Pier Cirillo

Pier Cirillo is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Undergraduate Program Director in the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering at the University of New Haven's Tagliatela College of Engineering. He holds a Ph.D. in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from Boston University (1995) and a B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of the Witwatersrand (1987). Prior to academia, he spent 12 years in medicinal chemistry research at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, focusing on kinase inhibitors and receptor modulators for inflammatory diseases.

His research interests include laboratory synthesis of natural products, polyoxygenated compounds, and heterocyclic compounds with potential medicinal applications (e.g., antibiotics, anticancer agents). He emphasizes green synthesis methods and collaborations with biochemists. Notable projects involve developing CB2 receptor agonists for neuropathic pain and thiadiazolidinones as antibacterial agents.

Dr. Cirillo teaches courses such as Advanced Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry labs. His work spans over 30 peer-reviewed publications and patents in drug design, enzyme inhibition, and carbohydrate synthesis. He is a member of the American Chemical Society and has consulted for L2 Diagnostics since 2011.