Prof.

PIERONI Marco

Professore di II fascia
Full time Equivalent: 
1
Settore scientifico disciplinare
Chimica farmaceutica
  • Presentazione
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Orario di ricevimento
  • Insegnamenti
  • Incarichi
  • Ricerca
  • Terza Missione

I graduated in 2003 in Pharmacy at the University of Perugia with a thesis regarding the synthesis of novel quinolones for the treatment of resistant bacterial strains. Right after his degree, I joined the medicinal chemistry group of Prof Fravolini and Prof Cecchetti in Perugia as a PhD student, continuing the work on the research of novel quinolone-like scaffolds and novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of resistant infections. After the PhD thesis defence, in 2007, I shortly remained in the group of Prof Cecchetti before leaving to Chicago, at the UIC College of Pharmacy, where I spent 3 years as a research assistant, first, and research assistant professor and Medicinal Chemistry lecturer, later, in the group of Prof Alan P. Kozikowski (A former student of Nobel Prize winner E.J.Corey). In 2011, I was hired as a research assistant professor at the University of Hawai’i at Hilo, collaborating with professor Ghee Tan in the synthesis of natural compounds analogues for the treatment of parasitic diseases. At the begin of 2012 I joined the group of Prof Costantino at the University of Parma, where I started my tenure track. Currently, I am associate professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Food and Drug Department of the University of Parma. My research is mostly focused on the medicinal chemistry for the treatment of bacterial and parasitic infections, with particular emphasis on the treatment of susceptible and resistant M. tuberculosis, especially following alternative routes. Recently, I have focused my attention on other therapeutic areas, such as CNS diseases and immunology.

