Laureata con lode nel 1997 in Chimica e Tecnologie Farmaceutiche presso l’Università di Pisa, dal 1996 alla fine del 1999 ha condotto ricerche presso il Dipartimento di Chimica Bioorganica di Pisa occupandosi, durante la tesi prima e poi con vari contratti di ricerca, di chimica dei carboidrati e di sintesi di sistemi dienici coniugati partendo da derivati D-galattopiranosidici. Ha collaborato con il Consorzio Ferrara Ricerche per la sintesi di esteri glucidici di acidi carbossilici modificati capaci di indurre il differenziamento eritroide cellulare, lavoro che ha portato alla registrazione di un brevetto.

Nel 1998 ha ottenuto l’abilitazione alla professione di farmacista. Dal 1999 al 2002 ha svolto il suo Dottorato di ricerca presso l’ex Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche dell’Università di Firenze. Nell’ambito del progetto di dottorato ha svolto un’esperienza di ricerca presso il laboratorio del Prof. G.A. Morris (Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Manchester, UK), occupandosi di tecniche di risonanza magnetica nucleare ad alti campi (sia 1D- che 2D- NMR, esperimenti DOSY) come tecnica innovativa per la caratterizzazione di aggregati micellari. Nel 2002 ha conseguito il titolo di Dottore di Ricerca in Scienza e Tecnologia delle Piante Officinali, XIV Ciclo, con una tesi dal titolo: “Problematiche tecnologiche relative a fitoterapici”.

Nel 2002 è risultata vincitrice del Progetto “Giovani ricercatori” dell’Università di Firenze e dal 2002 al 2004 è risultata vincitrice di due assegni di ricerca. Nel 2004 ha vinto un posto di ricercatore, settore CHIM-09 presso l’Università di Firenze. Nel 2014 ha ottenuto l’abilitazione scientifica nazionale nel settore concorsuale 03/D2, settore scientifico disciplinare CHIM-09 per professore di seconda fascia. Nel 2017 ha vinto il concorso per Professore Associato presso l’Università di Firenze e  nel 2020 ha conseguito l'abilitazione scientifica nazionale per il settore concorsuale 03/D2 per professore di prima fascia.

Svolge la sua attività didattica presso l’Università di Firenze, con incarichi di insegnamento nell’ambito della Tecnologia Farmaceutica dei farmaci di sintesi e biotecnologici e della Legislazione Farmaceutica per i Corsi di Laurea in Farmacia e Advanced Molecular Sciences.

Ha una profonda esperienza di tecnologia farmaceutica e di analisi di farmaci di origina vegetali, loro preparazioni e prodotti medicinali . Si interessa del miglioramento della biodisponibilità e delle caratteristiche tecnologiche di farmaci ed estratti di prodotti naturali, utilizzando sia sistemi di somministrazione di farmaci convenzionali che innovativi. 

Lo scopo della sua ricerca è aumentare la solubilità e/o la stabilità chimica di vari estratti o composti vegetali naturali per migliorarne il profilo di biodisponibilità e di conseguenza l'efficacia. Si occupa della progettazione e dello sviluppo di formulazioni utilizzando micro e nanocarrier come liposomi e vescicole, micelle, complessi supramolecolari con ciclodestrine, micro e nanoparticelle e microemulsioni. La caratterizzazione delle formulazioni è stata eseguita con metodi convenzionali (HPLC, DSC, UV, diffusione della luce, test di dissoluzione, test in vitro con membrane PAMPA) e innovativi come NMR.

Attualmente i suoi studi riguardano la preparazione di nanocarrier per la somministrazione sito-specifica di composti derivati ​​da piante per favorirne il passaggio attraverso la barriera emato-encefalica, la pelle e l'assorbimento orale.

 È coinvolta da molti anni nello sviluppo di metodi analitici per la caratterizzazione e il controllo di qualità di farmaci ed estratti vegetali. È stata impegnata nell'implementazione di metodi analitici per la Farmacopea Europea, in particolare per le piante cinesi.

