Team

Maurizio Taglialatela, MD PhD, is Full Professor of Pharmacology at the Department of Neuroscience of the University of Naples Federico II. His academic and scientific career, developed in several national and international Institutions (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston – USA; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – University of the Basque Country, Leioa – Spain; Shanghai Institute for Molecular Medicine, Shanghai – China, among others), is focused on various aspects of ion channel  genetics, pathophysiology and pharmacology, with specific interest in potassium channels. He is author of over 200 manuscripts in some of the most prestigious scientific international journals; his research is supported by competitive grants from national and international institutions. He currently serves as Member of some prestigious scientific institutions and academies in Italy
and abroad, including the Accademia dei Lincei.
Maurizio Taglialatela: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8202-0560

Francesco Miceli, PhD, is Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the Department of Neuroscience of the University of Naples Federico II. His research focuses on the molecular pharmacology and  pathophysiology of voltage-gated ion channels, with particular emphasis on Kv7 potassium channels and their role in epilepsy and other neurological disorders. His work integrates electrophysiology, molecular pharmacology and stem cell-based disease models. He is the author of many publications in leading international peer-reviewed journals and has made significant contributions to the functional characterization of disease-associated ion channel variants and the discovery of novel Kv7 channel modulators.
Francesco Miceli: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5393-1402

Carmine Ostacolo, PhD, is Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno. His research focuses on medicinal chemistry, integrating rational drug design, molecular modeling and synthetic chemistry to develop innovative therapeutic agents for neurological, inflammatory, metabolic, and infectious diseases. He serves as Principal Investigator of several national and European research projects and has extensive expertise in technology transfer, and pharmaceutical innovation as co-founder of academic spin-offs. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications and is co-inventor of four international patent families.
Carmine Ostacolo: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3715-8680

Vincenzo Barrese, MD, PhD, is Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the Department of Neuroscience of University of Naples Federico II. Following his medical and doctoral training in Pharmacology and Neuroscience, he spent several years at the Institute of Cardiovascular & Cell Sciences of St George’s, University of London, where his research substantially advanced the understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating Kv7 potassium channels in the cardiovascular and nervous systems. He serves as Principal Investigator and Research Unit Coordinator in nationally funded research projects and has authored many publications in leading international peer-reviewed journals.
Vincenzo Barrese: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8721-8843

Camilla Celentano, PhD, received her degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology and her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Naples Federico II. During her academic training, she developed expertise in preclinical drug discovery, integrating advanced in vitro and in vivo models predictive of disease pathophysiology and drug responses. As a Visiting PhD Researcher at the University of California, Irvine she focused on genetically-engineered animal models to characterize the pharmacological properties of natural products as ion channel modulators, broadening her expertise in translational neuroscience and therapeutic discovery. She has authored scientific publications and actively contributes to the dissemination of neuroscience research at national and international conferences.
Camilla Celentano: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3853-1428

Nunzio Iraci, PhD, is Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina. His research focuses on computational medicinal chemistry, molecular modeling, and structure-based drug design, applying advanced in silico approaches to accelerate the discovery of innovative therapeutic agents. He gained national and international research experience at Yale University, Boston University, the University of Perugia, and the University of Basilicata, focusing on developing an interdisciplinary research program integrating computational and experimental strategies for drug discovery. He has authored plentiful peer-reviewed scientific publications, contributing to the discovery of novel bioactive compounds.
Nunzio Iraci: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2146-9329

Alessia Bertamino is Full Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno. Her research focuses on medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, with expertise in the design and synthesis of innovative small molecules for the treatment of neurological, inflammatory, and oncological diseases. Her work integrates synthetic medicinal chemistry, flow chemistry, and structure-activity relationship studies to develop novel therapeutic candidates. She is the author of numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications, is actively involved in national and international research collaborations and currently serves as Vice-Coordinator of the PhD Program in Drug Sciences at the University of Salerno.
Alessia Bertamino: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5482-6276

Maria Virginia Soldovieri, PhD, is Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the Department of Medicine and Health Sciences “V. Tiberio”, University of Molise. Her research focuses on molecular pharmacology and ion channel physiology, with particular emphasis on Kv7 potassium channels and their role in neuronal excitability, epilepsy, and other neurological disorders. She has contributed to several international publications in the field of ion channel pharmacology and actively collaborates with interdisciplinary research groups working on the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting ion channel dysfunction.
Maria Virginia Soldovieri: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3601-9374

Lidia Carotenuto, PhD, is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Antwerp and the VIB Center for Molecular Neurology. She received her degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology and her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Naples Federico II. During her academic training, she gained expertise in drug discovery, spanning medicinal chemistry, preclinical pharmacology, and the development of in vitro disease models, with additional experience on high-throughput screening technologies at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany. Actually her research focuses on the use of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) as models to investigate the mechanisms underlying neurological disorders and to support the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Lidia Carotenuto: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4053-0957