Biography

My career has primarily focused on the study of biological targets involved in neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases, with an emphasis on the design, synthesis, and screening of molecules capable of interacting with biological targets for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. During my Ph.D. within a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (Grant Agreement 612347), I worked on the development of high-throughput screening techniques for small molecules that disrupt the binding of Aβ1-42 to PrPC, a key factor in Alzheimer’s disease. I conducted this research under the supervision of Prof. Beining Chen from the Chemistry Department at the University of Sheffield (UK), where I spent nearly three years (see Matos et al., Pure and Applied Chem. J., 2019, 91 (7), 1107-1136, and Grayson et al., Chem. Sci., 2021, 12, 3768).

During my five years as a junior researcher at the University of Bari's spin-off company, Biofordrug S.r.l., I was involved in the development of biological assays and smart kits for determining circulating biomarkers related to neurodegenerative diseases, such as free copper ions (Cu++) (see WO2014071973), ceruloplasmin, and microRNA (see Gisel et al., Molecules, 2014, 19, 5611-5623; Contino et al., Austin Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, 2015, 2, 1022; Squitti et al., Mol Neurobiol., 2017, 54, 671–681; Squitti et al., Clin Chem Lab Med., 2017, 55 (9), 1360-1367). I also worked on the design, chemical, physical, and biological characterization of potential PET radiotracers for in vivo imaging of P-glycoprotein, a bivalent target involved in both neurodegenerative pathologies and multidrug resistance (see WO2016174496). During this time, I gained extensive experience in setting up and performing biological protocols such as qPCR, Western blot analysis, ELISA, Immunocytochemistry, FACS, and optical techniques.

Later, I gained experience as a radiopharmaceutical quality control specialist for Beforpharma S.r.l. at the Nuclear Medicine Department of Bari Hospital. During this time, I worked on the validation of facilities, equipment, and analytical methods, as well as the setup of production lines for gallium-68 and lutetium-177 radiopharmaceuticals, which are used as diagnostic and therapeutic tools, respectively, for neuroendocrine cancers. Additionally, within the regional Innonetwork grant, I contributed to the development of a cold kit for PSMA ligands, which are used for the preparation of 68Ga-PSMA and 177Lu-PSMA radiopharmaceuticals (see WO2022144764).

Currently, as a research fellow at the Department of Pharmacy-Drug Science at the University of Bari, my research activities focus on developing molecules targeting P2X7 receptors (see Ghafir El Idrissi et al. Current Medicinal Chemistry 2023, 31 (11): 1361 – 1403) and other key receptors involved in the neuroinflammation (see Tylek et al. Cells 2023, 12, 2570, and Ghafir El Idrissi et al. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2024, 17(9):1238). Specifically, I am working on the design, synthesis, and evaluation of new potential P2XR PET and SPECT radiotracers. I serve as the principal investigator (PI) for a project funded by the Apulian region’s Research For Innovation (REFIN) grant and am also the PI for a project funded by the University of Bari through the ERC-SEEDS grant. Recently, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Disease has funded the development of a PET tracer targeting the purinergic P2X7 receptor to facilitate molecular imaging of neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s disease, where I serve as a co-investigator.