Luisa Ciano

Contact

• workRoom B11d School of Chemistry
  University Park
  Nottingham
  NG7 2RD
  UK
• work0115 74 84852
• Luisa.Ciano@nottingham.ac.uk

Biography

Luisa is an Assistant Professor in the School of Chemistry. She grew up in Calitri, a lovely small town in the South of Italy, and obtained her Master's degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology (summa cum laude) from the University of Naples "Federico II" in 2009. She then moved to the UK to start her doctoral studies at the University of York on potential anti-cancer compounds under the supervision of Prof Paul Walton and Dr Jason Lynam, receiving her PhD in Chemistry in 2013. Luisa remained in York for a PDRA position in organometallic-chemistry with Dr Jason Lynam, followed by a PDRA position with Profs Paul Walton and Gideon Davies FRS to investigate the mechanism of action of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs), developing her interest in metallo-enzymes and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy. In 2019, she moved to the University of Manchester as a PDRA for the EPSRC National EPR Facility and Service, working with Profs David Collison and Eric McInnes. Luisa joined the University of Nottingham as a Anne McLaren Research Fellow in October 2019 to work on polysaccharide degrading enzymes. She has been an Assistant Professor in the School of Chemistry since 2022.

Teaching Summary

I am the module convenor and a contributor for the Y3 Module "Protein Structure and Function, Biospectroscopy and Bioinformatics". I am also an academic tutor for several Inorganic modules, and the… read more

Research Summary

The group's research interest focuses in understanding the interaction between polysaccharide-active enzymes and their natural substrates for applications in the fields of biofuel production and… read more

Selected Publications

• CIANO, LUISA, PARADISI, ALESSANDRO, HEMSWORTH, GLYN R, TOVBORG, MORTEN, DAVIES, GIDEON J and WALTON, PAUL H, 2020. Insights from semi-oriented EPR spectroscopy studies into the interaction of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases with cellulose. Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003). 49(11), 3413-3422
• COURTADE, GASTON, CIANO, LUISA, PARADISI, ALESSANDRO, LINDLEY, PETER J., FORSBERG, ZARAH, SORLIE, MORTEN, WIMMER, REINHARD, DAVIES, GIDEON J., EIJSINK, VINCENT G. H., WALTON, PAUL H. and AACHMANN, FINN L., 2020. Mechanistic basis of substrate-O-2 coupling within a chitin-active lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase: An integrated NMR/EPR study PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 117(32), 19178-19189
• FRANDSEN, KRISTIAN E. H., SIMMONS, THOMAS J., DUPREE, PAUL, POULSEN, JENS-CHRISTIAN N., HEMSWORTH, GLYN R., CIANO, LUISA, JOHNSTON, ESTHER M., TOVBORG, MORTEN, JOHANSEN, KATJA S., VON FREIESLEBEN, PERNILLE, MARMUSE, LAURENCE, FORT, SEBASTIEN, COTTAZ, SYLVAIN, DRIGUEZ, HUGUES, HENRISSAT, BERNARD, LENFANT, NICOLAS, TUNA, FLORIANA, BALDANSUREN, AMGALANBAATAR, DAVIES, GIDEON J., LO LEGGIO, LEILA and WALTON, PAUL H., 2016. The molecular basis of polysaccharide cleavage by lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY. 12(4), 298-+
• SABBADIN, FEDERICO, HEMSWORTH, GLYN R., CIANO, LUISA, HENRISSAT, BERNARD, DUPREE, PAUL, TRYFONA, THEODORA, MARQUES, RITA D. S., SWEENEY, SEAN T., BESSER, KATRIN, ELIAS, LUISA, PESANTE, GIOVANNA, LI, YI, DOWLE, ADAM A., BATES, RACHEL, GOMEZ, LEONARDO D., SIMISTER, RACHAEL, DAVIES, GIDEON J., WALTON, PAUL H., BRUCE, NEIL C. and MCQUEEN-MASON, SIMON J., 2018. An ancient family of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases with roles in arthropod development and biomass digestion NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 9,

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I am the Director for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for the School of Chemistry since Oct 2022. I have also been a committee member for the RSC Inorganic Biochemistry Discussion Group (IBDG) since 2021.

I am the module convenor and a contributor for the Y3 Module "Protein Structure and Function, Biospectroscopy and Bioinformatics". I am also an academic tutor for several Inorganic modules, and the Y1 and Y2 Inorganic teaching labs.

Current Research

The group's research interest focuses in understanding the interaction between polysaccharide-active enzymes and their natural substrates for applications in the fields of biofuel production and sustainable chemistry. Other lines of research involve the discovery and characterisation of organisms and enzymes for plastic valorisation, and the design and characterisation LPMO-mimics.

