Email
fprischi@essex.ac.ukTelephone
+44 (0) 1206 873370
Location
3SW.5.03, Colchester Campus
Academic support hours
Open door policy
Biography
My main research interest is the characterisation of protein complexes that are part of signalling pathways, in normal and cancer cells. My goal is to understand how the molecular machines that compose signalling pathways work together to transfer information. In my group, we use a cutting-edge multi-disciplinary approach that combines biophysical, enzymatic and structural studies. We use X-ray crystallography, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Electron Microscopy to visualise macromolecules at atomic and near atomic resolution. At this scale we are able to dissect cellular processes at a molecular level and describe the details at the base of cancer formation or development, thereby providing a solid base for medical advance. The main focus of our research is the study of phosphorylation cascades and protein kinases.
Qualifications
PhD University of Siena and National Institute for Medical Research (MRC), (2010)
M.Sc. Molecular Biology (110 summa cum laude) University of Siena, (2005)
B.Sc. Biological Sciences (110 summa cum laude) University of Siena, (2003)
Appointments
University of Essex
Senior Lecturer, Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London (3/4/2023 - present)
Visiting Fellow, School of Life Sciences, University of Essex (3/4/2023 - present)
Senior Lecturer, School of Life Sciences, University of Essex (1/10/2020 - 31/3/2023)
Director of Recruitment, School of Life Sciences, University of Essex (1/9/2021 - 1/10/2022)
Deputy Director of Recruitment, School of Life Sciences, University of Essex (4/11/2019 - 31/8/2021)
Lecturer, School of Life Sciences, University of Essex (1/6/2015 - 1/10/2020)
Other academic
Research Associate, Imperial College London (1/5/2010 - 30/4/2015)
Research interests
Signalling pathways in lung and breast cancer
Drug Discovery
Protein Phosphoregulation
Structural Biology
Ribosomal Kinases pathways
Current research
Targeting RSK4 prevents both chemoresistance and metastasis in lung and bladder cancer
Understanding how RSKs regulate Transcription Factors in Triple Negative Breast Cancer
The role of 90kDa Ribosomal S6 Kinases in Steroid signalling
Flipping the switch; regulating protein synthesis in response to stress
Conferences and presentations
AtS6K2 regulates antioxidant capacity in response to salt and cold stress
88th Harden Conference - Beyond catalysis: kinases and pseudokinases 2022, Chesford Grange, Kenilworth, 2/11/2022
Targeting RSK4 prevents both chemoresistance and metastasis in lung and bladder cancer
Invited presentation, BCA/BACG Spring Meeting, 30/3/2021
Targeting RSK4 prevents both chemoresistance and metastasis in lung and bladder cancer
FEBS Congress 2019, Krakow, Poland, 10/7/2019
Targeting hnRNPA1 for the treatment of Small Cell Lung Cancer
Invited presentation, 6th EEMaX Symposium, Norwich, United Kingdom, 12/12/2018
Purification of protein kinases for structural studies
Invited presentation, AKTA user day, Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 21/9/2018
The black sheep of the p90 ribosomal kinase family: RSK4
Invited presentation, 5th EEMaX Symposium, 5th EEMaX Symposium, Colchester, United Kingdom, 20/12/2016
Interaction of BiP and ER stress transducers is disrupted by unfolded proteins causing UPR activation.
16th International MST Meeting, 16th International MST Meeting, Munich, Germany, 18/6/2015
Phosphoregulation of human Ire1 RNase splicing activity.
CSB Open Day, CSB Open Day, London, United Kingdom, 6/6/2014
Phosphoregulation of human Ire1 RNase splicing activity.
Molecular Chaperones and Stress Responses, Molecular Chaperones and Stress Responses, Cold Spring Harbor, United States, 5/2014
Biochemical and Biophysical characterisation of c-IRE1 alpha
OPPF-MPL HTP Protein Production and Crystallization, Harwell, United Kingdom, 4/2011
Insights into the structure of an IscS/IscU/CyaY complex.
