MARIA LAURA BOLOGNESI
Date and place of birth: 23-09-1966, Teramo (IT)
Marital status: married, one son.
Education
1990: Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology Master Degree (summa cum laude)
1992: Pharmacy Master Degree (summa cum laude)
1994: Research fellow at the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Prof. Philip S. Portoghese’s laboratory
1996: PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (supervisor Prof. Carlo Melchiorre)
1996-98: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bologna, Prof. C. Melchiorre’s laboratory
Professional Record
1991-1992: Researcher, Chemical Research Division, Sigma Tau Industries SpA, Pomezia, Rome
1998-2005: Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bologna
2005-2016: Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bologna
2016-2019: Director of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies Master Degree, University of Bologna
2017-present: Full Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna
2018-2021: Rector’s Delegate for Latin America, University of Bologna
2019-2022: Coordinator of Biotechnological, Biocomputational, Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences PhD Programme, University of Bologna
2020-present: Vice-Director of Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Research in Health Sciences & Technologies, University of Bologna
2022: President of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Division of the Italian Chemical Society
Research Activity
My group has a genuine scientific interest in the development of bivalent small molecules. We were contributors to the early debate on the potential of bivalent multi-target drugs in the field of neurodegenerative drug discovery and, particularly, in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Our conviction is based on the fact that “drugs hitting a single target may be inadequate for the treatment of diseases like neurodegenerative syndromes, which involve multiple pathogenic factors”. The discovery of memoquin, one of the first AD drug candidates rationally designed using a multi-target approach, followed by the development of several other series of drug candidates (published and patented) amply confirmed our initial assumption. The J. Med. Chem. Perspective “Multi-target-directed ligands to combat neurodegenerative diseases” coauthored by MLB has been ranked by ISI as a “highly cited paper” (in the top 1% of the academic field of Chemistry). Recently, based on these founding principles, as well as on the mission of integrating international, intercultural, and global dimensions and perspectives in medicinal chemistry research, we have set-up B2AlzD2’s, a lab without walls, whose ambitious goal is to act as a privileged hub between Bologna, Brazil and EU activities in the AD multi-target drug discovery field.
The same concepts have inspired the design of first-in-class multi-target ligands for neglected tropical diseases.
Another extraordinary possibility explored by our group since the last five years, is the development of new drugs based on food industry wastes as sustainable starting materials. Towards this aim, we have developed series of novel anti-trypanosomal and HDAC hits from the cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), a by-product and a pollutant from cashew nut processing factories. We envisage that such compounds, easily obtained from a waste material produced in high quantity in the endemic countries, might be ethically, environmentally and economically sustainable starting point for the development of new anti-trypanosomatid drugs. They could also address the problem of access to AD medicines in low- and middle-income countries.
Being one of the main objectives of our research to develop approaches and concepts for the design of innovative bivalent molecules, we are also focusing our efforts on PROTACs for leishmaniasis.
All these activities have resulted in:
• 189 documents in Scopus, (August 2022) mostly as first or corresponding author and in collaboration with international groups (Germany (27), Spain (25), United Kingdom (15), Brazil (13), United States (10), Switzerland (9), Czech Republic (8), France (6), Portugal (4), Austria (3) and many other countries)
• 6 special issues: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry Vol. 64, 2021 “Celebrating the Medicinal Chemistry of Gunda Georg and Shaomeng Wang”, Maria Laura Bolognesi & Stuart Conway; Journal of Medicinal Chemistry Vol. 63, 2020 “Women in Medicinal Chemistry Special Issue”: Maria Laura Bolognesi, Kelly L. Ganamet, Hong Liu, Sally-Ann Poulsen, Gunda I. Georg, Shaomeng Wang; Frontiers in Chemistry, Vol. 7, 2019, “Multi-target-directed ligands (MTDL) as challenging research tools in drug discovery: From design to pharmacological evaluation”: Stefano Alcaro, Maria Laura Bolognesi, Alfonso T. García-Sosa, Simona Rapposelli; Future Medicinal Chemistry Vol. 9, Issue 8, 2017 “Medicinal chemistry advances in neurodegenerative disease therapy”: Maria Laura Bolognesi; ChemMedChem Vol. 11, Issue 12, 2016 “Polypharmacology and Multitarget Drugs”: Maria Laura Bolognesi & Andrea Cavalli; Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Vol. 13, Issue 19, 2013 “Thematic Issue: Recent Advances of Biology and Medicinal Chemistry of Prion Protein and Prions: On the Road to Therapeutics” Giuseppe Legname & Maria Laura Bolognesi,
• 13 book chapters,
• 6 PCT patents
• >80 conferences at international meetings and invited seminars at prestigious national and international institutions, and on-line events.
