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Carmelo Drago graduated in chemistry at the University of Catania on 21st December 2001 (grade, 110/110). In April 2002 he started a PhD at the Chemistry Department of Sheffield University (U.K.) working on a project entitled “Combinatorial Approaches to Catalysis for Asymmetric Sulfide Oxidation” under the supervision of Prof. R. F. W. Jackson. This project was funded by the European Union and was part of an European Network project: COMBICAT “The Discovery of New Molecular Catalysts through Combinatorial Chemistry”. In December 2005, he moved to Milan where he undertook his experience at CISI scrl, originally a spin-off supported by the University of Milan on guidance of Prof. Carlo Scolastico, where he was involved on the “design, synthesis and biological screening of libraries of molecules obtained using high throughput techniques starting from original structural unities, for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications”. In March 2011, he moved to the Nanotechnologies Laboratory of the ISTM (CNR) in Milan, where he worked on a project concerning the Synthesis, design and characterization of SPIO nanoparticles conjugated to biomolecules for therapeutic and diagnostic applications under the supervision of Dr. Alessandro Ponti, with whom he currently continues to collaborate. Since November 2011, he is working as a permanent researcher (reg.-n° 14514) at the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (CNR) of Catania, where he is involved in research projects in the area of sustainable chemistry (development of catalytic, sustainable, for the transformation of used vegetable oils into biofuels), medicinal chemistry (synthesis of molecules for therapeutic and diagnostic applications) and in the field of functionalized materials both for the development of biosensors (amperometric, optical, etc.) and drug delivery (functionalization of SPIO nanoparticles).

Skills Organic Synthesis
Heterogeneous Catalysis
Green Chemistry
Sustainable Processes
Biofuels
Enhancement of Renewable Feedstocks
Microwave Assisted Organic Synthesis Publications

1. 1.    Zwitterion-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Surface Chemistry and Intracellular Uptake by Hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) Cells; Sara  Mondini, Marianna  Leonzino, Carmelo  Drago, Anna  M.  Ferretti, Sandro  Usseglio, Daniela  Maggioni, Paolo  Tornese, Bice  Chini, Alessandro  Ponti, Langmuir, 2015, 31, 7381
   2.    Magnetic nanoparticles conjugated to chiral imidazolidinone as recoverable catalys; Sara Mondini, Alessandra Puglisi, Maurizio Benaglia, Daniela Ramella, Carmelo Drago, Anna M. Ferretti, and Alessandro Ponti, J Nanopart Res (2013) 15:2025
   3.    One-pot microwave assisted catalytic transformation of vegetable oil into glycerol-free Biodiesel; C. Drago, L. F. Liotta, V. La Parola, M. L. Testa and G. Nicolosi; Fuel, 2013, 113, 707
   4.    Bisphosphonate-functionalized cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp peptidomimetics; Carmelo Drago, Daniela Arosio, Cesare Casagrande, and Leonardo Manzoni; ARKIVOC 2013, 18
   5.    Dimeric Smac mimetics/IAP inhibitors as in vivo-active pro-apoptotic agents. Part II: Structural and biological characterization; Pierfausto Seneci, Laura Belvisi, Martino Bolognesi, Monica Civera, Federica Cossu, Michelandrea De Cesare, Domenico Delia, Carmelo Drago, Daniele Lecis, Leonardo Manzoni, Eloise Mastrangelo, Mario Milani, Elisabetta Moroni, Paola Perego, Donatella Potenza, Vincenzo Rizzo, Cinzia Scavullo, Federica Servida, Francesca Vasile and Carlo Scolastico; Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 2012, 20, 6709
   6.     Homo- and heterodimeric Smac mimetics/IAP inhibitors as in vivo-active pro-apoptotic agents. Part I: Synthesis; Pierfausto Seneci, Laura Belvisi, Aldo Bianchi, Martino Bolognesi, Carmelo Drago, Domenico Delia, Marilenia de Matteo, Luca Ferrante, Leonardo Manzoni, Paola Perego, Donatella Potenza, Vincenzo Rizzo, Federica Servida, Gabriele Timpano, Francesca Vasile and Carlo Scolastico; Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 2012, 20, 6687
   7.    Novel SMAC-mimetics synergistically stimulate melanoma cell death in combination with TRAIL and Bortezomib, D. Lecis, C. Drago, L. Manzoni, P. Seneci, C. Scolastico, E. Mastrangelo, M. Bolognesi, A. Anichini, H. Kashkar, H. Walczak and D. Delia, British Journal of Cancer, 2010, 102, 1707
   8.    Rational design, synthesis and characterization of potent, non-peptidic SMAC mimics/XIAP inhibitors as proapoptotic agent for cancer therapy, Pierfausto Seneci, Aldo Bianchi, Cristina Battaglia, Laura Belvisi, Martino Bolognesi, Andrea Caprini, Federica Cossu, Elena de Franco, Marilenia De Matteo, Domenico Delia, Carmelo Drago, Daniele Lecis, Leonardo Manzoni, Eloise Mastrangelo, Mario Milani, Ilaria Motto, Donatella Potenza, Vincenzo Rizzo, Federica Servida, Elisa Turlizzi, Maurizio Varrone, Francesca Vasile, and Carlo Scolastico, Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 2009, 17, 5834
   9.    Enantioselective oxidation of a alkyl aryl sulfide: Synthesis of (S)-(-)-Methyl p-bromophenyl sulfoxide, C. Drago, E. Walker, L. Caggiano and R.F.W. Jackson, Organic Syntheses, 2009, 86, 121. 
   10.    mimetics. Structure, activity and recognition principles, Eloise Mastrangelo, Federica Cossu, Mario Milani, Graziella Sorrentino, Daniele Lecis, Domenico Delia, Leonardo Manzoni, Carmelo Drago, Pierfausto Seneci, Carlo Scolastico, Vincenzo Rizzo and Martino Bolognesi, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2008, 384, 673.
   11.    A Vanadium-catalysed Sulfur Oxidation/Kinetic Resolution Process for the Synthesis of Enantiomerically Pure Alkyl Aryl Sulfoxides, Carmelo Drago, Lorenzo Caggiano, and Richard F.W. Jackson, Angewandte-Chemie International Edition, accepted as VIP, 2005, 44, 7221

