Professor Vito Ferro
Professor

Vito Ferro

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 334 69598

Background

Carbohydrate chemistry, medicinal chemistry, drug discovery

Vito Ferro is a Professor in the School of Chemistry & Molecular Biosciences. His research interests are in the area of synthetic carbohydrate chemistry, and drug design and development.

Availability

Professor Vito Ferro is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Medicinal and biomolecular chemistry Organic chemistry

Research interests

  • Glycosaminoglycans and their mimetics

    Carbohydrate and medicinal chemistry with a particular focus on glycosaminoglycans, especially heparan sulfate, and their mimetics as potential drugs for a range of diseases including cancer, inflammation, viral infections and lysosomal storage diseases such as Sanfilippo syndrome.

Research impacts

Vito Ferro completed his PhD at the University of WA. Following postdoctoral fellowships at the Carsberg Laboratory (Denmark) and the University of British Columbia (Canada) he spent 12 years with the Australian biotechnology company Progen Pharmaceuticals, serving in various positions including Director of Drug Discovery. He was a key player in the development of two of the only four heparanase inhibitors to have reached clinical trials: muparfostat (PI-88), and pixatimod (PG545). Following a brief period at Queensland University of Technology as a Principal Research Fellow he moved to his current position at the University of Queensland in 2010. His research interests are in carbohydrate and medicinal chemistry with a particular focus on glycosaminoglycans, especially heparan sulfate, and their mimetics as potential drugs for a range of diseases. He is also a member of the Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre (AID), has published >110 papers and has multiple granted patents.

Search Professor Vito Ferro’s works on UQ eSpace

141 works between 1988 and 2025
All (141) Journal Article (128) Book Chapter (4) Conference Publication (5) Other Outputs (4)

1 - 20 of 141 works

Featured

2022

Journal Article

Synthetic heparan sulfate mimetic pixatimod (PG545) potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by disrupting the spike–ACE2 interaction

Guimond, Scott E., Mycroft-West, Courtney J., Gandhi, Neha S., Tree, Julia A., Le, Thuy T., Spalluto, C. Mirella, Humbert, Maria V., Buttigieg, Karen R., Coombes, Naomi, Elmore, Michael J., Wand, Matthew, Nyström, Kristina, Said, Joanna, Setoh, Yin Xiang, Amarilla, Alberto A., Modhiran, Naphak, Sng, Julian D. J., Chhabra, Mohit, Young, Paul R., Rawle, Daniel J., Lima, Marcelo A., Yates, Edwin A., Karlsson, Richard, Miller, Rebecca L., Chen, Yen-Hsi, Bagdonaite, Ieva, Yang, Zhang, Stewart, James, Nguyen, Dung ... Turnbull, Jeremy E. (2022). Synthetic heparan sulfate mimetic pixatimod (PG545) potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by disrupting the spike–ACE2 interaction. ACS Central Science, 8 (5) acscentsci.1c01293, 527-545. doi: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c01293

Synthetic heparan sulfate mimetic pixatimod (PG545) potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 by disrupting the spike–ACE2 interaction

Featured

2021

Journal Article

From cancer to COVID‐19: a perspective on targeting heparan sulfate‐protein interactions

Chhabra, Mohit, Doherty, Gareth G., See, Nicholas W., Gandhi, Neha S. and Ferro, Vito (2021). From cancer to COVID‐19: a perspective on targeting heparan sulfate‐protein interactions. The Chemical Record, 21 (11) tcr.202100125, 3087-3101. doi: 10.1002/tcr.202100125

From cancer to COVID‐19: a perspective on targeting heparan sulfate‐protein interactions

Featured

2020

Journal Article

Heparin inhibits cellular invasion by SARS-CoV-2: structural dependence of the interaction of the spike S1 receptor-binding domain with heparin

Mycroft-West, Courtney J., Su, Dunhao, Pagani, Isabel, Rudd, Timothy R., Elli, Stefano, Gandhi, Neha S., Guimond, Scott E., Miller, Gavin J., Meneghetti, Maria C. Z., Nader, Helena B., Li, Yong, Nunes, Quentin M., Procter, Patricia, Mancini, Nicasio, Clementi, Massimo, Bisio, Antonella, Forsyth, Nicholas R., Ferro, Vito, Turnbull, Jeremy E., Guerrini, Marco, Fernig, David G., Vicenzi, Elisa, Yates, Edwin A., Lima, Marcelo A. and Skidmore, Mark A. (2020). Heparin inhibits cellular invasion by SARS-CoV-2: structural dependence of the interaction of the spike S1 receptor-binding domain with heparin. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 120 (12), 1700-1715. doi: 10.1055/s-0040-1721319

