Curriculum Vitae

CURRENT POSITION

Scientific Technician - Organic Chemistry (SSD - CHEM-05/A)

EDUCATION, QUALIFICATIONS & WORK EXPERIENCES

2023-2025 Postdoctoral Researcher at Department of Computational and Chemical Biology at IIT – Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova; the project was focused on the characterization of new biological targets, based on computational methods like Molecular Dynamics simulations and molecular docking. Project held by Prof. Andrea Cavalli

2022-2023 Postdoctoral Researcher at Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna; the project was focused on the rational design of small molecule inhibitor acting as Inhibitors of homologous recombination in human cells by targeting RAD51 recombinase; Project held by Dr. Falchi F.

2022-2021 Postdoctoral Researcher at Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna (Medicinal Chemistry Group - Prof. M. L. Bolognesi) with fellowships funded by PROLEISH Project, held by Prof. Bolognesi M.L. focused on Development of new PROTAC molecules applied to Leishmaniasis Disease

2021-2020 Postdoctoral Researcher at Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna (Computational Medicinal Chemistry Group - Prof. M. Recanatini) with fellowships funded by UniBo. The research project was focused on the design of an open source pipeline for molecular drug design.

2020-2019 Postdoctoral Researcher at Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna (Computational Medicinal Chemistry Group - Prof. M. Recanatini) with fellowships funded by UniBo. The research project was focused on the elucidation and comparison between K⁺ ions translocation across KcsA and TRAAK Channels, using Molecular dynamics techniques.

2019-2018 Postdoctoral Researcher at Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna (Computational Medicinal Chemistry Group - Prof. M. Recanatini and A. Cavalli) with fellowships funded by Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and University of Bologna.

2018-2015 PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry –XXXI cycle- at Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna, co-founded by Italian Institute of Technology (IIT); official title achieved in April 2019 with a final dissertation entitled: “Characterizing the functional dynamics of the Leak Potassium channel h-TRAAK through Molecular Dynamics Simulations under physiological conditions”

2018 PhD-exchange period (6 months) at Department of Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry at Bristol University (Prof. A. Mulholland group).

2015 Attending graduate (8 months) at Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna (Computational Medicinal Chemistry Group - Prof. M. Recanatini and A. Cavalli) with a project focused on simulation of Ion current and K⁺ permeation mechanism on K2P potassium channel family, through the use of MD simulation

2014-2012 M.Sc. in Chemistry at Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”, University of Bologna (110/110). Final dissertation entitled: “Asymmetric Au-catalized de-aromatization of indole:

a combined experimental-computational study” (supervisor Prof. M. Bandini, co-supervisor Prof. A. Bottoni).

2012-2007 B.Sc. in Chemistry and Material Chemistry at Department of Chemistry, University of Palermo (104/110). Final dissertation entitled: “Synthesis of new Low Molecular Weight Organo-gelator with 1,2,4-oxadiazolic scaffold” (supervisor prof. A. Pace).

MAIN RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Molecular Dynamics (MD) Simulations of Ion Channels, APO/Holo proteins and binary, ternary complexes
• Computational Advances in Drug Discovery, Parallel Computing, Structure-Activity Relationship

• CADD methods: Molecular docking on enzymatic targets (E3-Ligases, Trypanothione Reductase)
• Protein-Protein Docking

• Development of computationally-driven approaches aimed at identifying novel Janus Kinases enzyme (JAK) inhibitors based on molecular topology, docking, and molecular dynamics simulations.
• Enhanced Sampling methods of MD techniques and modelling

TECHNICAL COMPETENCES

• Informatic skills: Technical knowledge of servers maintenance, experienced in Linux and Windows operating systems, excellent knowledge of standard Microsoft Office Software, medium knowledge of Python, RDKit, MDAnalysis, MDTraj, excellent knowledge of Chemistry Computing Software Gaussian09, NAMD, GROMACS Amber, Plumed2, Maestro and drug design and Discovery related tools (Canvas, Glide, Jaguar, Desmond, Prime), DOCK6, DOCK3, Molden, VMD, Gaussview, Marvinsketch, Rasmol, Mercury; skilled in Chemdraw, MestreNova, Spinworks software and Reaxys, Scifinder and similar scientific Databases.

• Computational Methods: ab-initio method (HF, MP2, DFT) applied to Organic Reaction, for the determination of Reaction Profiles; Molecular Dynamic methods applied to macromolecular systems, enhanced sampling techniques; Molecular Docking.
• Physical Chemistry: Chemical kinetics, mechanisms, structural simulation
• Analytical Methods and techniques: TLC, IR-ATR, UV-VIS photometer, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, 2D NMR, Chiral-HPLC-UV, GC-MS, HPLC-MS
• Laboratory Skills: organic chemistry reaction setups, multi-step synthesis, retrosynthetic analysis, reaction optimisation and scale-up, organo and metallo-catalysis, API synthesis and purification, drug-design, laboratory safety practices and procedures, safe handling of hazardous chemicals

• Languages: Italian (mother tongue), English (B2 writing, speaking and understanding level)
• Personal and working skills: Highly motivated self-starter with excellent management, organisational, cooperation and communication skills
• Experienced in projects leading, supervision and team coordination
• Scientific writing of projects, review and original papers

OTHER ACTIVITIES

• Part-time professor: IT-tools at University of Bologna - Chir

• Co-supervisor of >5 graduation thesis of Bachelor and Master students (Computational Chemistry: docking, MD Simulations) at university of Bologna

• Attendance to >15 workshops/schools/international conferences with presentation of posters and oral communications

• Reviewer activity: Referee for Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design (JCAM-D)

• Teaching tutor (>250 hours) as student Lab assistant (Computational Chemistry: Rational drug design and pharmaceutical proteomics; Organic chemistry: fitoderivative products analysis) at University of Bologna

• Work-Collaboration for students as tutor in organic synthesis laboratory (150 hours)

RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS

[1] Archiv der Pharmazie, 2025 - https://doi.org/10.1002/ardp.70003

[2] JMedChem,2025 – https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c02654

[3] JMedChem,2023 – DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01439

[4] JCIM, 2023 – DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00596

[5] JACS, 2021 - DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c04802 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jacs.1c04802]

[6] JCIM, 2021 - DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c01468

[7] JCIM, 2020 - DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c01179

[8] JCIM, 2020 - DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c00163 [https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jcim.0c00163]

[9] JCTC, 2016 - DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.6b00972 [https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jctc.6b00972]

[10] Chem. Eur. J., 2015 – DOI: 10.1002/chem.201503598 [https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.201503598]

Dichiarazione altri incarichi ex D.lgs. n.33/2013

In data 27/03/2026 , ai sensi dell'art. 15 co. 1 lett. c) del D.lgs. n.33/2013, dichiaro di non svolgere incarichi, né di avere titolarità di cariche in enti di diritto privato regolati o finanziati dalla pubblica amministrazione, né di svolgere attività professionali.