Prof. Fabrizio Carta | Medicinal Chemistry | Pharmaceutical Research Excellence Award

Universita’ degli Studi di di Firenze | Italy

Prof. Fabrizio Carta is an accomplished medicinal chemist and academic leader whose research bridges rational drug design, molecular pharmacology, and structure–activity relationship analysis to address critical unmet medical needs. As an Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Florence, within the Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Area and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), he has established an internationally recognized research profile centered on the discovery and optimization of innovative bioactive compounds of both natural and synthetic origin. His scientific vision integrates chemical creativity with biological insight, enabling the development of next-generation therapeutic agents with improved selectivity, efficacy, and safety profiles.His research activity spans three interconnected domains. The first focuses on the rational design and synthesis of novel small molecules targeting challenging disease pathways, with particular emphasis on antiglaucoma, anti-obesity, anticancer, and antiviral agents. The second domain is dedicated to the in-depth molecular characterization of biological activity and mechanisms of action, combining chemical synthesis, biochemical evaluation, and pharmacological validation to uncover new drug targets and signaling pathways. The third domain involves advanced structure–activity relationship studies, often supported by structural biology data, to guide structure-based optimization and minimize off-target effects.A major hallmark of Prof. Carta’s work is his pioneering contribution to the field of carbonic anhydrase modulation. As principal investigator or co-investigator on multiple funded projects, he has designed and synthesized a broad spectrum of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors and modulators belonging to diverse chemical classes, including sulfonamides, sulfamides, sulfamates, carboxylic acids, coumarins, polyamines, phenols, dithiocarbamates, xanthates, and monothiocarbamates. Notably, he contributed to the discovery of entirely new inhibitor classes, significantly expanding the chemical space of zinc-binding motifs and influencing subsequent drug discovery efforts. His work also played a key role in the development of a clinically advanced carbonic anhydrase IX inhibitor for the management of hypoxic tumors.

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