Bibliometric Indexes (August 2022)
Scopus
Documents: 189
H INDEX = 49
TOTAL CITATIONS = 8080
Google Scholar
H-INDEX = 52 (from 2017 = 38)
TOTAL CITATIONS = 10105 (from 2017 = 5338)
i10 INDEX = 142 (from 2017 = 100)
from 2017 = 98
Editorial and Reviewing Actvity
Associate Editor, Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (01/2016-present)
Editorial Advisory Board, ACS Bio & Med Chem Au (01/2022- )
Editorial Advisory Board di ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters (01/2020- )
International Advisory Board of ChemMedChem (01/2016-present)
Editorial Advisory Board of Future Medicinal Chemistry (01/2015-present)
Editorial Advisory Board of Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, (01/2014-01/2016)
Editorial Board of Chemical Biology & Drug Design, 28/58 (01/2014-present)
Editorial Board of ChemMedChem (01/2013-01/2016)
CNS Editor of Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry (01/2012-12/2019)
Member of the Editorial Board of Current Medicinal Chemistry (01/2010- present)
Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Current Chemical Biology (01/2009-present)
Ad hoc Peer Reviewer for:
MIUR (IT), Università di Torino (IT), Università degli Studi di Milano (IT), Istituto Pasteur- Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti (IT), Academy of Finland (F), Institut Pasteur (FR), Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FR), Hellenic Republic Ministry of Education Lifelong Learning & Religious Affairs (GR), Czech Science Foundation (CZ), National Science Center of Poland (PL), Medical Research Council (UK), Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) of Hong Kong, South Africa Research Council, Alzheimer’s association (USA), Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (Japan), Academy of Finland (FI), EU-OPENSCREEN ERIC.
Chair of the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Evaluation Panel della Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), 2016 and 2021.
External evaluation board member for Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, 2018 and 2020.
External Evaluation of the Departments of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Life Sciences of the University of Vienna, 2018.
Honors/Awards:
1991: “A. Pistani” Lions Award, as the best student from the Faculty of Pharmacy
1991: “L. Pesci” Award for the best Master thesis in Medicinal Chemistry
2003 and 2004: University Award for teaching excellence
2009: Distinguished Visiting Professor, Programa de Visitantes Distinguidos (Santander call), Universidad Complutense Madrid
2010: ChemMedChem Front Cover (8/2010)
2014-2017: Special Visiting Researcher (Pesquisador Visitante Especial), Universidade de Brasilia, Ciência Sem Fronteiras Program, CNPQ and CAPES, Brazil (Chamada 71/2013)
2014: MedChemComm Front Cover (7/2014)
2016: Molecules Front Cover (4/2016)
2018: Professeur invitée Appointment, Université de Caen Normandie
2018-: Member of the Advisory Board of the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry
2019: University of Minnesota Philip S. Portoghese Distinguished Lecturer (https://www.pharmacy.umn.edu/departments/medicinal-chemistry/seminars-and-awards/philip-portoghese-lecture)
2019-: Elected member, French National Academy of Pharmacy
2019: ranked among 100,000 most influential scientists worldwide (PLoS Biol 17(8): e3000384)
2020: ACS Med Chem Lett Front Cover (12/2020).
2021: Chem Soc Rev Front Cover (20/2021).
2021: RSC Med Chem Cover (12/2021).
