Phd in LIFE SCIENCE

email: roberta.costi@uniroma1.it
phone: 0649693247
building: CU019
room: 150

Current Position:
Associate Professor in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Rome “La Sapienza”,CTF
Carreer:
2005 – 2024 Associate Professor in Medicinal Chemistry, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Department Chemistry and Technology of Drug
2000 – 2005 Researcher, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Department Chemistry and
1999-2000 Research Fellowship, University of Salerno
1995-1998 Post-doc fellow (Istituto Superiore Sanità), AIDS Programme
1994 Post-doc fellow Pasteur Institute / Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti
Education/Training
1994 PhD, University of Rome “La Sapienza ”in Pharmaceutical Science
1994 University of Rome “La Sapienza”; degree with full honours (110 cum lode) inPharmacy
1991University of Rome “La Sapienza”; degree with full honours (110 cum lode) in CTF

A. Personal Statement
I have expertise in the design and synthesis of compounds active against a number of microbial targets. My main research interests lie in the development of enzyme inhibitors (HIV integrase, HIV ribonuclease H, human histone deacetylases and heparanase) with a strong emphasis on target proteins involved in human pathology. My experience in this field led to the discovery of compounds with potent activity against integrase, in particular on the strand transfer step of integration process. After the discovery of aryl diketo acid (ADK) derivatives as selective ST inhibitors endowed of anti-HIV activity, my research team designed and synthesized new ADK compounds characterized by a pyrrole and or quinoline ring that were very useful tools to understand mechanism of action of HIV IN enzyme. I have expertise also in other fields of the medicinal chemistry: anticancer agents , compounds active against HCV polymerase, anti-TBC. I had a number of collaborations with the Biotech companies, to develop antimalarial agents, ligands of the 5-HT receptors, and compounds active against the aggregation of -amyloid fibrils.
Patent:
1) R. Di Santo, Y. Pommier, C. Marchand, M. Artico, R. Costi.
Preparation of quinolin-4-ones as inhibitors of retroviral integrase for the treatment of HIV, AIDS and aids related complex (ARC).
PCT Int. Appl. (2005), 75 pp. WO 2005087759 A1 20050922 CAN 143:326228 AN 2005:1026945.

2) M. A. Alisi, N. Cazzolla, R. Costi, R. Di Santo, G. Furlotti, A. Guglielmotti, L. Polenzani.
Pyrroloquinolines with serotoninergic activity, process for preparing it and pharmaceutical composition comprising it.
PCT/EP2009/059216, WO 2010012611, CAN 152:238937

3) G. Giannini, G. Battistuzzi, R. Di Santo, R. Costi, A. Messore “Symmetrical 2-aminophenyl-benzazolyl-5-acetate compounds and their use as anti-heparanase” EP17163014.8, 27.03.2017

4) G. Giannini, G. Battistuzzi, R. Di Santo, R. Costi, V. N. Madia 2-(4-(4-(Bromomethoxybenzamido)benzylamino)phenyl)benzazole derivatives and their use as anti-heparanase EP17163015.5, 27.03.2017





Main Funding informations:

1. PNRR PE-13 INF-ACT- Spoke 5 Missione 4 Componente 2
2. 2020 Istitut Pasteur International Network Coronavirus Task Force
3. 2012 V National Program of Research on AIDS- Progetti Innovativi
4. 2010 Europian Commision FP7 Programme FP7-HEALTH-2009

ORGANIZER OF MEETINGS:
1) Member of Organizing Committee of XXII National Meeting on Medicinal Chemistry (NMMC 2013), Roma, 2013.
2) Member of the International Scientific Committee (ISC) (2021) of the XXVII International Symposium on Medicinal Chemistry of the European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology (ISMC-EFMC) Nice 2022.