Invited presentation, Frataxin meeting, London, United Kingdom, 5/2010
Understanding the iron-sulphur cluster machinery: Characterization of the E. coli IscS/IscU complex.
IIX CCPN meeting, Penrith, United Kingdom, 8/2008
Key features of EF-HAND superfamily structure using paramagnetic probe.
XXXVII National NMR Congress, Verbania Pallanza, Italy, 9/2007
Dimerization of alpha-bungarotoxin monitored by paramagnetic probes: a new approach for protein-protein interaction studies.
Invited presentation, XXXVI National NMR Congress, Vietri Sul Mare, Italy, 9/2006
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Biochemistry
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 30/10/2023
Degree subject: Biochemistry
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 21/8/2023
Degree subject: Cell and Molecular Biology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 20/4/2022
Degree subject: Biological Sciences
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 4/11/2021
Degree subject: Biological Sciences
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 1/7/2021
Degree subject: Biological Sciences
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 21/6/2021
Degree subject: Biological Sciences
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 3/7/2020
Degree subject: Biochemistry
Degree type: Master of Science (by Dissertation)
Awarded date: 28/6/2019
Publications (3)
Cronin, R., Azadova, A., Marco, A., Laissue, PP., Brooke, GN. and Prischi, F., (2024). The p90 Ribosomal S6 Kinases 2 and 4 promote Prostate Cancer cell proliferation in androgen-dependent and independent ways
Roucairol, M., Georgiou, A., Cazenave, T., Prischi, F. and Pardo, OE., (2024). DrugSynthMC: an atom based generation of drug-like molecules with Monte Carlo Search
Dunnett, L., Das, S., Venditti, V. and Prischi, F., (2024). Enhanced identification of small molecules binding to hnRNPA1 via cryptic pockets mapping coupled with X-Ray fragment screening
Journal articles (37)
Dunnett, L., Das, S., Venditti, V. and Prischi, F., (2025). Enhanced identification of small molecules binding to hnRNPA1 via cryptic pockets mapping coupled with X-ray fragment screening. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 301 (4), 108335-108335
Roucairol, M., Georgiou, A., Cazenave, T., Prischi, F. and Pardo, OE., (2024). DrugSynthMC: An Atom-Based Generation of Drug-like Molecules with Monte Carlo Search. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling. 64 (18), 7097-7107
Prischi, F., Jarvis, J. and Conte, MR., (2024). Meeting reports. The Biochemist. 46 (4), 45-45
Prischi, F., Birrell, JA., Carroni, M. and Worrall, J., (2024). Meeting Reports. The Biochemist. 46 (5), 50-50
Barbera, S., Raucci, L., Tassone, G., Tinti, L., Prischi, F., Santucci, A., Mongiat, M., Tosi, GM., Galvagni, F., Dimberg, A., Pozzi, C. and Orlandini, M., (2023). Dimerization of the C-type lectin-like receptor CD93 promotes its binding to Multimerin-2 in endothelial cells.. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 224, 453-464
Hough, MA., Prischi, F. and Worrall, JAR., (2023). Perspective: Structure determination of protein-ligand complexes at room temperature using X-ray diffraction approaches. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. 10, 1113762-
Trampari, E., Prischi, F., Vargiu, A., Abi-Assaf, J., Bavro, V. and Webber, M., (2023). Functionally distinct mutations within AcrB underpin antibiotic resistance in different lifestyles.. npj Antimicrobials and Resistance. 1 (1), 2-
Corrales-Guerrero, L., Prischi, F. and Díaz-Moreno, I., (2023). Editorial: Weak interactions in molecular machinery volume II. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. 10, 1284353-