Contact   RESEARCH SITE OF CATANIA

   carmelo.drago@cnr.it

  (+39) 095 7338350

Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9924-179X

Scopus Author ID: 25626048900 Researchgate Scholar Web of science View curriculum

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2021-today: Senior researcher at CNR-Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB), Pozzuoli (NA) Italy

2009-2020: Staff Researcher at CNR-Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB), Pozzuoli (NA) Italy

 

The research activity, in the field of green chemistry and processes for sustainability, is framed in the following topics:

• Chemical studies of microbial metabolism for the biotechnological development of sustainable bioprocesses
• Production of bioenergy (biohydrogen and biodiesel) and added-value molecules through biological processes in hyper-thermophilic bacteria and marine microalgae
• Capture and valorization of CO2 through microbial platforms
• Isolation, structure elucidation, imaging and biosynthesis of small molecules with functional roles

 

Responsible for the CNR of numerous National and European projects, including EU Project EUREMAP (2024-2026 G.A. n. 101131663) “European Research Infrastructures for Marine Bioprospecting”, EU Project BioRECO2VER (2018-2021, G.A. n. 760431,) ”Biological routes for CO2 conversion into chemical building blocks” and the Project PON01_02740 SIBAFEQ (2011-2015) “Integrated exploitation of algal biomass in a quality energy chain”. Author of 102 scientific publications in international journals, H-index 29, and 1 European Patent. She recently spent three weeks in the laboratories of Prof. Zoltan Takats, Imperial College of London, within the program Short Term Mobility (CNR-STM) 2024. Invited speaker and relator at least of 15 international congresses, and Member of the Scientific Board at least 8 International Congresses. Member of the ICB Institute Council (CdI) since 2019. Tutor of 6 post-Docs, 5 PhDs, 3 Internships, 6 Degree Theses. 

