Part of the research work is focused on the study of the magnetic properties of paramagnetic metal ions through relaxometry: the information obtained by this technique is relevant for the assessment of the chemical properties of macromolecules, i.e. proteins, bound to paramagnetic metal ions which are also coordinated by, at least, a water molecule exchangeable with bulk solvent. Such information is related to the distance, thus to the strength of the metal-water bond, as well as to the direction of the bond axis with respect to the magnetic tensor of the metal ion. Even when water is not directly bound to the metal ion (i.e. not belonging to the first sphere of solvation) information gained by relaxometry is unique to determine solvent accessibility of water to the metal site of the macromolecule.

Much of the efforts, however, are dedicated to the study of the relationships between the structure of metallo-proteins and their physical-chemical properties, and particularly to determine the role of the protein environment on the modulation of the reduction potential of redox metallo-proteins (mainly iron-sulfur proteins). Moreover, the research aims to assess the conformational state of macromolecules, mainly proteins, but also of small organic molecules or organometallic species interacting with complex biological matrices (cell and food) to enter into the details of the mechanisms of interaction between different chemical species that are, as a whole, more complex biological systems.

Multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance has been employed as main technique for the structure elucidation (the only one permitting to solve the solution structure), and exploiting the presence of the paramagnetic metal ions better constrains, thus better resolution, have been obtained.

Currently, the main theme includes the study of the calcium ion binding proteins, belonging to the EF-hand superfamily. This particular class of macromolecules is the basis for a number of biological processes including muscle contraction, the activation of enzymic cascades, the opening of ion channels and in general all the mechanisms in which the calcium ion transmits signals to the cellular function, up to determine the death time. The study of such functions requires the collaboration with other research groups with complementary skills. In particular, the research team designs genetic material to be inserted, with molecular biology techniques, into selected bacteria. These latter are grown for the over-expression of proteins of interest at high concentrations, even isotopically enriched, as required by nuclear magnetic resonance. To this end, the sample is taken at the Center for Magnetic Resonance Consortium CIRMMP in Florence, where the spectra are acquired and the three-dimensional structure is solved . At this point the research team uses the structural data to extract information on biological function.

The complexity of the spectroscopic and structural information is reduced through the translation into simplified descriptors, developed by the research group, resulting from the chemometric treatment of the observed data. For that reason, the research involves the collaboration of colleagues of Informatics at the "Polo Scientifico di Cesena", in order to design a system of pattern analysis and data mining performable on the protein surfaces characteristics.

The skills acquired on the analyisis of spectroscopic data of complex molecules such as protein has led the research team to be involved, for several years, in the solution of issues including the definition and simplification of molecular profiles of other biological systems such as those that constitute food.

To that end, the group applies the principles of metabonomics for the classification of food transformation phenomena due to technological processing or differences in production methods. In particular, the group uses the molecular profiles emerging from the NMR spectra of foods (for example GMOs) for comparisons with conventional control groups. In this way the group is able to ensure the study a holistic view, rather than the one defined through the observation of a small pool of molecules selected on the basis of preconceived ideas. Currently, a comparisons between GM and WT plants, and among different methods of breeding fish species are under way.