Heparin inhibits cellular invasion by SARS-CoV-2: structural dependence of the interaction of the spike S1 receptor-binding domain with heparin

Featured

2020

Journal Article

Structural insights into heparanase activity using a fluorogenic heparan sulfate disaccharide

Wu, Liang, Wimmer, Norbert, Davies, Gideon J. and Ferro, Vito (2020). Structural insights into heparanase activity using a fluorogenic heparan sulfate disaccharide. Chemical Communications, 56 (89), 13780-13783. doi: 10.1039/d0cc05932c

Structural insights into heparanase activity using a fluorogenic heparan sulfate disaccharide

Featured

2019

Journal Article

Anticoagulant heparin mimetics via RAFT Polymerization

Nahain, Abdullah Al, Ignjatovic, Vera, Monagle, Paul, Tsanaktsidis, John, Vamvounis, George and Ferro, Vito (2019). Anticoagulant heparin mimetics via RAFT Polymerization. Biomacromolecules, 21 (2), 1009-1021. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01688

Anticoagulant heparin mimetics via RAFT Polymerization

Featured

2019

Journal Article

Synthetic disaccharide standards enable quantitative analysis of stored heparan sulfate in MPS IIIA murine brain regions

He, Qi Qi, Trim, Paul James, Lau, Adeline A., King, Barbara M., Hopwood, John J., Hemsley, Kim M., Snel, Marten Francis and Ferro, Vito (2019). Synthetic disaccharide standards enable quantitative analysis of stored heparan sulfate in MPS IIIA murine brain regions. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 10 (8) acschemneuro.9b00328, 3847-3858. doi: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00328

Synthetic disaccharide standards enable quantitative analysis of stored heparan sulfate in MPS IIIA murine brain regions

Featured

2012

Journal Article

Discovery of PG545: A highly potent and simultaneous inhibitor of angiogenesis, tumor growth, and metastasis

Ferro, Vito, Liu, Ligong, Johnstone, Ken D., Wimmer, Norbert, Karoli, Tomislav, Handley, Paul, Rowley, Jessica, Dredge, Keith, Li, Cai Ping, Hammond, Edward, Davis, Kat, Sarimaa, Laura, Harenberg, Job and Bytheway, Ian (2012). Discovery of PG545: A highly potent and simultaneous inhibitor of angiogenesis, tumor growth, and metastasis. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 55 (8), 3804-3813. doi: 10.1021/jm201708h

Discovery of PG545: A highly potent and simultaneous inhibitor of angiogenesis, tumor growth, and metastasis

2025

Journal Article

Synthetic glycol-split heparin tri- and tetrasaccharides provide new insights into structural peculiarities for antiheparanase activity

Ni, Minghong, Parafioriti, Michela, Esposito, Emiliano, Danzi, Margherita, Cano, Ornela, Muzi, Laura, Kayal, Yasmin, Ferro, Vito, Vlodavsky, Israel, Elli, Stefano, Naggi, Annamaria, Petitou, Maurice and Guerrini, Marco (2025). Synthetic glycol-split heparin tri- and tetrasaccharides provide new insights into structural peculiarities for antiheparanase activity. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 118 118052, 118052. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2024.118052

Synthetic glycol-split heparin tri- and tetrasaccharides provide new insights into structural peculiarities for antiheparanase activity

2024

Journal Article

Synthetic Access to <scp>l</scp>-Guluronic Acid via Fluorine-Directed C-5 Epimerization

See, Nicholas W., Wimmer, Norbert, Zhang, Guoqing, Krenske, Elizabeth H. and Ferro, Vito (2024). Synthetic Access to l-Guluronic Acid via Fluorine-Directed C-5 Epimerization. The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 89 (24), 17941-17949. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.4c01257

Synthetic Access to <scp>l</scp>-Guluronic Acid via Fluorine-Directed C-5 Epimerization

2024

Journal Article

Origins of temperature‐dependent anomeric selectivity in glycosylations with an L‐idose thioglycoside

See, Nicholas W., Roseli, Ras Baizureen, Wimmer, Norbert, Le, Tri T., Krenske, Elizabeth H. and Ferro, Vito (2024). Origins of temperature‐dependent anomeric selectivity in glycosylations with an L‐idose thioglycoside. Chemistry – A European Journal, 30 (52) e202400331, e202400331. doi: 10.1002/chem.202400331

