Alma Martelli

Prof. Alma Martelli obtained her PharmD degree with full score (110 cum Laude) in 2003, discussing a final experimental thesis in pharmacology entitled “Pharmacological study on the vasorelaxing activity of novel BK potassium channel activators”.
In 2004 she had a 1-year long fellowship at the Interdipartimental Centre of Clinical Pharmacology and Experimental Therapy, Univ. of Pisa, entitled “Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of NO-Sartans in in vitro and in vivo experimental models”. From 2005 to 2007 she was a PhD student in "Science of Pharmaceuticals and Bio-active Compounds" at Faculty of Pharmacy (Univ. of Pisa) and obtained her PhD degree (with full score) in 2008 discussing a final thesis on “Nitric Oxide Releasing Multi-target Drugs”.
In 2009 she obtained a II° level Master degree in “Clinical Experimentation of Drugs” at Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Univ.of Pisa.
From 2008 to 2014 she had several postdoc fellowships in Pharmacology both at the Dep. of Pharmacy, Univ. of Pisa and at the Biomedical Research Centre, Sheffield-Hallam University, Sheffield (UK), focused on the physio-pharmacological role of gasotransmitters such as nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the cardiovascular (CV) system.
In 2011 she was principal investigator of the research project “Potassium and Rubidum efflux in vascular smooth muscle after H2S-donors administration” at the Biomedical Research Centre, Sheffield-Hallam University, Sheffield (UK), supported by a SIF (Italian Pharmacological Society) grant.
From 29/12/2014 to 31/10/2016, she was Junior Researcher in Pharmacology (RTDa) and from the 1st of November 2016 to 1st of November 2019 she was Senior Researcher in Pharmacology (RTDb) at Dep. of Pharmacy, Univ. of Pisa.
From the 1st of November 2019, she is Associate Professor in Pharmacology at Dep. of Pharmacy, Univ. of Pisa. At 27/09/2022 she obtained the National Scientific Abilitation (ASN) as Full Professor in Pharmacology. From November 2023 she is Director of the School of Specialization in Hospital Pharmacy (SSFO) of the Univ. of Pisa.
The research activity of Prof. Martelli is focused on potential drugs (natural, e.g. botanical or synthetic) with beneficial effect at CV level, and in the last years she carried out several studies on the gasotransmitters NO- and H2S-release, both from exogenous sources (i.e. NO-donor and H2S-donors) and the endogenous biosynthesis.
She has also a solid expertise on the role of potassium channels (KATP, Kv7, BKCa) at CV level.
She had wide expertise on vascular and cardiac systems included cellular models, isolated organs and in vivo animal procedures. The last topic of Prof. Martelli’s research is focused on the CV effects evoked by isothiocyanates, (H2S-donors deriving from Crucifers). Prof. Martelli is author of over 132 articles and 5 book chapters published on international peer reviewed journals or books and of 2 international patents.
She was invited speaker in several national or international conferences and received several national and international scientific awards. She is member of interdepartmental centers: "Nutraceutic and health nutrition (Nutrafood)" and “Ageing Biology and Pathology”. She is the delegate for Research activity and for the 3rd Mission of the Dep.of Pharmacy. She is member of SIF and regional referent of the Italian Nutraceutical Society (SINut). She is member of the scientific committee of the Italian Society of Nutraceutical Formulators (SIFNut). She is member of the Spoke 4 (Food quality and Nutrition) and principal investigator of the PNRR-grant called PE10:Research and innovation network on food and nutrition Sustainability, Safety and Security Working ON Foods. She is head-unit of the PRIN2022PNRR entitled "Health promotion and neuropathic pain prevention through glymphatic system modulation: a sex/gender perspective". She teaches fundamental courses at the Pharmacy degree course, at the PhD- and SSFO-courses.