Gerardo Turcatti
Web site: Web site: https://sv.epfl.ch/education
EPFL SV PTECH PTCB
AAB 0 03 (Bâtiment AAB)
Station 15
1015 Lausanne
Web site: Web site: https://bsf.epfl.ch/
Biography
Senior scientific level (R&D) with extensive experience in the management of multidisciplinary technological projects. Prof. Gerardo Turcatti, directs the academic technological platform, Biomolecular Screening Facility (BSF) at the EPFL he created in 2006. In the framework of the NCCR-Chemical Biology, he is project leader of the program ACCESS (An Academic Chemical Screening Platform for Switzerland). Previously he co-founded and acted as CTO of Manteia S.A., a Swiss-based company that developed high throughput DNA sequencing technologies currently owned by Illumina and used in the ‘Next Generation Sequencing’ instruments. Prior to this experience, Prof. Turcatti had a long multidisciplinary career in R&D divisions of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical companies with extensive expertise in several Chemical Biology-related disciplines such as Drug Screening, Chemical Biology, Bio-analytical Chemistry, DNA and Protein Chemistry. Prof. Turcatti earned his Master in Chemical Engineering at the University of Geneva and his PhD in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the EPFL where he received the award for the best doctoral thesis of the year.Publications
Infoscience publications
Extracted from Infoscience
2024
Theses
Methods for high-throughput synthesis and screening of peptide libraries
Lausanne, EPFL, 2024. DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-10747.2023
Journal Articles
Phosphoproteomics and morphology of stored human red blood cells treated by protein tyrosine phosphatases inhibitor
Blood Advances. 2023-12-29. DOI : 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023009964.In vitro-transfusional model for red-blood-cell study: the advantage of lowering hematocrit
Blood Transfusion. 2023-07-01. DOI : 10.2450/2022.0086-22.Automated Dual-Mode Cell Monitoring To Simultaneously Explore Calcium Dynamics and Contraction-Relaxation Kinetics within Drug-Treated Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes
Acs Sensors. 2023-06-19. DOI : 10.1021/acssensors.3c00073.Conference Papers
Repurposing drug screen of patient-derived malignant pleural mesothelioma cells reveals potential anti-cancer activity
2023-04-01. p. S117-S118.Theses
Development of methods for the synthesis of large combinatorial libraries of macrocyclic compounds
Lausanne, EPFL, 2023. DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-9951.2022
Journal Articles
High-content, arrayed compound screens with rhinovirus, influenza A virus and herpes simplex virus infections
Scientific Data. 2022-10-08. DOI : 10.1038/s41597-022-01733-4.Synthesis and direct assay of large macrocycle diversities by combinatorial late-stage modification at picomole scale
Nature Communications. 2022-07-02. DOI : 10.1038/s41467-022-31428-8.Novel High-Throughput Fluorescence-Based Assay for the Identification of Nematocidal Compounds That Target the Blood-Feeding Pathway
Pharmaceuticals. 2022-05-27. DOI : 10.3390/ph15060669.Identification of New Vulnerabilities in Conjunctival Melanoma Using Image-Based High Content Drug Screening
Cancers. 2022-03-01. DOI : 10.3390/cancers14061575.Identification of broad anti-coronavirus chemical agents for repurposing against SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern
Current Research in Virological Science. 2022. DOI : 10.1016/j.crviro.2022.100019.Conference Papers
A Label-Free, High-Throughput Phenotypic Screen Of Adipocytic Differentiation Modulators To Accelerate Hematopoietic Recovery
2022-01-01. 51st Annual Scientific Meeting of the International-Society-for-Experimental-Hematology (ISEH), Edinburgh, SCOTLAND, Sep 01-04, 2022. p. S38-S38.2021
Journal Articles
Highly Potent Host-Specific Small-Molecule Inhibitor of Paramyxovirus and Pneumovirus Replication with High Resistance Barrier
