Modeling, simulation and design of proteins, Molecular dynamics simulations, structural biology and biophysics of membrane proteins, X-ray crystallography, small angle scattering of neutrons and X-rays.

Dr. Araya Secchi has been dedicated to researching the relationships between dynamic structure and function of proteins using the tools of computational biophysics since before beginning his doctorate in 2009. He has also had experience in the use of experimental structural biology techniques such as X-ray crystallography, SAXS, SANS among others during his two postdoctoral stays in the USA and Denmark. During his career as a researcher he has contributed to improving our understanding of the structure and dynamics of various proteins such as connexin26, protocadherin15, and growth hormone and prolactin receptors, among others. He is currently dedicated to researching the piezoelectric protein prestin, essential for the cochlear amplification process in mammals and a protein with a unique function as an area motor. To do this, it is using molecular modeling and simulation techniques and through collaborations exploring the resurrection of ancestral versions of prestin and carrying out electrophysiology experiments that allow the validation of computational predictions. In addition, he is collaborating on projects to design nucleic acid aptamers for use as biosensors and on the design of new amyloid peptides with catalytic capabilities.

General Chemistry for first-year students of the common Engineering plan. Structural Biology and Biophysics classes in the doctoral programs in Cell Biology and Biomedicine and Computational Biology at the USS.