Staff
I am a structural biologist specializing in small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS), with a background in protein engineering, molecular biology, biochemistry, and chemistry. My research focuses on applying SAXS/SANS to interrogate the structure, dynamics and assembly of biological macromolecules and complex bio-macromolecular systems. I combine experimental design/approach, data analysis, computational modelling, and complementary biophysical/integrative techniques (light scattering, X-ray crystallography, spectroscopy) to derive structural insights in context of biological function and processes. My work has contributed to the advancement of analytical methodologies, community resources and best-practice frameworks undergirding the global small-angle scattering community, alongside broad research collaborations across structural biology, biophysics, and biomolecular engineering.
I am a chemist with a PhD that focused on the use of polyoxometalates as ligands on metal-oxide nanocrystals, which included the discovery of a new method for stabilizing metastable nanocrystals in aqueous and organic solutions, the synthesis of enzyme mimicking (dual-oxidase) cerium oxide nanoparticles for activation of molecular oxygen, and for obtaining time-resolved cryo-TEM images of a cubic superlattice formation of a metal-oxide based nanocrystals that allowed resolving a knowledge gap within non-classical crystallization pathways.
I specialize in TEM microscopy (TEM, cryo-TEM, STEM, EDS) and X-ray crystallography (powder XRD, thin films, single crystal analysis), with an emphasis of combining the two disciplines to solve crystal structures of novel materials.
I did my PhD in materials engineering, studying properties of polydiacetylene Langmuir films and directed nucleation of semiconductor nanocrystals. I specialize in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization of soft and hard matter materials. I am an expert in the following techniques: TEM, electron diffraction, STEM, Cryo-TEM and TEM tomography.
During the PhD focused on plasma miRNA as a biomarker for sub-phenotyping obesity
I have a long-standing interest in combining experimental and theoretical methods to study the correlation between the 3D structure and dynamics of bio-molecules and their activity and regulation. At the IKI I am working with various researchers to implement computational structural methods – such as modelling, molecular dynamics simulations or computational protein design – into their research.
Alexandra Tsitrina received a PhD in Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology RAS in Moscow, Russia. Her PhD project was dedicated to regulation of von Willebrand factor secretion from human endothelial cells by different cytokines, ROS and neurotransmitters. At 2016 she led the optical research group at the Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology RAS. Her main research interests are cell biology, histology, developmental biology, role of extracellular matrix in developmental and pathological processes, light microscopy and image analysis. Throughout her academic career, she has been involved in a range of research projects, including those related to the role of hydrogen peroxide in the regulation of calcium ion exchange in endothelial cells, cell migration under altered extracellular matrix conditions liver fibrosis development and stimulation of regenerative capacity of liver macrophages by silencing of immune response genes.
Flow cytometry, affinity measurement and Cell imaging
Works in the Center for Advance Genomics, serves as a center of knowledge in various sequencing technologies and provides advice and services to researchers and industry.
Thermal analysis and SEM