Our Group
We’re fascinated by how metabolism influences gene expression.
In our lab, we study how small molecules—metabolites—can regulate what genes are turned on or off, and how this affects protein production. Our goal is to understand the molecular “language” that connects a cell’s metabolic state to its genetic activity.
To do this, we work at the crossroads of systems biology and structural biology.
We’re part of a growing field called proteome-wide biophysics, where we use advanced proteomics techniques to study how proteins change their shape and behavior inside cells. These changes can happen because of interactions with other proteins, small molecules, or even stress in the local environment—and they often determine how a protein functions.
We focus on biologically and clinically relevant model systems.
Most of our research is carried out in mammalian stem cells and leukemia models, which allow us to explore how metabolism and protein dynamics are linked to cell fate decisions and disease mechanisms. These systems give us a powerful window into both basic biology and potential therapeutic strategies.
Our work is driven by cutting-edge mass spectrometry.
We develop and apply innovative proteomics workflows to capture protein structure, abundance, and interactions at an unprecedented scale and resolution. This lets us explore complex cell populations and rare cell states that are often invisible to traditional methods.
Group members
Dr. Ilaria Piazza
Dr. Yujie Zhang (SciLifeLab Solna, Piazza Team KI)
Dr. Carlos Santolaria Bello (SciLifeLab Solna, Piazza Team KI)