1. 1) Design and synthesis of biologically active molecules
    
   - Development of enzyme inhibitors as chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer and parasitic diseases
   The research group has a consolidated experience in the design, synthesis and SAR study of covalent and non-covalent enzymatic inhibitors, with a target-based approach. At present, the research activities are focused on the development of covalent inhibitors of glycolytic enzymes as novel anticancer agents and in the design of nature-inspired covalent inhibitors of parasitic enzymes with the aim of developing chemotherapeutic agents against malaria and other protozoan infectious diseases.
   - Neuroprotection strategies based on the modulation of the glutamatergic system.
   The research group has a consolidated experience in the design, synthesis and SAR study of conformationally constrained analogues of endogenous amino acids L-glutamate, L-glutamine, L-aspartate and GABA. At present, the research activities are focused on the design and synthesis of new highly selective Glu receptor ligands as anticonvulsant and neuroprotective agents or as tools for the development of SNC imaging agents.
2. Innovative synthetic methodologies
    
   The research group activities are focused on the development of innovative, efficient and sustainable flow chemistry-based synthetic methodologies for the preparation of biologically active compounds, API or their intermediates. The combined use of highly automated continuous-flow procedures and polymer-supported reagents, (bio)catalysts and scavengers, allows the setup of complex synthetic sequences with several advantages including reduced time and costs and reduced environmental impact. The more recently developed methodologies relate to biotransformations catalyzed by immobilized enzymes or whole cells, with interesting applications in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical fields.

The research group collaborates with several public and private institutions: University of Copenhagen, Johns Hopkins University, University of Berna, University of Montana, National Research Council of Milan, Politecnico di Milano, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Università degli Studi di Parma, Università Federico II di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Università degli Studi di Verona, Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., Olon S.p.A.

ERC panels
PE5_18 Medicinal chemistry
LS1_13 Early translational research and drug design
LS4_12 Cancer
LS6_9 Antimicrobials, antimicrobial resistance
LS5_18 Innovative methods and tools for neuroscience
PE4_9 Method development in chemistry
PE4_10 Heterogeneous catalysis
LS9_4 Microbial biotechnology and bioengineering