Past Research

Past research focussed on anti-cancer compounds (PhD), Ru and Au organometallic chemistry (PDRA) and Cu-metalloenzymes, in particular lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (PDRA).

• FRANCO CAIRO, JOAO PAULO L., MANDELLI, FERNANDA, TRAMONTINA, ROBSON, CANNELLA, DAVID, PARADISI, ALESSANDRO, CIANO, LUISA, FERREIRA, MARCEL R., LIBERATO, MARCELO, V, BRENELLI, LIVIA B., GONCALVES, THIAGO A., RODRIGUES, GISELE N., ALVAREZ, THABATA M., MOFATTO, LUCIANA S., CARAZZOLLE, MARCELO F., PRADELLA, JOSE G. C., LEME, ADRIANA F. PAES, COSTA-LEONARDO, ANA M., OLIVEIRA-NETO, MARIO, DAMASIO, ANDRE, DAVIES, GIDEON J., FELBY, CLAUS, WALTON, PAUL H. and SQUINA, FABIO M., 2022. Oxidative cleavage of polysaccharides by a termite-derived superoxide dismutase boosts the degradation of biomass by glycoside hydrolases GREEN CHEMISTRY. 24(12), 4845-4858
• SERRA, ILENIA, PICCININI, DANIELE, PARADISI, ALESSANDRO, CIANO, LUISA, BELLEI, MARZIA, BORTOLOTTI, CARLO AUGUSTO, BATTISTUZZI, GIANANTONIO, SOLA, MARCO, WALTON, PAUL H. and DI ROCCO, GIULIA, 2021. Activity and substrate specificity of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases: An ATR FTIR-based sensitive assay tested on a novel species from Pseudomonas putida PROTEIN SCIENCE.
• CIANO, LUISA, PARADISI, ALESSANDRO, HEMSWORTH, GLYN R, TOVBORG, MORTEN, DAVIES, GIDEON J and WALTON, PAUL H, 2020. Insights from semi-oriented EPR spectroscopy studies into the interaction of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases with cellulose. Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003). 49(11), 3413-3422
• MATHIEU, YANN, OFFEN, WENDY A., FORGET, STEPHANIE M., CIANO, LUISA, VIBORG, ALEXANDER HOLM, BLAGOVA, ELENA, HENRISSAT, BERNARD, WALTON, PAUL H., DAVIES, GIDEON J. and BRUMER, HARRY, 2020. Discovery of a Fungal Copper Radical Oxidase with High Catalytic Efficiency toward 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural and Benzyl Alcohols for Bioprocessing ACS CATALYSIS. 10(5), 3042-3058
• LABOUREL, AURORE, FRANDSEN, KRISTIAN E. H., ZHANG, FENG, BROUILLY, NICOLAS, GRISEL, SACHA, HAON, MIREILLE, CIANO, LUISA, ROPARTZ, DAVID, FANUEL, MATHIEU, MARTIN, FRANCIS, NAVARRO, DAVID, ROSSO, MARIE-NOELLE, TANDRUP, TOBIAS, BISSARO, BASTIEN, JOHANSEN, KATJA S., ZERVA, ANASTASIA, WALTON, PAUL H., HENRISSAT, BERNARD, LO LEGGIO, LEILA and BERRIN, JEAN-GUY, 2020. A fungal family of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase-like copper proteins NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY. 16(3), 345-+
• COURTADE, GASTON, CIANO, LUISA, PARADISI, ALESSANDRO, LINDLEY, PETER J., FORSBERG, ZARAH, SORLIE, MORTEN, WIMMER, REINHARD, DAVIES, GIDEON J., EIJSINK, VINCENT G. H., WALTON, PAUL H. and AACHMANN, FINN L., 2020. Mechanistic basis of substrate-O-2 coupling within a chitin-active lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase: An integrated NMR/EPR study PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 117(32), 19178-19189
• FOWLER, CLAIRE. A., SABBADIN, FEDERICO, CIANO, LUISA, HEMSWORTH, GLYN R., ELIAS, LUISA, BRUCE, NEIL, MCQUEEN-MASON, SIMON, DAVIES, GIDEON J. and WALTON, PAUL H., 2019. Discovery, activity and characterisation of an AA10 lytic polysaccharide oxygenase from the shipworm symbiont Teredinibacter turnerae BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS. 12(1),
