Prof. Dr. Luca Pignataro

Associate Professor

Department of Chemistry
Via C. Golgi, 19
20133 - Milano
 luca.pignataro [at] unimi.it
+39 02503 14090

Curriculum Vitae

Education

  • October 1997-March 2003
    Master Degree in Industrial Chemistry (Master advisor: Prof. Franco Cozzi).
    Full marks (110/110).
    Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan (Italy).
    Title of the thesis: “Synthesis of chiral phenantrolines and bipyridines as ligands for asymmetric
    catalysis”
  • November 2003-December 2006
    PhD in Industrial Chemistry (PhD advisor: Prof. Franco Cozzi).
    Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan (Italy).
    Title of the thesis: “Novel chiral N-oxides as organocatalysts for the enantioselective allylation of
    aromatic aldehydes”

Career

  • March 2019
    Associate professor at the University of Milan (Department of Chemistry).
  • March 2016-February 2019
    Tenure track assistant Professor (“Ricercatore a Tempo Determinato di tipo B ai sensi della legge
    240/2010” - RTD-B) at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Milan.
  • October 2012-September 2015
    Assistant Professor (“Ricercatore a Tempo Determinato di tipo A ai sensi della legge 240/2010” -
    RTD-A) at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Milan.
  • January 2008-January 2009 and February 2010-September 2012
    Post-doctoral fellowships (“Assegni di ricerca”) in Prof. Gennari’s research group at the University
    of Milan.
  • February 2009-November 2009
    Post-doctoral fellowship (“Assegno di ricerca”) in Prof. Piarulli’s research group at the “Università
    degli Studi dell’Insubria” (Como).
  • January 2007-January 2008
    Post-doctoral fellowship in Prof. Leigh’s research group at the University of Edinburgh (UK).
  • June 2003-February 2004
    Compulsory civil service (in alternative to military service) as employed in a non-profit organization
    (Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri”).

Current research interests

  • Homogeneous transition metal catalysis: i) asymmetric catalysis; ii) design and synthesis of
    supramolecular catalysts; iii) development of sustainable and efficient reduction methodologies
    (iron catalyzed reductions, asymmetric hydrogenation of pyridines and tandem metathesis-hydrogenation
    processes).
  • Synthesis of new peptidomimetics with anti-cancer activity: i) development of new ligands for
    integrins and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs) for inhibiting tumour angiogenesis;
    ii) conjugation of the latter ligands with cytotoxic, pro-apoptotic or fluorescent
    molecules.