Research Topic: The interaction of the btuB riboswitch with its ligand Coenzyme B12 and with derivatives thereof.

CV:

• Since October 2012: Subgroupleader for Chemical Biology in the group of Prof. Dr. R. K. O. Sigel, Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich.

• Since March 2010: Researchassistant in the group of Prof. Dr. R. K. O. Sigel, Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich.

• November 2008 – March 2010: PostDoc in the group of Prof. Dr. R. K. O. Sigel, Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich.

• August 2008 – July 2009: Employment as a High-School teacher for Chemistry, Kantonsschule Freudenberg, Zürich.

• October 2004 – November 2008: PhD-Student in the group of Prof. Dr. R. K. O. Sigel, Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich on “Investigations on the Interaction between Coenzyme B12 Derivatives and the btuB Riboswitch of E. coli”.

• January – June 2004: Scientific research assistant at the Institute of Surface Science and Technology, ETH Zürich on “Monomolecular adlayers coating on metal surfaces for bio-medical applications”.

• October 2003 – November 2010: Education for high-school teacher in Chemistry, ETH Zürich.

• April – October 2003: Diploma thesis entitled “(–)-(9R,10S)-10-Acetyl-9,10-dimethyl-bicyclo[6.4.0]dodec-1(8)-ene: Separation, Derivatives, Mechanistic Studies and Olfactory Properties” with Dr. P. Kraft at Givaudan Fragrance Research, Dübendorf, Switzerland. The external thesis was supervised by Prof. Dr. A. Vasella, Institute of Organic Chemistry, ETH Zürich.

• October 2000 – June 2001: Erasmus exchange program at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, UK.

• October 1998 – October 2003: Study of Biochemistry and Chemistry with specialization in Organic Chemistry at the ETH Zürich.

• 1993 – 1998: Kantonsschule Hohe Promenade, Zürich with a Matura Type A (Ancient Languages and Literature).

• 1991 – 1993: Gymnasium der Freien Katholischen Schulen, Zürich.

Teaching:

• September – October 2013: Supervision of Philipp Schineis, Bachelor student.

• July – August 2013: Supervision of Fabio Steffen, visiting student.

• Since 2010: Tutorial for general Chemistry for Students in Biology (CHE 174), University of Zürich.

• August – November 2009: Supervision of Viviane Zelenay, Master student.

• September – October 2009: Supervision of Annemarie Nack, visiting student.

• July – September 2009: Supervision of Johanna Jacobi, BUSS student.

• Since 2005: Tutorial of several exercises in General and Inorganic Chemistry, University of Zürich.

• Since 2005: Tutorial of several practical courses of basic and advanced Inorganic Chemistry (ACP1, ACP2 and FGP), University of Zürich.

Further professional experience:

• April 2011: Strahlenschutz-Sachverstand für den Umgang mit offenen radioaktiven Strahlenquellen im Arbeitsbereich B/C, PSI, Villigen.

• November 2001 – December 2002: Research assistant at the Institute of Ceramic Materials, ETH Zürich on “Protein coating of different tmetal oxides”.

• August – September 1998: Practical assistant at the Institute of Limnology, EAWAG, Dübendorf.

Awards:

• May 2008: Posterprize at the 3rd Annual Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Symposium, University of Zürich, “Investigation of the structural rearrangement of the btuB riboswitch RNA induced by different B12 derivatives”.

• December 2005 – November 2007: Forschungskredit der Universität Zürich 05, “Synthesis and Characterization of Coenzyme B12 Analogs and Structural Investigations on Their Interactions with the btuB Riboswitch of E. coli”.

Publications:

• The structural features of the ligand-free moaA riboswitch and its ion-dependent folding.Amadei F, Reichenbach M, Gallo S, Sigel RKO.J Inorg Biochem. 2023 May;242:112153. 

• Metal Ions in Ribozymes and Riboswitches. Anastasia Musiari, Magdalena Rowinska-Zyrek, Sofia Gallo, Roland K. O. Sigel*, 2015, in Eugen Stulz and Guido H. Clever (Eds.) DNA in supramolecular chemistry and nanotechnology, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, West Sussex UK.
• Monitoring Global Structural Changes and Specific Metal Binding Sites in RNA by In-Line Probing and Tb(III) Cleavage. Pallavi K. Choudhary, Sofia Gallo, Roland K.O. Sigel*, Methods Mol. Biol., 2014, 1086, 143-58. DOI:10.1007/978-1-62703-667-2_8.

• The change of corrin-amides to carboxylates leads to altered structures of the B₁₂-responding btuB riboswitch. Sofia Gallo, Stefan Mundwiler, Roger Alberto, Roland K. O. Sigel*, Chem. Commun., 2011, 47, 403-405.

• Shaping RNA Structures with Metal Ions and Metal Ion Complexes. Roland K. O. Sigel*, Sofia Gallo, Chimia, 2010, 64, 126-131. Invited contribution in the context of the Alfred Werner Prize 2009 of the Swiss Chemical Society"  

• The Corrin Moiety of Coenzyme B₁₂ is the Determinant for Switching the btuB Riboswitch of E. coli. Sofia Gallo, Michael Oberhuber, Roland K. O. Sigel*, Bernhard Kräutler*, ChemBioChem, 2008, 9, 1408-1414.

• Towards the Synthesis of Light Stable Coenzyme B₁₂ Analogs. Sofia Gallo, Eva Freisinger, Roland K. O. Sigel*, Inorg. Chim. Acta, 2007, 360, 360-368. Invited article for the special issue "Inorganic Chemistry - The Next Generation"

• In Vitro Transcription and Purification of RNAs of Different Size. Sofia Gallo, Maya Furler, Roland K. O. Sigel,* CHIMIA, 2005, 59, 812-816.

• (-)-(9R,10S)-10-Acetyl-9,10-dimethylbicyclo[6.4.0]dodec-1(8)-ene: Optical Resolution, Catalyst Systems, Derivatives and Olfactory Properties. Philip Kraft*, Sofia Gallo, Synthesis, 2004, 3, 381-388.

Oral presentations at conferences:

• The role of the chemical environment of B12 for the btuB riboswitch folding, RNA club, Zürich, Switzerland, November 6 2009.

• Modifications on the Corin Ring of Coenzyme B12 Lead to Altered Structures of the btuB Riboswitch, ICBIC 14, Nagoya, Japan, July 25-30 2009.

• Structural base for the B12-btuB Riboswitch Interaction, COST-meeting, Zürich, Switzerland, April 29 2009.

• Structural rearrangement of the btuB riboswitch of E.coli upon binding to different B12 derivatives, Gordon Research Conference on Vitamin B12 and Corphins, Biddeford ME, USA, July 1-6 2007.

• Synthesis of coenzyme B12 analogs and investigations on their interactions with the B12 responsive riboswitch RNA, Fall Meeting of the Swiss Chemical Society, Lausanne, Switzerland, October 13 2005.