Laura Mercolini

Laura Mercolini is Associate Professor in Medicinal Chemistry (CHIM/08) at the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, with habilitation to the role of Full Professor in Medicinal Chemistry.

She is the Head of the Research Group of Pharmaco-Toxicological Analysis at the FaBiT Department, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna.

She is also Researcher at the Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research-Advanced Applications in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Technology (CIRI-MAM) of the Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna.

STUDIES

- High school diploma (classical studies with modern languages) at "Liceo Classico Sperimentale Terenzio Mamiani", Pesaro.

- Master Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technologyat the Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna.

- Doctorate in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna.

SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION

The scientific production is embodied in more than 103 papers published in international peer-reviewed scientific journals, 4 book chapters, 1 Italian patent and more than 300 communications to national and international conferences and workshops, including plenary lectures and invited lectures.

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

- 2005-2006: grant holder at the Laboratory of Pharmaco-Toxicological Analysis at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna.

- 2007– 2009: Ph.D. Student in Pharmaceutical Sciences (XXII Cycle) at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna.

- 2008: winner of a Marco Polo grant and Visiting Researcher at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center di Long Beach (CA, USA), collaborating with the "Mental Health Group"  (Dr. Lawrence J. Albers, MD) and the "Research and Development Group" (Dr. Christopher Reist, MD, MBA).

- 2009: Visiting Researcher at the University of Geneva (Switzerland), collaborating with the “Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry Group” (Prof. Gérard Hopfgartner).

- 2010 – Doctorate in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna.

- 2010 – 2011: post-doc grant holder  at the Laboratory of Pharmaco-Toxicological Analysis at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna.

- 2011: Scientific consultant at the "Novartis Centre de Recherche Santé Animale", Saint-Aubin, Switzerland for a research collaboration.

- Since 2012: Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna.

- Since 2012: Researcher at the Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research-Advanced Applications in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Technology (CIRI-MAM) of the Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna.

- Since 2013: Head of the Research Group of Pharmaco-Toxicological Analysis at the FaBiT Department, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna.

- Since 2015: Confirmed Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna.

- Since 2019: Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna.

- 2019: Scientific consultant at the "Krka d.d." in Novo mesto (Ljubljana, Slovenia) for a research collaboration.

- Since 2020: Habilitation to the role of Full Professor in medicinal chemistry (03/D1, SSD CHIM/08).

- She is member of the network of the research laboratories in collaboration with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

- She is member of the Collaborative Centre Network of the Antidoping Committee of the Italian Health Ministry.

- She is member of the Sistema Nazionale di Allerta Precoce (SNAP) of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS).

- She is member of the European Research Area Network on Illicit Drugs (ERANID) of the European Community.

RESEARCH EVALUATION AT NATIONAL/LOCAL LEVEL

National level: Laura Mercolini’s selected products have been evaluated as “excellent” within VQR 2011-2014
Local level: Laura Mercolini has been evaluated as “excellent, AAA score” within VRA 2015
Local level: Laura Mercolini has been evaluated as “excellent, AAA score” within VRA 2016
Local level: Laura Mercolini has been evaluated as “excellent, AAA score” within VRA 2017

PRIZES AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

2007: grant for the best graduation thesis in the field of "Mortality and morbidity control in psychiatric patients: importance of TDM as a rational approach", University of Bologna.

2008: Marco Polo grant for Ph.D. students, University of Bologna.

2010: grant for the "Best Oral Communication" prize at the 10th SAYCS - Sigma-Aldrich Young Chemists Symposium (Pesaro, PU), Italian Chemical Society (SCI).

2011: grant for the best Ph.D. thesis in the field of "Development of original analytical methods for the therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of central nervous system drugs in biological fluids", University of Bologna.

- Nel 2018: grant for the best Poster to the International Conference EBF-YSS 2018, Ghent (Belgium).

- Nel 2018: grant for the best Poster to the International Conference CHIMIA2018, Constanta (Romania).

- Nel 2018: grant for the best Poster to the International Conference Sample Treatment 2018, Caparica (Portugal).