Researcher unique identifiers: Scopus Author ID: 56688544700; Web of Science ID: AAW-8651-2020; ORCID: 0000-0002-6821-6962

Skills Microbial metabolism
Vio-organic chemistry
Metabolic engineering
Structural elucidation by NMR and MS
Cultivation of marine microalgae and hyper-thermophilic anaerobic bacteria Publications

D’Ippolito Giuliana*, Landi Simone, Esercizio Nunzia, Lanzilli Mariamichella, Vastano Marco, Dipasquale Laura, Pradhan, Nirakar, Fontana Angelo. CO2-Induced Transcriptional Reorganization: Molecular Basis of Capnophillic Lactic Fermentation in Thermotoga neapolitana. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, 2020, Volume: 11, Article Number: 171. (ISSN): 1664-302X. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00171

Vella Filomena Monica, Sardo Angela, Gallo Carmela, Landi Simone, Fontana Angelo,

D’Ippolito Giuliana*. Annual outdoor cultivation of the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii: productivity, limits and perspectives. ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS, 2019, Volume: 42, Article Number: 101553. (ISSN): 2211-9264. doi: 10.1016/j.algal.2019.101553

Gallo Carmela, d’Ippolito Giuliana*, Nuzzo Genoveffa, Sardo Angela, Fontana Angelo. Autoinhibitory sterol sulfates mediate programmed cell death in a bloom-forming marine diatom. NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, 2017, Volume: 8, Article Number: 1292. (ISSN): 2041-1723. doi: 10.1038/s41467-017-01300-1

D’Ippolito Giuliana*, Sardo Angela, Paris Debora, Vella Filomena Monica, Adelfi Maria Grazia, Botte Pierpaolo, Gallo Carmela, Fontana Angelo. Potential of lipid metabolism in marine diatoms for biofuel production. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS, 2015, Volume: 8, Article Number: 28. (ISSN): 1754-6834. doi: 10.1186/s13068-015-0212-4

D’Ippolito Giuliana, Dipasquale Laura, Fontana Angelo. Recycling of Carbon Dioxide and Acetate as Lactic Acid by the Hydrogen-Producing Bacterium Thermotoga neapolitana. CHEMSUSCHEM, 2014, Volume: 7, Issue: 9, Pages: 2678-2683. (ISSN): 1864-5631. doi: 10.1002/cssc.201402155D

Contacts   MAIN RESEARCH SITE, POZZUOLI (NA)

   gdippolito@icb.cnr.it

   (+39) 081 8675096

Scopus Author ID: 56688544700
Web of Science ID: AAW-8651-2020;
ORCID: 0000-0002-6821-6962 View curriculum

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Biography Skills Publications Contacts Biography Skills Publications Contacts    RESEARCH SITE OF SASSARI

   emma.fenude@icb.cnr.it

  (+39) 079 2841205 View curriculum

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Since 1999: 3rd level researcher.

From 1994 to 1998: 3rd level researcher on a fixed-term basis

From 1991 to 1994: PhD in Chemical Sciences

1989: State examination.

From 1989 to 1991: Winner of the two-year CNR scholarship “

From May 1989 to December 1989: Federchimica” scholarship

1988: Degree in Chemistry.

1981: High school diploma

Skills Synthesis Natural compounds Organic chemistry Bioactivity Chirality Publications

Dettori, M.A.; Fabbri, D.; Pisano, M.; Rozzo, C. and Delogu, G. “Synthesis of Hydroxylated Biphenyls Derivatives Bearing an α,β-Unsaturated Ketone as Lead Structure for the Development of New Drug Candidates Against Malignant Melanoma” ChemMedChem 2021, 16, 1022-1033.

Oufensou.; Casalini, S.; Balmas, V.; Carta,. Chtioui, W.; Dettori M.A.; Fabbri, D.; Migheli, Q. and Delogu, G. “Prenylated trans-cinnamic esters and ethers against clinical Fusarium spp.: repositioning of natural compounds in antimicrobial discovery” Molecules 2021, 26, 658-675.

Kancheva, V.D.; Detttori, M.A.; Fabbri, D.; Alov, P.; Angelova, S.E.; Slavova-Kazakova, K.; Carta, P.; Menshov, V.A.; Yablonskaya, O.I.; Trofimov, A.V.; Tsakovska, I. Saso, L. “Natural Chain-Breaking Antioxidant and their Synthetic Analogs as Modulator of Oxidative Stress” Antioxidant 2021, 10, 624-652.

