Prof. Dr. Paola Gramatica

Paola Gramatica is full professor of Environmental Chemistry (since 1/10/05) at the Faculty of Sciences in Insubria University (Varese, Italy),Delegate of the Rector for International Relationships, Director of the Structural and Functional Biology Department (DBSF) of Insubria Univ. in the years 2007-2010.
She is leader of the QSAR Research Unit in Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology of the new Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences (DiSTA).
She is author of more than 100 scientific papers on ISI international journals (about 3500 citations; h index: 30, March 2012) and more than 200 presentations to meetings, mainly in application of QSAR (Quantitative Structure - Activity Relationships ) models to environmental topics, but also to drug design .

EDUCATION

Graduation in Pure Chemistry (Organic Natural Compounds) cum laude - 1972, University of Milan.

EMPLOYMENT

-Full Professor of Environmental Chemistry and Cultural Heritage, Faculty of Sciences (Biology, Biotechnology, Natural Sciences and Environmental Engineer courses) Insubria University-  present (since 2005)

-Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry 1995 –2005, Faculty of Sciences (Biology, Biotechnology, Natural Sciences courses) Insubria University

-Researcher in Organic Chemistry 1981- 1995 Department of Organic Chemistry, Milano University (Associate Professor in 1987).

-Research Contractor in Organic Chemistry 1975-1981 Department of Organic Chemistry, Milano University

-Fellowshiper  (Lincei Nat. Acad. and MIUR) 1972-1975 Department of Organic Chemistry, Milano University

Professional Qualifications and Associations:

  • Member of the Italian Chemical Society (SCI)
  • Member of the Managing Board of the Environmental and
  • Cultural Heritage Div. of SCI (2006-2009)
  • Member of the Managing Board of the Interdivisional Group of Green Chemistry (SCI) (2006-2009)
  • Member of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC).
  • Member of the Directive of the SETAC-Italian Branch
  • Member of the Cheminformatics and QSAR Society
  • Member of the Mediterranean Scientific Association of Environmental Protection (MESAEP)
  • Member of the InterUniversities Consortium on Biostructures and Biosystems
  • Member of the OECD Expert Group on Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSARs) (2002-2006)

Membership of Editorial Boards:

  • Molecular Informatics
  • The Open Applied Informatics Journal (TOAINFOJ)
  • SAR and QSAR in Environmental Research (2002-2011)
  • Chemosphere (2005-2007)
  • Web site: www.qsarworld.com
  • Guest Editor of Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2006 (Special Issue and Sections in memory of Prof. Davide Calamari)
  • Referee of many (more than 40) international scientific journals in environmental field and chemical application of computer science (cheminformatics).
  • Referee of scientific project proposals for different countries.
  • Scientific responsible or Workpackage leader in 3 EU-Projects (FP4- PREDICT, FP5-BEAM and FP7-CADASTER).

 

Recent Research interests:

At the University of Milan PG carried out researches on the biosynthesis, structural elucidation, synthesis, and biotransformation of organic natural products in the Department of Organic and Industrial Chemistry till 1994. Her present research field in University of Insubria, where she is leading the QSAR Research Unit in Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, is on QSAR modelling of organic environmental pollutants. Different classes of organic compounds (POPs, PBTs, PAHs, Pesticides, EDs, etc.) have been studied by chemometric/QSAR approaches to highlight the relationship between molecular structure and various physico-chemical and analytical properties or biological activities, such as toxicity, biodegradability, persistence, mutagenicity, endocrine disruptor properties, etc.

 

Recent applications of these studies deal with tropospheric oxidations of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) long-range transport and persistence, pesticide partition properties, mutagenicity/carcinogenicity of PAHs/PACs, Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) and Endocrine Disruptors Chemicals (EDCs) modeling. The main field of interest is relative to Persistent Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBTs) chemicals. An important aspect of the research is the proposal of methods for the validation of QSAR models.

Her group has been involved in two previous EU Projects (PREDICT and BEAM) on aquatic toxicity and mixture toxicity. She is actually leader of a Workpackage in the EU-FP7 Project CADASTER for REACH and in a PRIN project for PBT and ED modelling also for REACH. Paola has worked as QSAR expert for the European Joint Research Centre (Ispra) and was member of the OECD Task Force of QSAR Experts for the definition of the OECD principles for QSAR validation for regulation applicability. PG has many international collaborations (in EU, but also in USA, China and India).

 

Teaching experience and appointments

The teaching activity is devoted to various courses related to the environmental pollution by chemicals for Biology (Environmental Pollution and Ecotoxicology) and Engineering for Environmental and Work safety degrees, in particular: Environmental Chemistry I and II, Risk Assessment, Analytical Chemistry and Chemometrics, Environmental Legislation and Certification, in addition to the course of Organic Chemistry for Biology, Biotechnology and Analysis/Protection of Natural Resources. Paola Gramatica is Coordinator of Environmental Pollution and Ecotoxicology courses for the Degrees in Biology (undergraduate and graduate).

 

Address:

QSAR Research Unit in Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences

Insubria University

Via J.H. Dunant 3

21100 Varese – Italy
 Telephone:  + 39 0332 421573

Fax: + 39 0332 421554

e-mail: paola.gramatica@uninsubria.it

web :   http://dipbsf.uninsubria.it/qsar/ ; http://www.qsar.it

 

Personal Information:

Married; 2 sons