Università del Piemonte Orientale
Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche
Largo Donegani, 2
8100 Novara - Italia
Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche
Largo Donegani, 2
8100 Novara - Italia
Giovanni Appendino is Emeritus Professor at University of Eastern Piedmont in Novara, Italy. His research activity has taken inspiration from natural products to address problems in
various realms of organic chemistry (phytochemistry, reaction mechanisms, new synthetic methods), interfacing them with biomedical research. Within the natural products investigated,
four classes have received particular attention: cannabinoids, taxoids, phorboids, and medium-sized cyclic isoprenoids. Research in the field of cannabinoids resulted in the discovery of
two semisynthetic derivatives currently under phase 2 development with orphan drug status in EU and USA (the aminoquinones VCE-004.8 and VCE-003.2).
His achievements in natural products chemistry have been recognized by the Phytochemical Society of Europe (Rhone-Poulenc Rorer Award in 1991, Brucker Prize in 2014) and by the Società
Chimica Italiana (Quilico Medal in 2009 and Piria medal in 2021). In 2019 he became member of the Italian Academy of Sciences (Accademia dei XL) and in 2020 was elected corresponding member
of the Istituto Lombardo Accademia di Scienze e Lettere.