Brboric. J.; Klisic, A.; Kotur-Stevuljevic, J.; Delogu, G.; Gjorgieva Ackova, D.; Kostic, K.; Dettori, M.A.; Fabbri, D.; Carta, P.; Saso, L. “Natural and Natural-like Polyphenol Compounds: in Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Potential for Therapeutic Application” Archives of Medical Science, 2021, in press

Pisano, M.; Dettori, M.A.; Fabbri, D.; Delogu, G.; Palmieri, G. and Rozzo, C. “Anticancer activity of two Novel Hydroxylated Biphenyl Compound toword Malignant Melanoma Cells” Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22, 5636.

Contacts    RESEARCH SITE OF SASSARI    davide.fabbri@icb.cnr.it    (+39) 079 2841223 – Cell: 3339910778 ORCID: 0000-0002-4075-4793 Researchgate View curriculum

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Biography Skills Publications Contacts Biography Skills Publications Contacts   RESEARCH SITE OF CATANIA    l.ferreri@icb.cnr.it    095 7338338 View curriculum

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Tiziana Ferreri graduated in Industrial Chemistry (grade, 110/110 cum laude) at the University of Catania, Italy, supporting an experimental thesis entitled “Photoxidation products of Ultem polyether imide”. She worked as quality assurance manager and head of the Chemical/Biological laboratory at Medical System srl, in charge to the Quality System and organizing/supervision the chemical-biological tests on biomedical devices. She performed her internship at Sviluppo Chimica S.p.A. where she was involved on the management of Venture Capital projects in Sicily, where she drew up the Business Plans and an economic and scientific development plan for Sicily. On behalf of the Province of Caltanissetta, She also drew up the executive project to launch of an Environmental and Agri-food Analysis Laboratory. She worked at the Institute for Composite and Biomaterial Polymers of the CNR in Catania, where she was involved in the planning, drafting and development of research projects at regional, national and international levels. Among the activities supporting the research, she has been involved in the development of polymeric systems with antimicrobial activity for both biomedical and food packaging sectors. Since October 2019 she is a Technologist of the National Research Council working at the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, branch of Catania.

Skills Design
Technology transfer
Training
Antimicrobial materials Publications

Zampino, D., Mancuso, M., Zaccone, R., Recca, G., Puglisi, C., Thermo-mechanical, antimicrobial and biocompatible properties of PVC blends based on imidazolium ionic liquids. Materials Science and Engineering C, (2021), 122, 111920.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2021.111920

 

Calabrese V., Dattilo S., Petralia A., Pennisi M., Koverech G., Koverech A., Graziano A., Fronte V., Ferreri T., Calabrese E. J., Analytical approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of aging and aging-related disease: redox status and proteomics. Free Radical Research, (2015) 49(5), 511–524.

https://doi.org/10.3109/10715762.2015.1020799

E. Lallana, T. Ferreri, S. Carroccio, A. Puga, N. Tirelli “End-group rearrangements in poly(propylene sulfide) MALDI-TOF analysis. Experimental evidences and possible mechanisms”. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry (2012), 26, 2158-2164.

https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.6337

 

Zampino D., Ferreri T., Concetto P., Mancuso M., Zaccone R., Scaffaro R., Bennardo D. (2011) – PVC silver zeolite composites with antimicrobial properties. Journal of Materials Science, (2011), 46, 6734-6743.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-011-5629-y

Sabrina Carroccio, Concetto Puglisi, Giuseppina Scaltro, Tiziana Ferreri, Giorgio Montaudo – 2007 “Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight investigation of Nylon 6 and Nylon 66 thermo-oxidation products” European Mass Spectrometry Journal, (2007) 13(6), 397-408.

https://doi.org/10.1255/ejms.899

Contacts   RESEARCH SITE OF CATANIA

  PEC: tiziana.ferreri@pec.chimici.it

   t.ferreri@icb.cnr.it – tiziana.ferreri@cnr.it

   (+39) 095 7338353

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4051-4191
Researcher ID: AAZ-1052-2021 Scholar Web of science: View curriculum

