of the human pathologies, 3) elucidation of the role of D-amino acids on neurotransmission. The wide experience acquired in the past years in resolving, identifying, and characterising proteins, introduced our research group in the functional post-genomics and protein engineering fields. At present the laboratory is engaged in the cloning and characterisation of proteins involved in human pathologies and production of enzymes relevant for biotechnological applications with novel functional properties. The main goals of our biotechnological projects are: - Cloning and overexpression in microorganisms of genes encoding for enzymes used in industrial applications. - Protein engineering of flavoenzymes to produce mutants for specific biotechnological applications using two different approaches: rational design (by site directed mutagenesis) and directed evolution (by random mutagenesis, screening and mutants selection). - Production and purification of recombinant proteins or native proteins, downstream processing and scaling-up studies. - Covalent immobilization of enzymes on different matrixes to be employed in bioreactors. - Set-up of bioconversion processes to produce fine chemicals. - Development of biosensors to detect and quantify D-amino acids in food and biological samples. - Gene therapy of solid tumors using D-amino acid oxidase from R. gracilis as prodrug converter (oxidative stress therapy mediated by hydrogen peroxide). – Investigation of the life basis of schizophrenia (modulation of D-serine concentration in human brain). - Investigation of the role of D-serine and D-aspartate on brain functions (and pathologies).