University Education and Training
1986: Degree in Pharmacy at the University of Bologna (Italy) cum Laude.
1987-1989: Post-Doc Fellow at the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bologna (Italy)
1990-1991: Visiting Scientist at the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology,
University of Perugia (Italy)
1992: Visiting scientist at the Mayo Clinic, Dept of Medicinal Chemistry, Jacksonville FL (USA)
Appointments and positions
2000- present: Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry SSD CHIM/08, University of Bologna (Italy)
2017: National Academic Qualification as Full Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
1990-2000: Researcher of Medicinal Chemistry SSD CHIM/08, University of Bologna (Italy)
Scientific activity
Author of 108 publications in international ranked journals, 3 book chapter, 1 patent (PCT).
Bibliometric parameters (reported from Scopus September, 2023): H-index = 34; Citations ≈ 3720;
Research interest
The main research field regards the design, the synthesis and the chemical characterization of new biologically active small molecules, which can be both innovative antitumor lead candidates and useful chemical tools for studying molecular pathways in cancer cells. In recent years, a study has also been undertaken regarding the design and synthesis of multitarget small molecules as innovative therapeutic tools that may be lead candidates for the treatment of neurodegenerative and neglected tropical diseases. From a chemical point of view, the expertise ranges from the classical asymmetric synthesis of natural compounds to the most innovative parallel synthesis of libraries of natural-like compounds.
Referee for several international medicinal chemistry journals (some examples are shown): Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, ChemMedChem, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry.
Peer reviewer for Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca (MIUR) (IT).
Member of the Editorials Board of the journals “Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening” and “Biomolecules”.
2018-present: Faculty Member of PhD program in Biotechnological, Biocomputational, Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Bologna.
Since 2003, Supervisor of Doctoral Researchers of different PhD programs of the University of Bologna such as: Pharmaceutical Sciences; Chemistry; Biotechnological and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Biotechnological, Biocomputational, Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences at the University of Bologna.
Supervisor of a ESR student (01/01/2015-31/12/2018) in the framework of a EU-H2020-MSCA-ITN-2014 (ID: 642023). Project: Click Chemistry for future gene therapies to benefit citizens, researchers and industry.
Participation to National and International Funded Grants on a Competitive Basis
Associate investigator of several projects (the most recent are shown):
FISR 2019_03796 Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) to treat leishmaniasis;
AIRC project 2018 (id 21386): A chemical biology approach to synthetic lethality by means of DNA repair inhibitor;
PRIN 2012 project (code: 2012ZHN9YH): New anticancer agents at the interface between epigenetics and metabolism;
IIT-funded project 2010: An integrated approach to the simulation of ligand-target systems in membrane: predicting hERG liability of drug candidates, and beyond;
PRIN 2009 project (code: 2009PX2T2E_001): Ligand-based design and synthesis of new molecules for the discovery of antitumor agents acting as a cell cycle modulators.
Leader of research programs funded by some italian SMEs (BIOFER SpA, Laboratori Baldacci SpA) regarding the design and implementation of new synthetic strategies, applicable in an industrial context, for the preparation of known active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) (2009, 2012).