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Dr. Finore received his Bachelor Degree in Environmental Sciences, Marine specialization at the Parthenope University in 2006, discussing the experimental thesis in Marine Microbiology entitled “Biodiversity studies of halophilic species of the salt lake Fuente de Piedra” , with the vote of 110/110; She then obtained the title of Expert in the Management of Protected Natural Areas at the University of Molise, from the 1st Master (Level II) in Governance of protected natural areas. In 2011, Dr. Finore obtained the title of DOCTOR of RESEARCH in “Environment, Resources and Sustainable Development” (XXIII cycle) by discussing the experimental doctoral thesis entitled: “Bioethanol: a source of renewable energy from extremophiles” with Label of “Doctor Europaeus” held at the CNR Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry of Pozzuoli (Na). Since 2019, she was promoted to the position of research fellow at ICB for the strategic area of ​​Green Chemistry.

Skills Extremophilic microorganisms
Extremozymes
Exopolysaccharides
Biotransformation
Waste biomass valorization. Publications

• Finore Ilaria; Adrien Vigneron; Warwick F. Vincent; Luigi Leone; Paola Di Donato; Aniello Schiano Moriello; Barbara Nicolaus; Annarita Poli (2020) “Novel Psychrophiles and Exopolymers fromPermafrost Thaw Lake Sediments”Microorganisms, 8, 1282.
  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32842646/

• Ilaria Finore, Licia Lama, Paola Di Donato, Ida Romano, Annabella Tramice, Luigi Leone, Barbara Nicolaus, Annarita Poli (2019) Parageobacillus thermantarcticus, an Antarctic Cell Factory: From Crop Residue Valorization by Green Chemistry to Astrobiology Studies Diversity 11(8), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/d11080128

• Di Donato Paola, Finore Ilaria, Poli Annarita, Nicolaus Barbara, Lama Licia (2019) “The production of second generation bioethanol: The biotechnology potential of thermophilic bacteria”. J of Cleaner Production 233; 1410-1417 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.152

• Ilaria Finore, Annarita Poli, Paola Di Donato, Licia Lama, Antonio Trincone, Massimo Fagnano, Mauro Mori, Barbara Nicolaus and Annabella Tramice ‘The hemicellulose extract from Cynara cardunculus: a source of value-added biomolecules produced by xylanolytic thermozymes’ Green Chem., 2016,18, 2460-2472 DOI: 10.1039/C5GC02774H

• Faruk Küçükaşik, Hande Kazak, Dilvin Güney, Ilaria Finore, Annarita Poli, Orhan Yenigün, Barbara Nicolaus, Ebru Toksoy Öner (2011). ‘Molasses as Fermentation Substrate for Levan production by Halomonas sp.’ Appl Microbiol Biotechnol (2011) DOI 10.1007/s00253-010-3055-8

Contacts   MAIN RESEARCH SITE, POZZUOLI (NA)

   ilaria.finore@icb.cnr.it

   PEC: ilariafinore@pec.it

   (+39) 081 8675118

ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3606-5140;
Researcher Scopus ID: 18036971400;
Web of Science Researcher ID: P-9423-2018 Publons Web of science Scholar View curriculum MDPI

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Doctor Mario Concetto Foti was born in Mascali (CT) on 8 December 1961, he graduated cum laude in pure chemistry in 1988 at the University of Catania, and in 1995 he was awarded the title of PhD by the Federico II University of Naples. From January 1999 he started working as a researcher of the Italian CNR and later has started developing kinetic models for antioxidants. From 1992 to 1994, he worked at the “National Research Council” (Ottawa, Canada), in the laboratory of Dr. Keith U. Ingold, distinguished scientist of the NRC. Later (2000 – 2001) he worked as “Research Associate” at the laboratory of Prof. Ross Barclay of the Mount Allison University of Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada, where he worked on naphthalen-1,8-di-olic antioxidants. In the academic years 2010 to 2012 he was appointed adjunct professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy teaching “Principles of General Chemistry” to students of Herbal Sciences and Nutraceuticals.

Skills Chemistry of radicals
Antioxidant
Dpph
Mechanisms of reaction
HAT
SPLET
ET
Solvent effects
phenols
Chemical kinetics Publications

1) Mario C. Foti, Carmelo Daquino, Corrada Geraci, Electron-Transfer Reaction of Cinnamic Acids and Their Methyl Esters with the DPPH• Radical in Alcoholic Solutions

J. Org. Chem. 2004, 69 (7), 2309-2314

Citato 691 volte (Google Scholar).

