Teaching Staff
Academic Year 2025/2026
Lecturers
Prof. Docquier received an extensive training in both biochemistry and microbiology, and developed research projects focused on the molecular study of antibiotic mechanism of action and resistance, with a peculiar focus on β-lactamases, which he has been studying for over 20 years. He is an Associate Professor of Microbiology and teaches various aspects of Microbiology (including molecular microbiology, applied and pharmaceutical microbiology, and microbiology for drug discovery) to Medicinal Chemistry and Biotechnology students.
His research activities mainly focus (a) on the study of the molecular aspects of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, and (b) on the functional and structural characterization of β-lactamases, most importantly metallo-β-lactamases and serine-β-lactamases showing carbapenemase activity, as effectors of β-lactam resistance in clinically-relevant bacterial Gram-negative pathogens and as targets for enzyme inhibitors, and more recently, (c) on the discovery, optimization and characterization of novel compounds with antimicrobial properties.
Thierry Langer holds an MSc degree in Pharmacy (1988) and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (1991) from University of Vienna. He began his academic career at Leopold-Franzens-University of Innsbruck in 1992 after completing a post doctoral fellowship at the Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France with Prof. C.-G. Wermuth. In 1997, he was appointed Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at University of Innsbruck. In 2003, with colleagues, he founded the company Inte:Ligand GmbH which develops scientific software for computer aided molecular design, and served as the CEO until 2008. Then he was appointed CEO of Prestwick Chemical, Inc., a world renown contract research organization specialized in medicinal chemistry services, located in Strasbourg, France. Under his leadership, several drug discovery programs in different research target sectors successfully progressed into pre-clinical and clinical development. In 2013, he was nominated full professor for medicinal chemistry at University of Vienna, where he currently heads the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the Faculty of Life Sciences.
I am Full Professor of Economics at the University of Siena since 2003. Starting with 1995 I am Life Member of Clare Hall College, Cambridge UK. Moreover, I am member of the Center for Blockchain Technologies, University College London, and of the Blockchain Center of the University of Zurich. I was Italian Delegate to the 7th Framework Program (Cooperation-SSH), Deputy Rector and Head of the Economics Department of the University of Siena. I have been Chair in Innovation Procurement at the Maastricht School of Management (NL) economic consultant of CONSIP, the Italian Central Procurement Body, economic consultant of the Japanese Embassy in Rome. Furthermore, I have been consultant of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Dutch Ministry of Defence and the Dutch Ministry of Justice for procurements design. My interest and professionale experience are in procurement, auctions, market design, game and decision theory, contract theory, economics of innovation, health and pharmaceutical economics, blockchain and criptocurrencies. I published several articles in international peer reviewed journals and contributed, as author and editor, to several books. In particular, jointly with Gustavo Piga and Giancarlo Spagnolo I edited the Handbook of Public Procurement , Cambridge University Press.
Dr Daniele Castagnolo obtained his PhD in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Siena (Italy) in 2006 working with Professor Maurizio Botta on the synthesis of antimycobacterial agents and on the development of microwave assisted metathesis reactions. During his doctoral studies he also joined the research group of Professor Johann Mulzer at the University of Vienna (Austria) as visiting PhD student, working on the total synthesis of the Branimycin side chain.
After completing his Ph.D.,Daniele was appointed as postdoctoral research associate at the Helsinki Universityof Technology (Finland) in the group of Professor Petri Pihko, where he worked on the development of Brønsted acid catalytic reactions for the synthesis of non-anomeric [6.5]-spiroketals. In 2008 Daniele moved back to the Universiy of Siena as Research Fellow, working on metal-catalyzed alkyne reactions for the synthesis of drug-like compounds and on the identification of novel antifungal and antiviral agents. Finally, he completed his postodoctoral studies at the University of Manchester (UK) working in the research group of Professor Jonathan Clayden on the synthesis of tertiary thiols. In 2012, Daniele started his independent research at Northumbria University and later, in September 2015, he moved to King’s College London. Since January 2022, Daniele is Associate Professor in Chemical Sustainability at the Department of Chemistry at UCL.
