FRANCESCO FIORENTINO

Appointments can be scheduled by sending a request to f.fiorentino@uniroma1.it

Name: Francesco Fiorentino
Current Affiliation: Department of Biochemical Sciences “A. Rossi Fanelli” - Sapienza University of Rome - P.le Aldo Moro 5 00185 Rome, Italy
Email: f.fiorentino@uniroma1.it
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesco-fiorentino/
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3550-1860
SCOPUS ID: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57202026847
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Professional Experience
- Assistant Professor of Biochemistry (Tenure-track – RTT)
Department of Biochemical Sciences “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
May 2025 – Present

- Research Fellow: ADD SapiExcellence Research Fellowship
Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
October 2024 – April 2025
Project “TACKLE”: Targeting cancer through hybrid inhibitors of the KDM5 and LSD1 enzymes

- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
October 2022 – September 2024
Project “EpiPolyPharma”: Development of dual-targeting epigenetic modulators for polypharmacology-based cancer therapy
Supervisor: Prof. Antonello Mai

- Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
July 2021 – September 2022
Research on native mass spectrometry methodologies to study epigenetic targets and small molecule interactions in drug discovery
Supervisor: Prof. Antonello Mai

- Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, UK
October 2020 – May 2021
Research on assembly, dynamics, and regulation of membrane proteins using mass spectrometry and biophysical approaches
Supervisor: Prof. Dame Carol V. Robinson

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Education and Qualifications
- National Scientific Qualification (ASN) – Associate Professor
Sector 05/E1 - General Biochemistry – November 2024
Sector 03/D1 - Pharmaceutical, Toxicological and Nutraceutical Chemistry and Technologies – November 2024

- PhD in Systems Approaches to Biomedical Science – Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, UK
October 2016 – September 2020
Supervisor: Prof. Dame Carol V. Robinson

- Master’s Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology (CTF)
Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
October 2011 – July 2016
Final mark: 110/110 cum laude

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Teaching and Supervision
• Lecturer of “Medicinal Chemistry” in the Bachelor’s degree program in Molecular Biology, Medicinal Chemistry and Computer Science for Pharmaceutical Applications, Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome (since February 2025)
• Supervisor of master’s thesis students in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology and Pharmacy (since July 2021, Sapienza University of Rome)
• Previous supervision of master’s thesis students in Chemistry (MChem) at the University of Oxford (2017–2019)

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Awards and Honors
• SIB Medal 2021 – Awarded by the Italian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology to researchers under 35
• Best Oral Communication Award, Massa 2020 VIP Annual Congress of the Mass Spectrometry Division of the Italian Chemical Society
• Best Oral Communication Award, 2nd Autumn Meeting for Young Chemists in Biomedical Sciences, 2021
• Best Poster Award sponsored by Chemistry – A European Journal, 22nd International Mass Spectrometry Conference, 2018

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Research Funding
• Sapienza Fellowship “Add SAPIExcellence 2024” – “TACKLE”, PI, €50000
• Sapienza PI-MSCA Funding – “NativePolyPharma”, PI, €17250
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship – “EpiPolyPharma”, PI, €183970.08
• Sapienza Project “Development of novel protein-protein interaction disruptors of the LPS transport protein LptA/H”, PI, €2000
• Sapienza Medium Research Projects “Addressing the catalytic and scaffolding functions of the histone lysine demethylase LSD1”, Team Member, €11000

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Research Interests
• Drug discovery focused on epigenetic modulators and hybrid inhibitors
• Native mass spectrometry applications in structural biology and drug discovery
• Biophysical analysis of membrane protein complexes

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Memberships
• Member of the Italian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SIB)
• Member of the Italian Chemical Society (SCI)

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Editorial Roles
• Editorial Board Member, Pharmaceuticals (Guest Editor) since June 2024
• Editorial Board Member, Frontiers in Chemistry since June 2023
• Editorial Board Member, Frontiers in Pharmacology since March 2023