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

137 works between 1988 and 2024
All (137) Journal Article (124) Book Chapter (4) Conference Publication (5) Other Outputs (4)

101 - 120 of 137 works

2005

Other Outputs

Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) mimetics

Don, Robert Hugh, Ferro, Vito, Bytheway, Ian, Cochran, Siska, Fairweather, Jon Krueger, Hammond, Edward Timothy, Karoli, Tomislav, Li, Cai Ping and Liu, Ligong (2005). Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) mimetics. WO/2005/061523.

Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) mimetics

2005

Journal Article

Synthesis, biological activity, and preliminary pharmacokinetic evaluation of analogues of a phosphosulfomannan angiogenesis inhibitor (PI-88)

Karoli, Tomislav, Liu, Ligong, Fairweather, Jon K., Hammond, Edward, Li, Cai Ping, Cochran, Siska, Bergefall, Kicki, Trybala, Edward, Addison, Russell S. and Ferro, Vito (2005). Synthesis, biological activity, and preliminary pharmacokinetic evaluation of analogues of a phosphosulfomannan angiogenesis inhibitor (PI-88). Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 48 (26), 8229-8236. doi: 10.1021/jm050618p

Synthesis, biological activity, and preliminary pharmacokinetic evaluation of analogues of a phosphosulfomannan angiogenesis inhibitor (PI-88)

2005

Journal Article

The synthesis and biological evaluation of two analogues of the C-riboside showdomycin

Renner, J., Kruszelnicki, I., Adamiak, B., Willis, A.C., Hammond, E., Su, S., Burns, C., Trybala, E., Ferro, V. and Banwell, M.G. (2005). The synthesis and biological evaluation of two analogues of the C-riboside showdomycin. Australian Journal of Chemistry, 58 (2), 86-93. doi: 10.1071/CH04273

The synthesis and biological evaluation of two analogues of the C-riboside showdomycin

2005

Conference Publication

PI-88, a heparanase inhibitor showing promising evidence of patient benefit in phase II clinical trials.

Gautam, AM, Ferro, V, Wilson, EA, Freeman, C and Parish, C (2005). PI-88, a heparanase inhibitor showing promising evidence of patient benefit in phase II clinical trials.. AACR/NCI/EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, Philadelphia Pa, Nov 14-18, 2005. PHILADELPHIA: AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH.

PI-88, a heparanase inhibitor showing promising evidence of patient benefit in phase II clinical trials.

2005

Journal Article

Use of Sulfated Linked Cyclitols as Heparan Sulfate Mimetics to Probe the Heparin/Heparan Sulfate Binding Specificity of Proteins

Freeman, Craig, Liu, Ligong, Banwell, Martin G., Brown, Kathryn J., Bezos, Anna, Ferro, Vito and Parish, Christopher R. (2005). Use of Sulfated Linked Cyclitols as Heparan Sulfate Mimetics to Probe the Heparin/Heparan Sulfate Binding Specificity of Proteins. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 280 (10), 8842-8849. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M410769200

Use of Sulfated Linked Cyclitols as Heparan Sulfate Mimetics to Probe the Heparin/Heparan Sulfate Binding Specificity of Proteins

2004

Journal Article

The synthesis of phosphorylated disaccharide components of the extracellular phosphomannan of Pichia (Hansenula) holstii NRRL Y-2448

Fairweather, Jon K., Karoli, Tomislav and Ferro, Vito (2004). The synthesis of phosphorylated disaccharide components of the extracellular phosphomannan of Pichia (Hansenula) holstii NRRL Y-2448. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 12 (23), 6063-6075. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2004.09.005

The synthesis of phosphorylated disaccharide components of the extracellular phosphomannan of Pichia (Hansenula) holstii NRRL Y-2448

2004

Journal Article

A synthetic heparanase inhibitor reduces proteinuria in passive heymann nephritis