Mbio. 2021-11-01. DOI : 10.1128/mBio.02621-21.Picomole-Scale Synthesis and Screening of Macrocyclic Compound Libraries by Acoustic Liquid Transfer
Angewandte Chemie-International Edition. 2021-08-25. DOI : 10.1002/anie.202107815.Image- and Fluorescence-Based Test Shows Oxidant-Dependent Damages in Red Blood Cells and Enables Screening of Potential Protective Molecules
International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021-04-20. DOI : 10.3390/ijms22084293.Antiviral Screen against Canine Distemper Virus-Induced Membrane Fusion Activity
Viruses. 2021-01-18. DOI : 10.3390/v13010128.2020
Journal Articles
The FDA-Approved Drug Nelfinavir Inhibits Lytic Cell-Free but Not Cell-Associated Nonlytic Transmission of Human Adenovirus
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. 2020-08-20. DOI : 10.1128/AAC.01002-20.A high-content image-based drug screen of clinical compounds against cell transmission of adenovirus
Scientific Data. 2020-08-12. DOI : 10.1038/s41597-020-00604-0.Macrocycle synthesis strategy based on step-wise “adding and reacting” three components enables screening of large combinatorial libraries
Chemical Science. 2020-06-26. DOI : 10.1039/D0SC01944E.High-throughput automated organoid culture via stem-cell aggregation in microcavity arrays
Nature Biomedical Engineering. 2020-06-08. DOI : 10.1038/s41551-020-0565-2.Loss of Bacterial Cell Pole Stabilization in Caulobacter crescentus Sensitizes to Outer Membrane Stress and Peptidoglycan-Directed Antibiotics
mBio. 2020-05-05. DOI : 10.1128/mBio.00538-20.Marker-Free Automatic Quantification of Drug-Treated Cardiomyocytes with Digital Holographic Imaging
Acs Photonics. 2020-01-01. DOI : 10.1021/acsphotonics.9b01152.2019
Journal Articles
Image-Based Marker-Free Screening of GABA(A) Agonists, Antagonists, and Modulators
Slas Discovery. 2019-11-28. DOI : 10.1177/2472555219887142.Thiol-to-amine cyclization reaction enables screening of large libraries of macrocyclic compounds and the generation of sub-kilodalton ligands
Science Advances. 2019-08-21. DOI : 10.1126/sciadv.aaw2851.Screening-based approach to discover effective platinum-based chemotherapies for cancers with poor prognosis
Plos One. 2019-01-29. DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0211268.A Universal Assay for Aminopeptidase Activity and Its Application for Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Drug Discovery
Analytical Chemistry. 2019-01-01. DOI : 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b04672.2018
Journal Articles
Quantification of stored red blood cell fluctuations by time-lapse holographic cell imaging
Biomedical Optics Express. 2018-10-01. DOI : 10.1364/BOE.9.004714.Targeting STING with covalent small-molecule inhibitors
Nature. 2018. DOI : 10.1038/s41586-018-0287-8.High-throughput, nonperturbing quantification of lipid droplets with digital holographic microscopy
JOURNAL OF LIPID RESEARCH. 2018. DOI : 10.1194/jlr.D085217.2017
Journal Articles
Red blood cells ageing markers: a multi-parametric analysis
Blood Transfusion. 2017. DOI : 10.2450/2017.0318-16.Repositioning approved drugs for the treatment of problematic cancers using a screening approach
Plos One. 2017. DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0171052.2016
Journal Articles
Screening out irrelevant cell-based models of disease
Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. 2016. DOI : 10.1038/nrd.2016.175.Growth control switch by a DNA-damage-inducible toxin–antitoxin system in Caulobacter crescentus
Nature Microbiology. 2016. DOI : 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2016.8.Conference Papers
Development Of A Novel First-In-Class Oral Inhibitor Of The Notch Pathway
2016. 21st Congress of the European-Hematology-Association, Copenhagen, DENMARK, JUN 09-12, 2016. p. 29-29.Theses
Single-molecule microscopy to study plasma membrane receptor dynamics
