Highlights
2024
- Sep 2024- On September 13 our group hosted the final conference of the project "VIPER: Learning a lesson: fighting SARS-CoV2 infection and get ready for other future pandemic scenarios" funded by the NATO program "Peace for Science and Security". The collaborators from the University of Torino, Messina, Padova, the Karolinska Institute and the Uppsala University presented their respective project advances, shared their ideas on the next steps, and, in the end, a great lunch all together!
- Aug 2024- Sep 2024: Meet us at XXVIII Società Chimica Italiana National Congress 2024 (26th-30th August 2024, Milano) and XXVIII EFMC-ISMC 2024 (01st-5th September 2024, Roma)!
Dr. Chiara Vigato, delivering her oral communication titled “Overcoming of metabolic issues in 2-hydroxypyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine scaffold-based inhibitors of human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase:
The Story of MEDS700” at the XXVIII Società Chimica Italiana National Congress 2024.
Dr. Noemi Villella delivering her flash communication titled “Identification of a potent and innovative inhibitor of human Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase, triggering differentiation and apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia” at the XXVIII EFMC-ISMC 2024.
Dr. Elena Martino delivering her flash communication titled “Exploring the central core of MEDS433: a bioisosteric journey through the enigmatic role of the amide mojety” at the XXVIII EFMC-ISMC 2024.
Dr. Iole Mannella delivering her flash communication titled “Targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase: SAR analysis and biological activity of a novel compound class” at the XXVIII EFMC-ISMC 2024.
- Aug 2024: We are thrilled to share the cover of the August issue of ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letter dedicated to AI-driven Drug Discovery, illustrated by our postdoc Chiara Vigato. The issue includes our last paper https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsmedchemlett.4c00150
About the cover: "The AI is portrayed as a young humanoid, symbolizing its immense learning ability. It identifies potential AKR1C3 inhibitors, with the most potent molecule shown at the center of its brain. Holding the protein–inhibitor crystallographic complex in hand, the AI eagerly integrates this knowledge into its continuous learning process"
- May 2024: Elena Martino (10/05) and Chiara Vigato (17/05) finally defended their Ph.D. Theses, titled "Exploring the 2-hydroxypyrazolo[1,5- a]pyridine core scaffold in the design of new ligands for biological application” and “Inhibition of Enzymes Involved in the Induction of Apoptosis and Differentiation as well as Drug-Resistance in Myeloid Leukemias”, obtaining their Ph.D. titles with honors.
Dr. Elena Martino defending her Ph.D. Theses, titled "Exploring the 2-hydroxypyrazolo[1,5- a]pyridine core scaffold in the design of new ligands for biological application”.
Dr. Chiara Vigato defending her Ph.D. Theses, titled "Inhibition of Enzymes Involved in the Induction of Apoptosis and Differentiation as well as Drug-Resistance in Myeloid Leukemias”.
- Mar 2024: Manmohan Sharma, a visiting Ph.D. Student from the Dep. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry of the Nirma University (India), joined us for 9 months to work con our common project aiming at targeting PfDHODH.
2023
- Nov 2023: The new XXXIX cycle Ph.D. Student Federico Fornaseri joined the team at the ADME & drug-like properties facility!
- Feb 2023: A new visiting Ph.D. student Angelika Grudinska, from the Dep. of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances of the Medical University of Lublin (Poland), joined us for 2 months to work on our common project focussed on the design of AKR1C3-CYP17A1 dual inhibitors to target Prostate Cancer.
2022
- November 2022 - Our spin-off DDC makes an important step forward gaining funding of 1.5 million euros by Utopia SIS, a society of investments focussing on biomedical healthcare promoted by Fondazione Golinelli, Fondazione Sardegna and by Antonio Falcone, the executive Vice President.
- July 2022 - Our project "learning a lesson: fighting SARS-CoV 2 Infection and get ready for Other Future Pandemic Scenarios" (acronym: VIPER) was selected by NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Program for funding! Check Prof Lolli's interview at the local News on our Spin-off page.
2021
- November 2021- Our PhD student Chiara Vigato has been selected as one of the Best Graduated students of the University of Torino, Academic Year 2018-2019. Her Master's Thesis titled "Application of a Bioisosteric Approach in the Design of Innovative Inhibitors of Aldo-Keto Reductase (AKR1C3) to Target Prostate Cancer" has been awarded as the best experimental Thesis of the whole Department of Drug Science and Technology of that year!
- July 2021- Our research line dedicated to the design and validation of innovative Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase (hDHODH) inhibitors as Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Agents has been founded by the INFRA-P2 COVID program, supported by Regione Piemonte, with 1M Euro. The project SILK, that involves four departments of the University of Turin (DSTF, DBIOS (Giorgio Gribaudo), DNS (Stefano Gotti) and DMS (Giovanni Di Perri)) and two private Italian research institutions (Fondazione Edo Tempia (Giovanna Chiorino) and Gem Forlab (Barbara Canepa), will lead our compound called MEDS433 to the threshold of human experimentation for COVID-19. We have published in these months the SILK extensive preparatory work (see: https://lnkd.in/dtvaWTJU, https://lnkd.in/drSCcbiz, https://lnkd.in/dNMUrMyx), check it out!