• PARADISI, ALESSANDRO, JOHNSTON, ESTHER M., TOVBORG, MORTEN, NICOLL, CALLUM R., CIANO, LUISA, DOWLE, ADAM, MCMASTER, JONATHAN, HANCOCK, Y., DAVIES, GIDEON J. and WALTON, PAUL H., 2019. Formation of a Copper(II)-Tyrosyl Complex at the Active Site of Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenases Following Oxidation by H2O2 JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY. 141(46), 18585-18599
• SABBADIN, FEDERICO, HEMSWORTH, GLYN R., CIANO, LUISA, HENRISSAT, BERNARD, DUPREE, PAUL, TRYFONA, THEODORA, MARQUES, RITA D. S., SWEENEY, SEAN T., BESSER, KATRIN, ELIAS, LUISA, PESANTE, GIOVANNA, LI, YI, DOWLE, ADAM A., BATES, RACHEL, GOMEZ, LEONARDO D., SIMISTER, RACHAEL, DAVIES, GIDEON J., WALTON, PAUL H., BRUCE, NEIL C. and MCQUEEN-MASON, SIMON J., 2018. An ancient family of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases with roles in arthropod development and biomass digestion NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 9,
• CIANO, LUISA, DAVIES, GIDEON J., TOLMAN, WILLIAM B. and WALTON, PAUL H., 2018. Bracing copper for the catalytic oxidation of C-H bonds NATURE CATALYSIS. 1(8), 571-577
• HEMSWORTH, GLYN R., CIANO, LUISA, DAVIES, GIDEON J. and WALTON, PAUL H., 2018. Production and spectroscopic characterization of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases ENZYMES OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGY. 613, 63-90
• COUTURIER, MARIE, LADEVÈZE, SIMON, SULZENBACHER, GERLIND, CIANO, LUISA, FANUEL, MATHIEU, MOREAU, CÉLINE, VILLARES, ANA, CATHALA, BERNARD, CHASPOUL, FLORENCE, FRANDSEN, KRISTIAN E., LABOUREL, AURORE, HERPOËL-GIMBERT, ISABELLE, GRISEL, SACHA, HAON, MIREILLE, LENFANT, NICOLAS, ROGNIAUX, HÉLÈNE, ROPARTZ, DAVID, DAVIES, GIDEON J., ROSSO, MARIE-NOËLLE, WALTON, PAUL H., HENRISSAT, BERNARD and BERRIN, JEAN-GUY, 2018. Lytic xylan oxidases from wood-decay fungi unlock biomass degradation Nature Chemical Biology. 14, 306
• SIMMONS, T. J., FRANDSEN, K. E. H., CIANO, L., TRYFONA, T., LENFANT, N., POULSEN, J. C., WILSON, L. F. L., TANDRUP, T., TOVBORG, M., SCHNORR, K., JOHANSEN, K. S., HENRISSAT, B., WALTON, P. H., LO LEGGIO, L. and DUPREE, P., 2017. Structural and electronic determinants of lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase reactivity on polysaccharide substrates NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 8,
• FRANDSEN, KRISTIAN E. H., SIMMONS, THOMAS J., DUPREE, PAUL, POULSEN, JENS-CHRISTIAN N., HEMSWORTH, GLYN R., CIANO, LUISA, JOHNSTON, ESTHER M., TOVBORG, MORTEN, JOHANSEN, KATJA S., VON FREIESLEBEN, PERNILLE, MARMUSE, LAURENCE, FORT, SEBASTIEN, COTTAZ, SYLVAIN, DRIGUEZ, HUGUES, HENRISSAT, BERNARD, LENFANT, NICOLAS, TUNA, FLORIANA, BALDANSUREN, AMGALANBAATAR, DAVIES, GIDEON J., LO LEGGIO, LEILA and WALTON, PAUL H., 2016. The molecular basis of polysaccharide cleavage by lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases NATURE CHEMICAL BIOLOGY. 12(4), 298-+
• CIANO, LUISA, FEY, NATALIE, HALLIDAY, CONNOR J. V., LYNAM, JASON M., MILNER, LUCY M., MISTRY, NIMESH, PRIDMORE, NATALIE E., TOWNSEND, NELL S. and WHITWOOD, ADRIAN C., 2015. Dispersion, solvent and metal effects in the binding of gold cations to alkynyl ligands: implications for Au(I) catalysis CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS. 51(47), 9702-9705
• YIN, DELU (TYLER), URRESTI, SAIOA, LAFOND, MICKAEL, JOHNSTON, ESTHER M., DERIKVAND, FATEMEH, CIANO, LUISA, BERRIN, JEAN-GUY, HENRISSAT, BERNARD, WALTON, PAUL H., DAVIES, GIDEON J. and BRUMER, HARRY, 2015. Structure-function characterization reveals new catalytic diversity in the galactose oxidase and glyoxal oxidase family NATURE COMMUNICATIONS. 6,