Partiolari competenze tecniche sono:

- Preparazione di nanocarrier come nanoparticelle polimeriche, proteiche, lipidiche, liposomi, micro e nanoemulsioni, micelle, comacinati, complessi di inclusione.

- Ottimizzazione e convalida di metodi analitici secondo le linee guida ICH.

- Estrazione e isolamento di composti naturali.

- Tecniche analitiche quali-quantitative HPLC-DAD, HPLC-MS/MS, TLC, HPTLC

- Caratterizzazione di sistemi colloidali mediante tecniche di light scattreing (DLS, ELS).

- Caratterizzazione di nanocarrier mediante microscopia elettronica a trasmissione e scansione (TEM e SEM).

- Calorimetria a scansione differenziale (DSC).

- Risonanza magnetica nucleare (NMR).

- Valutazione della stabilità di sistemi colloidali.

- Saggio di permeabilità intestinale con cellule Caco-2.

- Test di dissoluzione in vitro

- Test di rilascio in vitro

- Saggio di permeabilità in vitro con membrane artificiali  (PAMPA) che permettono di mimare le barriere fisiologiche (gastrointestinale, cutanea, barriera emato-encefalica).

- Test di permeabilità attraverso cellule di barriera ematoencefalica.

Graduated with honors in 1997 in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies at the University of Pisa, from 1996 to the end of 1999 she conducted research at the Department of Bioorganic Chemistry of Pisa, dealing, first during her thesis and then with various research contracts, with carbohydrate chemistry and the synthesis of conjugated diene systems starting from D-galactopyranoside derivatives. She collaborated with the Ferrara Ricerche Consortium for the synthesis of glucidic esters of modified carboxylic acids capable of inducing erythroid cell differentiation, work that led to the registration of a patent.

In 1998 she obtained the qualification to practice as a pharmacist. From 1999 to 2002 she carried out her PhD at the former Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of Florence. As part of the PhD project she carried out a research experience at the laboratory of Prof. G.A. Morris (Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, UK), working on high-field nuclear magnetic resonance techniques (both 1D- and 2D- NMR, DOSY experiments) as an innovative technique for the characterization of micellar aggregates. In 2002 she obtained the title of Doctor of Research in Science and Technology of Medicinal Plants, XIV Cycle, with a thesis entitled: “Technological problems relating to phytotherapeutics”.

In 2002 she was the winner of the “Young Researchers” Project of the University of Florence and from 2002 to 2004 she was the winner of two research grants. In 2004 she won a position as a researcher, sector CHIM-09 at the University of Florence. In 2014 she obtained the national scientific qualification in the competitive sector 03/D2, scientific disciplinary sector CHIM-09 for associate professor. In 2017 he won the competition for Associate Professor at the University of Florence and in 2020 he obtained the national scientific qualification for the competition sector 03/D2 for full professor.

He carries out his teaching activity at the University of Florence, with teaching assignments in the field of Pharmaceutical Technology of synthetic and biotechnological drugs and Pharmaceutical Legislation for the Degree Courses in Pharmacy and Advanced Molecular Sciences.

Curriculum Studiorum

1986-91 classical high school "Francesco Petrarca" of Arezzo, grade 60/60.

1997 Degree in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies with honors (110/110 cum laude) at the University of Pisa. Experimental thesis entitled: "L-ribo-exos-5-ulose: synthesis by stereocontrolled epimerization at C-2 of bis-methyl glycopyranosides of L-arabino-exos-5-ulose"

1991-97 Scholarship from the Company for the Right to University Education of Pisa

In 1998 she obtained the qualification to practice as a pharmacist.

2002 Title of Doctor of Research in Science and Technology of Medicinal Plants. XIV Cycle. Thesis "Technological problems relating to phytotherapeutics".

Post-Graduate Activities

1997 2-month contract for the synthesis of conjugated diene systems starting from D-galactopyranoside derivatives. University of Pisa, Department of Bioorganics and Biopharmaceutics.