 

2) Riccardo Amorati, Mario C. Foti, Luca Valgimigli, Antioxidant activity of essential oils

J. Agric. Food Chem. 2013, 61 (46), 10835-10847

Citato 532 volte (Google Scholar).

 

3) Mario Foti, Mario Piattelli, MT Baratta, Giuseppe Ruberto, Flavonoids, coumarins, and cinnamic acids as antioxidants in a micellar system. Structure− activity relationship

J. Agric. Food Chem. 1996, 44 (2), 497-501

Citato 479 volte (Google Scholar).

 

4) Mario C. Foti, Antioxidant properties of phenols (review)

J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 2007, 59 (12), 1673-1685

Citato 263 volte (Google Scholar)

 

5) Mario C. Foti, Use and Abuse of the DPPH• Radical (review)

J. Agric. Food Chem. 2015, 63 (40), 8765-8776

Citato 195 volte (Google Scholar)

Contacts   RESEARCH SITE OF CATANIA

   mario.foti@icb.cnr.it

  (+39) 095 7338343

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1218-4612 View curriculum

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Director of the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry

Biography Skills Publications Contact Biography

Angelo Fontana (ORCID N. 0000-0002-5453-461X; WOS Researcher ID C-3354-2012) is Director of the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry (ICB) of the National Research Council (CNR) and Full Professor of Organic Chemistry at the Department of Biology of the University of Naples “Federico II”. He is the coordinator of the group of Bio-Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology whose research is aimed at the development of new therapeutic principles from small marine natural molecules and implementation of biotechnological processes and functional products from marine organisms. For these studies he has received numerous national and international funding. In 2016 he founded BioSEArch SRL, an advanced biotechnology start-up company for the development of natural products in medicine, functional foods and cosmetics. He is a permanent member of the international scientific committees for the “Marine Natural Products Symposium” and “European Conference on Marine Natural Products”, and in 2009 he was awarded the Apivita Award from the Phytochemistry Society of Europe for his contribution in the field of natural products.

Skills analysis, isolation, structural characterization and chemical synthesis of small organic molecules and their use in cell biology Biosynthesis of natural products and chemical studies of metabolism and cellular processes Functional applications and chemical biology of lipids and secondary metabolites Chemical communication mediated by small molecules Identification and mechanism of action of bioactive compounds Drug discovery and proof-of-concept of new pharmaceutical compounds (in particular antitumor and immunomodulating compounds) Implementation of biotechnological processes and functional products Chromatography Spectroscopy Synthesis NMR and MS Synthetic biology Publications in aggiornamento… Contact    MAIN RESEARCH SITE, POZZUOLI (NA)    direttore@icb.cnr.it    (+39) 081 8675018 – 081 8661444 View curriculum

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Giovanni achieved his Degree in Pharmaceutcal Chemistry at the University of Catania in October 2000 discussing a thesis about the synthesis of new chiral auxiliaries. After a couple of short contract projects by which he worked on the synthesis of nucleoside analogues, in April 2002 he moved to the Department of Organic Chemistry of the Loughborough University (U.K.) as a PhD student. Under the supervision of Prof. P.C.B. Page, during the following three years he worked on the total synthesis of the framework of Guaianolides, a family of naturally occurring biologically active compounds. In 2005, after his PhD, for six months Giovanni worked as synthetic organic chemist at Charnwood Molecular ltd, then he moved back to Italy, where in 2006 he started to collaborate with ICB-CNR (Catania) as a research fellow under the supervision of Dr Giovanni Nicolosi. Giovanni worked at ICB-CNR until 2016 at the beginning as a research fellow, then as a post-doc and finally, from 2014 to 2016, as a fixed term researcher. Topics of his research have been synthesis of glycerophosphoinositol’s analogues and derivatives, enzymatic biotransformations, synthesis and functionalisation of naturally occurring compounds, exploitation of waste material from food industry. After the experience at the ICB-CNR, from September 2017 to January 2022 Giovanni worked as a Medicinal Chemist at Vera Salus Ricerca s.r.l. where his research was about the project and synthesis of bioactive molecules and materials for the human health. In February 2022, Giovanni moved back to ICB-CNR as a permanent researcher. Giovanni enjoys reading, photography, sports and the good food.