Ciao, sono Mirjam Cugini, nata a Baden, una cittadina termale a pochi chilometri da Zurigo, il 13 gennaio1965. I miei interessi nell’ambito della comunicazione iniziano molto presto. Sin da piccola, infatti, sono spesso al centro di piccoli capannelli di bimbi, intenta ad organizzare giochi di gruppo e scorribande di cortile, tanto da guadagnarmi il nomignolo di “Frau Kommandant”, una sorta di piccolo “capo” in gonnella.
Da qui il mio indirizzo accademico e professionale. Mi laureo con lode in “Scienze della Comunicazione”, specializzazione in Giornalismo alla facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia dell’ Università di Verona. I miei studi nel campo della comunicazione, dalle neuroscienze comunicazionali, alla comunicazione intra ed inter-personale sono, ad oggi, pressoché ininterrotti con il conseguimento di un mastery in “Pnl e Tecniche di Comunicazione”, all’University Anthony Robbins, Los Angeles CA, i percorsi di formazione e specializzazione in “Structogram”, “Triogram”, “Analisi Transazionale”, “Lettura Veloce” e “Tecniche di Memoria” “Elementi Costitutivi Del Lavoro”, “Guidare con Autorità”, “Comunicazione e Tecniche Comunicative in Azienda”, “Motivazione di produzione: Come?”, e il master triennale appena concluso di Counseling pluralistico integrato a Siena. Attualmente, oltre che come libero professionista sono co-fondatore di Mj Consulting s.r.l, nonché responsabile dei servizi Aziendali di Analisi Comunicazionale Personale ed Interpersonale – ACP /ACPI, analisi Biostrutturale e Structogram, Time-Management Strategy – TMS, Empowerment Comunicazionale Aziendale. Dagli anni ’90 mi sono occupata di realtà eterogenee e per questo stimolanti. MI piace ricordarne alcune: Istituto Moda Industriale, BBV, Noema, Fondazione Arena di Verona, Nuova Media Italia, Nazionale Cantanti, Uboat, DR Moto dal Cuore, Andrea Manni ltd., Porto della Maremma Spa, Pri.Ma.Tex, Confcommercio, Confartigianato, Betty Group, Rockland, ItStudio, Fondazione Vita ITS UniSi, etc
Carla Ferreri si è laureata in Farmacia all’Università di Napoli nel 1979 e si è specializzata in Farmacia Ospedaliera nel 1981, ma la passione per la sintesi organica e la chimica farmaceutica l’ha portata prima nel 1983 all’Università di San Diego, California, collaborando con il gruppo del Prof. E. Wenkert, e poi dal 1984 nella ricerca universitaria presso il Dipartimento di Chimica Organica e Biologica dell’Università di Napoli, dove ha ricoperto il ruolo di ricercatore confermato per 17 anni. Dal 1990 ha iniziato a collaborare con il dott. Chatgilialoglu nel campo della chimica radicalica, e dal 2001 si è trasferita a Bologna presso il Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, dove ricopre attualmente il ruolo di Primo Ricercatore presso l’Istituto della Sintesi Organica e la Fotoreattività (ISOF- CNR). I suoi attuali interessi di ricerca riguardano il campo dei radicali liberi, sia con studi di base sulle trasformazioni chimiche in condizioni biomimetiche (condizioni acquose, modelli liposomiali), sia con studi applicati alle conseguenze dei diversi tipi di stress sulle principali biomolecole (DNA, proteine, lipidi) ed all’individuazione di biomarcatori correlati allo stress radicalico. E’ autrice di oltre 130 pubblicazioni scientifiche, 3 brevetti di cui 1 internazionale e 1 libro. Nel campo della lipidomica Carla Ferreri si è interessata ai cambiamenti per via radicalica che avvengono a carico degli acidi grassi insaturi presenti nei fosfolipidi di membrana, utilizzando modelli liposomiali e creando librerie molecolari di riconoscimento per acidi grassi mono- e poli-insaturi con geometria trans. Da tale ricerca è scaturito il progetto di innovazione “IL PROFILO LIPIDOMICO DI MEMBRANE CELLULARI: UN APPROCCIO MOLECOLARE APPLICATO ALLA SALUTE UMANA” con larga applicabilità alla