Levidiotis, V., Freeman, C., Punler, M., Martinello, P., Creese, B., Ferro, V., van der Vlag, J., Berden, Jo H.M., Parish, C.R. and Power, D.A. (2004). A synthetic heparanase inhibitor reduces proteinuria in passive heymann nephritis. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 15 (11), 2882-2892. doi: 10.1097/01.ASN.0000142426.55612.6D

A synthetic heparanase inhibitor reduces proteinuria in passive heymann nephritis

2004

Journal Article

The development of inhibitors of heparanase, a key enzyme involved in tumour metastasis, angiogenesis and inflammation

Ferro, V., Hammond, E. and Fairweather, J. K. (2004). The development of inhibitors of heparanase, a key enzyme involved in tumour metastasis, angiogenesis and inflammation. Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, 4 (6), 693-702. doi: 10.2174/1389557043403729

The development of inhibitors of heparanase, a key enzyme involved in tumour metastasis, angiogenesis and inflammation

2004

Journal Article

The low molecular weight heparan sulfate-mimetic, PI-88, inhibits cell-to-cell spread of herpes simplex virus

Nyberg, K., Ekblad, M., Bergström, T., Freeman, C., Parish, C.R., Ferro, V. and Trybal, E. (2004). The low molecular weight heparan sulfate-mimetic, PI-88, inhibits cell-to-cell spread of herpes simplex virus. Antiviral Research, 63 (1), 15-24. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2004.01.001

The low molecular weight heparan sulfate-mimetic, PI-88, inhibits cell-to-cell spread of herpes simplex virus

2004

Journal Article

Application of the four-component Ugi condensation for the preparation of sulfated glycoconjugate libraries

Liu, L., Li, C.P., Cochran, S. and Ferro, V. (2004). Application of the four-component Ugi condensation for the preparation of sulfated glycoconjugate libraries. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 14 (9), 2221-2226. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2004.02.017

Application of the four-component Ugi condensation for the preparation of sulfated glycoconjugate libraries

2004

Journal Article

The synthesis of phosphorylated disaccharide components of the extracellular phosphomannan of Pichia (Hansenula) holstii NRRL Y-2448.

Fairweather, J.K., Karoli, T. and Ferro, V. (2004). The synthesis of phosphorylated disaccharide components of the extracellular phosphomannan of Pichia (Hansenula) holstii NRRL Y-2448.. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry (12), 6063-6075.

The synthesis of phosphorylated disaccharide components of the extracellular phosphomannan of Pichia (Hansenula) holstii NRRL Y-2448.

2003

Journal Article

Probing the interactions of phosphosulfomannans with angiogenic growth factors by surface plasmon resonance

Cochran, S., Li, C., Fairweather, J.K., Kett, W.C., Coombe, D.R. and Ferro, V. (2003). Probing the interactions of phosphosulfomannans with angiogenic growth factors by surface plasmon resonance. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 46 (21), 4601-4608. doi: 10.1021/jm030180y

Probing the interactions of phosphosulfomannans with angiogenic growth factors by surface plasmon resonance

2003

Journal Article

The development of the novel angiogenesis inhibitor PI-88 as an anticancer drug

Ferro, V. and Don, R. (2003). The development of the novel angiogenesis inhibitor PI-88 as an anticancer drug. Australasian Biotechnology, 13 (1), 38-39.

The development of the novel angiogenesis inhibitor PI-88 as an anticancer drug

2002

Journal Article

Preparation and anticoagulant activity of the phosphosulfomannan PI-88

Yu, GL, Gunay, NS, Linhardt, RJ, Toida, T, Fareed, J, Hoppensteadt, DA, Shadid, H, Ferro, V, Li, CP, Fewings, K, Palermo, MC and Podger, D (2002). Preparation and anticoagulant activity of the phosphosulfomannan PI-88. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 37 (10), 783-791. doi: 10.1016/S0223-5234(02)01347-8