Research Programs
National:
Current:
- FISR2019_03796s Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) to treat leishmaniasis (PROLEISH); 1.106.346,08 euro, (24 mesi), MLB PI
- POR FSE – Alte Competenze 2021; BIG Data for Alzheimer’s disease Polypharmacology (BD4AP); Euro (EUR) 86.743,44, (36 months), MLB PI
Previous:
Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Bologna, A strategic alliance UNIBO-UFRJ for new drugs against Alzheimer’s disease (ASTROFARMA); Bando Internazionalizzazione CARISBO 2019, PI.B2AlzD2: Joint lab: the first Brazil-Bologna Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery (FIBRA-Bando Strutture Università di Bologna 2017-2018); POR FESR 14-20: Step-by-step: approccio integrato per il paziente con lesione neurologiche acute (2016-2018); PRIN 2012- 201274BNKN_003 Design and development of new agents for the treatment of parasitic diseases. FARB 2012: Modulation of protein-DNA binding interactions with small molecules: novel opportunities for drug design. PRIN 2009 - 2009ESXPT2_001: Ligandi multifunzionali per il trattamento della malattia di Alzheimer (24 months). PRIN 2007 - 20073EWPF9_003: I sistemi recettoriali dei neurotrasmettitori: progettazione e sintesi di molecole utili per la loro caratterizzazione e modulazione e per il trattamento delle relative disfunzioni (24 months). PRIN 2005 - 2005034807_005: Nuovi ligandi e modulatori per la caratterizzazione dei neurorecettori e per il trattamento delle relative disfunzioni (24 months). FIRB 2004: Sviluppo di metodologie innovative per l'identificazione e la sintesi di nuove molecole a scopo terapeutico: applicazioni nel campo della malattia di Alzheimer (36 months). PRIN 2003 - 2003034413_002: Ligandi bivalenti come mezzi d'indagine dei recettori muscarinici eterodimerici: progettazione, sintesi e caratterizzazione farmacologica e funzionale di poliammine potenti e selettive per l'eterodimero M2/M4 (24 months). PRIN 2001 - 2001037552_005: Applicazione della teoria del templato universale: progettazione e sintesi di ligandi alfa-1 adrenergici, muscarinici e nicotinici e di inibitori dell'acetilcolinesterasi (24 months). PRIN 1999 - 2001037552_005: Applicazione del concetto di templato universale: progettazione, sintesi e valutazione biologica di ligandi alfa-1 adrenergici e colinergici (24 months).
EU/International:
Current:
- HORIZON EUROPE: HORIZON-MSCA-2021-DN-01-01, Targeting Circadian Clock Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease (TClock4AD) #101072895; 4 M, (48 months), MLB PI.
- European Research Council, ERC-2022-POC1 #101069397 -Targeting neutrophil-mediated neurotoxicity for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, 180,000 euro, (12 months), MLB key team member
- COST Action: CA21111 - One Health drugs against parasitic vector borne diseases in Europe and beyond (OneHealthdrugs) (MLB Managing Committee)
Previous:
CNPQ (Conselho Nacional Desenvolvimento Cientifico y Tecnologico, Brasil) 203183/2018-5 Design, synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of new multitarget Gpr40 agonists/HDAC inhibitors as promising candidates to Alzheimer’s disease treatment”; COST Action: CA15135 - Multi-target paradigm for innovative ligand identification in the drug discovery process (MuTaLig) (Managing Committee; Short Term Scientific Mission Coordinator)
COST Action CM1406 - Epigenetic Chemical Biology (EPICHEM) (Working Group (WG 1 member); COSTAction: CM1307 - Targeted chemotherapy towards diseases caused by endoparasites (WG 2 member); PVE–CNPq #401864/2013-8: MULTItargeted cardanoL derivAtives Towards AlzhEimeR’s and neglected tropicAL diseases; DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) DE 1546/8-1: Hybrid Molecules and Polypharmacology in Drug Discovery and Development; European Commission, BIOMED-2 program: (project PL962395/BMH4-CT97-2395) "Structure, Function and Molecular Pharmacology of Neurotransmitter Receptors-Polyamines as Key Tools and Potent Neuroprotectants".