medicina ed alla qualità della vita. Per questo progetto Carla Ferreri ha ottenuto nel 2010 il premio ITWIIN come Migliore Innovatrice Italiana e una menzione di merito al Premio Internazionale EUWIIN tenuto ad Helsinki nel 2011. Carla Ferreri è socio fondatore e guida la R&D dell’azienda Lipinutragen, spin-off della ricerca ufficialmente autorizzato dal CNR. Con l’azienda diffonde l’approccio della NUTRILIPIDOMICA, ovvero la strategia per il riequilibrio della membrana eritrocitaria attraverso una combinazione di analisi molecolare e indicazione nutraceutica/nutrizionale personalizzata al bisogno del’individuo, indirizzata a compensare sbilanciamenti dovuti a condizioni di salute, stress o nutrizione scorretta. La nutrilipidomica è già presente sul mercato italiano con gli strumenti di analisi FAT PROFILE e FAT PHARMACY (marchi Europei) e con linee di nutraceutica per la personalizzazione. (vedi: www.lipinutragen.it e www.nutrilipidomica.it per ulteriori informazioni).
Prof. Marco L. Lolli is an internationally recognized medicinal chemist with expertise in hit-to-lead optimization and the design of bioactive compounds using innovative bioisosteric strategies. His research focuses on drug discovery in key therapeutic areas, including broad-spectrum antivirals (notably SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses), oncology (leukemia, breast, and prostate cancers), neglected diseases (such as malaria and leishmaniasis), and neurotransmission (GABA and glutamate systems).
After earning his Master’s degree in Chemistry, he trained at leading research institutions in Italy and the United States, including the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Bracco’s R&D Division, The Ohio State University, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Since 2022, he has served as Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Turin, where he also obtained the National Scientific Qualification for Full Professorship.
Prof. Lolli has held visiting positions across Europe, the United States, and other international institutions, and coordinates multiple Erasmus collaborations. He has led or contributed to 16 competitive national and European research projects. He is also CEO of Drug Discovery and Clinic (DDC) s.r.l., a spin-off company advancing innovative hDHODH inhibitors toward clinical trials for acute myeloid leukemia and COVID-19.
His scientific output includes over 60 publications, 6 patents, and more than 1,200 citations, with an h-index of 23. A dedicated educator since 1999, he teaches advanced courses in drug synthesis and analysis and has supervised numerous PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and over 90 Master’s students.
Stefano Sainas studied at the University of Torino (Italy) where he received a
M.Sc. Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology in 2013. During the University period, he has been Visiting Master
Student for 3 months at Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology – University of Copenhagen, (Denmark)
under the supervision of Prof. Bente Frølund. In 2013, he won a postgraduate fellowship at University of Torino for 8
months. He was selected as a PhD student in Medicinal Chemistry under the supervision of Prof. Lolli in 2014.
Although his main PhD project included the designed and synthesis of hDHODH inhibitors, he has effectively
collaborated in many different projects. As part of his PhD experience, he spent two months at University of Milan in
order to learn flow chemistry techniques, an innovative technology able to increase the productivity and the
sustainability of the classical synthetic procedures. Moreover, he spent 9 months at Faculdade de Farmácia –
Universidade de Lisboa where he achieved skills in molecular docking by using software such as Moe, Gold, Pymol.
