Gaetano Angelici
Current position: Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry of the University of Pisa (Italy)
Personal Statement:
As a chemistry student, I was deeply fascinated by the synthetic dimension of this discipline, particularly the challenge of constructing novel molecular architectures that had never existed before and devising elegant strategies for their synthesis. During this formative period, I was profoundly influenced by a quote from the renowned chemist George S. Hammond: “The most fundamental and lasting objective of synthesis is not production of new compounds, but production of properties.”
Guided by this principle, my PhD research focused on the synthesis of biomimetic compounds with well-defined structural features, aiming to elucidate the relationship between molecular architecture and macroscopic physicochemical properties. This experience proved instrumental during my postdoctoral work, where I applied these concepts to the design and synthesis of new catalytic systems.
A pivotal moment in my career occurred in 2013, when I participated in the 63rd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. The inspiring lectures by Professors Werner Arber and Ada Yonath motivated me to redirect my future efforts as a synthetic organic chemist toward Medicinal Chemistry. Consequently, I pursued several funded research projects, which enabled me to work on antimicrobial resistance as a Novartis (formerly Ciba-Geigy) fellow, and later on amphiphilic molecules designed for selective interactions with membrane proteins as a Marie Curie Individual Fellow.
After spending ten years abroad, I returned to Italy to establish my research laboratory in Pisa: ISYMECH Innovative Synthesis for Medicinal Chemistry, https://isymech.dcci.unipi.it. This laboratory embodies what I have long perceived as my most meaningful contribution to society. Recently, we have synthesized a series of promising new compounds, including glypromate and trofinetide analogues, which are currently being tested in Rett syndrome. Beyond the scientific interest of this project, I am strongly motivated by the high level of expertise of my collaborators in this multidisciplinary effort, which has the potential to evolve into a strategic framework for addressing a specific and urgent health challenge such as Rett syndrome, antimicrobial resistance and new specific antitumoral molecules, with significant societal impact.
Personal details – individual narrative profile:
My professional and scientific career began with a PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of Bologna under the supervision of Prof. C. Tomasini, where I worked on the synthesis of biomolecules and peptidomimetics. In addition to my primary research focus, an early and unexpected observation the formation of fiber-like materials from one of our compounds prompted me to investigate its self-assembly behavior in greater depth. This work allowed us to elucidate the relationship between weak intermolecular interactions and the formation of β-sheet structures stabilized by single intermolecular hydrogen bonds, which further assembled into robust fiber bundles. This experience taught me the importance of close attention to experimental details and the value of carefully listening to the observations of students and collaborators.
I subsequently moved to Basel for a postdoctoral position in the group of Prof. H. Wennemers, where I worked on organocatalysis, a rapidly emerging and highly active field in chemistry at the time. This experience significantly contributed to my development as an independent researcher within an international scientific environment. Nevertheless, I felt a growing desire to pursue research with a more direct impact on human health. To this end, together with Dr. M. Creus, a researcher in molecular biology and a very good friend, we developed a project that was awarded a Novartis (formerly Ciba-Geigy) fellowship. This work led to the discovery of zinc-selective inhibition of the bacterial amide hydrolase DapE and provided key insights into the role of metal heterogeneity in antibiotic drug design.
As I sought to establish my independent research profile, I moved to France and applied for a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship in Clermont-Ferrand with the guidance of Prof. Claude Taillefumier. The funded project focused on the synthesis of amphiphilic molecules designed to stabilize and crystallize membrane proteins and included secondments at the Institute of Structural Biology in Grenoble and the Department of Biotechnology at the University of Vilnius (Lithuania).
In 2016, I joined the Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry at the University of Pisa as an Assistant Professor. After obtaining the Italian National Scientific Qualification, I was promoted to Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry three years later. I currently teach Medicinal Chemistry, Organic Chemistry for Biology students, and the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry.
At the University of Pisa, I established my own research laboratory, ISYMECH “Innovative Synthesis & Medicinal Chemistry“. A more detailed description of the research we conduct at isymech , including a full list of publications, is available at isymech.dcci.unipi.it.
Looking back on my career path, I recognize that it has been shaped by challenging yet formative personal and professional decisions. These included relocating across multiple countries, adapting to diverse research environments and cultural contexts, and progressively shifting my scientific focus from classical synthetic chemistry to the multidisciplinary field of Medicinal Chemistry. The experiences gained and the many exceptional individuals I encountered along the way have been instrumental in shaping my professional identity. At this stage of my career, my primary goals are to generate tangible societal impact through medicinal chemistry research, to train and mentor young scientists through clear and inspiring guidance, and to continue learning and evolving as a researcher.
Key outputs, contributions, and achievements:
The generation of new ideas, hypotheses, and tools is inherently a collective endeavor, a principle in which I have always strongly believed. Throughout my career, I have actively sought collaborations, engaged with industry partners, shared data openly, and invested in the mentorship of students.
In 2022, I organized and hosted in Pisa the final meeting of the COST Action Chemobrionics (CA17120), bringing together more than one hundred scientists to exchange ideas and research outcomes. More recently, my group developed and filed a national patent (ID: 812024000025636) for a modular platform enabling photochemical reactions under precisely controlled conditions and compatible with multiple analytical techniques. This innovation was selected by the University of Pisa within the Bando Dimostratore Tecnologico to advance the technology to a β-prototype at Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6).
Beyond supervising Master’s and PhD students in my laboratory, I actively contribute to the training of early-career researchers through initiatives such as Marie Curie Alumni Association Career Support and the Lindau Mentor Hub.
Through the Marie Curie Alumni Association, I recently mentored a Ukrainian student in the preparation of an MSCA-4Ukraine proposal, which was successfully funded. Unfortunately, despite extensive diplomatic efforts, he was unable to relocate to Italy due to travel restrictions imposed on young men in a country at war.
In addition to regular engagement in peer-review activities for scientific journals and participation in evaluation committees for competitive academic examinations, I currently serve on the Teaching Commission and the Teaching Quality Reassessment Commission of my department. I previously coordinated the departmental Communication Group for four years and was responsible for organizing the BRIGHT event, the European Researchers’ Night, for two consecutive years.
I also contributed to the production of the documentary “Maria Skłodowska-Curie in Italy in Search of Radium”, which led to the dedication of a public garden to Marie Curie in the nearby town of San Giuliano Terme. Furthermore, I founded a departmental science outreach journal written in Italian, Il Piccolo Cimento (https://piccolocimento.dcci.unipi.it/). Finally, together with Prof. V. Domenici, I secured regional funding for a research fellowship focused on the valorization of historical scientific instruments for education and outreach, as part of an initiative aimed at establishing a chemistry museum within our department.