- Nel 2020: International Award "ElSohly" from the American Chemical Society (ACS), CHAS Division, CANN Subdivision.

INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL COLLABORATIONS

She is part of the Editorial Board of "Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis" (impact factor 2018: 2.983) and "Molecules" (impact factor 2018: 3.060).

She collaborates as a Referee with the following international Journals with impact factor: Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Arabian Journal of Chemistry, Bioanalysis, Chromatographia, European Food Research and Technology, Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism and Toxicology, Food Chemistry, Journal of Chromatographic Science, Journal of Chromatography A, Journal of Chromatography B, Journal of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, Journal of Functional Foods, Journal of Separation Science, Materials and The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry.

PARTICIPATION IN ACADEMIC ORGANS

- 2015-2018, member of the Council of the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna

- 2015-2018, member of the Council of the School of Pharmacy, Biotechnology and Sport Science (FarBioMot), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna

- Since 2017, Delegate for the University and Society Mission of the Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna.

TEACHING ACTIVITY IN ITALY

- In charge of the module 2 of the course "Drug Analysis I" (Master's Degree in CTF, 3 CFU), of the course "Chemical-Toxicological Analysis II" (Bachelor in SFA-TA, 7 ECTS), of the course "Phytoderivative Analysis II" course (Bachelor in SFA-TE, 7 ECTS) and of the optative course "Analytical-Toxicological Approach to Drugs of Abuse" (Bachelor in SFA, 3 ECTS).

- Member of the Scientific and Proposing Committee of the Second Level Professional post lauream Master in "Chemical and Chemical-Toxicological Forensic Analysis", University of Bologna. 

- Didactic tutor in Medicinal Chemistry at Collegio Superiore, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna.

TEACHING ACTIVITY ABROAD

Academic Year 2013/14: University of Granada (Spain).
Academic Year 2014/15: Charles University in Prague (Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic).
Academic Year 2016/17: Transylvania University in Brasov (Romania).
Academic Year 2017/18: University of Porto (Portugal) and Ovidius University of Constanta (Romania).
Academic Year 2019/20: Transylvania University in Brasov (Romania).

INTERNATIONALIZATION

In charge of six international exchanges for students of the School of Pharmacy, Biotechnology and Sport Science within the "2014-2020 Erasmus Plus" Framework: University of Geneva (Switzerland), University of Oslo (Norway), University of Granada (Spain), University of Barcellona (Spagna), University of Monte de Caparica (Portogallo) and University ofLincoln (UK).

GRADUATION THESIS COORDINATION  AND SUPERVISION

Coordination and supervision of last-year students of the degree courses in Pharmacy, Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences and Health Biology for the preparation of their graduation thesis.

INTERSHIP COORDINATION AND SUPERVISION

Coordination and supervision of students of the degree courses in Pharmacy, Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences and Health Biology for their curricular or post lauream internships in italian and international pharmacies and industries.

Ph.D. STUDENT COORDINATION AND SUPERVISION

2013-2015: she was supervisor of a Ph.D. student of the Ph.D. Programme in Chemistry – curriculum in pharmaceutical sciences/pharmaceutical analysis (Cycle XXVIII) at the University Bologna.

2016-2020: she is co-supervisor of a Ph.D. student of the Ph.D. Programme in Pharmacology and Toxicology at the Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic).

2018-2021: she is co-supervisor of a Ph.D. student of the Ph.D. Programme in Biotechnological, Biocomputational, Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences (Cycle XXXIV) at the University Bologna.

2019-2022: she is supervisor of a Ph.D. student of the Ph.D. Programme in Health, Safety and Green Systems (Cycle XXXV) at the University Bologna.

POST-DOC RESEARCH FELLOW COORDINATION AND SUPERVISION
Since 2016 she is supervisor of a Post-doc research fellow in Medicinal Chemistry at the FaBiT Department, University Bologna.

POST LAUREAM MASTER INTERNSHIP COORDINATION AND SUPERVISION

Coordination and supervision of students of the Professional post lauream Master in "Chemical and Chemical-Toxicological Forensic Analysis" for their internships in italian and international Universities and industries.