Origins of temperature‐dependent anomeric selectivity in glycosylations with an L‐idose thioglycoside

2024

Journal Article

Synthesis of a Deuterated Disaccharide Internal Standard for LC-MS/MS Quantitation of Heparan Sulfate in Biological Samples

Pan, Yuchen, He, Qi Qi, Wimmer, Norbert and Ferro, Vito (2024). Synthesis of a Deuterated Disaccharide Internal Standard for LC-MS/MS Quantitation of Heparan Sulfate in Biological Samples. Carbohydrate Research, 545 109270, 109270. doi: 10.1016/j.carres.2024.109270

Synthesis of a Deuterated Disaccharide Internal Standard for LC-MS/MS Quantitation of Heparan Sulfate in Biological Samples

2024

Journal Article

Sulfated Alginate for Biomedical Applications

Mutch, Alexandra L., Yang, Jiankun, Ferro, Vito, A, Anitha and Grøndahl, Lisbeth (2024). Sulfated Alginate for Biomedical Applications. Macromolecular Bioscience, 24 (11) 2400237, e2400237. doi: 10.1002/mabi.202400237

Sulfated Alginate for Biomedical Applications

2024

Journal Article

Amphiphilic heparinoids as potent antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2

Chhabra, Mohit, Shanthamurthy, Chethan D., Kumar, Nanjudaswamy Vijendra, Mardhekar, Sandhya, Vishweshwara, Sharath S., Wimmer, Norbert, Modhiran, Naphak, Watterson, Daniel, Amarilla, Alberto A., Cha, Jonathan S., Beckett, James R., De Voss, James J., Kayal, Yasmin, Vlodavsky, Israel, Dorsett, Lauren R., Smith, Raymond A. A., Gandhi, Neha S., Kikkeri, Raghavendra and Ferro, Vito (2024). Amphiphilic heparinoids as potent antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 67 (14), 11885-11916. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00487

Amphiphilic heparinoids as potent antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2

2024

Journal Article

Site-Selective Photobromination of O-Acetylated Carbohydrates in Benzotrifluoride

Zhang, Guoqing, See, Nicholas W., Wimmer, Norbert, Godinez, Michael J., Cameron, Scott A., Furneaux, Richard H. and Ferro, Vito (2024). Site-Selective Photobromination of O-Acetylated Carbohydrates in Benzotrifluoride. Organic Letters, 26 (28), 5956-5960. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c01898

Site-Selective Photobromination of O-Acetylated Carbohydrates in Benzotrifluoride

2024

Journal Article

Antiviral Activities of Heparan Sulfate Mimetic RAFT Polymers Against Mosquito-borne Viruses

Nahain, Abdullah Al, Li, Jinlin, Modhiran, Naphak, Watterson, Daniel, Li, Jin-ping, Ignjatovic, Vera, Monagle, Paul, Tsanaktsidis, John, Vamvounis, George and Ferro, Vito (2024). Antiviral Activities of Heparan Sulfate Mimetic RAFT Polymers Against Mosquito-borne Viruses. ACS Applied Bio Materials, 7 (5), 2862-2871. doi: 10.1021/acsabm.3c01223

Antiviral Activities of Heparan Sulfate Mimetic RAFT Polymers Against Mosquito-borne Viruses

2024

Journal Article

Synthesis of sulfated alginate from its tributylammonium salt: Comparing the sulfating agents H2SO4-DCC and SO3·py

Mutch, Alexandra L., Ferro, Vito, A, Anitha and Grøndahl, Lisbeth (2024). Synthesis of sulfated alginate from its tributylammonium salt: Comparing the sulfating agents H2SO4-DCC and SO3·py. Carbohydrate Polymers, 324 121488, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121488

Synthesis of sulfated alginate from its tributylammonium salt: Comparing the sulfating agents H2SO4-DCC and SO3·py

2024

Journal Article

A Heparan Sulfate Mimetic RAFT Copolymer Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Ameliorates Viral-Induced Inflammation

Ling, Jiaxin, Lundkvist, Åke, Guerrini, Marco, Ferro, Vito, Li, Jin-Ping and Li, Jinlin (2024). A Heparan Sulfate Mimetic RAFT Copolymer Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Ameliorates Viral-Induced Inflammation. Advanced Science. doi: 10.1002/advs.202411737

