Title: A further twist on functional heme-binding coiled coils
Biography:
Anabella IVANCICH obtained her PhD in Physics from the National University of La Plata, Argentina in 1991. Her postdoctoral work in Szeged/Hungary, CEA-Grenoble and CEA-Saclay/France focused in molecular spectroscopy (spin-label EPR, High-field/high frequency EPR, ESEEM/HYSCORE, Resonance Raman) to address structural-functional aspects in metalloproteins related to photosynthesis and oxidative stress. She obtained a CNRS permanent position at CEA-Saclay in 2001, and is CNRS Research Director since 2012. She moved labs to the CNRS/Aix-Marseille Research Unit UMR 7281 in 2014. Her research work on metalloproteins seeks to understand the molecular aspects of the various biologically-competent catalytic pathways in heme-containing proteins. The identification of redox-active Trp/Tyr radicals and the characterization of their roles in electron transfer and concerted reactivity with the heme cofactor in enzyme catalysis, is of particular interest. It aims to unveil natural strategies to selectively fine tune the reactivity of Trp and Tyr in enzyme catalysis, to ultimately design and develop bioinspired artificial mini-proteins, as tunable catalysts for chemical and pharmaceutical industrial applications. Accordingly, her work includes both natural and synthetic heme catalysts.