CURRENT POSITION
Associate professor at the Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma
https://www.unipr.it/ugov/person/105965
Working experience
11/2016-11/2019 Assistant Professor, department of Food and Drug, University of Parma.
09/2011-11/2016 Research assistant, interdepartmental Centre BIOPHARMANET-TEC. -Funded by Emilia Romagna High Technology Network.
Tasks: General medicinal chemistry; Assistant to PhD students; Lab management.
02/2011-08/2011 Research assistant professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Hawai’i at Hilo, Hawaii, with Professor Ghee Tan.
Tasks: Design and synthesis of natural compounds derivatives for the treatment of parasitic diseases; presentation of biological data.
02/2010-01/2011 Research Assistant Professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, with Professor Alan P. Kozikowski. Funded by DOD W81XWH-08-1-0201
Tasks: Design and synthesis of Huperzine A derivatives;
02/2008-01/2010 Research Assistant, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, with Professor Alan P. Kozikowski. Funded by Global Alliance for TB Drug Development.
Tasks: Design and synthesis of antituberculars; design and synthesis of antiparasitic molecules; Synthesis of analogues of natural antibiotic A–33853; presentation of the results obtained; responsible for lab safety and solvent wasting; lecturer within the course of metabolism of drugs.
2003-2007 Ph.D. course in Medicinal Chemistry, XIX Cycle, University of Perugia, Italy. Supervisors: Prof Fravolini Arnaldo, Prof Tabarrini Oriana.
Education
2007 Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry and Technology of Drugs, University of Perugia, Italy. Thesis: “Quinolones: new perspectives”.
2003 Master Degree in Pharmacy, University of Perugia (110/110 summa cum laude). Thesis: “Synthesis of novel 6-fluoro-7-thiopyranopyridinyl-quinolones as antibacterial agents”.
Teaching and supervision Experience
Current Food and Drug Department, Università di Parma
ANALYSIS OF DRUGS (8 CFU)
DEGREE: Chimica e tecnologia farmaceutiche
PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY (5 CFU)
DEGREE: Chimica e tecnologia farmaceutiche
MASTER UNIVERSITARIO DI II LIVELLO IN PHARMACEUTICAL AND REGULATORY STRATEGIES IN MEDICINAL PRODUCTS DEVELOPMENT
Drug Substance Module 3.S of the CTD
2015 Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa
Main activities: Co-supervision of post-doctoral researcher
Exploring the mode of action of efflux inhibitors against Mycobacterium tuberculosis: an approach to prevent efflux-mediated resistance and boost therapy in active and latent tuberculosis (Diana Isabel Oliveira Machado)
2009 College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago.
Main activities: Lecturer, Exams.
Courses:
Drug Metabolism (MDCH 561, graduate-level course)
PhD candidates supervised
Elisa Azzali, PhD (https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisa-azzali-53606041/) Title of the Thesis “Toward innovative Therapeutics for the eradication of mycobacterial infections”
Joana Magalhaes, PhD (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joana-magalh%C3%A3es-961612b6/) Title of the Thesis “Design, synthesis and optimization of inhibitors of enzymes involved in the sulfur assimilation pathway in Gram negative bacteria”
Giannamaria Annunziato, PhD (https://www.linkedin.com/in/giannamaria-annunziato-371b1745/) Title of the thesis “Design and synthesis of the inhibitors of Cysteine biosynthesis as enhancers of antibacterial therapy”
Miriam Girardini, PhD (https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriam-girardini-591b69199/) Title of the thesis “Convergent Medicinal chemistry approaches against susceptible and resistant mycobacterial infections”
Diletta Bergamo, currently PhD candidate
Marialaura Pavone, currently PhD candidate
Communication Skills
Mother tongue Italian
Other languages English (proficient user in speaking, understanding, writing)
Spanish (basic user in speaking, understanding, writing)
Honors And Awards
2022 Attribuzione di fondi come da Bando di Ateneo 2021 per la ricerca (FIL), azione C “Premialità a PI di progetti europei che hanno raggiunto l’ultimo livello di valutazione”. Ruolo: PI.
2021 MISE-POC patent and research results valorisation and management through poc projects espansione di brevetto dal titolo “nuovi composti antimicrobici”. Ruolo, collaboratore
2020 Recipient of Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale, settore concorsuale 03/D1, SSD CHIM-08 for Full Professor of Medicinal Chemistry.
2020 Member of the graduate school ULLA (European University Consortium for Pharmaceutical Sciences).
2019 Bando FIL, quota incentivante, “A synergic approach to develop novel therapeutic opportunities: the interplay of endocannabinoid and glutamic acid signaling in stress-related depression and cardiovascular co-morbidity”. PI Silvia Rivara, ruolo: collaboratore.
2019 Member of the board of the PhD program in “Drugs, Biomolecules and Health Products” at the University of Parma
2017 Co-PI in the National grant PRIN # 2017XYBP2R.
2017 One-Day Course: “Proteins as drug target, proteins as drug, and protein degradation as therapeutic strategy” May 8, 2017, Università di Parma, Parma. Member of the organizing committee.
2017 Recipient of Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale, settore concorsuale 03/D1, SSD CHIM-08 for Associate professor of Medicinal Chemistry.
2016 Recipient of the position of RTD legge 240/10 lett b) at the Food and Drug Department, University of Parma.
2015 Co-Supervisor within the European project MSCA INTEGRATE (Ref # 642620, ESR Joana Magalahes)
2014 NPCF8, “nuove prospettive in chimica farmaceutica”, PARMA, June 9-11 2014; member of the organizing committee.
2011 1st place oral presentation at the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, “University of Hawai’i Research Symposium”, 3rd Friday 2011. University of Hawaii at Hilo.
2010 Invited speaker at the “1st iDDi workshop on neglected and orphan diseases”, Siena, May 29th through June 1st 2010. Title of the lecture “Phenotypic Screening and Medicinal
Chemistry: Potent Benzimidazole-based Antibacterials Effective Against Replicating, Nonreplicating Persistent and Drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis ”
2010 Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by Department of Defense DOD W81XWH-08-1-0201
2009 Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by NIH grant U01 AI082180
2008 Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by the Global TB Alliance, proposal #GTBA2007-1212. “Synthesis of antitubercular derivatives of mefloquine.”
Presentations At Scientific Meetings.
Invited speaker at the 13th Young medicinal chemistry symposium NPCF – 13. Firenze (Italy), April 26 – 29, 2021.
Invited speaker at the 8th international drug chemistry conference Antalya (Turkey), February 27 – march 01, 2020.
Marco Pieroni, “Adjuvant approaches supporting the eradication of resistant and persistent M. tuberculosis strains.”, Gordon conference on tuberculosis, Barcelona, 2019 (poster presentation).
Invited speaker at the “IV satellite meeting on carbonic anhydrase”, Parma, November 14 – 17, 2019
Invited speaker at the “2nd International Gazi Pharma Symposium Series (GPSS-2017)” Gazi University in Ankara (Turkey) in October 11-13, 2017.
Invited speaker at the “Pre-BOS (Balticum Organicum Syntheticum-2016)”, Riga, Lavia, June 30- July 1, 2016. Title of the lecture “Merging different drug discovery approaches to offer novel therapeutic options against mycobacterial infections”.
Selected Speaker at the 23st National Meeting on Medicinal Chemistry, Salerno, 06-09 September 2015. Title of the presentation: “Novel approaches toward the eradication of resistant and persistent M. tuberculosis strains”
Selected speaker at the Gordon Research Seminar “Multidrug Efflux systems”, April 25-26, 2015 Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Lucca (Barga), Italy. Title of the presentation: “Thioridazine analogues as enhancer of the anti-TB therapy”
Pieroni, M.; Viveiros, M.; Costantino, G. “Novel approaches toward the eradication of resistant and persistent M. tuberculosis strains”, EFMC-ISMC Lisbon, 7-11 September 2014 (poster presentation).
Gian Paolo Vallerini, Elisa Azzali, Marco Pieroni, Robert Schwarcz, Gabriele Costantino, “2-aminonicotinic acid-1-oxides interfere with the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism and inhibit quinolinic acid synthesis in mammalian brain”, EFMC-ISMC Lisbon, 7-11 September 2014 (poster presentation).
Fabrizio Micheli, Marco Pieroni, Elisa Callegari, Davide Graziani, Lorenza Pirona, Simone Braggio, Gabriele Costantino, “Design and characterization of new mglur5 antagonists”, EFMC-ISMC Lisbon, 7-11 September 2014 (poster presentation).
Selected speaker at the meeting “Towards New Therapeutics for Diseases of the Developing World” May 11 – 13, 2014, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain. Title of the presentation: ”Novel approaches toward the eradication of resistant and persistent M. tuberculosis strains”.
Selected Speaker at the 21st National Meeting on Medicinal Chemistry, Palermo, 09 july 2012. Title of the presentation: “Novel Benzimidazole-Based Antituberculars For The Treatment Of Replicating, Nonreplicating Persistent And Drug-Resistant Mycobacterium Tuberculosis”
Pieroni, M.; Girmay, S.; Sun, D.; Tan, G. T. “Synthesis and structure–activity relationships of unique lansine analogs as anti-malarial agents”, 51st ICAAC, Chicago 17-20, 2011. (poster presentation).
Fomovska, A.; Mui, E.; Witola, W.; Pieroni, M.; Huang, Q.Q.; Stec, J.; Roberts, C.; Sommerville, C.; Kozikowski, A. P. and Mcleod, “R. N-benzoyl-2-hydroxybenzamide is effective against toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites”, 50th ICAAC, Boston, 12-15 September 2010 (poster presentation E7-701) .
Invited speaker at the “1st iDDi workshop on neglected and orphan diseases”, Siena, May 29 - June 1, 2010. Title of the presentation: “Phenotypic Screening and Medicinal Chemistry: Potent Benzimidazole-based Antibacterials Effective Against Replicating, Nonreplicating Persistent and Drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis ”
Pieroni, M.; Tipparaju, S. K.; Lun, S.; Bishai, W.; Kozikowski, A. P. “Discovery of Substituted 2-Phenylmethyl-1-hydroxy-3-methylpyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole-4-carbonitrile derivatives as Potent Antituberculosis Agents”, 49th
ICAAC, San Francisco, 12-15 September 2009, (poster presentation F1-2018).