Galderisi, S., Milella, MS., Rossi, M., Cicaloni, V., Rossi, R., Giustarini, D., Spiga, O., Tinti, L., Salvini, L., Tinti, C., Braconi, D., Millucci, L., Lupetti, P., Prischi, F., Bernardini, G. and Santucci, A., (2022). Homogentisic acid induces autophagy alterations leading to chondroptosis in human chondrocytes: Implications in Alkaptonuria. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. 717, 109137-109137
Obomighie, I., Lapenas, K., Murphy, BE., Bowles, AMC., Bechtold, U. and Prischi, F., (2021). The Role of Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases in Plant Homeostasis. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. 8, 636560-
Deganutti, G., Prischi, F. and Reynolds, CA., (2021). Supervised molecular dynamics for exploring the druggability of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design. 35 (2), 195-207
Prischi, F. and Filippakopoulos, P., (2021). Editorial: Structural Studies of Protein Complexes in Signaling Pathways. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. 8, 641932-
Cronin, R., Brooke, GN. and Prischi, F., (2021). The role of the p90 ribosomal S6 kinase family in prostate cancer progression and therapy resistance. Oncogene. 40 (22), 3775-3785
Chrysostomou, S., Roy, R., Prischi, F., Thamlikitkul, L., Chapman, KL., Mufti, U., Peach, R., Ding, L., Hancock, D., Moore, C., Molina-Arcas, M., Mauri, F., Pinato, DJ., Abrahams, JM., Ottaviani, S., Castellano, L., Giamas, G., Pascoe, J., Moonamale, D., Pirrie, S., Gaunt, C., Billingham, L., Steven, NM., Cullen, M., Hrouda, D., Winkler, M., Post, J., Cohen, P., Salpeter, SJ., Bar, V., Zundelevich, A., Golan, S., Leibovici, D., Lara, R., Klug, DR., Yaliraki, SN., Barahona, M., Wang, Y., Downward, J., Skehel, JM., Ali, MMU., Seckl, MJ. and Pardo, OE., (2021). Repurposed floxacins targeting RSK4 prevent chemoresistance and metastasis in lung and bladder cancer. Science Translational Medicine. 13 (602), eaba4627-
Trezza, A., Iovinelli, D., Santucci, A., Prischi, F. and Spiga, O., (2020). An integrated drug repurposing strategy for the rapid identification of potential SARS-CoV-2 viral inhibitors. Scientific Reports. 10 (1), 13866-
Brooke, GN. and Prischi, F., (2020). Structural and functional modelling of SARS-CoV-2 entry in animal models. Scientific Reports. 10 (1), 15917-
Spiga, O., Cicaloni, V., Fiorini, C., Trezza, A., Visibelli, A., Millucci, L., Bernardini, G., Bernini, A., Marzocchi, B., Braconi, D., Prischi, F. and Santucci, A., (2020). Machine learning application for development of a data-driven predictive model able to investigate quality of life scores in a rare disease. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 15 (1), 46-
Zabet, NR., Catoni, M., Prischi, F. and Paszkowski, J., (2017). Cytosine methylation at CpCpG sites triggers accumulation of non-CpG methylation in gene bodies. Nucleic Acids Research. 45 (7), gkw1330-gkw1330
Prischi, F. and Pastore, A., (2017). Hybrid Methods in Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis. Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. 4 (12), 12-
Prischi, F. and Pastore, A., (2016). Application of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Hybrid Methods to Structure Determination of Complex Systems. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES FOR PROTEIN COMPLEX PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION. 896, 351-368
Carrara, M., Prischi, F., Nowak, PR., Kopp, MC. and Ali, MMU., (2015). Noncanonical binding of BiP ATPase domain to Ire1 and Perk is dissociated by unfolded protein CH1 to initiate ER stress signaling. eLife. 4 (4)