Lausanne, EPFL, 2016. DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-6917.2015
Journal Articles
Wnt directs the endosomal flux of LDL-derived cholesterol and lipid droplet homeostasis
Embo Reports. 2015. DOI : 10.15252/embr.201540081.Automated multi-parameter measurement of cardiomyocytes dynamics with digital holographic microscopy
Optics Express. 2015. DOI : 10.1364/OE.23.013333.Conference Papers
Identification of CDC-48 inhibitors in C. elegans
2015. 40th Congress of the Federation-of-European-Biochemical-Societies (FEBS) - The Biochemical Basis of Life, Berlin, GERMANY, JUL 04-09, 2015. p. 389-389.Book Chapters
Digital Holographic Imaging for Label-Free Phenotypic Profiling, Cytotoxicity, and Chloride Channels Target Screening
Label-Free Biosensor Methods in Drug Discovery; New York: Springer, 2015. p. 307-325.2014
Journal Articles
Detailed analysis and follow-up studies of a high-throughput screening for indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) inhibitors
European Journal Of Medicinal Chemistry. 2014. DOI : 10.1016/j.ejmech.2014.06.078.Developing the Biomolecular Screening Facility at the EPFL into the Chemical Biology Screening Platform for Switzerland
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening. 2014. DOI : 10.2174/1386207317666140323194716.Digital holographic microscopy: a quantitative label-free microscopy technique for phenotypic screening
Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening. 2014. DOI : 10.2174/13862073113166660062.Conference Papers
Loss of Protein Tyr-phosphorylation During in vitro Storage of Human Erythrocytes: Impact on RBC Morphology
2014. AABB Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, OCT 25-28, 2014. p. 49A-50A.2013
Journal Articles
Telomerase Inhibitors from Cyanobacteria: Isolation and Synthesis of Sulfoquinovosyl Diacylglycerols from
Chemistry - A European Journal. 2013. DOI : 10.1002/chem.201203296.Label-Free Cytotoxicity Screening Assay by Digital Holographic Microscopy
ASSAY and Drug Development Technologies. 2013. DOI : 10.1089/adt.2012.476.Theses
Functional Characterization of the Mouse Olfactory Receptor mOR256-17 in Live Cells
Lausanne, EPFL, 2013. DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-5945.2011
Journal Articles
Chemical Biology Approaches to Membrane Homeostasis and Function
Chimia. 2011. DOI : 10.2533/chimia.2011.849.Student Projects
Multiplexed detection of nucleic acids - testing and benchmarking of a novel platform developed by Biocartis
20112010
Journal Articles
Leads for antitubercular compounds from kinase inhibitor library screens
Tuberculosis. 2010. DOI : 10.1016/j.tube.2010.09.001.Patents
Preparation of nucleic acid templates for solid phase amplification
EP2918686 ; EP1957668 ; WO2007060456 ; US8168388 ; US2010041561 ; EP1957668 ; WO2007060456 ; GB0524069 . 2010.Student Projects
Development of high content image-based cell viability assays
2010Cellular transfection of small interfering ribonucleic acids. Electroporation as an alternative to liposome-based delivery transfection methods
20102009
Patents
Preparation of templates for nucleic acid sequencing
ES2398808 ; EP2298930 ; US10710046 ; US2018353926 ; US9999866 ; US2017021325 ; US9498763 ; US2015343410 ; US9085802 ; US2014349891 ; US8715966 ; ES2398808 ; EP2298930 ; US2012208194 ; EP1910559 ; HK1154636 ; EP2298930 ; US2009118128 ; EP1910559 ; WO2007010251 ; WO2007010251 ; GB0514936 . 2009.2008
Journal Articles
Accurate whole human genome sequencing using reversible terminator chemistry
Nature. 2008. DOI : 10.1038/nature07517.A new class of cleavable fluorescent nucleotides: synthesis and optimization as reversible terminators for DNA sequencing by synthesis
Nucleic Acids Research. 2008. DOI : 10.1093/nar/gkn021.Patents
Method of Nucleotide Detection
EP1828412 ; US9970055 ; US2016208324 ; US9303290 ; US9217178 ; US2014378323 ; EP1828412 ; US2008280773 ; EP1828412 ; WO2006064199 ; GB0514933 ; GB0427236 . 2008.2007
