Short CV

Antonio Lupia was born in Catanzaro, Italy, on March 7, 1989. He earned his degree in Pharmacy in 2015 from the University “Magna Græcia” of Catanzaro, defending an experimental thesis in computational chemistry focused on identifying selective bioactive ligands for protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B. During this period, he conducted research at the Molecular Design Lab of the Freie Universität Berlin.

In 2019, he received his PhD in Life Sciences from the University “Magna Græcia” of Catanzaro, with a thesis on molecular modeling of epitopes recognized by neoplastic B-cells in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), and was awarded the Paul Ehrlich Euro-PhD Award. He subsequently held postdoctoral positions at the University of Naples “Federico II” and completed a Second-Level Master’s Degree in Clinical Experimentation at Luiss Business School, focusing on regulatory, managerial, and operational aspects of clinical trials.
He is currently a Researcher (RTDA) at the University of Cagliari (CADDLab), where he also teaches protein modeling. His academic experience includes international research and teaching mobility as a Visiting Researcher at the University of Porto and as a visiting lecturer at the Freie Universität Berlin. He holds the National Scientific Habilitation (ASN) for the position of Associate Professor in Medicinal Chemistry (Chem-07/A).

The scientific interests concern the application of computational methods, including Pharmacophore, Molecular Docking, 3D-QSAR, Molecular Dynamics, and Virtual Screening techniques, as well as a great interest in the study and application of processes based on Machine Learning (ML) to investigate the drug-receptor interactions, design and lead-optimisation of potential drugs.

Antonio is part of the "Design, synthesis and extraction of bioactive compounds" team, where the research lines include:
1. Identification of new molecules with antiviral activity (targeting HIV-RT, EBOV VP35 and VP24, viral helicases from Coronaviruses and Flaviviruses, Flavivirus proteases), antitumor activity (particularly targeting kinases, hCA IX and XII, angiogenesis), antifungal and anti-inflammatory activity (COX-2, IL-6, MCP-1, FAAH), activity on CB2 receptors, opioid receptors, multi-target action, and for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
2. Synthesis and semi-synthesis of organic molecules with potential pharmacological activity.
3. Application of Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD) and virtual screening approaches for the identification of new compounds, Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) studies, and prediction of drug-like (ADMET) properties.
4. Application of advanced chemoinformatics protocols and AI-driven data mining for pharmaceutical research and drug design.
5. Identification and structural elucidation of bioactive compounds from higher plants.
6. Study of the mechanism of action of biologically active organic compounds
Antonio has collaborated with prestigious international research teams both in research-related Projects and as part of the Organizer Committee of national/international meetings.

All this underlines high flexibility and team-based workability chiefly in dynamic and changing circumstances, but always with a remarkable scientific curiosity.

---

Titoli di studio e carriera

Dal 26/06/2024 al 26/06/2035
Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale 2023-2025
Settore Concorsuale 03/D1 - II Fascia

 

Dal 01/03/2023 - ad oggi
Ricercatore universitario a t.d. tipo A (RTDA)

 

Dal 20-01-2024 - ad oggi
Docente del corso di Protein Modeling
CdS in Biologia Cellulare e Molecolare - Curriculum ACS
LINK

 

Dal 20-01-2024 al 26-01-2024
Fellowship - Visiting Researcher
University of Porto, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Prof. Fernanda Borges

 

Dal 13-02-2024 al 25-01-2024
Staff Mobility for Teaching - MOSTA
Institut für Pharmazie, Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie
Freie Universität Berlin - Institut für Pharmazie, Berlin
Prof. Gherard Wolber

 

16/12/2022
Master Universitario di II livello – Luiss Business School
Master in Management della Filiera della Salute
Major in Sperimentazione Clinica: aspetti regolatori, gestionali, operativi

• Assetti Istituzionali e Sistemi di finanziamento
• Aspetti normativi e regolatori
• Pianificazione di uno studio clinico
• Il percorso autorizzativo di uno studio clinico
• Gestione e conduzione degli studi Clinici
• Monitoraggio e controllo degli studi clinici
• Analisi dei risultati
Supervisor Dott.re Gianfranco De Feo, Dirigente della Direzione Scientifica I.N.T. Fondazione G. Pascale (Napoli)
Dott.re Fabrizio Galliccia, Dirigente di I livello delle professionalità sanitarie – Ispettore Senior GCP presso AIFA.

