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Valentina OLIVERI

Assistant Professor of General and inorganic chemistry [CHIM/03]
Contacts

Office: I Piano Edificio 1
Email: valentina.oliveri@unict.it
Phone: 095 7385094

Valentina OLIVERI received her MChem Degree cum laude in 2010 and her PhD in Chemical Sciences in 2014 from the University of Catania (UniCT). She was a visiting PhD student at the University of Sussex (UK) in 2012. During her research activity overseas she gained skills to design, synthesize and characterize cyclodextrin derivatives. In the period June 2018- September 2021 she was a fixed-term researcher (RTD-a) at the Dept. of Chemical Sciences of UniCT, where presently is an Assistant Professor (RTD-b). In 2017, She got the national scientific qualification to Associate Professor in the CHIM/03 (ERC PE5) area.

As a bio-inorganic and supramolecular chemist, she has explored the chemistry and exploited the properties of different metal centers, especially Cu, Zn, and Fe, also in supramolecular networks.

Her research interests are focused on the design and development of new systems in targeted oncotherapy and neurodegenerative disorders. Her work was recognized by several fellowships and awards, the most recent being Italfarmaco-De Santis Award for the research activity in the field of glycoconjugates with biological activity.

VO has attended >50 Schools/Conferences since 2011 and published >50 publications in international peer-reviewed journals. As for institutional assignments, she is a Member of the Board of Communication of the University of Catania. VO mainly taught General/Inorganic Chemistry in various B.Sc. courses. Moreover, She serves as a reviewer and guest editor for several journals, among them Chemical Communications (RSC) which gave her official recognition as Outstanding Reviewer in 2018.

Academic Position

Sector: 03/B1, Fundamentals of Chemical Sciences and inorganic systems

Position: Assistant Professor (fix-termed researcher, RTDb)

Qualification as Associate Professor in General and Inorganic Chemistry (SSD CHIM/03 - SC 03/B1)

Qualification as Associate Professor in Fundamentals of Chemical Technologies (SSD CHIM/07 - SC 03/B2)

Institution: University of Catania

Department: Chemical Sciences

Scientific and professional experience

1/10/2021-present             Type B fixed-term researcher (Assistant Professor) in General and Inorganic Chemistry (SSD CHIM/03 - SC 03/B1), Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania

06/2018- 09/2021               Type A fixed-term researcher (Assistant Professor) in General and Inorganic Chemistry (SSD CHIM/03 - SC 03/B1), Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania        

07/2017-05/2018               Postdoctoral fellowship, ERC PE5 (CHIM/03), Project Title: “Toward the Discovery of Effective Glycoconjugated Inhibitors of self- and copper-induced α-Synuclein Amyloid Assembly”, Supervisor: Prof. R. Bonomo, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania        

05/2017-06/2017              Research grant, Supervisor: Prof. G. Vecchio, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania                        

03/2015-03/2017               Researcher (Co.co. Pro.), Interuniversity Consortium for Research in the Chemistry of Metal Ions in Biological Systems, Supervisor: Prof. G. Natile

03/2014-02/2015               Postdoctoral fellowship, ERC PE5 (CHIM/03), Project Title: “Synthesis and characterization of new glycoconjugates with anticancer activity,” Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania

01/2014-02/2014               Research fellow, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania

05/2012- 07/2012              PhD Visiting Student, School of Life Sciences (University of Sussex, UK)                       

03/2012                             PhD Visiting Student, Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Structural Chemistry, University of Bologna

12/2010-01/2011               Research fellow, Prof. E. Rizzarelli, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania

2018–present                    Member of the Board of the Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania

Education

2014      Ph.D. (cum laude) in Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Thesis: New glycoconjugates for the treatment of diseases related to metal dyshomeostasis, Tutor: Prof. G. Vecchio

2010      Master Degree (summa cum laude) in Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Catania, Thesis: Novel Artificial SODs: covalent and non-covalent conjugation of manganese complexes with biomolecules

2007      Bachelor Degree (summa cum laude) in Chemistry, University of Catania, Thesis: Analisi di polimorfismi di singolo nucleotide (SNPs) nel gene per l’enzima steroide-5-alfa-reduttasi 1A (SRD5A1)

SCIENTIFIC INTEREST

Main topics:

• Copper and Zinc ionophores with anticancer and antimicrobial activity

• Cuproptosis

• Selective targeting of cancer cells by metal-based agents

• Metal complexes as anticancer and antioxidant agents

• Dyshomeostasis of metal ions in cancer and anti neurodegenerative disorders

• Interaction of metal ligands and metal complexes with proteins

• Design, synthesis, and characterization of glycoconjugates with biological activity

•Design, synthesis, and characterization of cyclodextrin derivatives for drug delivery

 

PUBLICATION ACTIVITY

Total number of papers with IF: 50+ (Scopus)

Book chapters: 2 (Elsevier);

Cover pages: 4 (Chemistry, A European Journal, Dalton Transactions, ChemMedChem, Anal and Bioanal Chem)

Number of citations: 1380+ (Scopus)

H- (Hirsch) index: 23 (Scopus)

Over 60 contributions at National and International congresses

VIEW THE COURSES FROM THE A.Y. 2022/2023 TO THE PRESENT

Academic Year 2021/2022

Academic Year 2020/2021

Academic Year 2019/2020

Academic Year 2018/2019

Academic Year 2017/2018
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