Inside the lab: a quick look at our research
In this short video, Lucia shares an inside look at our ongoing research in peptide science. If you are curious about our work, we hope you find it both engaging and informative.
News and Events
Spotlight on Lucia
Career Path and Advice Tell us about your research and how your career has progressed? I am a peptide chemist focused on the synthesis, characterization, and application of peptides for healthcare, including drug delivery, sensing, and targeting. When I began my PhD in 2013, peptides were largely known only within academia, but today they are…
JOURNAL COVER: Advancements in Loop Cyclization Approaches for Enhanced Peptide Therapeutics for Targeting Protein-Protein Interactions
Cover for the Journal of Organic Chemistry: Advancements in Loop Cyclization Approaches for Enhanced Peptide Therapeutics for Targeting Protein-Protein Interactions
NEW PAPER: Confinement and Catalysis within De Novo Designed Peptide Barrels
De novo protein design has advanced such that many peptide assemblies and protein structures can be generated predictably and quickly. The drive now is to bring functions to these structures, for example, small-molecule binding and catalysis. The formidable challenge of binding and orienting multiple small molecules to direct chemistry is particularly important for paving the way to new functionalities.
Lucia is in the WG 2 and 3 of the European network SNOOPY
The COST Action SNOOPY brings together a network of experts and young researchers from diverse disciplines (chemistry, biology, biochemistry, materials science, nanotechnology, medicine, physics) to overcome existing barriers to predict and implement bioactive peptides’ ability to self-assemble into functional nanostructures, including those at the interface with membranes, potentially forming pores and channels.
The new website is live!
Visit the Lombardi Lab website to know who we are and what we do.
NEW PAPER: Advancements in Loop Cyclization Approaches for Enhanced Peptide Therapeutics for Targeting Protein–Protein Interactions
This study focuses on mimicking peptide loops as a strategy for PPI inhibition, utilizing synthetic peptide loops for replicating critical binding regions. This work explores turn-inducing elements and highlights the importance of proline in promoting favorable conformations for lactamization, yielding high-purity cyclic peptides.
NEW PAPER: Peptide-Based Biomaterials for Combatting Infections and Improving Drug Delivery
This review explores the potential of peptide-based biomaterials to enhance biomedical applications through self-assembly, biological responsiveness, and selective targeting. Peptides are presented as versatile agents for antimicrobial activity and drug delivery, with recent approaches incorporating antimicrobial peptides into self-assembling systems to improve effectiveness and reduce resistance. The review also covers peptide-based nanocarriers for cancer drug delivery, highlighting their improved stability, targeted delivery, and reduced side effects.
Lucia awarded the Julia Higgins Award at Imperial
What a great day! Lucia has been recognized with the Julia Higgins Award for her positive contribution to the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London. Nice ceremony with nice people.