UNITO

Prof. Francesca Spyrakis is full professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Drug Science and Technology at the University of Turin.
She works in the field of in silico drug design and discovery, applying and developing new methodologies for the identification of biologically active small molecules. Her research is mainly focused on the identification of new treatments and strategies to counteract antimicrobial resistance, and to inhibit the neuroinflammation induced by COVID-19 in the long term. She is the local coordinator of the UNITO unit within the ERASE Project.

ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4016-227X
Email: francesca.spyrakis@unito.it

Prof. Loretta Lazzarato is full professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Drug Science and Technology at the University of Turin.
Her scientific activity is mainly based on the design, synthesis, physical-chemical and pharmacological characterization of multitarget drugs. In particular, research activity was aimed at the development of new compounds with possible applications in the therapeutic fields of antimicrobial drugs, antitumor agents, with particular attention to multi-drug resistance issue, and anti-inflammatory agents.

ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7100-8593
Email: loretta.lazzarato@unito.it

Eleonora Gianquinto is postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Drug Science and Technology of the University of Turin, Italy. After graduating in Industrial Chemistry at the University of Turin in 2018, she enrolled in the PhD program in Pharmaceutical and Biomolecular Sciences under the supervision of Prof. F. Spyrakis, and eventually gained her PhD degree in 2022 defending the thesis ‘’In silico methods for the Design of Innovative Agents against Emerging Infectious Diseases’’. Her scientific activity is mainly based on the application of computational methods to the design and identification of antimicrobials towards Gram-positive and negative bacteria and inflammasome interferents.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0996-5936
Email: eleonora.gianquinto@unito.it

Mariacristina Failla graduated in Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry at University of Catania and in 2018 she moved to Turin as a research fellow at the Department of Drug Science and Technology. In 2019 she undertook a PhD, under the supervision of Prof. Lazzarato, in Pharmaceutical and Biomolecular Sciences that she is going to conclude by defending a thesis entitled: “New tools against cancer: NO photodonors to fight MDR and new 68Ga chelators for PET imaging”. Her research activity is based on the design, synthesis and characterization of small molecules with possible applications in the therapeutic fields of antimicrobial drugs and antitumor agents.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2318-2332
Email: mariacristina.failla@unito.it

Gioele Antonio Tiburtini graduated in October 2021 in Chemistry at the University of Turin with a thesis on composite DFT-based methodologies on inorganic crystals. In November 2022 he started its PhD in Pharmaceutical and Biomolecular Sciences under prof. Spyrakis with the title: “In silico prediction of bioaccumulation, toxicity and biodegradability of PFAS”. His project uses computational methodologies to evaluate the interactions and bioactivity of Per- and Poli-Fluorinated Compounds, some already banned and some newly formulated.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2989-4343
Email: gioeleantonio.tiburtini@unito.it

Matteo Bersani graduated in Chemistry at the University of Turin in April 2021, and he began working as a research fellow at Department of Drug Science and Technology in the M4Dlab research group for the following six months. In January 2022, he started a PhD in Pharmaceutical and Biomolecular Sciences under the supervision of Prof. Spyrakis, on a project entitled: “Identification of low environmental impact molecules to counteract antimicrobial resistance through in silico methodologies”. His research activity is mainly based on the discovery and the identification of new bioactive small molecules by means of computational methods, with a particular focus in the field of antimicrobial resistance and beta-lactamase inhibition.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9156-1644
Email: matteo.bersani@unito.it

Laura Bertarini is a post-graduate fellow at the Department of Drug Science and Technology at the University of Turin. She’s graduated with a Master degree in Chemistry and Drug Technology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia presenting an experimental thesis focused on the identification of novel carbapenemases’ inhibitors through in silico and in vitro approaches. Her fellowship project focuses on the application of computational methods to identify novel candidates able to counteract antimicrobial resistance and to search for potential and promising targets involved in the viral infection steps of betacoronaviruses.

Email: laura.bertarini@unito.it

Lorenza Rinaldi is a Chemistry Master student at the University of Torino, working on a thesis in Prof. Francesca Spyrakis’ group.
She graduated in BSc Chemistry L-27 and from the end of 2022 she joined the group of Prof. Spyrakis. She’s identifying with in silico techniques, new inhibitors that can prevent iron acquisiton in Staphylococcus aureus.

Email: lorenza.rinaldi@edu.unito.it