Journal Articles
Low- to high-throughput analysis of telomerase modulators with Telospot
Nature Methods. 2007. DOI : 10.1038/nmeth1099.Patents
Conversion of amine- to carboxyl groups on solid surfaces
US7704543 ; US2007042109 ; EP1692090 ; WO2005030695 . 2007.Improved method of nucleotide detection
EP1828412 ; US9970055 ; US2016208324 ; US9303290 ; US9217178 ; US2014378323 ; EP1828412 ; US2008280773 ; EP1828412 ; WO2006064199 ; GB0514933 ; GB0427236 . 2007.2006
Journal Articles
Aryldithioethyloxycarbonyl (Ardec): A new family of amine protecting groups removable under mild reducing conditions and their applications to peptide synthesis
Chemistry - A European Journal. 2006. DOI : 10.1002/chem.200501538.BTA, a novel reagent for DNA attachment on glass and efficient generation of solid-phase amplified DNA colonies
Nucleic Acids Research. 2006. DOI : 10.1093/nar/gnj023.2004
Journal Articles
A microfluidic platform using molecular beacon-based temperature calibration for thermal dehybridization of surface-bound DNA
Analytical Chemistry. 2004. DOI : 10.1021/ac034377+.Theses
In vivo protein labeling for structural and functional investigation of the 5-HT3A neurotransmitter receptor
Lausanne, EPFL, 2004. DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-3016.2003
Theses
Microfluidics devices for heterogeneous assays
Université de Neuchâtel, 2003.Patents
Nucleotide detection by fluorescence resonance energy transfer and methods thereof
BR0303224 ; NO20034592 ; NO20034592 ; AU2003226829 ; WO03068986 . 2003.2002
Conference Papers
Development of a Microfluidic Device for Genetic Analysis Based on Hybridization of Surface-bound DNA
2002.Theses
Fluorescence and biochemical investigations of the serotonin type 3 receptor
Lausanne, EPFL, 2002. DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-2499.2001
Journal Articles
Synthesis and characterization of fluorescent and photoactivatable MIP-1alpha ligands and interactions with chemokine receptors CCR1 and CCR5
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 2001. DOI : 10.1021/jm000982i.2000
Journal Articles
Solid phase DNA amplification: characterisation of primer attachment and amplification mechanisms
Nucleic acids research. 2000. DOI : 10.1093/nar/28.20.e87.Theses
Investigating the structure and function of the serotonin 5HT3A receptor by fluorescence spectroscopy
Lausanne, EPFL, 2000. DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-2201.Patents
Methods of nucleic acid amplification and sequencing
US10370652 ; US2016319274 ; US9297006 ; US2014228254 ; US8652810 ; EP1634963 ; EP1117827 ; US2008160580 ; US7115400 ; DE69928683 ; EP1634963 ; DE69928683 ; AT311474 ; EP1117827 ; AU771073 ; EA004271 ; HU0105052 ; NZ510599 ; HK1042525 ; JP2002525125 ; AR021833 ; EE200100195 ; HU0105052 ; PL347125 ; BG105363 ; CN1325458 ; SK4292001 ; EA200100402 ; ZA200102420 ; CZ20011183 ; KR20010085860 ; EP1117827 ; TR200100911 ; BR9914159 ; NO20011303 ; NO20011303 ; AU6108899 ; CA2344575 ; WO0018957 . 2000.1999
Journal Articles
Fluorescent pseudo-peptide linear vasopressin antagonists: Design, synthesis, and applications
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 1999. DOI : 10.1021/jm9804782.Biophysical approaches to G protein-coupled receptors: Structure, function and dynamics
Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design. 1999. DOI : 10.1023/A:1008052002695.Theses
Investigation of biomolecular interactions by surface plasmon resonance
Lausanne, EPFL, 1999. DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-1974.1998
Journal Articles
Mapping the binding sites of peptide and non-peptide molecules to G protein-coupled receptors by fluorescence
Letters in Peptide Science. 1998. DOI : 10.1007/BF02443443.Conference Papers
Probing ligand-receptor recognition in G protein-coupled receptors through biosynthetic incorporation of fluorescent amino acids at specific sites and measurement of distances by fluorescence energy transfer