1998 6-month grant from the Ferrara Research Consortium for the synthesis of modified carboxylic acid glucidic esters capable of inducing erythroid cell differentiation. Work carried out at the Department of Bioorganics and Biopharmaceutics, University of Pisa.

1998 3-month contract for the synthesis of 1,5-dicarboxylic systems. University of Pisa, Department of Bioorganics and Biopharmaceutics.

1999-2001 PhD in Science and Technology of Medicinal Plants entitled: “Technological issues relating to phytotherapeutics”

2002 Research Grant at the Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology of Prof. Vincieri. Title: Evaluation of the stability of St. John's Wort extracts.

2002 Winner of the "Young Researchers" Project of the University of Florence entitled: Optimization of the technological and biopharmaceutical characteristics of preparations based on St. John's Wort extract.

2003 Research Grant Title: Improvement of the pharmaceutical and biotechnological characteristics of extracts of Piper methysticum L. (kava-kava).

2004 Winner of the competition for a position as researcher, sector CHIM 09 at the University of Florence

2017 Winner of the competition for a position as Associate Professor, sector CHIM 09 at the University of Florence

Qualifications

1998 Qualification for the profession of Pharmacist obtained

2014 National scientific qualification for the competitive sector 03/D2 for associate professor.

2020 National Scientific Qualification for the competitive sector 03/D2 for full professor.

Awards and Recognitions

1997 Degree Award of the University of Pisa

1999 Degree Award Prof. “G. Bellucci” for the research work carried out during the degree thesis.

2000 10th National Congress of the Italian Society of Phytochemistry (S.I.F.): award for the poster, entitled: “Variability of the content of the constituents of Hypericum perforatum L. and of some commercial preparations”.

2014 Global Research Initiative 2013/2014 funded by the company Bionorica (Neumarkt, Germany). The award ceremony took place in Majorca on July 27, 2014.

2018 Best poster presentation: Topical formulations of delta-aminolevulinic acid for the treatment of actinic keratosis: characterization and efficacy evaluation. Skin Forum 2018 annual meeting. Tallinn. Estonia. 20-21 June 2018.

2019 Roberto Valducci Project Award – Erba Vita 2019”, organized by the Italian Society of Phytotherapy and Erba Vita Group. “Use of nanomicelles to improve the biopharmaceutical and pharmacological properties of silymarin: formulation and evaluation of efficacy through in vitro tests and in an in vivo model of diabetes”.

2011 she received from the University of Florence the Research Funds Incentive for permanent researchers who have made an important and significant contribution to ensuring the training offer, assessed on the basis of the teaching activity carried out in the A.A. 2010-2011 (28 CFU, total hours 263).

Patents

2005 Title: Glucidic esters of branched carboxylic acids capable of inducing erythroid cellular differentiation

Teaching activity

Prof. Maria Camilla Bergonzi is Associate Professor (Scientific-Disciplinary sector CHEM08/A) at the School of Human Health Sciences, Degree Course in Pharmacy of the University of Florence.

Since 2002 she has carried out her teaching activity at the University of Florence, with teaching assignments in the field of Pharmaceutical Technology of synthetic and biotechnological drugs and Pharmaceutical Legislation.

Since the academic year 2021-2022 she has been Professor of the Course of Pharmaceutical Technology and Laboratory of Galenic Preparations, Degree Courses in Pharmacy (11 CFU).

From 2021 to 2014 Co-titular (2 CFU) of the course MEDICINAL PRODUCT REGULATION AND PHARMACOECONOMICS (6 CFU)

A.A. 2010-11 to A.A. 2019-2020: titular of the Course of Pharmaceutical Technology and Legislation, Degree Course in Pharmacy (10 CFU A.A. 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13, 12 CFU from A.A.2013-14).

In the academic years 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 she had an integrative teaching assignment (3 CFU) in the course of Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism I, 3rd year, School of Specialization in Hospital Pharmacy, University of Florence.

In 2002 she held lessons entitled "Transdermal systems" in the ECM Refresher Course: Modified-release pharmaceutical forms. Order of Pharmacists of the Province of Arezzo.