Following the PhD, he carried out 6 years of postdoctoral training period at University of Turin in MedSynth group. He
is currently Assistant Professor in Medicinal Chemistry at Department Drug Science and Technology, University of
Turin. As result of these experiences, he has published 24 papers on international peer-review journals and carried out
ten oral presentations at National/International conferences. He has supervised many Medicinal Chemistry Master
students during their Master Thesis experiments. On November 13, 2020, he co-founded a UniTo academic
Spin-Off called Drug Discovery and Clinic (or DDC) s.r.l. (www.ddcpharmaceutical.com).
Publications 19, Citations 276, H-index 10. Oral communications 10, Posters 27.
Two bachelor’s degrees at University of Bari [Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies (1986); and Pharmacy (1988)]; creative, self-motivated, “drug hunter” with a strong can-do spirit and sense of urgency, result-oriented and committed to deliver on promises. Thirty years’ experience within the pharmaceutical industry – Menarini Research Group, Sigma-Tau SpA and Alfasigma SpA – involved in many aspects of the drug discovery arena (mainly oncology) up to advanced stage of preclinical development studies. Experience in the Oncology field includes cis-Pt, Distamycins, Anthracyclines, Angiogenesis, Integrins, Retinoids, Heparins & Heparanase, Camptothecins, Hsp90, HDAC, PARP, ADCs. Contribution to the discovery and identification of clinical candidates: Adarotene (ST1926), Roneparstat (SST0001). Indirectly following the stages of development of drug candidates as Sabarubicina (MEN 10755), Gimatecan (ST1481), Namitecan (ST1968). I have managed resources up to 15 people and dozens of partnerships and service in outsourcing. Project Leader (R&D) and Head of Medicinal Chemistry Dpt. at Sigma-Tau. At present, within the Biotech Product Dpt. at Alfasigma . Over about 30Y I have coordinator laboratories and projects of new compounds with antitumor activity.
Walter Cabri Joined the Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna in December 2019 as Full Professor of Organic Chemistry. The Chemistry Department “Giacomo Ciamician” is a “Department of Excellence” of the Italian University system. After 35 years of Industrial experience leading R&D and RA departments in medium and large pharma companies I joined the Academia with the idea to transfer some of this experience to young scientists and students. The main area of interest are in Medicinal Chemistry (CNS, Oncology, antibiotics), and in Pharmaceutical Green Chemistry with the focus on small molecules and peptides using enzymatic and homogeneous organometallic catalysis (Palladium and Iron).
Claudia Sala trained as molecular microbiologist in the laboratory of Prof. Daniela Ghisotti, at the University of Milan (Italy), where she obtained her degree in Biological Sciences in 2000 and the PhD degree in Genetics and Molecular Biology in 2003. Her PhD thesis dealt with transcriptional regulation of the furA and katG genes in mycobacteria in response to oxidative stress. In the framework of the EU FP6 “New Medicines for Tuberculosis” (NM4TB) and FP7 “More Medicines for Tuberculosis” (MM4TB), she worked as post-doctoral fellow in the laboratories of Prof. Stewart Cole, at the Pasteur Institute in Paris first and then at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, where she was subsequently promoted to senior scientist. She took active part in several research projects, including functional genomics and investigations on the M. tuberculosis Type VII Secretion System, and established the ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq technologies in M. tuberculosis. She obtained the certificate of Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) Safety Officer from the Swiss Confederation as well as the FESALA Category B and Category C licenses for performing and directing experiments involving animals. She was the recipient of the Swiss TB Award in 2010. She has recently moved to Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences (TLS) in Siena, in the group led by Prof. Rino Rappuoli, and performs research on monoclonal antibodies and vaccine development. Her main interests include drug discovery against infectious diseases, vaccinology, host-pathogen interaction and biosafety.
Dr. Paolo Governa is a Tenure-track researcher in Medicinal Chemistry, with research activities focused on the development and validation of computational methods for drug discovery. His work involves molecular representations, virtual screening, docking, and molecular dynamics applied to microbial and neurodegenerative targets. His expertise also includes the study of medicinal plants and their bioactive compounds, with an integrated approach combining phytochemistry and medicinal chemistry.