1998. 2nd Conference on Fluorescence Microscopy and Fluorescent Probes, Prague, Apr. 9-12, 1997. p. 87-92.1997
Journal Articles
Characterization of non-peptide antagonist and peptide agonist binding sites of the NK1 receptor with fluorescent ligands
Journal of Biological Chemistry. 1997. DOI : 10.1074/jbc.272.34.21167.Fluorescent labeling of NK2 receptor at specific sites in vivo and fluorescence energy transfer analysis of NK2 ligand-receptor complexes
Receptors and Channels. 1997.1996
Journal Articles
Probing the structure and function of the tachykinin neurokinin-2 receptor through biosynthetic incorporation of fluorescent amino acids at specific sites
Journal of Biological Chemistry. 1996. DOI : 10.1074/jbc.271.33.19991.1995
Journal Articles
Probing the Binding Domain of the NK2 Receptor with Fluorescent Ligands: Evidence That Heptapeptide Agonists and Antagonists Bind Differently
Biochemistry. 1995. DOI : 10.1021/bi00012a015.Theses
Novel fluorescence - based approaches to probe ligand recognition and structure of the tachykinin NK2 receptor
Lausanne, EPFL, 1995. DOI : 10.5075/epfl-thesis-1426.1994
Journal Articles
Purification, cDNA cloning and heterologous expression of human phosphomannose isomerase
European Journal of Biochemistry. 1994. DOI : 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1994.tb19954.x.Synthesis and characterization of selective fluorescent ligands for the neurokinin NK2 receptor
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 1994. DOI : 10.1021/jm00039a012.1993
Journal Articles
Biochemical characterization and solubilization of human NK2 receptor expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells
Journal of Receptor Research. 1993. DOI : 10.3109/10799899309073684.Role of cysteine62 in DNA recognition by the p50 subunit of NF-kappa B
Nucleic Acids Research. 1993. DOI : 10.1093/nar/21.8.1727.1992
Journal Articles
Partial characterization of natural and recombinant human soluble CD23
Biochemical Journal. 1992. DOI : 10.1042/bj2860819.Purification and characterization of biologically active human recombinant 37 kDa soluble CD23 (sFc epsilon RII) expressed in insect cells
Journal of Immunological Methods. 1992. DOI : 10.1016/0022-1759(92)90253-P.1991
Journal Articles
Human interleukin-5 expressed in Escherichia coli: Assignment of the disulfide bridges of the purified unglycosylated protein
FEBS Letters. 1991. DOI : 10.1016/0014-5793(91)80553-F.Purification and partial characterization of rat factor D
Biochemical Journal. 1991. DOI : 10.1042/bj2790775.1990
Journal Articles
Tumor necrosis factor inhibitor: purification, NH2-terminal amino acid sequence and evidence for anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities
European Journal of Immunology. 1990.Structure and partial amino acid sequence of calf thymus DNA topoisomerase II: Comparison with other type II enzymes
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 1990. DOI : 10.1016/0006-291X(90)92156-T.1989
Journal Articles
Purification and characterization of a methionine-specific aminopeptidase from Salmonella typhimurium
European Journal of Biochemistry. 1989. DOI : 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1989.tb14610.x.1988
Journal Articles
Characterization of recombinant-derived granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)
Biochemical Journal. 1988. DOI : 10.1042/bj2560213.Insulin proteinase liberates from glucagon a fragment known to have enhanced activity against Ca2+ + Mg2+-dependent ATPase
Biochemical Journal. 1988. DOI : 10.1042/bj2560847.Teaching & PhD
Teaching
Life Sciences Engineering
Courses
Methods: from disease models to therapy
This course will describe methods underlying translational approaches from disease modeling and characterization to therapeutic applications. The presented techniques will be complemented by hands-on rotations in the technological platforms of the School of Life Sciences.