Skills Project and multiscale organic synthesis of bioactive molecules
Modification of naturally occurring molecules.
Asymmetric synthesis
Biocatalyzed chemical transformations
Green Chemistry
Exploitations of waste material from food industry Publications

• Hydroxytyrosol recovery from olive mill wastewater: Process optimization and development of a pilot plant. CLEAN-Soil, Air, Water; 2017, 45 (4), 1600042; G. Fava, M.D. Di Mauro, M. Spampinato, D. Biondi, G. Gambera, G. Centonze, R. Maggiore and N. D’Antona.

• Glycerophosphoinositols: total synthesis of the first fluorescent probe derivative. Synlett. 2014, 2111, G. Greco, N. D’Antona, G. Gambera, G. Nicolosi.

• A novel chemo-multienzymatic synthesis of bioactive cyclophellitol and epi-cyclophellitol in both enantiopure forms. Tetrahedron Asymm. 2010, 21, 2448, N. D’Antona, R. Morrone, P. Bovicelli, G. Gambera, D. Kubak, L. Martinkova

• An ytterbium-catalysed Intramolecular aldehyde–ene reaction approach to the guaianolide and pseudoguaianolide diterpenoids: Synthesis of the guaiane skeleton, Synlett., 2006, 3411, P. C. B. Page, G. Gambera, C. M. Hayman, M. Edgar.

• Synthesis of new chiral bicyclic sultams and their use as auxiliaries in asymmetric conjugate addition of Grignard reagents, Tetrahedron: Asymm. 2002, 13, 1915, U. Chiacchio, A. Corsaro, G. Gambera, A. Rescifina, A. Piperno, R. Romeo, G. Romeo.

Contacts   RESEARCH SITE OF CATANIA

   giovanni.gambera@cnr.it

   (+39) 0957338384 View curriculum

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Gallo Carmela graduated in Biology from the University of Naples in 2011 with 110 cum laude. She received the PhD in Applied Biology at the University of Naples in 2015, focusing the research activity on the identification of bioactive molecules from marine organisms with an ecophysiological role and specific biochemical properties. After the PhD, she got a scholarship at CNR as part of the “Short-term Mobility” program for research activities abroad as part of the development of the project “The BRET technology and its application to screening assays”, carried out in the laboratories of prof. Simon J. Davis, Davis Lab Oxford, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine of the University of Oxford. She continued the research as a postdoc from 2015 in the Biorganic Chemistry group at the ICB-CNR in Pozzuoli in the laboratories of Prof. Angelo Fontana, specializing in the field of cell biology. In the current research phase she has developed a platform of assays on human cell lines of myeloid origin for the evaluation of the immunomodulating properties of natural compounds isolated from marine organisms and synthetic derivatives, aimed at the development of products for the formulation of vaccines and new principles for the treatment of diseases related to the decompensation of the innate immune system.

Skills Chemical biology
Drug discovery
Immunology
APC cells
Immune regulation
Bioactive molecules Publications

1. C. Gallo*, G. Barra, M. Saponaro, E. Manzo, L. Fioretto, M. Ziaco, G. Nuzzo, G. d’Ippolito, R. De Palma, A. Fontana*. A New Bioassay Platform Design for the Discovery of Small Molecules with Anticancer Immunotherapeutic Activity. Marine Drugs, 2020, 18(12), 604; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33260400/
2. C. Gallo, S. Landi, G. d’Ippolito, G. Nuzzo, E. Manzo, A. Sardo, A. Fontana. Diatoms synthesize sterols by inclusion of animal and fungal genes in the plant pathway. Scientific Reports, 2020; 10:4204; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-60993-5; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32144288/
3. E. Manzo*, C. Gallo*, L. Fioretto, G. Nuzzo, G. Barra, D. Pagano, I. Russo Krauss, L. Paduano, M. Ziaco, M. Della Greca, R. De Palma, A. Fontana. Diasteroselective Colloidal Self-Assembly Affects the Immunological Response of the Molecular Adjuvant Sulfavant. ACS Omega, 2019; 4, 7807−7814; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31459869/
4. C. Gallo, d’Ippolito G., Nuzzo G., Sardo A., Fontana A.  Autoinhibitory sterol sulfates mediate programmed cell death in a bloom-forming marine diatom. Nature Communications, 2017; 8 (1); https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29101388/
5. Manzo, E., Cutignano, A., Pagano, D., Gallo, C., Barra, G., Nuzzo, G., Sansone, C., Ianora, A., Urbanek, K., Fenoglio, D., Ferrera, F., Bernardi, C., Parodi, A., Pasquale, G., Leonardi, A., Filaci, G., De Palma, R., Fontana, A. A new marine-derived sulfoglycolipid triggers dendritic cell activation and immune adjuvant response. Scientific Reports (Nature),2017; 7: 1-10; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28740080/

