University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara; Dept of Pharmacy, Italy;
Prof. Marcello Locatelli obtained his master’s degree in Chemistry and his PhD from the University of Bologna, Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”. He is currently Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry at the University “G. d'Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Department of Pharmacy. His research activities are devoted to the development and validation of chromatographic methods for the qualitative and quantitative determination of biologically active molecules in complex matrices. This applies to the study of all processes related to preanalytical stages, even the application of conventional and coupled analytical methods for accurate, sensitive, and selective determination. Particular attention has recently been paid to innovative (micro)extraction procedures such as MEPS, FPSE, MIP, DLLME, and SULLE. As part of method development, predictive models and chemometrics are also tested, both for the optimization of extraction protocols and for final data processing, where new instrument configurations for quantitative analysis in complex matrices are a focal point. Prof. Locatelli has served as Guest Editor for 20 Special Issues, and his research activities have resulted in more than 174 manuscripts, 161 congress communications (oral and poster), 16 book chapters, and 6 books, with a corresponding h-index of 35 (for 165 papers with 3413 citations (Scopus (23rd of February 2021)), attesting to the influence of his scientific output. He is a reviewer for more than 100 international peer-reviewed journals. He serves as a referee for MIUR Institution for National Projects (SIR), and is included in the register REPRISE (Register of Expert Peer Reviewers for Italian Scientific Evaluation) in the “Basic Research” section, in addition to having served as a referee for VQR (2011–2014).

University "G. d'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara; Dept of Pharmacy, Italy;
Angela Tartaglia obtained her master’s degree in Pharmacy in March 2018 from the “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti–Pescara (Italy), with her research thesis titled “FPSE–HPLC–PDA Method for the Quantification of Anticancer Drugs in Human Whole Blood, Plasma and Urine”. From March to June 2018, she conducted additional research at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Chemistry, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, on microextraction procedures and a method validation focused on food products. She has been a PhD candidate at “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti–Pescara (Italy) since November 2018. Her research activity is focused on the development and validation of chromatographic methods (according to international guidelines, ICH) for the qualitative and quantitative determination of biologically active molecules in complex matrices, such as biological fluids (e.g., serum, plasma, urine, whole blood, saliva), cosmetic formulations, food, and environmental samples. This research involves the optimization of new protocols for sample preparation, where particular attention is given to innovative (micro)extraction, mostly microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS), fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE), and MIP-based solid-phase extraction (MIP–SPE). These procedures have been applied to different analytes: natural or synthetic bioactive compounds, drugs, and their metabolites, secondary metabolites of plant material, and food supplements, in addition to finding applications in clinical and preclinical studies aimed at the evaluation of quantitative, pharmacokinetic, bioequivalence and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) profiles of the analyzed analytes, in order to characterize new systems for conveying the active principle of improving their pharmacological properties.