In the academic years 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 she had an integrative teaching assignment (2 CFU) in the teaching of Pharmaceutical Technology and Legislation for the Degree Course in Herbal Techniques, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Florence.

In 2003 she held a refresher course ECM: Phytotherapy and aesthetic medicine, as part of the XXIV National Congress of the Italian Society of Aesthetic Medicine.

From 2004 to 2010 she was co-titular (3 CFU) and President of the examination commission of the course of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (5 CFU), 3rd year of the Interfaculty Degree Course in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Florence.

From 2004 to 2010 she held a course entitled Dispersed systems of pharmaceutical interest (2 CFU) in the second semester of the 3rd year as part of the teaching of Pharmaceutical Technology and Legislation for the Degree course in Pharmacy and Herbal Techniques, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Florence.

From 2006 to 2009 and in the A.A. 2010-2011 She was titular of the Course of Formulation and Delivery of Drugs, Master's Degree in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, 2nd year, University of Florence (5 CFU and 3 CFU in the Academic Year 2010-11).

In the Academic Years 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 She was titular of the course of Legislative Foundations of Biotechnological Drugs, Degree Course in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, 3rd year, University of Florence (3 CFU).

In the Academic Year 2010-11 She was the holder of the supplementary teaching: Fundamentals of Pharmaceutical Technique (6 CFU) in the teaching: Pharmaceutical Technique and Analysis of Drugs (12 CFU). Degree Course in Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology curricula, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. For this course she was President of the examination commission.

In the A.A. 2010-11 she was titular of the course of Pharmaceutical Technology and Legislation, Degree Courses in Applied Pharmaceutical Sciences: Scientific Information of the Drug-ISF (6 CFU) and Herbal Techniques-TE (8 CFU).

Since 2018 she has been co-titular of the course ADE: Construction of a thesis for students of the Degree Course in Pharmacy

Since 2019 she has been titular of a 2 CFU Module in the course SOFT MATTER MATERIALS APPLIED TO DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS, FOOD SUPPLEMENTS AND COSMETIC SCIENCES (6 CFU) Master Degree Course - ADVANCED MOLECULAR SCIENCES

Since 1999 she has been Supervisor and co-supervisor of over 150 experimental and compilation theses for the Master's Degree Course in Pharmacy and Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies and Herbal Techniques, addressing topics of pharmaceutical technology and legislation. She has also collaborated in organizing and coordinating the work of scholarship holders, research fellows and PhD students who have succeeded one another in the research group to which she belongs.

Activities and roles at the University of Florence

Since 2003 she has been a member of the examination commission for the course of Pharmaceutical Technology and Legislation and of the integrated course Pharmaceutical Technology and Socioeconomics and Chemistry of Cosmetic Productsâ, of the Master Degree in Pharmacy.

Since 2011 she has been President of the examination commission for the course of Pharmaceutical Technology and Legislation for the Degree in Pharmacy.

From 2008 to 2011 she was a GAV Member for the Faculty of Pharmacy in the Degree Course in Biotechnology, Interfaculty of Agriculture, Pharmacy, Medicine, MFN Sciences, University of Florence.

From 2010 to 2012 she was a member of the board of the Faculty of Pharmacy

Since 2011 Member of the Courses Coordination Commission for the Master Degree in Pharmacy

In 2011, 2014 and 2019 she was member of the commission for the State Exam for the qualification to practice as a Pharmacist as an aggregate member, for the subject of Drug Technology and Legislation.

In 2011 she received from the University of Florence the Research Funds Incentive for permanent researchers who have made an important and significant contribution in ensuring the training offer, assessed on the basis of the teaching activity carried out in the Academic Year 2010-2011 (28 CFU, total hours 263).

Since March 2017, he has been a member of the Teaching Staff of the PhD Course in the Area of ​​Drugs and Innovative Treatments.

Since 2018, he has been a member of the Review Group for the Degree Course in Pharmacy.

Since 2018, he has been a member of the Course Coordination Group for the Degree Course in Pharmacy.