Preparation and anticoagulant activity of the phosphosulfomannan PI-88

2002

Journal Article

Synthesis of [C-14]- and [S-35]-labelled PI-88 for pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies

Ferro, V, Li, CP, Wang, B, Fewings, K, King, AR, Hammond, E and Creese, BR (2002). Synthesis of [C-14]- and [S-35]-labelled PI-88 for pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies. Journal of Labelled Compounds & Radiopharmaceuticals, 45 (9), 747-754. doi: 10.1002/jlcr.591

Synthesis of [C-14]- and [S-35]-labelled PI-88 for pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies

2002

Journal Article

Determination of the composition of the oligosaccharide phosphate fraction of Pichia (Hansenula) holstii NRRL Y-2448 phosphomannan by capillary electrophoresis and HPLC

Ferro, V, Li, CP, Fewings, K, Palermo, MC, Linhardt, RJ and Toida, T (2002). Determination of the composition of the oligosaccharide phosphate fraction of Pichia (Hansenula) holstii NRRL Y-2448 phosphomannan by capillary electrophoresis and HPLC. Carbohydrate Research, 337 (2), 139-146. doi: 10.1016/S0008-6215(01)00300-7

Determination of the composition of the oligosaccharide phosphate fraction of Pichia (Hansenula) holstii NRRL Y-2448 phosphomannan by capillary electrophoresis and HPLC

2002

Journal Article

Synthesis of [14C]- and [35S]-labelled PI-88 for pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies

Ferro, V., Li, C., Wang, B., Fewings, K., King, A.R., Hammond, E. and Creese, B.R. (2002). Synthesis of [14C]- and [35S]-labelled PI-88 for pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies. Journal of Labelled Compounds and Radio-pharmaceuticals (45), 747-754.

Synthesis of [14C]- and [35S]-labelled PI-88 for pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies

2002

Journal Article

Preparation and anticoagulant activity of the phosphosulfomannan PI-88

Yu, G., Gunay, N.S., Linhardt, R.J., Toida, T., Fareed, J., Hoppensteadt, D.A., Shadid, H., Ferro, V., Li, C., Fewings, K., Palermo, M.C. and Podger, D. (2002). Preparation and anticoagulant activity of the phosphosulfomannan PI-88. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (37), 783-791.

Preparation and anticoagulant activity of the phosphosulfomannan PI-88

2002

Journal Article

Determination of the composition of the oligosaccharide phosphate fraction of Pichia (Hansenula) holstii NRRL Y-2448 phosphomannan by capillary electrophoresis and HPLC.

Ferro, V., Li, C.P., Fewings, K., Palermo, M.C., Linhardt, R.J. and Toida, T. (2002). Determination of the composition of the oligosaccharide phosphate fraction of Pichia (Hansenula) holstii NRRL Y-2448 phosphomannan by capillary electrophoresis and HPLC.. Carbohydrate Research (337), 139-146.

Determination of the composition of the oligosaccharide phosphate fraction of Pichia (Hansenula) holstii NRRL Y-2448 phosphomannan by capillary electrophoresis and HPLC.

2001

Journal Article

Large-scale preparation of the oligosaccharide phosphate fraction of Pichia holstii NRRL Y-2448 phosphomannan for use in the manufacture of PI-88

Ferro, V, Fewings, K, Palermo, MC and Li, CP (2001). Large-scale preparation of the oligosaccharide phosphate fraction of Pichia holstii NRRL Y-2448 phosphomannan for use in the manufacture of PI-88. Carbohydrate Research, 332 (2), 183-189. doi: 10.1016/S0008-6215(01)00061-1

Large-scale preparation of the oligosaccharide phosphate fraction of Pichia holstii NRRL Y-2448 phosphomannan for use in the manufacture of PI-88

Current funding

  • 2022 - 2025
    Opening Up Access to L-Sugars through a Synergy of Experiment and Theory
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    Sanfilippo IIIB Syndrome Research
    Research Donation Generic
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 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

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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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