Dal 01-10-2022 al 28-02-2023
Postdoctoral Research - CHEM-07/A Chimica farmaceutica (ex CHIM/08)
Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”
Responsabile Scientifico Prof. Bruno Catalanotti

Dal 01-10-2021 al 30-09-2022
Postdoctoral Research - CHEM-07/A Chimica farmaceutica (ex CHIM/08)
Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”
Responsabile Scientifico Prof. Vittorio Limongelli

Dal 01-08-2019 al 31-03-2021
Ricercatore e co-founder dello spinoff Net4Science srl (N4S)
c/o Università “Magna Græcia” di Catanzaro
Campus Universitario “S. Venuta”, Viale Europa, 88100, (CZ)
CEO spinoff Prof. Francesco Ortuso
Responsabile Scientifico Prof. Stefano Alcaro

05/04/2019
Dottore di ricerca (PhD)
Titolo della tesi: "Molecular modelling of epitopes recognised by neoplastic B-cells in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)”

 

Dal 31-01-2018 al 31-07-2018
Visiting PhD Student
c/o Istituto Oncologico di Ricerca (IOR)
Via Vincenzo Vela 6, 6500, Bellinzona, (CH)
Supervisor Dr. Francesco Bertoni & Dr. Eugenio Gaudio

Dal 05-11-2015 al 30-11-2018
Dottorato di Ricerca in Scienza della Vita
Università degli Studi “Magna Græcia” di Catanzaro
Supervisor Prof.ssa Ileana Quinto

22/10/2015
Laurea in Farmacia
Università degli Studi "Magna Graecia" di Catanzaro
Titolo della tesi: Identification of new selective bioactive ligands for Phospho-Tyrosine-Phosphatase 1B
Supervisor Prof.ssa Anna Artese

01/02/14 to 31/07/2014
Guest Researcher
Institut für Pharmazie, Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie
Freie Universität Berlin - Institut für Pharmazie, Berlin
Prof. Gherard Wolber, Dr. Alexandra Naß e Dr. Jamil Al-Asri

 

11/07/2008
Diploma di Maturità Classica
Liceo Classico “P. Galluppi”, Catanzaro

---

Trasferimento Tecnologico
Socio fondatore dello spinoff accademico Net4Science srl (N4S)
c/o Università “Magna Græcia” di Catanzaro, Campus Universitario “S. Venuta”, Viale Europa, 88100, Catanzaro
Codice Fiscale/P.IVA: 0366606079
Registro delle Imprese di CATANZARO (IT)
Data atto di costituzione: 18-12-2018
Iscritta nella sezione ORDINARIA il 27-12-2018
Iscritta nell’apposita sezione speciale in qualità di STARTUP INNOVATIVA il 27-12-2018

---

Premi e Riconoscimenti

• Paul Ehrlich Euro-PhD Award (www.pehrlichmedchem.eu)
• ANGI Award 2020 – “Associazione Nazionale Giovani Innovatori”

---

Informazioni aggiuntive

·         Researchgate
·         Linkedin
·         Orcid

---

Skill Highlights
• Knowledge of computational techniques in the Drug Discovery process
• Excellent command of molecular modelling software (Schrödinger suite, LigandScout, AMBER, Autodock, FLAP, KNIME)
• Good knowledge of programming languages (Python, PHP, JavaScript, and HTML editing)
• Excellent skills with Adobe Illustrator, CyberLink Power Director and others related to Photo/Video/Music editing
• Excellent command of Microsoft Windows OS, Linux OS and Mac OS

Soft skills:
• Professionalism, coherence, and respect
• Creativity and attention to detail
• High flexibility and adaptation in a new context
• High problem-solving skills, motivation, and goal bearings