Since 2020, he has been one of the Orientation Managers of the Advanced Molecular Sciences Degree Course, of the School of Sciences.

From 2020 to 2024 he is a Member of the Board of the Department of Chemistry

Since 2017 he is a Member of the CIRCMSB - Interuniversity Research Consortium in Chemistry of Metals in Biological Systems

Since 2022 he is a Member of the steering committee of the CIBIACI-Interdepartmental Center for Services for Biotechnologies of Agricultural, Chemical, Industrial Interest representing the Department of Chemistry (DICUS)

2022 President of the examination committee for the awarding of the title of Doctor of Research in AREA OF DRUG AND INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS, CURRICULUM IN PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES - Cycle XXXIV.

Since 2022 she has been a member of CHIM-09 of the research grant committee of the Department of Chemistry DICUS

Since 2022 she has been Vice President of the research grant committee of the Department of Chemistry DICUS

Since 2023 she has been Quality Assurance Manager of the Degree Course in the Review Group for the Degree Course in Pharmacy

Since 2023 she has been a Member of the Spaces Commission of the Department of Chemistry U. Schiff (DICUS)

Since 2023 she has been a Member of the Steering Committee of the Master Degree in Pharmacy

Since 2023 she has been a Member of the Board of the Teaching Staff of the PhD Course in the Area of ​​Drugs and Innovative Treatments.

In 2024 she was a Member of the Commission for the COMPETITION FOR ADMISSION TO THE DOCTORATE COURSE IN THE AREA OF DRUGS AND INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS - CYCLE XL, University of Florence.

From 2024 to 2026 he is a Member of the examination Commission of the Practical Evaluation Test (PPV) for the three-year period 2024 – 2026, for admission to the final exam for obtaining the master degree in Pharmacy.

Scientific activity

Since the end of 1999 she has been carrying out her scientific activity at the Department of Chemistry "DICUS" of the University of Florence as a member of the Phytolab group, which carries out research in the field of pharmaceutical technology applied mainly to substances of natural origin and plant extracts and in the sector of quality control of plant drugs and their preparations.

During these years she has been involved in research aimed at increasing the solubility and/or chemical stability of natural molecules, plant extracts and commercial preparations to improve their bioavailability profile and consequently their efficacy. In particular, studies have been carried out aimed at the use of micro- and nanocarriers in the field of natural substances. Among the formulations studied there are lipid carriers, liposomes, niosomes, nanocochletai, micro and nanoemulsions, polymeric nanoparticles, polymeric micelles, cyclodextrins, solid dispersions, co-grounds products.

Currently, research is aimed at designing micro and nanocarriers for the delivery and release of natural substances to the central nervous system and to promote their absorption after oral, topical and ophthalmic administration.

She has also dealt with aspects related to the quality control of herbal drugs and commercial extracts using innovative methods in this field such as mono- and bi-dimensional NMR; she has also deepened the phytochemical investigation of herbal drugs as a contribution to their quality or their products with pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food interest. In this field, she has also gained a deep knowledge of classical analytical techniques such as HPLC-DAD/FLD/MS for qualitative and quantitative analyses, DLS, TEM, SEM, DSC.

She has also been involved for many years in the validation of analytical methods (in accordance with the EMA and ICH guidelines), some also required by the European Pharmacopoeia.

The main lines of research are:

- Improvement and optimization of the biopharmaceutical and technological properties of natural substances through conventional and innovative formulations.

- Improvement of the technological and biopharmaceutical characteristics of plant extracts.

- Preparation of semi-solid pharmaceutical forms and galenic preparations.

- Authentication methods, validation of analytical methods, quality and stability control.

In her studies, Prof. Bergonzi has also availed herself of the collaboration of research groups from various Italian and foreign universities (University of Ferrara: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; University of Milan: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Toxicology; University of Manchester: Department of Chemistry; University of Florence: Department of Physical Chemistry, Dept. of NEUROFARBA, Meyer Hospital; CNR, Department of Health Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Oncology Unit; University of Parma: Pharmaceutical Department; University of Pisa: Department of Chemistry; University of Vienna: Department of Pharmacognosy; University of Athens: Department of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Galenic Laboratory of the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova, ASL 10 Florence; Pistoia Hospital, ASL 3, Munich University) and various companies.

