LEO Eliana Grazia

Curriculum Vitae
Prof. Eliana Grazia Leo

Personal information
Position Associate Professor in Pharmaceutical Technology
Institution Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio E., ITALY
Phone + 39 059- 2055885
E-mail eliana.leo@unimore.it
Orcid number orcid.org./0000-0003-4721-1676
Scopus Author ID 7005809615
H index 26 (Scopus)
Total citations 2175

Education and Training
1995 -1996. Post-doctorate in the research unit directed by Prof. Elias Fattal at the Universitè Paris-XI, "Center d'études Pharmaceutiques, Physico-Chimie - Pharmacotechnie - Biopharmacie, URA CNRS 1218", Chatenay-Malabry (director Prof. Patrick Couvreur). (today Istitute Galien, Université Paris-Saclay).
1991 - 1994. PhD in "Pharmaceutical Chemistry, VII cycle" at the University of Milan. Title obtained with a final dissertation entitled: "Nanoparticulate systems for drug delivery and targeting" Tutor Prof. Flavio Forni.
1991 Qualified to practice as a Pharmacist
1991 Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology at the University of Modena with 110/110 cum laude.1991- Master degree summa cum laude in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology (Faculty of University of Modena).

Academic roles
2023 -National scientific qualification as full professor in SSD CHIM-09 (competition sector 03/D2)
2012 - present Associate Professor at the Department of Life Sciences (DSV) of UniMoRe in the SSD CHIM / 09
2007 - 2012: Associate Professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of UniMoRe in the SSD CHIM / 09
2002 - 2007: Associate Professor at the Faculty of Biosciences and Biotechnologies of UniMoRe in the SSD CHIM / 09
1996 - 2002: University researcher at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Modena


Academic assignments
2021 - present coordinator of the Joint Teachers-Students Commission of the Department of Life Sciences of UniMoRe
2017 - 2021: member and representative of the Pharmacy area in the Joint Teachers-Students Commission of the Department of Life Sciences - UniMoRe
2007 - 2017: member of the Quality Commission for the UniMoRe Master's Degree Course in Pharmacy
2005 - 2009: referent teacher for the School of Specialization in Hospital Pharmacy at the Faculty of Pharmacy of UniMoRe
2003 - 2006: referent teacher for the master Degree Course in "Pharmaceutical Biotechnology" at the Faculty of Biosciences and Biotechnologies of UniMoRe


Other roles
2020 - present: Co-founder and COO of the UniMoRe Start-up "PerFormS" (www.performslab.it)
2020 - present Disciplinary Expert of the Quality Presidium of the University of Modena and Reggio E


Teaching activity
From the academic year 2022/23 Assignment of elective teaching: "Regulatory processes of health products" for the single-cycle master's degree course in Pharmacy (4 CFU)
From academic year 2017 / 18- present: Assignment of the "Technology I" module in the course of "Technology, socioeconomics and pharmaceutical legislation I" for the single-cycle master's degree course in Pharmacy (3 CFU)
From the academic year 2007/8 - present: Teaching responsibility for teaching "Technology, socioeconomics and pharmaceutical legislation II" for the single-cycle degree course in Pharmacy (10 CFU)
From 2017/18 - to 2019/20 Assignment of a module (1 CFU) course chosen for the master's degree course in Medical Biotechnology "Non-viral vectors for gene therapy"
In the academic year 2015/16: Teaching responsibility for the course of "Herbal technologies and formulations with elements of legislation" for the Degree course in Herbal Sciences and Techniques (6 CFU)
From 2008/09 – to 2013/14 Responsibility for teaching "Formulation and delivery of biotechnological drugs", for the specialist degree course in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnologies. (9 CFU)
In the academic year 2010/11 teaching course of "Legislation and regulations in the sector" for the three-year degree course in "Herbal techniques" (3 CFU)
From 2005 / 06- 2009/10 Assignment of the teaching course of "Technology, socioeconomics and pharmaceutical legislation III" for the specialization course in Hospital Pharmacy
From 2003/4 – to 2008/9 Responsibility of the Pharmaceutical Technology course "for the three-year degree course in Biotechnology - pharmaceutical curriculum;
From 2003/4 to 2005/6 Assignment of the teaching course of "Drug Delivery and Direction" (6 CFU), and of the "Drug Delivery and Direction Laboratory", for the three-year degree course in Biotechnology - pharmaceutical curriculum. ( 4 CFU)
From 2002/3 - 2008/9 Assignment of the teaching course of "Technological control of drugs", for the specialist degree course in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (6 CFU)
From 1999/2000 - 2003/4 Assignment of the teaching course of "Technology, socioeconomics and pharmaceutical legislation II" (industrial) for the degree course in CTF and
From 1999/2000 – to 2003/4 Responsibility for the teaching course "Pharmaceutical Biotechnology" for the old system single-cycle degree course in Biotechnology - Pharmaceutical specialization.
From 1996 / 7-1999 / 2000: Supplementary seminars to the Pharmaceutical Technology I Course for the Pharmacy Degree Course and Pharmaceutical Technology II for the Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technologies Degree Course; assistance to the Galenica laboratory for the degree courses in Pharmacy and CTF.

