Maria Teresa Borrello

Maria Teresa Borrello is a Lecturer in Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry and Programme Leader for the MSc Cosmetic Science at the University of Sunderland. She holds an MPharm (Hons, 2010) from the University of Pavia, an MSc in Natural Products and Drug Discovery from University College London, and a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of East Anglia.

• Teaches Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Dermatological Sciences
• Research focuses on epigenetic drug discovery for liver fibrosis, cholangiopathies, cancer, and skin diseases
• Supervises PhD and postgraduate researchers in pharmacy and cosmetic science
• Active community pharmacist registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)

Her research group investigates the interplay between epigenetic regulation and cellular stress pathways, particularly endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, in diseases like liver fibrosis, neurodegenerative disorders, and inflammatory skin conditions. Current projects include developing HDAC6 inhibitors for fibrosis, exploring natural product combinations for drug resistance, and studying molecular mechanisms in psoriasis/atopic dermatitis.

Recent publications highlight her work on HDAC6 and LSD1 inhibition, ER stress in pancreatic disease, and NUPR1's role in stress response. She collaborates with institutions across Europe and Asia, including the University of East Anglia, University of Aix-Marseille, and Mei Feng University.

Scientific Awards:

• Northern Accelerator MRC award: Developing novel HDAC6 inhibitors for fibrosis therapy
• Northern Accelerator MRC award: Developing co-treatments of olive oil antioxidants with calcineurin inhibitors for atopic dermatitis

Research Supervision:

• PhD Students: Janine Ashley Turner (2025–Current), Hazal Yuceturk (2025–Current)
• Postdoctoral Research Assistant: Dr. Neda Adipbour (2024–Current)

Collaborations: Prof. A. Ganesan (UEA), Prof. Simon Gibbons (UJM), Prof. Juan Iovanna (Aix-Marseille), Prof. Derek Mann (Newcastle University), and researchers from CNR Palermo, Serbia, and China.