Personale docente

EDUCATION AND ACADEMIC CAREER

1998: Graduated summa cum laude at the University of Parma in Parma, Italy. Received an award from the University of Parma for the Best Outcome as a student in Chemistry in the academic year of 1997/98.

2001: Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences “Metal complexes of α-amino acids derivatives: Studies in solution and in the solid state” – University of Parma in Parma, Italy (Supervisor Prof. F. Dallavalle)

2002 – Present: Researcher at the University of Parma in Parma, Italy - Faculty of Sciences and Department of Chemistry

TRAINING AND RESEARCH IN LABORATORIES ABROAD

2010 – 2012: Two six-months sabbatical leaves at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. De novo designed copper metallopeptides in collaboration with Prof. Vincent Pecoraro.

2008 – 2009: Two three-months sabbatical leaves at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Metallacrowns as cation recognition agents in collaboration with Prof. Vincent Pecoraro.

2001: Visiting Ph.D. student at the Technical University of Lisbon (Instituto Superior Tecnico) in Lisbon, Portugal. Hydroxamates as inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases supervised by Prof. M. Amelia Santos Seabra.

1998: Visiting student at the University of Leiden in Leiden, Netherlands. Ruthenium complexes and new antitumor drugs supervised by Prof. Jan Reedjik and Prof. Jaap Haasnoot.

The research activity is documented by 60 publications on international peer-reviewed journals, one patent, and in more than 70 communications presented at national and international conferences and meetings, which include 30 oral communications and 10 invited lectures and seminars.

H-index: 22 over 1250 citations (WoS, March 2018)

SUMMARY OF SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION

The research interests mainly relate with the study the formation equilibria of metal complexes in solution, which has been the overarching theme in the scientific production. These studies were mainly carried out in the fields of bioinorganic and supramolecular chemistry, with specific competences in the study the thermodynamics of formation of metal complexes and the speciation of metal/ligands systems in solution. The overall aim is to establish the links between the structural features of metal complexes with their physico-chemical or biological properties.
The scientific production covers two two main projects, namely the study of the chemistry of metallacrowns and of the chemistry of copper complexes with biologic relevance. The first project deals with the formation of a class of metallamacrocycles named metallacrowns, for which the thermodynamic rationale that leads to their assembly has been clarified. The second projectrelated with the development of antitumor/antiproliferative complexes, and on the characterization of de novo designed metallopeptides containing copper. For both classes of compounds the aim was to correlate their speciation in solution with their reactivity in biological systems.

COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS

- Primary coordinator of the EU 7th Framework Programme Marie Curie IRSES “METALLACROWNS – Metallacrowns-based innovative materials and supramolecular devices” (2013-2017). Coordination of an international network of 7 partners.
- Primary coordinator of the Relevant Bilateral Project Italy-USA “Development of porous magnetic metallacrowns for sensing applications” (12th Joint Declaration on S&T Cooperation Italy/USA for the years 2016-2018) – USA partner: Prof. Vincent L. Pecoraro.
- Primary coordinator of the Bilateral Project Italy-USA “De novo Designed Metallopeptides to Mimic Structural and Catalytic Copper Sites in Metalloproteins” (10th Joint Declaration on S&T Cooperation Italy/USA for the years 2011-2012) – USA partner: Prof. Vincent L. Pecoraro.
- Local coordinator of a research unit for the PRIN 2015 project “Metal ions, dopamine, and oxidative stress in Parkinson's disease” (2015T778JW).

FUNDING

- Grant from EU-REA for Marie Curie IRSES “METALLACROWNS” project. EUR 194,600 overall; EUR 43,500 for the research unit of Parma. (http://cordis.europa.eu/projects/rcn/109069_en.html) (https://sites.google.com/site/metallacrowns/)
- Grant from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs – 2016/18, as part of the related Bilateral Project Italy – USA. EUR 62,000.
(http://www.chim.unipr.it/denovopeptides/De_Novo_Designed_Metallopeptides...)
- Grant from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - 2011, as part of the related Bilateral Project Italy – USA. EUR 16,000.
(https://sites.google.com/site/metallacrownsmae2016/home)
- Funding from the C.I.R.C.M.S.B. Consorzio Interuniversitario di Ricerca dei Metalli nei Sistemi Biologici (Interuniversity Consortium for Research on Metal Ions in Biological Systems) through fellowships for graduate students.
- PRIN 2004 – “Metal chelates of amino acids, α-hydroxyacids and peptides synthesized or extracted for animal nutrition” - participant