Teaching activity in PhD Schools
From 2012/13 to 2019/2020: Participation in the Board of Professors of the Doctorate in "Clinical and Experimental medicine (CEM) - Clinical and experimental medicine" of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
From 2008/09 to 2011/2012: Participation in the Board of Teachers at the Doctoral School in "Science and Technology of Health Products" of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Annual frontal teaching activity on the theme: "Innovative technologies in delivery and directing of drugs. Nanomedicine: main developments and applications "(2 CFU = 12 hours)
From 2002/03 to 2007/2008: Participation in the teaching staff of the doctorate in "Pharmaceutical Sciences, applicative technological curriculum" of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia


Tutor of the following PhD students
From 01/11/2016 to 31/10/2019 Tutor / thesis supervisor for the project entitled "Characterization of nanoparticulate drug delivery system for inhalation therapy" by Dr. TRUZZI Eleonora, at the Doctoral School in Clinical and Experimental Medicine ( CEM); Curriculum: Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Sciences, XXXII cycle, of UniMoRe
From 01/11/2014 to 31/10/2017 Co-tutor / thesis co-supervisor for the project entitled "Drug delivery systems for targeting alveolar macrophages in anti-tuberculous inhalation therapy: design of biocompatible SLM containing rifampicin" by Dr. .ssa MARETTI Eleonora, in the Doctoral School in Clinical and Experimental Medicine (CEM); Curriculum: Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Sciences, XXX cycle, by UniMoRe
From 01/11/2013 to 31/10/2015 Tutor / thesis supervisor for the project entitled "Design and development of biocompatible lipid nanocarriers for the effective delivery of novel peptides intended for the treatment of multidrugresistant Ovarian Cancer" by dr. SACCHETTI, Francesca, during the PhD course in “Science and technology of health products XXVIII cycle” of UniMoRe.
From 01/11/2005 to 31/10/2008 Tutor / thesis supervisor for the project entitled: "Development of cationic solid lipid nanoparticles as non-viral vectors for gene therapy" by Dr. VIGHI Eleonora, during UniMoRe Doctorate in “Pharmaceutical Sciences XX cycle


Incoming mobility of students from abroad
AY 2022/23 (ongoing activity) Ph.D student: Armita Sedighidarijani from the Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, IRAN. (6 months)
AY 2017/2018 post-graduate student: Edilson Edilson Ribeiro de Oliveira Junior of the Federal University of Goiânia - Brazil. (6 months)
AY 2018/19 Erasmus under Graduate student: Alejandro Moreno, from the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Barcelona (Spain) (Training For Master Thesis) (6 months)

Outgoing mobility of UniMoRe students
Lecturer-referent of the bilateral agreement with the University of Navarra (Pamplona) within the Erasmus Plus program (subject of the agreement: development by UniMoRe students of experimental theses at the laboratory of Prof. Maria Josè Blanco-Prieto ).

Thesis advisor
Thesis advisor activity from 2002 to today: supervisor of over 95 experimental or compilation theses for the single-cycle master's degree courses in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, for the Master's Degree Course in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and for Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology.


Editorial Board and reviewer for international journals
- Pharmaceutics (MPDI)
- Frontiers in Drug delivery (frontiers)
- Global Translation Medicine (accScience Publishing)
- Reviewer for international journals of pharmaceutical interest such as: Biomaterials, Acta Biomaterialia, International Journal od Pharmaceutics, European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, Colloids and Surface B: Biointerface, European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmaceutics, Molecules, Pharmaceuticals, Journal of Nanotheranostics, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, International Journal of Nanomedicine, Nanomaterials, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Research, Life Science, Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, Nanomedicine, Journal of Nanoparticle Research, Journal of Colloid and Polymer Science
- Auditor for the allocation of research funds: "Research Project Grants - General 2007" of the Irish Institute HRB "Health Research Board"; "Romanian funding programs for research 2011" funded by "The Romanian National Council for Scientific Research"

Area of Scientific Activity
he scientific activity is aimed at pharmaceutical technology with particular regard to nanomedicines and unconventional drug delivery systems such as polymeric and lipidic micro and nanoparticles and liposomes. The main publications concern the study, in vitro characterization and preclinical studies of in vivo translation of micro and nanoparticle systems formulated starting from natural or synthetic polymers for the release of anticancer agents, proteins or peptides. An important part of the scientific activity has focused on the development and characterization of solid lipid nanoparticles as non-viral vectors for gene therapy and lipid nanoparticles for inhaled administration of antituberculosis. In the field of nanomedicine, inorganic nanoparticles for theranostic purposes, pH-sensitive liposomes for the administration of anticancer peptides and freepolymer nanoparticles for targeting macrophages have also been studied; a new challenge is the development of a new nasal delivery system for natural neuroactive agents. Recently, the focus has shifted to translational research on a nanoparticle system for the treatment of psoriasis.

Eliana Grazia Leo is a member of Scientific Societies (ADRITELF, SCI-Pharmaceutical Technology section, SIMeF). She has been part of research units funded by PRIN. She is author and co-author of 69 peer-reviewed articles in international journals, 3 chapters of scientific books by international publishers, 65 communications to national and international conferences in the form of oral communication or posters. , 4 patents (one of which with PCT extension) for the complete list, see www.iris.unimore and the Miur-Cineca website).