She is a reviewer of international journals: Pharmaceutics, Molecules, Current Drug Delivery, Drug Delivery Letters, Colliods and Surface A and B; Drug discovery today, Food Hydrocolloids; Clinical Phytoscience, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Frontiers Frontiers in Pharmacology, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters, Food Chemistry, Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, Molecules, Studies in Natural Products Chemistry (Bioactive Natural Products).

She is a member of the Editorial Board of various journals: Pharmaceutics, Molecules, Current Drug Delivery, ChemMedChem (International Advisory Board), Clinical Phytoscience, Druf Delivery Letters.

She is Editor in Chief of Drug Delivery Letters

She is Editor of various Special Issues: “Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology: an Emerging Strategy for Natural Products” of Planta Medica 2017

Special Issue in Pharmaceutics: Emergent Strategies for Natural Products Delivery 2020

Special Issue in Pharmaceutics: Bioactive Molecules from Plants: Discovery and Pharmaceutical Applications 2021

Special Issue in Pharmaceutics: Bioactive Molecules from Plants: Discovery and Pharmaceutical Applications (Volume II) 2022

Special Issue in Molecules: Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series: Natural Products as Sources of New Approved Drugs 2024

Special Issue in Pharmaceutics: Dispersed System for Controlled Drug Release and Delivery—the Path to Effective Therapeutic Solutions 2025

Special Issue in Pharmaceutics: Microfluidics-Driven Formulations: Exploring Liposomes and Emulsions for Drug Delivery 2025

Special Issue in Molecules: The 30th Anniversary of Molecules—Recent Advances in Natural Products Chemistry 2025

2020 Member of the Committee of the Tu Youyou Award 2020 of Molecules, MDPI

2022 Member of the Committee of the Young Investigator Award Molecules (MDPI)

Prof. Bergonzi's experience in the field of pharmaceutical technology applied to natural substances and in the field of quality of natural extracts has resulted in the publication of 135 articles in international journals, four book chapters and over 250 communications at conferences, invited oral communications.

Supervisor of the doctoral thesis and responsible for the research of scholarship holders and research fellows

2015-2018 Scientific tutor of the XXXI cycle doctorate, SSD: CHIM/09; Project: “Biodegradable nanocarriers for the release and targeting of natural compounds”

2016-2019 Theoretical tutor PhD XXXII cycle, SSD: CHIM/09; Project: "Nanoformulations for oral and topical administration of natural compounds".

2017-2020 Theoretical tutor PhD XXXIII cycle, SSD: CHIM/09; Project: Design and optimization of natural product release systems for skin and mucosal applications.

2022-2025 Theoretical tutor PhD XXXVIII cycle, SSD CHIM/09 Project: Design and optimisation of nanocarriers for smart drug delivery of natural and semisynthetic compounds”

2014 Six-month research grant: Optimisation of pharmaceutical formulations for mucosal application”

2015 Annual research grant: Preparation of lipid nanocarriers to improve the solubility of commercial plant extracts

2015 Six-month research grant: Complexation, mechanochemical activation and hydrophilic excipients to increase the solubility of phytocomplexes.

2016 Six-month research grant: "Nanoformulations of plant extracts"

2017 Six-month research grant: Formulation of new vesicular vehicles for the administration of natural substances

2019 and 2019 Co-responsible for a co-funded grant "Preclinical studies on the effects of Ginkgo biloba (GK501®) and Panax ginseng (G115®) extracts in in vitro models of neurodegeneration"

2018 Annual collaboration contract November 1, 2018-October 30, 2019. Development of nanoformulations to increase the oral bioavailability of silybin and silymarin as potential antidiabetic agents

2019 Collaboration contract November 1, 2019-January 13, 2020 Development of nanoformulations for the delivery of plant and synthetic substances.

