LEO Eliana Grazia

Curriculum Vitae – Eliana Grazia Leo

Personal Information
**Current Position:** Associate Professor (SSD CHEM‑08/A)
Department of Life Sciences
Via Campi 103
41125 Modena, Italy
Tel. +39 059 205 8558
Email: eliana.leo@unimore.it
ORCID ID: 0000‑0003‑4721‑1676
Scopus Author ID: 7005809615
Institutional profile: [https://unimore.unifind.cineca.it/get/person/014488]

Academic Roles
2012 – present — Associate Professor, Department of Life Sciences (DSV), University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UniMoRe)

National Scientific Qualifications
- National Scientific Qualification (ASN) for Full Professor, SSD CHEM‑08/A (formerly CHIM/09), awarded 01/2023
- National Scientific Qualification (ASN) for Full Professor, SSD 06/MEDS‑26 (formerly MED/50), awarded 12/2023

Previous Academic Appointments
- 2007 – 2012 — Associate Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy, UniMoRe
- 2002 – 2007 — Associate Professor, Faculty of Biosciences and Biotechnology, UniMoRe
- 1996 – 2002 — Assistant Professor (Ricercatore), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Modena
- 1995 – 1996 — Post‑doctoral Fellow, Université Paris‑XI, Centre d’études Pharmaceutiques, Physico‑Chimie – Pharmacotechnie – Biopharmacie (now Institut Galien, Université Paris‑Saclay)

Education
- 1991 – 1994 — PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry (VII cycle), University of Milan
- 1991 — Professional qualification as Pharmacist
- 1991 — MSc summa cum laude in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, University of Modena
- 1985 — High School Diploma, Liceo‑Ginnasio “G. Palmieri”, Lecce

Academic Service
- 2026 – present — Member, University Quality Assurance Board (PQA)
- 2025 – present — Member, University Technology Transfer Committee (CTT)
- 2021 – 2024 — Chair, Joint Teaching‑Student Committee (CP‑DS), Department of Life Sciences
- 2017 – 2021 — Member, Joint Teaching‑Student Committee (CP‑DS), Department of Life Sciences
- 2007 – 2017 — Member, Quality Committee for the MSc in Pharmacy
- 2005 – 2009 — Faculty Representative, Postgraduate School in Hospital Pharmacy
- 2003 – 2006 — Faculty Representative, MSc in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biosciences and Biotechnology

Other Roles
- 2020 – present — Co‑founder and COO, Start‑up *PerFormS* ([www.performslab.it](http://www.performslab.it)), Department of Life Sciences, UniMoRe
- 2020 – present — Subject‑matter Expert, University Quality Assurance Board (internal evaluator for accreditation simulations)

Teaching Activities
2024/25 – present
- *Pharmaceutical Technology and Innovative Dosage Forms* (13 CFU), MSc in Pharmacy

2022/23 – present
- *Regulatory Processes for Drugs and Health Products* (4 CFU), MSc in Pharmacy

2007/08 – 2023/24
- *Pharmaceutical Technology, Socioeconomics and Legislation II* (10 CFU), MSc in Pharmacy

2017/18 – 2023/24
- Module *Technology I* within *Pharmaceutical Technology, Socioeconomics and Legislation I* (3 CFU), MSc in Pharmacy

2023/24
- *Laboratory of Galenic Preparations*, MSc in Pharmacy

2017/18 – 2019/20
- Elective module *Non‑viral Vectors for Gene Therapy*, MSc in Medical Biotechnology

2015/16
- *Herbal Technologies and Formulations with Regulatory Elements* (6 CFU), BSc in Herbal Sciences

2008/09 – 2013/14
- *Formulation and Delivery of Biotechnological Drugs* (9 CFU), MSc in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology

2010/11
- *Herbal Legislation and Regulations* (3 CFU), BSc in Herbal Techniques

2005/06 – 2009/10
- *Pharmaceutical Technology, Socioeconomics and Legislation III*, Postgraduate School in Hospital Pharmacy

Research Activity
Her scientific work focuses on both conventional and advanced Pharmaceutical Technology, with particular emphasis on Drug Delivery Systems, including polymeric and lipid‑based micro‑ and nanoparticles.

Her main research contributions concern:
- development, in vitro characterization, and preclinical in vivo evaluation of polymeric or lipidic micro‑ and nanosystems for the delivery of anticancer agents, proteins, and peptides
- design and characterization of solid lipid nanoparticles as non‑viral vectors for gene therapy
- lipid nanoparticles for inhalation delivery of anti‑tuberculosis drugs
- inorganic nanosystems for theranostic applications
- pH‑sensitive liposomes for anticancer peptide delivery
- nanoparticulate systems for nasal administration of natural neuroactive compounds
Recent research focuses on carrier‑free nanodrugs and site‑specific delivery of nanoparticles to skeletal muscle tissue.
Since 2015 she has been Principal Investigator of the Drug Delivery and Targeting Laboratory at the Department of Life Sciences.

Scientific Output
- 76 full‑length articles in international peer‑reviewed journals (including 3 reviews; 70% as last/corresponding author)
- 3 book chapters with international publishers
- 5 granted patents
- H‑index: 30 (Scopus)

Academic Mentorship
Supervision of:
- 4 PhD students
- 3 postdoctoral fellows
- ~110 MSc and BSc thesis students (experimental and literature‑based) in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, Medical Biotechnology, and Biotechnology

Research Grants as Principal Investigator
- PRIN‑PNRR 2022 (P2022LSW98) — *Staying young in old age: an integrative nanomedicine‑based approach to reduce skeletal muscle impairment in the elderly*
- POC‑ESTE — Proof of Concept Program for patent valorization (PNRR, EU NextGenerationEU)
- POR FSE 2014/2020 Emilia‑Romagna, No. 868/2019 — *Micro‑ReSkin: Nanotechnologies for skin repair*
- FAR‑DSV 2019 — *Nose‑to‑brain delivery strategies for Geraniol in Parkinson’s disease*
- FAR‑DSV 2015 — *Lipid‑based nanocarriers for inhaled anti‑tuberculosis therapy*
- Fondazione di Vignola 2015 — *Solid lipid micro‑ and nanocarriers for targeted delivery of bioactive molecules*
- Spinner 2013 (Emilia‑Romagna) — Technology transfer funding (2008–2009)

Editorial Boards
Member of the Editorial Board of:
- *Pharmaceutics* (MDPI)
- *Frontiers in Drug Delivery* (Frontiers)
- *Global Translation Medicine* (AccScience Publishing)

Scientific Societies
Member of SITELF, SCI, AFI, and the CRS Italy Chapter.

18 July 2026