BrainMap

Cristian Dumitru Ene

- INSTITUTUL DE CHIMIE FIZICA - ILIE MURGULESCU

Researcher

- holding a PhD degree in chemistry which endowed me with a strong theoretical background in coordination and supramolecular chemistry and a reliable working experience in inorganic and organic syntheses (over 20 years of constant work in dedicated laboratories). - knowledge of investigation methods related to structural characterization of molecular compounds and materials. - passion-driven interest in interdisciplinary domains that has led to a successful collaboration with catalysis, biochemistry, and pharmaceutical working groups in academic/commercial projects.

Web of Science ResearcherID: not public

Curriculum Vitae (04/04/2025)

Expertise & keywords

Identification of new modulators of calcium-regulated processes using genomic and chemogenomic screens in yeast Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA 2013 - call
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-0291 2014 - 2017

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI (RO); INSTITUTUL DE BIOCHIMIE (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE- DEZVOLTARE PENTRU MICROTEHNOLOGIE - IMT BUCURESTI INCD (RO); APEL LASER S.R.L. (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI (RO)

Project website: http://www.calchemgen.ro/

Abstract:

Calcium ions are used by virtually all eukaryotic cells to signal information about the environment and the physiological state of the cell, or to regulate various cellular processes such as initiation of gene expression, alterations in cell shape, membrane fusion, or programmed cell death. Excessive or unregulated levels of calcium induce a variety of drastic defects, such as uncontrolled cell proliferation, aberrant cell morphology, or cell death, leading to disruption of normal metabolism and initiation of various diseases. The versatility of calcium-mediated regulation of key physiological processes requires extensive research to identify the interplay between calcium signaling, mechanisms of diseases and discovery of new drugs.

The aim of this project is to utilize Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells to unravel new insights into the calcium-regulated cell mechanisms and to investigate the applicability of in house newly-synthesized chemicals as novel therapeutic and imaging agents, selected through interactions with the calcium-dependent pathway components. The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a unicellular eukaryotic organism extensively used for the study of conserved processes and for getting information that can be further extrapolated to complex organisms like humans. The current proposal was initiated by highly-promising preliminary results obtained in the laboratories of the coordinating group. These results are based on novel and spectacular cell modifications which mimic aberrations in fundamental processes such as cell shape, cell polarity, and cell proliferation, representing the center of a complex network of research which will be established by the project.

The project will imply systemic investigations such as genomic profilings paralleled by chemo-genomic screens designed to identify new interactions between small molecules and calcium-related biologic processes. The proposed work will provide an unprecedented coverage on structure-function information, facilitating the analysis of synergistic and antagonistic interactions between molecular components of calcium-related metabolism. The project is multidisciplinary, involving a plethora of aspects related to cell and molecular biology, genetics, chemical synthesis and analysis, high-throughput screening, bioinformatics and imaging.

This project will be carried out by a consortium of four partner groups with relevant research and innovation expertise: University of Bucharest (as coordinating organization, CO), Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy (Partner P1), National Institute of Research and Development for Microtechnology (Partner P2), and a small enterprise, Apel Laser (Partner P3). The consortium was established based on the state-of-the-art infrastructure already existent in the implementing institutions and on the strong complementarities between the research and market expertise of the partner groups.

Eco-friendly design/synthesis of nanooxides: control of size, shape, morphology and fuctionalization of ZnO by polysaccharide-assisted methodologies Call name: Exploratory Research Projects - PCE-2011 call
PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0473 2011 - 2016

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: Institutul de Chimie Fizica "Ilie Murgulescu" al Academiei Romane

Project partners: Institutul de Chimie Fizica "Ilie Murgulescu" al Academiei Romane (RO)

Affiliation: Institutul de Chimie Fizica "Ilie Murgulescu" al Academiei Romane (RO)

Project website: http://www.icf.ro/pr_2011/polysaccharides.ppt

Abstract:

