Robert Vianello


Robert Vianello

National Institute of Chemistry, 
Hajdrihova 19
SI-1001 Ljubljana
P.O.B. 660
Slovenia

 

room S-307

tel. +386-1-4760-453

fax. +386-1-4259-244
email: robert.vianello@irb.hr

 

Born in 1977 in Rijeka, Croatia.

 

Home address: Nikole Pavića 15, HR-10090 Zagreb, Croatia

 

Bibliography (CROSBI)

 

My research in pictures

 

Presently I am a senior research associate in the Laboratory for Biocomputing and Bioinformatics at the National Institute of Chemistry, employed as FP7 Marie Curie Fellow of the European Commission. The field of my work is computational (bio)chemistry involving application of a range of computational techniques to problems of chemical and biochemical significance. My research interests include computational enzymology, nuclear quantum effects in hydrogen bonded systems of biological interest, reactivity and properties of molecules in the gas- and condensed phases, proton transfer reactions, and acid–base interactions. Particular emphasis is given to the computational vibrational spectroscopy, revealing mechanisms of actions and the inhibition of selected enzymes leading to the computational support to pharmacology, and the design of novel materials with desired and improved properties, like the prediction of novel neutral organic superacids and superbases of unprecedented strength.

 

Work Positions

  • Oct 2010 – Apr 2012  FP7–IEF Marie Curie Senior Research Associate, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Apr 2010 – Oct 2010  Republic of Croatia's National Foundation for Science Postdoctoral Fellow, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Oct 2009 – onwards   Senior Research Associate, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
  • Jun 2005 – Oct 2009  Research Associate, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
  • Jan 2005 – Apr 2005  Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Heidelberg, Germany
  • Mar 2004 – Jun 2005  Senior Research Assistant, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
  • Dec 2000 – Mar 2004 Research Assistant, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia

Education

  • Nov 2003  PhD in Natural Sciences, University of Zagreb, Croatia. Thesis: "Interaction of Lewis Acids and Bases". Supervisor: Prof. Zvonimir Maksić
  • Nov 2000  Dipl. Ing. in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia. Thesis: "Proton Affinities of Some Guanidine Derivatives". Supervisor: Prof. Zvonimir Maksić
  • 1996 – 2000  Chemistry study, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia
  • 1992 – 1996  Sušak High School, Rijeka, Croatia
  • 1984 – 1992  Primary School, Rijeka, Croatia

Awards and Grants

  • Sep 2010  Promising Scientist Prize of the Centre for the Applied Quantum Mechanics in Paris, France
  • Jan 2010  Personal Marie Curie Fellowship for the Career Development from the European Commission under the FP7–PEOPLE–2009–IEF Call for 18 months stay at the National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana (Slovenia)
  • Jun 2008  Research Grant from the Unity through Knowledge Fund under the Young Researchers and Professionals Program for 2 years project co-financed by the industrial partner APO Environmental Protection Services Ltd. Zagreb, Croatia
  • May 2008  The 2008 Annual Award of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts for the development of the scientific and artistic work
  • Nov 2007  The 2006 Leopold Ružička Award for young scientists of the Croatian Chemical Society
  • Jun 2006  The 2005 Croatian National Science Award – Annual award for junior researchers awarded by the Croatian Parliament and the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia
  • Dec 2004  The 2004 Annual Award by the Society of University Teachers and other Scientists in Zagreb for the work in chemistry published in Chem. Eur. J. 2004, 10, 5751–5761
  • Sep 2004  Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship for a three months stay at the University of Heidelberg, Germany in the group of Prof. Rolf Gleiter
  • Apr 2004  The 2004 City of Rijeka's Public Award – Annual award for the creative work and achievements in chemistry in 2002 and 2003
  • Dec 1995  The 1995 Annual Award for the Achievements in Technical Culture and the Promotion of the City of Rijeka awarded by the Society of Technical Culture and the City of Rijeka
  • 1993 – 2000  Scholar of the City of Rijeka