INVITED SEMINARS
- "Metallacrowns-based innovative materials and supramolecular devices" – Dept. of Chemistry, University of Michigan, May 22, 2017
- "Toward artificial biomolecules through De novo Metallopeptide Design" – Dept. of Chemistry, University of Zurich, May 16, 2017
- "Metallacrowns-based innovative materials and supramolecular devices" – Dept. of Chemistry, University of Pisa, May 26, 2016
- "Metallacrowns-based innovative materials and supramolecular devices" – Dept. of Chemistry, University of Padova, February 24, 2016
- “De novo Metalloprotein Design: where coordination chemistry harnesses molecular biology”, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Ferrara, May 5, 2015.
- "Self-assembly of copper(II) metallacrowns: a thermodynamic approach" – Dept. of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, April 21, 2009

INVITED LECTURES TO CONFERENCES
- "“Forever young”: the nice story of Metallacrowns from the perspective of a solution chemist", XIII International Symposium on Inorganic Biochemistry, September 1-6, 2015 Karpacz, Poland
- "Designing a functional type 2 copper center that has nitrite reductase activity within α-helical coiled coils", Final symposium of the Chair Blaise Pascal of Prof. Vincent L. Pecoraro, Université Paris Sud, Parigi, Francia, November 20, 2012
- "De novo designed Type 2 copper metallopeptide as functional redox model of nitrite reductase " ArtZymes 2011 –Artificial metalloenzymes symposium, Marseille, France, September 25-28, 2011
- “Copper(II) 12-metallacrown-4 of α-, β- and γ-aminohydroxamic acids: a comparative study in aqueous solution” XVIII ISMEC - Italian-Spanish congress on the thermodynamics of metal complexes. Cagliari, June 5-9, 2007

MEMBERSHIPS

2003-present: Member of the CIRCMSB – Interuniversity Consortium for Research on Metal Ions in Biological Systems (Consorzio Interuniversitario di Ricerca dei Metalli nei Sistemi Biologici).

2001-present: Member of the European Group of Thermodynamics of Metal Complexes.

2004-2006: Member of the National Board of the Young Chemists Group of the Italian Chemical Society (SCI, Società Chimica Italiana) as the elected delegate of the Inorganic Chemistry Division – Treasurer of the Board.

2003-2011: Member of the Board of the Regional Section (Emilia Romagna) of the Italian Chemical Society.

2003-2005: Secretary of the regional section of the Italian Chemical Society – Treasurer of the Board.

CONFERENCE COMMITTEES, EVALUATION COMMITTEES AND REVIEWING DUTIES

- Member of the Organizing Committee of: XLI National Congress of the Division of Inorganic Chemistry of the Chemical Society, Parma 3-6 september, 2013; XVIII ISMEC - Italian Spanish Congress on Thermodynamics of Metal Complexes, Cagliari, Italy, June 5-9, 2007; IX National Conference of Supramolecular Chemistry, Parma, Italy, September 6-9, 2009.

- Member of the Scientific and Organizing Committee of the VI and X Meeting of the Regional Section (Emilia Romagna) of the Italian Chemical Society, Parma, November 26, 2010 and November 24, 2006.

- Member of the Scientific Committee for Poster prizes at 6th SAYCS (Sigma-Aldrich Young Chemists Symposium), Riccione (Italy), October 9-11, 2006.

- Member of the evaluation committees for positions of researcher at the University of Bologna (2008) and Pavia (2009).

- Member of the evaluation panel of Ph.D. thesis submitted to spanish universities.

- Member of the Committee of the Defense for the Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences at the University of Pavia (2011).

- Member of the Board of evaluators for the admission at the Ph.D. course in Chemical Sciences at the University of Camerino (2011 and 2012).

- Member of the evaluation committee for the annual awards of the Regional Section of the Italian Chemical Society.

From 2001 to present I served as a reviewer for the international journals ACS Inorganic Chemistry, Dalton Transactions, Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Chemistry – A European Journal, Inorganica Chimica Acta, Polyhedron and Journal of Solution Chemistry.

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

Teacher of Laboratory of General and Inorganic Chemistry for the Degree in Chemistry (2006-2015). Teacher of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Laboratory of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Methods in Bioinorganic and Inorganic Chemistry for the Degrees in Chemistry, Biological Sciences and Natural Sciences (2002 – 2010)

Member of the Teachers Board of the degree courses in Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry (2004-present), Biology (2002-2009) and Natural Sciences (2002-2004 and 2009/2010) at the University of Parma.

Member of the Doctorate Board of the Ph.D. course in Chemical Sciences (2009-present).

Supervisor of three Ph.D. students in Chemical Sciences and of more than 20 undergraduate students in Chemistry and Biological Sciences since 2002.