Tony Barbosa

Dr. Tony Barbosa is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and former Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physics at Ave Maria University (AMU). He also serves as Vice President of Research at Allosite Therapeutics (and previously at 149 Bio, Inc.), focusing on drug discovery for diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer, and inflammatory conditions. His expertise spans medicinal chemistry, oncology, and immunology, with a strong emphasis on developing therapies targeting integrins and inflammatory pathways.

Education: B.S. in Chemistry (Providence College, 1995), M.S. and Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry (University of Rochester, 2001). Professional experience includes roles at Boehringer Ingelheim, CGI Pharmaceuticals, and leadership positions at Adhaere Pharmaceuticals and Gossamer Bio, Inc.

Research Interests: Drug discovery for Alzheimer’s disease, cancer immunotherapy, integrin-targeted therapies, and inflammatory diseases. He collaborates with students on projects such as designing new treatments for neurodegenerative and autoimmune conditions.

Grants and Funding: Recipient of NIH SBIR grants (e.g., for lupus nephritis and multiple sclerosis research), a Florida Cancer Innovation Fund grant, and an Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program grant. His work balances efficacy, pharmacokinetics, and ADME-T properties in drug development.

Labs/Teams: Leads interdisciplinary teams at AMU and industry partners, emphasizing translational research. His lab focuses on medicinal chemistry and collaborative student projects.