Work Experience

  • Published 38 scientific papers in international journals cited in the Current Contents database
  • Presented 7 invited lectures, 1 lecture and 4 invited popular lectures at international and domestic conferences and events
  • Supervisor of 4 undergraduate students in obtaining Dipl. Ing. diplomas
  • Co-supervisor of 1 postgraduate student in obtaining Ph. D. diploma
  • Leader of the project "Computational Prediction of Structure and Catalytic Activity of New Organic Superacids" granted by the Unity through Knowledge Fund of the Croatian Ministry for Science, Education and Sports, co–financed by the industrial partner APO Environmental Protection Services Ltd. Zagreb, 2008–2010. Total financial value: 35.000 EUR. (http://spider.irb.hr/Vianello_UKF/)
  • Leader of the bilateral Croatia–Austria project "The Amide Linkage and Its Implications in Molecular Biology", 2008–2009. Partner: Prof. Robert Konrat, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Department of Biomolecular Structural Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • Leader of the bilateral Croatia–Slovenia project "Acid–Base and Tautomeric Properties of Biologically Relevant Compounds in Solution", 2009–2010. Partner: Dr. Jernej Stare, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Lecturer on the course "Physical–Organic and Computational Chemistry" at the Postgraduate doctoral study programme "Medicinal Chemistry"; Department of Biotechnology, The University of Rijeka, Croatia. Academic year 2012–2013
  • Guest–editor (together with Dr. Davor Margetić) of the Special Issue of Croatica Chemica Acta 2009, 82 (1), 1–335 entitled "From Conceptual to Computational Chemistry and Back" dedicated to Professor Zvonimir Maksić on the occasion of his 70th birthday (http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=toc&id_broj=3208)
  • International reviewer for papers under consideration for publication in the Journal of Physical Chemistry A, the European Journal of Organic Chemistry, the Inorganic Chemical Communications, the Journal of Molecular Structure THEOCHEM, the Central European Journal of Chemistry and Croatica Chemica Acta
  • Member of the Editorial board of Croatica Chemica Acta – Croatia’s leading scientific Current Contents journal (2010 – onwards)
  • Member of the Organizing Committee of the 5th Central European Conference – Chemistry towards Biology (Primošten, Croatia, 08–11 September 2010; http://spider.irb.hr/ctb2010/)


Selected List of References

  • J. Stare, J. Mavri, J. Grdadolnik, J. Zidar, Z. B. Maksić, R. Vianello: “Hydrogen Bond Dynamics of Histamine Monocation in Aqueous Solution: Car–Parrinello Molecular Dynamics and Vibrational Spectroscopy Study”, Journal of Physical Chemistry B 2011, 115, 5999–6010.
  • R. Vianello, Z. B. Maksić: “Polycyano derivatives of some organic tri- and hexacyclic molecules are powerful super- and hyperacids in the gas phase and DMSO: Computational study by DFT approach”, Journal of Organic Chemistry 2010, 22, 7670–7681.
  • M. P. Coles, P. J. Aragon–Saez, S. H. Oakley, P. B. Hitchcock, M. G. Davidson, Z. B. Maksić, R. Vianello, I. Leito, I. Kaljurand, D. C. Apperley: “Superbasicity of a Bis–guanidino Compound with a Flexible Linker: A Theoretical and Experimental Study”, Journal of the American Chemical Society 2009, 131, 16858–16868.
  • R. Vianello, Z. B. Maksić: “Rees polycyanated hydrocarbons and related compounds are extremely powerful Broensted superacids in the gas-phase and DMSO – a density functional B3LYP study”, New Journal of Chemistry 2008, 32, 413–427.
  • Z. B. Maksić, R. Vianello: “Physical origin of chemical phenomena: Interpretation of acidity, basicity and hydride affinity by trichotomy paradigm”, Pure & Applied Chemistry 2007, 79, 1003–1021.
  • R. Vianello, Z. B. Maksić: “Hydride Affinities of Borane Derivatives: Novel Approach in Determining the Origin of Lewis Acidity Based on Triadic Formula”, Inorganic Chemistry 2005, 44, 1095–1102.
  • Z. B. Maksić, R. Vianello: “Quest for the Origin of Basicity: Initial vs. Final State Effect in Neutral Nitrogen Bases”, Journal of Physical Chemistry A 2002, 106, 419–430.