Luca Gentilucci received his Laurea in Chemistry (cum laude) at the Dept of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”, with a thesis on the chemistry of nitrones (published), supervisor Prof. Claudio Trombini.
In 1996 he obtained his Ph.D in Chemical Sciences from the University of Bologna, supervisor Prof. Giuliana Cardillo, discussing a thesis on the synthesis of beta-amino acids.
In 1994 he joined the group of Prof. Binne Zwanemburg at the Dept. of Chemistry of the University of Nijmegen, Netherland, to work on the synthesis of aziridines and azirines.
In 1998 he became Research Associate of the Interdept. Centre of Biotechnological Research.
In 2005 he returned to the Dept “G. Ciamician” as Associate Professor.
He gained the qualification for Full Professor at the first call ASN 2016-2018
Other qualifying activities and outstanding achievement:
in 1997 he received the “Bracco Award for Young Researchers in Organic Chemistry” (with grant);
in 2007 he was appointed Guest Editor for Current Drug Targets (issue 8, G-Protein-coupled receptors and drug discovery);
since 2008 he is member of the International Advisory Board of Current Medicinal Chemistry;
since 2010 he is in the International Board of Global Journal of Organic Chemistry, and of World Journal of Pharmacology;
in 2013 he was visiting professor at the University of Pune, invited by Prof. Dilip D. Dhavale, and delivered seminaries also at IISER and at the National Chemical Laboratory of Pune, India;
in 2015 he was in the Organizing Committee of the XXXVI Congress of the Organic Division of the Italian Chemical Society, 13-17 Sept. 2015;
he is the president of the Organizing Committee, and member of the Scientific Committee, of the symposium “BolognaPeptides2016”, 14-16 Feb. 2016, Bologna;
president of the Organizing Committee, and member of the Scientific Committee, of the symposium “Peptides and conjugates for tumor targeting, therapy and diagnosis”, 16-18 June 2018, Rimini
he is member of the European Peptide Society, of the Italian Peptide Society, and of the Italian Chemical Society;
currently, Prof. Gentilucci is elective member of the Department Council, and member of the School of Pharmacy, Biotechnology and Sport Science. Member of the Syllabus Commission for Biotecnologies.
Teaching. Luca Gentilucci has carried on an intense teaching activity for the University of Bologna, in particular for the single cycle degree in Biotechnology, the Faculty of Sciences, the second cycle degree in Advanced Chemical Methodologies, the second cycle degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, the second cycle degree in Industrial and Mol. Biotechnology, the first cycle degree in Biotechnology, the second cycle degree in Chemistry, the first cycle degree in Chemistry and Materials Chemistry.
Meetings and simposia. In the last years, Prof. Gentilucci attended several congresses as invited speaker (selection 2009-):
2009 “New trends in organic chemistry”, Academy of Sciences, May 14, Bologna;
INRC 2010, “International Narcotics Research Conference”, July 11-16 2010, Malmö;
2010, 45ºCMQ “45º Congreso Mexicano de Quimica”, Sept 16-24, Puerto Juárez;
2011 “Foldamers: Synthesis and Structure of Functional Materials,” April 7-9, Barcelona;
EOC 2011, “European Opioid Conference”, April 12-16, Kracow;
2011, “International Summer School of Pharmacology 2, 29/06-08/07, Bologna;
2012, “Peptide Chemistry Conference” Nov 2-6, Xcaret;
ECCLS 2013, “5th European Conference on Chemistry for Life Sciences”, June 10-12, Barcelona;
2013, “Green Chemistry Workshop”, 12 July, Bologna;
PIPS 2014, “Peptides in Paris Symposium”, October 5-8, Paris;
Bioheterocycles 2015 “XVI International Conference on Heterocycles in Bioorganic Chemistry”, June 7-11, Metz.
Collaborations. Prof. Gentilucci took part to several projects as a participant:
PRIN2004, “Synthesis, structural analysis, and biological evaluation of new peptidomimetics as integrin ligands”, supported by MIUR;
PRIN2006, “Synthesis and biological evaluation, and diagnostic applications of integrins ligands” supported by MIUR;
2006, Strategic Project “EcoAntibio, Multidisciplinary approaches to the problem of bacterial resistance. New eco-compatible antibiotics”, funded by the University of Bologna;
2007, Project high significance Italy-Mexico “Integrin ligands containing beta-amino acids as diagnostic and therapeutic methods in the treatment of cancer”, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
2011, Proj. FFC#11/2011 “Design, synthesis, in vitro biological evaluation and antibiofilm activity of new beta-lactam and linezolid-like compounds as potential antibacterial agents against Staphylococcus aureus infections in cystic fibrosis patients”, grant by The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Verona.
2017 "Innovative orexinergic agonists for narcolepsy therapy" funded by AIN Italian Narcolepsy Association
Management of funded projects. Prof. Gentilucci acquired experience in the management of national and international funded collaborative projects and grants as coordinator or Principal Investigator:
2005-06, “Lipophilic, cyclic, and low molecular weight peptides derived from endogenous neurotransmitters”, financed by Fondazione Floriani/Luvi, Milano;
2006-07, “New lipophilic compounds derived from endogenous opioid peptides for the treatment of chronic pain”, supported by Fondazione Luvi, Milano;
PRIN2006, Prof Gentilucci succeeded Prof Cardillo as coordinator of the Bologna Unit for the 3dt year of the project “Synthesis and biological evaluation, and diagnostic applications of integrins ligands”, by MIUR.
2007-08, “Opioid receptor antagonists for the treatment of addictions and eating disorders”, supported by Fondazione CARISBO, Bologna;
2008, “Development of green chemistry peptide syntheses with automated procedures in combination with the latest generation polymers”, supported by Spinner/ASTER, Bologna;
2009, “Synthesis of peptide-hormones in multigram-scale”, financed by Progetto PIU', Chamber of Commerce, Bologna;
2011-13, “Project high significance Italy Mexico, in collaboration with Prof. Eusebio Juaristi, CINVESTAV-Mexico D.F., “Inhibitors of chronic inflammatory processes associated with the development of tumors” funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
2012-13, “TRYPTOIDS: development of new therapeutic agents of natural origins for pain management and sedation in patients with advanced stages of cancer”, funded by Fondazione Umberto Veronesi Milano/Roma;
2012-14, Prin2010, Luca Gentilucci was Associate Investigator (Local Unit coordinator) of the project “Synthesis and biomedical applications of tumor-targeting peptidomimetics”, financed by MIUR;
2015-17, “Asthmazoé: Nanostructured materials for the detection of markers of asthma and other correlated inflammatory diseases”, funded by Fondazione CHIESI, Parma.
2017-19, Luca Gentilucci is the Associate Investigator (Local Unit coordinator) of the project Prin2015 financed by MIUR, dedicated to therapy and diagnostics of cancer.
2017 Studies for the development of functionalized polimeric materials for biomedcal applications, commissioned by Democenter-TPM Tecnopolo di Mirandola
2018. clinical validation of nanostructured devices for the analysis of immune cells in pediatric patients (IntegrAL), funded by Fondazione del Monte.
Publications. He is the author of about 130 printed papers on international journals with IF (28 in the quinquennium 2011-2015), including review articles, plus book chapters. Initially, his research was dedicated to develop new syntheses of beta-amino acids, and to the developments of new methodologies to prepare heterocycles, e.g. aziridines, azirines, azetidinones, oxazolidinones. At the present times, his main interests are in the field of biologically active peptide and peptidomimetics, in particular opioid peptides and integrin inhibitors, and cyclopeptides as conformationally defined scaffolds for medicinal chemistry applications.
