Paolo Governa, PhD

Tagline:Tenure-Track Researcher | Computer-Aided Drug Design | Medicinal Chemistry

personal photo of Paolo Governa, PhD

Pofessional Summary

I am a Tenure-Track Researcher at the Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma.

My research integrates computational medicinal chemistry and natural products research to develop in silico strategies for the discovery and rational optimization of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants, combining ligand- and structure-based design, virtual screening, and advanced molecular modeling approaches.

Research Interests

  • Computational Medicinal Chemistry & Method Development
  • Natural Products & Medicinal Plants
  • Integrated Approaches to Natural Product-Inspired Drug Discovery
  • Emerging & Challenging Targets

Publications

  • Dissecting the Interaction Domains of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein and Human RNA Helicase DDX3X and Search for Potential Inhibitors

    Journal ArticlePublisher:International Journal of Molecular SciencesDate:2026
    Authors:
    Camilla LodolaMaria Michela PallottaFabrizio ManettiPaolo GovernaEmmanuele CrespanGiovanni MagaMassimiliano Secchi

  • Post-Translational Modifications Remodel Proteome-Wide Ligandability

    Journal ArticlePublisher:bioRxivDate:2025
    Authors:
    Weichao LiQijia WeiPaolo GovernaManuel LlanosTzu-Yuan ChiuJacob M WozniakAppaso M JadhavClara GathmannMatthew HolcombJacob Cravattothers

  • Morita–Baylis–Hillman Adduct Chemistry as a Tool for the Design of Lysine-Targeted Covalent Ligands

    Journal ArticlePublisher:ACS Medicinal Chemistry LettersDate:2025
    Authors:
    Marco PaolinoGiusy TassonePaolo GovernaMario SalettiMatteo LamiRiccardo CarlettiFilippo SacchettaCecilia PozziMaurizio OrlandiniFabrizio Manettiothers

  • A Standardized Extract of Zingiber officinale Roscoe Regulates Clinical and Biological Outcomes in Two Different EAE Mouse Models

    Journal ArticlePublisher:BiomedicinesDate:2025
    Authors:
    Vittoria BorgonettiPaolo GovernaMartina MorozziChiara SasiaGiacomina VidettaMarco BiagiNicoletta Galeotti

  • Light-mediated activation/deactivation control and in vitro ADME-Tox profiling of a donepezil-like Dual AChE/MAO-B Inhibitor

    Journal ArticlePublisher:European Journal of Pharmaceutical SciencesDate:2025
    Authors:
    Federica PoggialiniPaolo GovernaChiara VagagginiSamuele MaramaiStefania LamponiClaudia MugnainiAntonella BrizziRosa PurgatorioModesto CandiaMarco Cattoothers

  • Enhanced mapping of small-molecule binding sites in cells

    Journal ArticlePublisher:Nature chemical biologyDate:2024
    Authors:
    Jacob M WozniakWeichao LiPaolo GovernaLi-Yun ChenAppaso JadhavAshok DongreStefano ForliChristopher G Parker

  • Applying molecular hybridization to design a new class of pyrazolo [3, 4-d] pyrimidines as Src inhibitors active in hepatocellular carcinoma

    Journal ArticlePublisher:European Journal of Medicinal ChemistryDate:2024
    Authors:
    Salvatore Di MariaRaffaele PassannantiFederica PoggialiniChiara VagagginiAlessia SerafinelliElena BianchiPaolo GovernaLorenzo BottaGiovanni MagaEmmanuele Crespanothers

  • Benzenesulfonamide decorated dihydropyrimidin (thi) ones: carbonic anhydrase profiling and antiproliferative activity

    Journal ArticlePublisher:RSC Medicinal ChemistryDate:2024
    Authors:
    Hakan AslanGioele RenziAndrea AngeliIlaria D'AgostinoRoberto RoncaMaria Luisa MassardiCamilla TavaniSimone CarradoriMarta FerraroniPaolo Governaothers

  • Hylotelephium telephium (L) H. Ohba leaves juice improves herpetic lesions: new findings from in vitro investigations

    Journal ArticlePublisher:Natural Product ResearchDate:2024
    Authors:
    Rosaria ArviaMarco BiagiGiulia BainiGiorgio CappellucciPaolo GovernaSergio BalatriKrystyna Zakrzewska

  • Consensus screening for a challenging target: the quest for P-glycoprotein inhibitors

    Journal ArticlePublisher:RSC Medicinal ChemistryDate:2024
    Authors:
    Paolo GovernaMarco BiagiFabrizio ManettiStefano Forli

Teachings

  • Instrumental Analysis of Health Products

    From: 2026, Until: present

    Organization:University of ParmaField:Advanced Molecular Sciences for Health Products

  • Virtual screening of natural products database for drug discovery

    From: 2022, Until: 2022

    Organization:University of SienaField:PhD in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Software/Methods

UGR: Ultrafast Graph Recognition

Graph-based modification of the Ultrafast Shape Recognition method (Ballester et al., 2009)

Education

  • PhD

    from: 2017, until: 2021

    Field of study:Chemical and Pharmaceutical SciencesSchool:University of SienaLocation:Siena, Italy

  • Postgraduate Master (Second-level Master)

    from: 2014, until: 2017

    Field of study:PhytotherapySchool:University of SienaLocation:Siena, Italy

  • M.Sc.

    from: 2008, until: 2014

    Field of study:PharmacySchool:University of SienaLocation:Siena, Italy