The present project has as general scientific objective the developing of innovative green strategies polysaccharides-assisted for the design/synthesis of tailor made oxide-based nanomaterials, exploiting polysaccharides diverse and versatile properties (water-solubility, polyfunctionality, hydrophilicity, chemical reactivity, chirality, chelation/coordination, gelling, assembling and adsorption abilities). Precipitation, combustion, hydrothermal, forced hydrolysis and gel-templates methodologies will be elaborated in order to tune the size, morphology, structure and functionalization of the oxides materials. In these protocols, polysaccharides will be conditioned to act as: (i) stabilizers, (ii) templates (hard and soft), (iii) surface functionalizing agents and, (iv) carbon source. The developed synthetic approaches will use polysaccharides build up from D-glucose units linked by α- (starch, dextran) and β-glycosidic bonds (methyl-cellulose), with distinct polymerization degree, chain branching and rheological properties. ZnO, as well as ZnO/C and ZnO-polysaccharides composites of nanomeric sizes (50-300 Å) and various morphologies (including hierarchical and spherical structures as sphere, core/shell, hollow sphere, jingle-bell) and functionalizations are intended to be obtained. The assessment of a relationship with large degree of generalization between polysaccharide-synthesis-oxide represents benefits either from fundamental and applicative research points of view.

Chiral building-blocks in designing molecular magnetic materials Call name: Projects for Young Research Teams - TE-2012 call
PN-II-RU-TE-2012-3-0422 2013 - 2016

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI (RO)

Project website: http://chimie.unibuc.ro/cercetare/anorganica/Catalin_Maxim_TE_2012.pdf

Abstract:

The present project developes the synthesis and characterization of new chiral molecular systems based on amino-acids derivatives using the molecular approach strategy to produce compounds of interest in materials science .

New organic ligands (chiral tridentate Schiff base) will be synthesized in order to design new metals precursors with easily accessible basal positions that favor stronger interactions, and flexible coordination spheres. The ultimate goal of this project is to obtain complexes with interesting magnetic properties (molecular nanomagnets) and novel multifunctional materials combining magnetic properties with chirality and photomagnetic materials.

The molecular approach will allow a fine tuning of both the chirality and magnetic properties.

Using the tridentate ligands a new class of chiral heterodinuclear Ni(II)-Ln(III)systems will be design.

Engineering Yeast and Plants for Heavy Metal Applications: from Bioremediation to Bioextraction Call name: EEA Research Programme under EEA Financial Mechanism 2009-2014
EEA-JRP-RO-NO-2013-1-0047 2013 -

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI (RO); Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO); INSTITUTUL DE BIOCHIMIE (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA BUCURESTI (RO)

Project website:

Abstract:

Trace elements (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn) have been in the prime light of basic and applied research due to their dualistic action upon living organisms, being necessary in minute amounts for the normal metabolism but getting toxic when present in concentrations higher than the physiological levels. As such, the heavy metal pollution represents a threat to water supplies, agriculture soils, human and animal health, whereas the deficiency is considered equally deleterious for any form of life, or for important human activities, such as agriculture.

In this project we aim to use molecular and bioinformatics approaches to engineer yeast and plants designed to hyperaccumulate heavy metals without interfering with the normal metabolism. In addition we aim to establish the applicability of such organisms to various heavy metal-related biotechnologies, such as soil and water bioremediation, bioextraction, metal restriction to plant organs, metal-enriched food supplements, improved imaging techniques, etc.

The project will imply systemic investigations of an array of metal ions against a series of recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides designed for each metal and expressed differentially in yeast and plants. The proposed work is interdisciplinary, combining in silico screening, molecular biology, bioinorganic chemistry, genetics and bioinformatics, aiming to provide an unprecedented coverage of the metal-protein/peptide interaction by facilitating the analysis of synergistic and antagonistic relationship between cell components and metal-related metabolism.

This project will be carried out by a consortium of three partner groups with relevant research and innovation expertise: University of Bucharest (Romania, Project Promoter, PP), University of Science and Technology from Trondheim (Norway, Partner One, P1), and Institute of Biochemistry of the Romanian Academy (Romania, Partner Two, P2).The consortium was established based on the state-of-the-art infrastructure already existing in the implementing institutions and on the strong complementarities between the research expertise of the partner groups. The project’s output is expected to have impact on the thematic area Environmental protection and management.

FILE DESCRIPTION	DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects