Gianfranco Pasut
 | Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova Contacts Pasut's Research Group |
Short CV
1999: Degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, University of Padova
1999-2002: PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Dept of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Padova (Supervisor: Prof. F.M. Veronese)
2002-2006: Post-Doc Dept of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Padova (Supervisor: Prof. F.M. Veronese)
2006-2014: Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology (SSD CHIM09)
2014-2017: Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology (SSD CHIM09)
2017-present: Full Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology (SSD CHIM09)
Teaching
Office hours
Upon appointment (please contact via e-mail)
Availability for Thesis Projects
In the research lab, we are exploring different projects in the field of drug and protein deliver. The main studied approach relates to:
- Polymer conjugation to therapeutic proteins through chemical and enzymatic methods. The aim is to improve the pharmacokinetic profile, and eventually reduce the immunogenicity, of these biotech drugs thanks to the increased size and reduced kidney clearance following polymer conjugation.
- Polymer shielding is also applied to liposome for the investigation of antibody-targeted delivery of anticancer drugs.
- Study and development of antibody-drug conjugates for the precisely delivery of anticancer drugs to cancer cells avoiding to hit healthy cells.
Students will become familiar with diverse aspects of drug delivery and in turn they will practice with different type of proteins, such as, among others, cytokine, growth factors and antibodies, but also with anticancer drugs and oligonucleotides. In terms of analytical methods, the students will have the possibility to routinely approach several chromatographic techniques (either with HPLC or FPLC systems), dynamic light scattering, microcalorimetry, circular dichroism, fluorimetry, capillary electrophoresis, etc. A better understanding of the research projects available in the lab can be presented to interested students during face-to-face meeting with a lab visit.
Research
Scientific Activities
Nanomedicines are positively impacting several therapies and the potential improvements od such approaches are going from an improved efficacy, a reduced toxicity to an increased patient compliance. Personalized nanomedicines are expected to be the future of clinical practice but for reaching this ambitious target some aspects must be solved, first of all the development of feasible drug delivery systems that can be easily scaled-up. An intense collaboration with pharma industries can help to maintain the proper balance between innovation and feasibility of new approaches in drug delivery.
The final aim of a drug delivery system is to increase the effectiveness of therapeutic protocols and at the same time reduce the toxicities and the overall costs of the treatments.
The area of interest of my research can be divided into the following categories:
- polymer-drug conjugates;
- polymer-protein conjugates;
- liposomal formulation;
- Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADC)
Publications
- Catanzaro D, Nicolosi S, Cocetta V, Salvalaio M, Pagetta A, Ragazzi E, Montopoli M, Pasut G. (2018) Cisplatin liposome and 6-amino nicotinamide combination to overcome drug resistance in ovarian cancer cells. Oncotarget 2018;9:16847-16860
- Montagner IM, Merlo A, Carpanese D, Dalla Pietà A, Mero A, Grigoletto A, Loregian A, Renier D, Campisi M, Zanovello P, Pasut G, Rosato A. A site-selective hyaluronan-interferonα2a conjugate for the treatment of ovarian cancer. J Control Release 2016;236:79-89
- Grigoletto A, Mero A, Zanusso I, Schiavon O, Pasut G. Chemical and Enzymatic Site Specific PEGylation of hGH: The Stability and in vivo Activity of PEG-N-Terminal-hGH and PEG-Gln141-hGH Conjugates. Macromol Biosci. 2016;16(1):50-6
- Pasut G, Paolino D, Celia C, Mero A, Joseph AS, Wolfram J, Cosco D, Schiavon O, Shen H, Fresta M. Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-dendron phospholipids as innovative constructs for the preparation of super stealth liposomes for anticancer therapy. J Control Release. 2015;199:106-13
- Mero A, Campisi M, Favero M, Barbera C, Secchieri C, Dayer JM, Goldring MB, Goldring SR, Pasut G. A hyaluronic acid-salmon calcitonin conjugate for the local treatment of osteoarthritis: chondro-protective effect in a rabbit model of early OA. J Control Release. 2014 Aug 10;187:30-8
- Mero A, Pasqualin M, Campisi M, Renier D, Pasut G. Conjugation of hyaluronan to proteins. Carbohydrate Polymers, 2013;92(2):2163-2170
- Clementi C, Miller K, Mero A, Satchi-Fainaro R, Pasut G. Dendritic poly(ethylene glycol) bearing paclitaxel and alendronate for targeting bone neoplasms. Mol Pharm. 2011;8(4):1063-72
Patents
- Pasut G, Kuehne C (2012). Polymer aldehydes derivatives. EP11008884.6
- Satchi-Fainaro R, Pasut G (2011). Dendritic-PEG bearing paclitaxel and alendronate for targeting bone neoplasms. US61/484,991
- D’Este M, Renier D, Pasut G, Rosato A (2010). Process for the synthesis of conjugates of glycosaminoglycanes (GAG) with biologically active molecules, polymeric conjugates and relative uses thereof. WO2010145821
- Mero A, Veronese FM, Pasut G (2010). Method for the preparation of conjugates by transglutaminase. PD2010A000155
- Pasut G, Veronese FM, Schiavon O (2009). Polymeric conjugate of phospholipids. PD2009A000168.
- Veronese FM, Pasut G, Tonon G, Schrepfer R (2007). New activated poly(ethylene glycols) and related polymers and their applications. WO2007112794
- Mazzi U, Veronese FM, Pasut G, Visentin R (2005). Polymeric conjugates for diagnosis and therapy. WO 2005011738
- Veronese FM, Pasut G. (2004). Polyethylene glycol conjugates releasing nitric oxide. WO 2004089420
Research projects and Funds
The research of Prof Pasut is supported by grants from public (AIRC Foundation, “Ricerca Finalizzata” Ministry of Health, PRAT and ex60% from University of Padova) and private (Pharmaceutical and Biotech companies) sectors.
