Biography

Positions
1977-1981 CNR research grant in Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Florence University, I
1982-1992 researcher in Applied Pharmac. Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Florence, I
1993-2001 Assoc. Professor, Dept. Pharmac Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Florence Univ., I
2001-2012 Full Professor, Dept. Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Florence Univ., I
2013-present Full Professor, Dept. Chemistry, School of Human Health Sciences, Florence Univ., I

Appointments at the Florence University
1993- 2012: teaching staff member PhD in “Chemistry and technology of the drug”
2012-present: teaching staff member PhD in “Drug area and innovative treatments”
1998-2012 Intern. Relationships Responsible, LLP-Erasmus Delegate, Faculty of Pharmacy
2007-2010 Vice-Dean Faculty of Pharmacy
2013-present: Intern. Relationships Respons. LLP-Erasmus Delegate School of Human Health Sciences
2013-present: Member of Chemistry Department Council
2012-2014: Member of Scientific National Qualification Commission to University Professor SSD CHIM/09

National and International Appointments
1998: Member of European PhD Commission, Sevilla University, Spain
2002: Member PhD Commission, Siena University, Italy
2002: Member of European PhD Commission, Sevilla University, Spain
2004: Member of European PhD Commission, Madrid Complutense University, Spain
2005: teacher at European Summer School, Université René Descartes
2008: teacher at Master in " Ciencia, Tecnologia y Uso Racional del Medicamento”, Univ. Sevilla
2009: Member PhD Commission, Milan University, Italy
2010: teacher at International Summer School on Cyclodextrins, Sassari University
2011: teacher at Master in "Ciencia y Tecnologia Farmacéuticas y uso racional del Medicamento”, Univ. Sevilla

Research activity
Author of more than 190 Publications and more than 210 Communications to national and international Congresses
Main research interests are aimed at drug optimization in pharmaceutical formulations (for improving its efficacy, stability and safety) and at the development of innovative dosage forms for obtaining controlled and/or targeted drug release, achieving safer and more effective drug utilization. Different research lines are followed to reach these objectives:
- Improvement of unfavourable drug physicochemical properties through preparation of drug-cyclodextrin complexes or drug-carrier solid dispersions or mechano-chemically activated systems:
Drug-carrier solid systems are prepared by various methods and the effect of the preparation method on the properties of the system is evaluated. Drug-excipient interactions are investigated in solution (phase-solubility studies, U.V., fluorescence, CD, NMR, etc.) and in the solid state (DSC, TGA, HSM, optical microscopy, SEM, FTIR, NIR, X-ray diffraction, etc.).
Molecular modelling studies are performed to study the host-guest geometrical and/or conformational structure of drug-cyclodextrin complexes. Dissolution rate studies are carried out according to USP Apparatus I, II and IV. Diffusion test across artificial membranes are performed to simulate biological absorption.

- Preparation, characterization and evaluation of innovative formulations:
- Studies of the effects of formulation variables on drug release from solid (controlled/sustained-release matrices) semisolid (gel, patches, films) or liquid (microemulsions) pharmaceutical forms.
- vectorisation of drugs in micro- or nano-particle systems (liposomes, niosomes, microspheres, polymeric nanoparticles, lipid nanocarriers, solid-lipid nanoparticles, micelles), also by exploiting combined strategies (drug-in cyclodextrin-in liposome or in NLC) for oral or topic administration.;
- development of colon-targeted systems for oral administration exploiting combined approaches (pH- and/or time-dependency and triggering by the colon bacterial micro-flora);
- development of bio-adhesive buccal systems for local or systemic action based on films, patches, gels or tablets consisting of suitable biocompatible biodegradable polymers;
-development of formulations for delivery of drugs and peptides to SNC.
-Experimental Design strategies are applied to investigate by a multi-varied approach the interactions between the different formulation and process factors, and optimize the formulation with the minimum number of experiments, for obtaining products of predefined and constant quality, according to the Quality by Design (QdB) concept.
Each formulation type is carefully characterized by specific kinds of analysis,. In particular, drug release profiles are determined by in vitro methods (USP Apparatus I, II and IV) in the presence or not of enzymes, and permeation properties are determined by in vitro diffusion tests through artificial lipophilic membranes or excised rat skin or porcine mucosa. Experimental design techniques are used to identify the critical formulation variables and optimise their values to reach the prefixed goals.