Gianluca Sbardella


Gianluca Sbardella graduated in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology at the University of Rome ''La Sapienza'' (Italy) in 1993 and received his Ph.D. from the same University in 1997. In 2001 he joined the Department of Pharmacy of the University of Salerno, where since 2016 he is Full Professor in Medicinal Chemistry.

During his career, Gianluca was Research Fellow at the Drug Chemistry Center of CNR (Italian National Research Center) in 1997, Research Fellow at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) - Italian National Institute of Health in 1998-1999, postdoctoral fellow at the University of Rome ''La Sapienza'' in 2000, Italy, and research associate at the University of Siena, Italy, in 2000-2001.

In 2004 he spent a sabbatical period as visiting professor at the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In 1994 and 1998 Gianluca was awarded with the Italian Pasteur Institute “Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti” Award. In 1995 he was awarded with the Italian Federation of Chemical Industry (Federchimica) Award. In 2008 Gianluca was awarded with the Farmindustria Italian National Award for Research Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry. In 2019 he received the Golden Seal of the Italian Chemical Society (società Chimica Italiana).

After an early interest in the discovery of antiviral drugs, his research currently regards most aspects of epigenetic drug discovery, spanning synthetic strategies, medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, biophysical techniques.

He is Author of over 110 papers on high-impact international MedChem journals, 3 book chapters, 3 patents (PCT) and over 120 communications in international congresses, comprising 30 invited lectures. He is Vice Rector for International Relations, Coordinator of the PhD program in Drug Discovery and Development, and member of the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Commission of the University of Salerno. Since May 2017 he is the National Representative for Italy in the Innovative Medicine Initiative (IMI). Since 2018 he is member of the EFMC Best Practices in Medicinal Chemistry WG. Professor Sbardella is currently the President of the Medicinal Chemistry Division of the Italian Chemical Society (Divisione di Chimica Farmaceutica della Società Chimica Italiana). Starting from 2021, he will be EC member of the EFMC.