Design and synthesis of bioactive compounds QSAR, molecular modeling and pharmacoinformatics.Design and synthesis of compounds modulating the kynurenine pathway and tryptophan degradation.Design and synthesis of compounds acting on lipid signaling, with focus on endocannabinoids and related substances.New methods in asymmetric synthesis and exploration of the reactivity of heterocyclic platforms for the preparation of bioactive compounds.Characterization of metabolic and chemical reactivity of bioactive compounds through bio-analytical methods.Design and synthesis of compounds interfering with the Eph-Ephrin system.Design and synthesis of bioactive compounds, interacting with enzymes, membrane or nuclear receptors or protein-protein interfaces.Development of general procedures for simulating and predicting the enzymatic reactions with xenobiotics.
Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics Innovative pharmaceutical forms for drug delivery.Modified release of drugs, with focus on hydrophilic matrices and transdermal release systems.Nasal, pulmonary, ocular and transmucosal administration of drugs; non-invasive administration of peptides, proteins; micro and nanosytems for drug delivery and targeting.Solid state of drugs, particles, crystals, complexes and inclusion compounds.Pharmaceutical polymers; biopharmaceutical polymers for tissue engeneering and controlled release of growth and differentiation factors.Bioavailability of drugs and endogenous substances.Drugs for the elderly and for infants.Dermocosmesis and cosmeceuticals.Nutraceuticals.
Biochemistry, biophysics e molecular biology Mechanisms of enzymatic catalysis: regulation, stability and characterization of interactions with ligands having pharmaceutical relevance.Expression and modification of proteins with pharmaceutical relevance, through site-specific mutagenesis and combinatorial approaches of protein engeneering.Study of biomolecules and supramolecular complexes by Atomic Force Microscopy and optical tweezers.Functional characterization of hemoglobins in solution, crystallized or encapsulated in silica gel; development of blood substitutes.Proteomic analysis of organs, biological fluids and foods, for the identification of biomarkers and biomolecular targets for drugs and for toxicological investigations.Stabilizing activity of natural polyphenols on the amyloidogenic protein, transthyretin.Molecular and functional characterization of new compounds for the development of non-viral vectors in gene therapy.Tissue kinetics of bioactive compounds with focus on thermodynamics of hydrophobic interactions.
Experimental pharmacology e toxicology Mechanism of action for endogenous mediators involved in central or peripheral control of gastrointestinal motility and secretion.Pharmacological modulation of hepatic metabolism for lipoproteins and unsaturated fatty acids; characterization of lipoprotein-receptor interactions.Discovery of specific ligands for pharmacologically relevant targets, through in-vivo and in-vitro investigations.Pharmacological study of the histaminic and muscarinic systems as targets for neurodegenerative diseases.Pharmacological study of the Eph-ephrin system and its possible implications in pharmacotherapy.Endothelial dysfunctions and vascular remodeling in hypertension, dyslipidemias, diabetes and obesity.Pharmacological modulation of acute and chronic inflammation by innovative agents: tolerability, molecular mechanisms and tests in holistic experimental models.