2019 Winner of a research grant co-financed within the "Progetto Dipartimenti di Eccellenza 2018-2022" assigned to the Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff" Project title: Preparation of nanocarriers to improve the biopharmaceutical and pharmacological properties of natural substances.

2022 Six-month research grant 15 March-15 September 2022: In vitro studies of the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-migration and anti-Parkinson activity of nanoformulations

2022 Co-responsible for an annual research grant entitled: "Nanoformulations for dermatological use"

2022 Annual research grant (OLEAF4VALUE Project) 1 June 2022-31 May 2023 Development of micro/nano formulations to improve the technological properties and bioavailability of bioactive compounds and extracts of olive leaves. Interrupted January 2023

2022 Annual fully paid Research Grant (OLEAF4VALUE European Project) October 1, 2022-September 30, 2023: Preparation of nanoformulations for the delivery of substances obtained from olive leaves, evaluation of in vitro permeation in Caco-2 cells and studies of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-migration activity.

2023 Annual fully paid Research Grant (OLEAF4VALUE European Project) August 1, 2023-July 31, 2024.

2024 Six-month research grant September 1, 2024-February 28, 2025: Preparation of micro and nanocarriers to improve the biopharmaceutical properties of plant substances.

2024 Six-month research grant December 1, 2024-May 31, 2025: Development of nanoformulations for the delivery of usnic acid.

2025 Six-month research grant April 1-September 30, 2025: Preparation of lipid nanoparticles and liposomes for the delivery of natural substances

Member of the group of pharmaceutical technology at the Natural Products lab (Phytolab). She has a deep background in the pharmaceutical technology and  analysis of herbal drugs, herbal drug preparations and herbal medicinal products. She is interested towards the improvement of bioavailability and technological features of drugs and natural products extracts, by using conventional and innovative drug delivery systems. She has a deep knowledge in the analytics and pharmaceutical technology of natural compounds.

The purpose of her research is to increase the solubility and/or the chemical stability of various natural plant extracts or compounds to improve their bioavailability profile and consequently the effectiveness. She deals with design and development of formulations using micro- and nanocarriers such as liposomes and vesicles, micelles, supramolecular complexes with cyclodextrins, micro- and nanoparticlesand microemulsions.Characterisation of the formulations was performed by conventional methods (HPLC, DSC, UV, light scattering, dissolution tests, in vitro tests with PAMPA membranes) and innovative ones such as NMR.

Actually, her studies are concerning the preparation of biodegradable nanocarriers for site-specific delivery of plants derived compounds. In particular, different lipid-based nanocarriers able to cross the blood-brain barrier, the skin and to promote the oral absorption of natural molecules and drugs.

Another field of interest is analytics. She is involved for many years in the development of analytical methods for the characterization and quality control of herbal drugs and extracts. She has been engaged in the implementation of analytical methods for the European Pharmacopoeia, especially for Chinese plants.

Technical skills and competences

Preparation of polymeric, protein, lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, micro- and nanoemulsions, coground systems, inclusion complexes.

-        Optimization and validation of analytical method according to ICH guidelines.

-        Extraction and isolation of natural compounds.

-      HPLC-DAD, HPLC-MS/MS, TLC, HPTLC quali-quantitative analytical techniques

-        Characterisation of colloidal carriers by Light Scattering (DLS, ELS).

-        Transmission and scanning Electron Microscopy (TEM and SEM) visualization of nanocarriers.

-        Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) investigation of nanocarriers.

-        Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy analysis.

-        Stability evaluation of colloidal systems in simulated gastric and intestinal conditions.

-        Caco-2 cell permeability assay.

-          in-vitro dissolution test to characterize the dissolution properties of the new formulations and the active constituents’ release from their dosage forms

-          in vitro parallel artificial membrane permeability (PAMPA) assay to test the permeation of drug through different type of membrane that mimic physiological barriers (gastrointestinal, skin, blood-brain barrier).

- Blood-brain barrier permeability assays.