Rita Meleddu was born in Sorgono in 1981. In the year 2000 she entered the Master degree in CTF at the University of Cagliari, where she graduated in the year 2006. From 2006 to 2019 she has been mentoring the students in CTF for the classes of  for the students of Analisi dei Farmaci 2”. She is “cultore della materia” of “Analisi Chimica Tossicologica” SSD CHIM08, “Chimica Farmaceutica e Tossicologica I” SSD CHIM08, “Analisi dei Farmaci II” SSD CHIM08. From 2007 2009 she has been research fellow at the “Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biomediche, Sezione di Microbiologia” of the University of Cagliari for the research project “Evaluation of the activity and the cytotoxicity on VERO cells of new anti-fungal, anti-mycobacterial and antiviral drugs” under the supervision of prof. Alessandro De Logu.”. In 2011/12 she has been research fellow at the Department of Organic Chemistry of the Semmelweis University of Budapest, working on the project “Application of Suzuki coupling reactions to the synthesis of dual HIV-1 RT inhibitors”, under the supervision of prof. Peter Matyus. In 2013 she earned a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Cagliari with a thesis entitled: “Synthesis of different series of small molecules targeting HIV-1 RT, Candida albicans, MAO and G-Quadruplex”. Furthermore, she was appointed Doctor-Europeus and earned the “Paul Ehrlich MedChem Euro-PhD” Award of Excellence. As a Post-Doc at the department of Life and Environmental Sciences (2013-2014) she performed a research on “Innovative targets for the identification of new inhibitors of HIV-1 early phases replication cycle: functional studies and new inhibitors development”. During 2015/16 she has been working as research fellow at the department of Life and Environmental Sciences on a project titled "Sinthesis of human Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors”. From the Academic year 2009 to present she has been co-supervisor of several master degree research thesis in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies. On October 31st 2018 she earned the “Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale II fascia” in 03D1 sector. On September 2019 she won the position of Medicinal Chemistry RTD A at the University of Cagliari began teaching the theorical and practical classes of “Modulo di Laboratorio di Analisi Chimica Tossicologica, CI di Laboratorio di Analisi Chimica Tossicologica e Controllo di Qualità e Analisi Strumentale” at the Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy. On October 2021 she won a position as RTD B, in the CHIM-08, Medicinal Chemistry sector. She is actually teaching the classes of “Analisi dei Medicinali II” at the Faculty of Biology Pharmacy in the Master Degree in Pharmacy. From January 2010 she is a partecipant of the research activity of the group “Laboratorio di Progettazione e Sintesi e Estrazione di Composti Bioattivi” della sezione del Farmaco of the department of Life and Environmental Sciences. She has several national and international collaborations (University of Padua, University Magna Graecia (Catanzaro), Drug Unit of the ISS (Roma), University of Porto, Semmelweis University (Budapest), University of Santiago de Compostela, Sardegna Ricerche e Agenzia per la ricerca, innovazione e trasferimento tecnologico della Regione Autonoma della Sardegna, Unità di supporto alla ricerca biomedica.

Rita Meleddu has been partecipating in several other research projects: 2022. OSARE Ottimizzazione di inibitori della replicazione di SARS-CoV-2 aventi come bersaglio la proteina virale Nsp13 (elicasi) financed by  Sardegna ricerche and the Autonomous Region of Sardinia. 2020. DRUG4CoV Identificazione di Agenti Terapeutici per il Trattamento dell’infezione da SARS-CoV-2, financed by the Unità di supporto alla ricerca biomedica di Sardegna Ricerche; RAS-2018- L.R. 7/2007-. RASSR17032- Multi-target approach for the development of novel HIV replication inhibitors-(3 years), Basic research projects funded by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia; Discovery, design and development of STING agonists as immune modulators with antiviral and anticancer activities; (2 years), Financial contribution of the “Banco di Sardegna” Foundation.

Her main research interest is dedicated to the development of new methodologies for the synthesis of new small molecules of pharmacological interest with particular focus on anticancer, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-neurodegeneration agents. Her research activity led to the publication of several articles in peer reviewed journals.

H index: 21,

Total Citations: 1250