University of Catania | Italy
Prof. Rosaria Saletti is an Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Catania, where she leads the Organic Mass Spectrometry Laboratory within the Department of Chemical Sciences. Graduating cum laude in Chemistry from the same university, Prof. Saletti has established herself as an expert in mass spectrometry, proteomics, and protein structural characterization. Her research is centered on the application of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) techniques for the analysis of proteins in various biological and food matrices. Her investigations have contributed significantly to the comparative proteomics of cereal kernels, characterization of milk proteins, and the study of VDAC (Voltage-Dependent Anion Channel) proteins. Notably, her work has helped clarify the molecular underpinnings of allergenicity in milk and advanced the understanding of disulfide bonding and post-translational modifications in mitochondrial proteins. Prof. Saletti has participated in numerous national and European research projects, including the Italian Human ProteomeNet (FIRB), SAMOTHRACE, and multiple PRIN projects (2006, 2022). She also contributes to international networks such as the European Network CHRX CT94-0425 and FAIR CT96-1170. Her industry collaborations include partnerships with SIFI SpA, Wyeth-Lederle, and Zoetis Manufacturing Italia. She is the author of over 100 publications indexed in Scopus, with 2,008 citations and an h-index of 29 (Scopus) and 2,650 citations with an h-index of 31 on Google Scholar. Prof. Saletti has also co-authored several book chapters on mass spectrometry and proteomics and holds editorial roles in journals like Foods and Current Clinical Pharmacology. Her international collaborations span renowned institutions such as the University of Mainz, Technical University of Denmark, and Rothamsted Research, UK. She is an active member of the Italian Chemical Society, Italian Proteomic Association, and European Proteomics Association. Prof. Saletti’s scientific rigor and contributions to analytical chemistry have made her a respected figure in proteomic research worldwide.
Featured Publications
Pittalà, M. G. G., Cucina, A., Conti-Nibali, S., Cunsolo, V., Di Francesco, A., Saletti, R., & Reina, S. (2025). Structural characterization of intra- and intermolecular disulfide bonds in voltage-dependent anion channel 3 (VDAC3) protein from Rattus norvegicus by high-resolution mass spectrometry. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 1–16.
Di Francesco, A., Lanzoni, A., De Santis, M. A., Pittalà, M. G. G., Saletti, R., Cunsolo, V., & Righetti, P. G. (2025). In-depth shotgun proteomic characterization of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.): A case study on the genotype Pascià grown using two water regimes. ACS Agricultural Science & Technology.
Pittalà, M. G. G., Reina, S., Cucina, A., Cunsolo, V., Guarino, F., Di Francesco, A., Saletti, R., & De Pinto, V. (2024). Intramolecular disulfide bridges in voltage-dependent anion channel 2 (VDAC2) protein from Rattus norvegicus revealed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, 35(7), 1422–1433.
Di Francesco, A., De Santis, M. A., Lanzoni, A., Pittalà, M. G. G., Saletti, R., & Cunsolo, V. (2024). Mass spectrometry characterization of the SDS-PAGE protein profile of legumins and vicilins from chickpea seed. Foods, 13(6), 887.
Pittalà, M. G. G., Di Francesco, A., Cucina, A., Saletti, R., Zilberstein, G., Zilberstein, S., Cappellini, E., & Righetti, P. G. (2023). Count Dracula resurrected: Proteomic analysis of Vlad III the Impaler’s documents by EVA technology and mass spectrometry. Analytical Chemistry, 95(34), 12732–12744.
Punginelli, D., Catania, V., Vazzana, M., Mauro, M., Spinello, A., Barone, G., Cunsolo, V., Saletti, R., Di Francesco, A., Arizza, V., & Schillaci, D. (2022). A novel peptide with antifungal activity from red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii. Antibiotics, 11(12), 1792.