Patrizia Gentili

Associate professor
Biography
Patrizia Gentili, born 1966, studied Chemistry at the University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, where obtained his Laurea degree in 1991. In 1995, she obtained the Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” with a thesis work on the vinylic SRN1 reactions under the supervision of Prof. Carlo Galli. In 1995, she worked as postdoctoral fellow with Prof. Christian Amatore at Ecole Normale Supérieure of Paris and she specialized in electrochemistry. She spent abroad short periods as fellow: - in 1996, with Prof. Christian Amatore at Ecole Normale Supérieure to synthesize HIV inhibitors; - in 1997, with Prof. Steen Uttrup Pedersen at the Chemistry Department of Aarhus University (Denmark), to study by electrochemistry the cis-trans isomerization rate of vinyl halide radical anions; - in 2000, with Prof. Steen Steenken at Max Planck Institut für Strhalenchemie di Mülheim (Germany), to determine by laser photolysis the rate constants for hydrogen atom abstraction from solvents of vinyl radicals. From 2000 she has the position of University Researcher at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”. From 2002, she teaches the required course of Organic Synthesis and Laboratory. Her research areas: - electron transfer and radical reaction mechanisms - electrochemistry - synthesis of natural polyphenolic derivatives and biological activity - synthesis of multi-stimuli responsive polymers She is author of 53 publication on international journals, with h-index 22 (Scopus)
Research activity
Scientific area: 
Organic chemistry
Research activity: 
We propose the synthesis of multiple-stimuli-responsive polymethacrylate-based functional copolymers. The aim is to obtain novel materials which self-organize at the nanometer level as a result of the tunable interplay of different stimuli (UV stimulation, pH, temperature). These materials comprise residues such as α-oximino aldehydes, that are potentially antibacterial and may exhibit anticancer properties; they also feature a reactive group that can be used for further anchoring of bioactive molecules. The copolymer will be obtained by controlled radical polymerization methods, while the α-oximino aldehydes will be introduced by α-oximation of aldehydes via organo-SOMO catalysis. The polymer basic structure is well known for its responsiveness to thermal changes in aqueous solution; α-oximino aldehydes, thanks to their relatively low pKa of 8-10, are expected to respond at pH values that are of interest in biological systems, both in vitro and in vivo. The project also aims at assessing whether UV-induced preorganization due to the presence of α-oximino aldehyde groups affects micellar structure above the LCST.
Scientific papers: 
Teaching
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