Popovic, M., Sanfelice, D., Pastore, C., Prischi, F., Temussi, PA. and Pastore, A., (2015). Selective observation of the disordered import signal of a globular protein by in‐cell NMR: The example of frataxins. Protein Science. 24 (6), 996-1003
Carrara, M., Prischi, F., Nowak, PR. and Ali, MMU., (2015). Crystal structures reveal transient
Prischi, F., Nowak, PR., Carrara, M. and Ali, MMU., (2014). Phosphoregulation of Ire1 RNase splicing activity. Nature Communications. 5 (1), 3554-
Carrara, M., Prischi, F. and Ali, M., (2013). UPR Signal Activation by Luminal Sensor Domains. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 14 (3), 6454-6466
Bernini, A., Spiga, O., Venditti, V., Prischi, F., Botta, M., Croce, G., Tong, AP-L., Wong, W-T. and Niccolai, N., (2012). The use of a ditopic Gd(III) paramagnetic probe for investigating α-bungarotoxin surface accessibility. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry. 112, 25-31
Prischi, F., Konarev, PV., Iannuzzi, C., Pastore, C., Adinolfi, S., Martin, SR., Svergun, DI. and Pastore, A., (2010). Structural bases for the interaction of frataxin with the central components of iron–sulphur cluster assembly. Nature Communications. 1 (1), 95-
Prischi, F., Pastore, C., Carroni, M., Iannuzzi, C., Adinolfi, S., Temussi, P. and Pastore, A., (2010). Of the vulnerability of orphan complex proteins: The case study of the E. coli IscU and IscS proteins. Protein Expression and Purification. 73 (2), 161-166
Prischi, F., Giannini, C., Adinolfi, S. and Pastore, A., (2009). The N‐terminus of mature human frataxin is intrinsically unfolded. The FEBS Journal. 276 (22), 6669-6676
Adinolfi, S., Iannuzzi, C., Prischi, F., Pastore, C., Iametti, S., Martin, SR., Bonomi, F. and Pastore, A., (2009). Bacterial frataxin CyaY is the gatekeeper of iron-sulfur cluster formation catalyzed by IscS. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. 16 (4), 390-396
Bernini, A., Venditti, V., Spiga, O., Ciutti, A., Prischi, F., Consonni, R., Zetta, L., Arosio, I., Fusi, P., Guagliardi, A. and Niccolai, N., (2008). NMR studies on the surface accessibility of the archaeal protein Sso7d by using TEMPOL and Gd(III)(DTPA-BMA) as paramagnetic probes. Biophysical Chemistry. 137 (2-3), 71-75
Venditti, V., Bernini, A., De Simone, A., Spiga, O., Prischi, F. and Niccolai, N., (2007). MD and NMR studies of α-bungarotoxin surface accessibility. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 356 (1), 114-117
Bernini, A., Spiga, O., Venditti, V., Prischi, F., Bracci, L., Tong, AP-L., Wong, W-T. and Niccolai, N., (2006). NMR Studies of Lysozyme Surface Accessibility by Using Different Paramagnetic Relaxation Probes. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 128 (29), 9290-9291
Spiga, O., Padula, MG., Scarselli, M., Ciutti, A., Bernini, A., Venditti, V., Prischi, F., Falciani, C., Lozzi, L., Bracci, L., Valensin, PE., Caudai, C. and Niccolai, N., (2006). Structurally Driven Selection of Human Hepatitis C Virus Mimotopes. Antiviral Therapy. 11 (7), 917-922
Bernini, A., Spiga, O., Venditti, V., Prischi, F., Bracci, L., Huang, J., Tanner, JA. and Niccolai, N., (2006). Tertiary structure prediction of SARS coronavirus helicase. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 343 (4), 1101-1104
Bernini, A., Spiga, O., Ciutti, A., Venditti, V., Prischi, F., Governatori, M., Bracci, L., Lelli, B., Pileri, S., Botta, M., Barge, A., Laschi, F. and Niccolai, N., (2006). NMR studies of BPTI aggregation by using paramagnetic relaxation reagents. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Proteins and Proteomics. 1764 (5), 856-862
Spiga, O., Bernini, A., Ciutti, A., Chiellini, S., Menciassi, N., Finetti, F., Causarono, V., Anselmi, F., Prischi, F. and Niccolai, N., (2003). Molecular modelling of S1 and S2 subunits of SARS coronavirus spike glycoprotein. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 310 (1), 78-83