A Heparan Sulfate Mimetic RAFT Copolymer Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Ameliorates Viral-Induced Inflammation

2023

Journal Article

Identification of a pentasaccharide lead compound with high affinity to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein via in silico screening

Li, Binjie, Zhang, Tianji, Cao, Hui, Ferro, Vito, Li, Jinping and Yu, Mingjia (2023). Identification of a pentasaccharide lead compound with high affinity to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein via in silico screening. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24 (22) 16115, 1-16. doi: 10.3390/ijms242216115

Identification of a pentasaccharide lead compound with high affinity to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein via in silico screening

2023

Journal Article

C-5 epimerisation of D-mannopyranosyl fluorides: the influence of anomeric configuration on radical reactivity

See, Nicholas W., Pierens, Gregory K., Krenske, Elizabeth and Ferro, Vito (2023). C-5 epimerisation of D-mannopyranosyl fluorides: the influence of anomeric configuration on radical reactivity. Synthesis, 56 (06), 966-974. doi: 10.1055/a-2149-4586

C-5 epimerisation of D-mannopyranosyl fluorides: the influence of anomeric configuration on radical reactivity

2023

Journal Article

Siderophore conjugates to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Rayner, Beth, Verderosa, Anthony D., Ferro, Vito and Blaskovich, Mark A. T. (2023). Siderophore conjugates to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. RSC Medicinal Chemistry, 14 (5), 800-822. doi: 10.1039/d2md00465h

Siderophore conjugates to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Current funding

  • 2020 - 2025
    Sanfilippo IIIB Syndrome Research
    Research Donation Generic
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2022 - 2025
    Opening Up Access to L-Sugars through a Synergy of Experiment and Theory
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Small molecule drug therapy for MPS IIIA (Sanfilippo Children's Foundation grant administered by Flinders University)
    Flinders University
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Development of pharmacological chaperones for MPS IIIB
    Sanfilippo Children's Foundation Incubator Grant
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2023
    Antibiotic Conjugates: Joining Together to Fight Antimicrobial Resistance
    NHMRC IDEAS Grants
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2023
    Towards pharmacological chaperone therapy for MPS II
    National MPS Society
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2022
    Small molecule drug therapy for MPS IIIA
    Sanfilippo Children's Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2019
    A versatile accurate mass, high resolution QTOF mass spectrometer for chemistry and proteomic applications
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2019
    Pharmacological chaperones for MPS IIIA
    Sanfilippo Children's Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2020
    Heparan sulfate mimetics: versatile tools for chemical biology
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015
    A sensitive, high resolution QTOF mass spectrometer with nanoUPLC system for qualitative and quantitative biomolecule analysis.
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2016
    Improving Anticancer Activity of Gold Compounds
    UWA-UQ Bilateral Research Collaboration Award
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2016
    Development of Pharmacological Chaperone Therapy for MPS II.
    National MPS Society
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2015
    Targeting Tumour Angiogenesis in Breast Cancer by Altering MicroRNA Signalling (NHMRC project led by Deakin University)
    Deakin University
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2014
    Small molecule chaperones for enzyme enhancement therapy for MPS II
    National MPS Society
    Open grant
  • 2011
    Synthesis of novel inhibitors of heparan sulfate-degrading enzymes as potential anticancer therapeutics
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2011
    Expression, purification and characterization of recombinant human heparanase
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Vito Ferro is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Synthesis of L-sugars via radical chemistry

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Elizabeth Krenske

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Synthesis and applications of glycosaminoglycan mimetics

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Craig Williams

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Synthesis of novel probes and inhibitors of carbohydrate-binding proteins

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor James De Voss

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Synthesis of inhibitors and probes for heparan sulfate degrading enzymes

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Craig Williams

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Development of new chemical tools for probing glycosaminoglycan-dependent cellular processes

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Craig Williams

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Antibiotic Conjugates: Joining Together to Fight Antimicrobial Resistance

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Mark Blaskovich

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Development of new computational techniques for carbohydrate and agricultural chemistry

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Elizabeth Krenske

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Antibiotic Conjugates: Joining Together to Fight Antimicrobial Resistance

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Anthony Verderosa, Professor Mark Blaskovich

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Vito Ferro directly for media enquiries about:

  • Carbohydrate chemistry
  • heparan sulfate
  • heparin
  • Medicinal chemistry
  • Mucopolysaccharidosis
  • Sanfilippo syndrome

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