Stefano Rufini    

Curriculum vitae:
Education and training :
1972 Graduate from high school “Liceo classico T. Mamiani” Roma, Italy.
1977 Gratuated with full votation Doctor in Biology at the University of Roma.
Brief chronology of Employment:
1976-1979 Visiting at Cell Biology Institute, CNR, Roma.
1979-1981 Visiting Professor to National University of Costa Rica, Heredia,
1984-2006 Established Investigator, University of “Tor Vergata”.
1986 Research fellow, Institute of Physiology, University of Pisa
2007- Associate professor of Physiology for the Biology degree of Science of the University of Tor Vergata
Learning Activities
2007 – Physiology course for the Bachelor degree of “Biological Sciences”
1998 – Neurobiology course for the master degree of “Human Biology “,
2012 – Member of the Doctoral School of “Evoluzionary Biology and Ecology”

Research topics:
The research activity involved the interaction of the proteins with biological membranes. In particular it has been focused on:
1. Kinetic of the neuron receptors after modulation of the membrane lipids.
2. Hindering role of ECM stiffness during muscle differentiation
3. Role of the sphingomyelin metabolism in the onset of Niemann-Pick disease

Selected publications:
Jahan Z, Castelli S, Aversa G, Rufini S, Desideri A, Giovanetti A. (2013) Role of human topoisomerase IB on ionizing radiation induced damage. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 432; 545-548.
Garcia PS, Chieppa G, Desideri A, Cannata S, Romano E, Luly P, Rufini S. (2012) Sticholysin II: A pore-forming toxin as a probe to recognize sphingomyelin in artificial and cellular membranes. Toxicon. 60; 724-733.
Rufini, S., Lena, A.M., Cadot, B., Mele, S., Amelio, I., Terrinoni, A., Desideri, A., Melino, G., and Candi, E. (2011) The Sterile alpha-motif (SAM) domain of p63 binds in vitro monoasialoganglioside (GM1) micelles. Biochem Parmacol. 82; 1262-1268
Frank, C., Rufini, S., Tancredi, V., Forcina, R., Grossi, D., D’Arcangelo, G. (2008) Cholesterol depletion inhibits synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity in rat hippochampus. Experimental Neurology 212; 407–414
Rufini S, Grossi D, Luly P, Tancredi V, Frank C, D’Arcangelo G. (2009) Cholesterol depletion inhibits electrophysiological changes induced by anoxia in CA1 region of rat hippocampal slices. Brain Res. 1298; 178-185.
Travaglione S., Messina G., Fabbri A., Falzano L., Giammarioli A.M., Grossi M., Rufini S., Fiorentini C. (2005) Cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 hinders skeletal muscle differentiation in vitro by perturbing the activation/deactivation balance of Rho GTPases. Cell Death and Differ. 12: 78-86
Sennato S., Bordi F., Cametti C., Coluzza C., Desideri A., and Rufini S. (2005) Evidence of Domain Formation in Cardiolipin-Glycerophospholipid Mixed Monolayers. A Thermodynamic and AFM Study. J. Phys. Chem.B,109: 15950-15957.
Rufini, S., De Vito, P., Balestro, N., Pescatori, M., Luly, P and Incerpi, S. (1999) PLA2 stimulation of Na/H antiport and proliferation in rat aortic smooth muscle cells. Am. J. Physiol 277; C814-822.
Rufini, S., Cesaroni, M.P., Balestro, N. and Luly, P. (1996) Proliferative effect of ammodytin L from the venom of Vipera ammodytes on 208F rat fibroblasts in culture. Biochem. J. – 310; 219-223.
Pedersen J, Lo Monte B, Gubensec F, Gutierrez J, and Rufini S. (1995) Autocatalytic acylation of phospholipase-like myotoxins. Biochemistry 34; 4670-4675.
Rufini, S., Cesaroni, M.P., Desideri, A., Farias, R., Gubensek, F., Gutierrez, J., Luly, P, Massoud, R., Morero R. and Pedersen. J. (1992) Ca2+-independent membrane leakage induced by phospholipase like myotoxins. Biochemistry 31; 12424-14230.
Grasso, A., Alemà, S, Rufini, S. and Senni, I. (1980) Black Widow spider toxin-induced calcium fluxes and transmitter release in a neurosecretory cell line. Nature 283, 774-776.

Researc group and contact:

Prof. Stefano Rufini, stanza 0672594371- lab. 06-72594372, e-mail rufini@uniroma2.it
Marina Cerreto, Dottorando (marina.cerreto@yahoo.it) Gli esosomi come messaggeri intercellulari
Rita Molinaro, Dottorando (molinaro.rita@libero.it) Relazione tra stimoli meccanici e trasduzione intracellulare dei messaggi differenziativi
Anna ZarattiI, Dottorando (anna.zaratti1983@libero.it) Uso di tossine animali per lo studio di lipidi di membrana