Cirone Italo

Italo Cirone graduated cum laude in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology from the University of Cagliari, with a thesis focused on small antitumor molecules. After a research period in Galway, Ireland, he began his PhD at the University of Pisa, where he worked on the design, synthesis, and biophysical characterization of 14-3-3 protein–protein interaction modulators with anticancer activity, as well as neuroprotective compounds investigated in C. elegans models. He subsequently obtained a postdoctoral fellowship focused on G6PD inhibitors and is currently working at ISOF on the synthesis and characterization of bioactive natural- and peptide-based molecules, as well as on the development of liposomal formulations of compounds with anticancer activity.

Design and synthesis of 14-3-3 protein–protein interaction modulators with anticancer activity and G6PD inhibitors for NAFLD-associated HCC; in vivo evaluation in C. elegans; synthesis and characterization of natural- and peptide-based bioactive molecules; and development of liposomal formulations of anticancer compounds.

Peptide synthesis • Organic chemistry • Antitumor activity • Neuroprotective compounds • Liposomal formulation

GC, HPLC–MS, NMR spectroscopy (1D and 2D), multistep organic synthesis of bioactive molecules, solid-phase peptide synthesis, chromatographic purification, structure–activity and structure–property relationship analysis, in vivo assays, liposomal formulation.