Every day, provided a short advice

Anno accademico di erogazione: 2024/2025

Anno accademico di erogazione: 2023/2024

Anno accademico di erogazione: 2022/2023

Anno accademico di erogazione: 2021/2022

Anno accademico di erogazione: 2020/2021

Anno accademico di erogazione: 2019/2020

Anno accademico di erogazione: 2018/2019

Anno accademico di erogazione: 2017/2018

Anno accademico di erogazione: 2016/2017

Docente di riferimento

Docente tutor

Linee di ricerca

During these years, I have been involved in many projects. My main research line remains the discovery of novel molecules for the treatment of infectious diseases, with particular emphasis on Tuberculosis. Also, we focused on the so-called “non-essential targets”, which pose a lower selective pressure on bacteria, and therefore the raise of resistance is less frequent. This should lead to the discovery of novel adjuvant treatments. Recently, I have been involved also in the synthesis of molecules with chaperone activity, which is a way to save the functionality of a protein.

Pubblicazioni

Orcid

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9190-3712

Patents

Nuovi composti antimicrobici

Altro

Contributo alla stesura della versione Italiana del libro

Chimica Farmaceutica

di Graham L. Patrick

Contatti

Telefono
905054
Ubicazione dell'ufficio

 

Marco Pieroni

Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry

Food and Drug Department

Parco Area delle scienze 27/A, Campus Universitario

Università di Parma

43124 Parma (IT)

Tel/Fax +39 0521 905054