Contacts   Main office in Pozzuoli (NA)

   carmen.gallo@icb.cnr.it

   (+39) 081 6132223

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1665-2615 View curriculum

ICB Director

Researchers and technologists

Technical and administrative

Biography Skills Publications Contacts Biography

Valentina Giglio, graduated with honors in Biomolecular Chemistry from the University of Catania in 2012. In 2016, she achieved her International PhD in Translational Biomedicine from the same university, focusing her research on the synthesis and characterization of cyclodextrin-based polymeric derivatives as drug delivery systems. During her PhD, she spent a period as visiting PhD student at the Institut de Science et d’Ingénierie Supramoléculaires at the University of Strasbourg, working on the synthesis and functionalization of mesoporous silica nanoparticles for drug delivery. After completing her PhD, she got a Post-Doc fellowship at the same french research institute to continue her research on nanoparticle functionalization. In 2017, she came back to Italy as research fellow until 2021 at the Organic Mass Spectrometry Laboratory at the Department of Chemical Sciences at the University of Catania, where she gained extensive expertise in mass spectrometry, both for proteomic studies and for the determination of small molecules in biological matrices. From 2021 to 2023, she worked as researcher at the Innovative Development Department at Fidia Farmaceutici, developing new hyaluronic acid-based drugs. Since July 2023, she has been a Level III researcher on a fixed-term contract at ICB-CNR in Catania, where she focuses on the synthesis and characterization of macroporous cryogels based on calixarene macrocycles for the removal of pollutants from wastewater and air.

Skills

• Mass spectrometry for qualitative and quantitative analysis of protein and small molecules
• Organic synthesis
• Synthesis of polymeric and inorganic nanomaterial
• Synthesis of macroporous polymeric material
• Targeted drug delivery systems

Publications

1. Giglio V., Zagni, C., Spina E.T.A., Cunsolo F., Carroccio S.C. “Polyvinylimidazole-Based Cryogel as an Efficient Tool for the Capture and Release of Oleuropein in Aqueous Media” Polymers 2024, 16, 2339.
2. Bognanni N., Scuderi C., Giglio V., Spiteri F., La Piana L., Condorelli D., Barresi V., Vecchio G. “Cyclodextrin Dimers Functionalized with Biotin as Nanocapsules for Active Doxorubicin Delivery Against MCF-7 Breast Cell Line” ChemMedChem 2024 Sep 9:e202400368.
3. Giglio V., Varela-Aramburuc S., Travaglini L., Fiorini F., Seeberger P. H., Maggini L, De Cola L, “Reshaping silica particles: Mesoporous nanodiscs for bimodal delivery and improved cellular uptake” Eng. J. 2018, 340, 148-154.
4. Giglio V., Viale, M., Bertone, V., Maric, I., Vaccarone, R., Vecchio, G., “Cyclodextrin polymers as nanocarriers for sorafenib” Invest New Drug 2018, 36, 370-379.
5. Giglio V., Sgarlata C., Vecchio G., ”Novel amino-cyclodextrin cross-linked oligomer as efficient carrier for anionic drugs: A spectroscopic and nanocalorimetric investigation”, RSC Adv, 2015, 5, 16664-16671.

Contacts

  RESEARCH SITE OF CATANIA

   v.giglio@icb.cnr.it

   095 7338335

View curriculum

ICB Director

Researchers and technologists

Technical and administrative