Conferences (2)
Prischi, F., Chrysostomou, S., Roy, R., Chapman, K., Mufti, U., Peach, R., Ding, L., Mauri, F., Bellezza, G., Cagini, L., Barbareschi, M., Ferrero, S., Abrahams, J., Ottaviani, S., Castellano, L., Giamas, G., Pascoe, J., Moonamale, D., Billingham, L., Cullen, M., Hrouda, D., Winkler, M., Klug, D., Yaliraki, S., Barahona, M., Wang, Y., Ali, M., Seckl, M. and Pardo, O., (2019). Targeting RSK4 prevents both chemoresistance and metastasis in lung and bladder cancer
Chrysostomou, S., Roy, R., Prischi, F., Chapman, K., Mufti, U., Mauri, F., Bellezza, G., Abrahams, J., Ottaviani, S., Castellano, L., Giamas, G., Hrouda, D., Winkler, M., Klug, D., Yaliraki, S., Barahona, M., Wang, Y., Ali, M., Seckl, M. and Pardo, O., (2019). Targeting RSK4 prevents both chemoresistance and metastasis in lung cancer
Reports and Papers (5)
Deganutti, G., Prischi, F. and Reynolds, CA., (2020). Supervised molecular dynamics for exploring the druggability of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
Trezza, A., Iovinelli, D., Prischi, F., Santucci, A. and Spiga, O., (2020). An integrated drug repurposing strategy for the rapid identification of potential SARS-CoV-2 viral inhibitors
Brooke, GN. and Prischi, F., (2020). Structural and functional modelling of SARS-CoV-2 entry in animal models
Trampari, E., Holden, ER., Wickham, GJ., Ravi, A., Prischi, F., de Oliveira Martins, L., Savva, GM., Bavro, VN. and Webber, MA., (2019). Antibiotics select for novel pathways of resistance in biofilms
Bernini, A., Venditti, V., Spiga, O., Prischi, F., Botta, M., Tong, AP-L., Wong, W-T. and Niccola, N., (2011). The surface accessibility of α-bungarotoxin monitored by a novel paramagnetic probe
Dataset (11)
Spiga, O., Bernini, A., Ciutti, A., Chiellini, S., Prischi, F., Venditti, V. and Niccolai, N., Theoretical model of H4 influenza virus
Spiga, O., Bernini, A., Ciutti, A., Chiellini, S., Prischi, F., Venditti, V. and Niccolai, N., Human Influenza B virus trimer structure
Spiga, O., Bernini, A., Ciutti, A., Chiellini, S., Prischi, F., Venditti, V. and Niccolai, N., H5 influenza trimer structure
SPIGA, O., BERNINI, A., CIUTTI, A., CHIELLINI, S., Menciassi, N., Finetti, F., Causarono, V., Anselmi, F., PRISCHI, F. and NICCOLAI, N., S2 SUBUNIT MODEL OF SARS CORONAVIRUS S PROTEIN
Spiga, O., Bernini, A., Prischi, F., Venditti, V., Huang, JD. and Niccolai, N., Theoretical model of SARS Coronavirus helicase
Spiga, O., Bernini, A., Ciutti, A., Chiellini, S., Prischi, F. and Niccolai, N., S1 subunit model of SARS coronavirus S protein
Carrara, M., Prischi, F. and Ali, MMU., Crystal structures reveal transient PERK luminal domain tetramerization in ER stress signaling
Carrara, M., Prischi, F. and Ali, MMU., Crystal structures reveal transient PERK luminal domain tetramerization in ER stress signaling
Prischi, F. and Ali, MM., RSK4 N-terminal Kinase Domain in complex with AMP-PNP
Prischi, F. and Ali, MM., Phosphorylated RSK4 N-terminal Kinase Domain in complex with AMP-PNP
Prischi, F. and Ali, MM., RSK4 N-terminal Kinase Domain S232E in complex with AMP-PNP
2019
Development of novel cancer treatments: structural studies of Nectin 4 in complex with bespoke anti-cancer peptides
Bicycle Therapeutics
Development of specific inhibitors that prevent hnRNPA1-mediated therapy resistance in small cell lung cancer.
University of Essex (EIRA/Research England)
2018
Flipping the switch; regulating protein synthesis in response to stress
Leverhulme Trust
2016
Phosphoregulation of Transcription Factors in Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Wellcome Trust
Academic support hours:
Open door policy
