From Venice to Virtual Molecules: Alessandro Nicoli’s Unexpected Journey into Computational Chemistry

Dr. GPCR Podcast
Aug 7
2 min read

Watch Episode 171

"Choosing one specific receptor is difficult... they're unique because they can bind many different molecules. Let's embrace the challenge to study all of them"

Some careers are planned. Alessandro Nicoli’s wasn’t.

Born near Venice and trained as a pharmaceutical chemist, Alessandro never imagined himself working at the cutting edge of computational GPCR research. But one academic spark—and the right mentor—changed his trajectory forever. In this blog post, we dive into his story of scientific curiosity, chance opportunities, and the unlikely road that led him to the Technical University of Munich.

The Early Days: Molecules and Mentors

Alessandro began his academic life studying pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of Padua. While fascinated by organic chemistry and the idea of “building molecules,” he didn’t see the big picture—until he encountered Prof. Moro, a medicinal chemist who introduced him to the interplay between molecular structure and biological function.

“It was not just a molecule—it was a partner interacting with a protein or DNA… that opened a new world.” —Alessandro Nicoli

This perspective changed everything. Suddenly, chemistry wasn’t just synthetic—it was strategic. He began exploring how small modifications could radically alter biological outcomes, an insight that later fueled his move toward computational research.

Falling for Computational Chemistry

Alessandro’s master’s thesis brought him face to face with his “second academic love”: computational chemistry. Studying cancer-related proteins (BCL2 family), he combined NMR and molecular docking to explore drug candidates. The realization that he could ask—and answer—complex biological questions with a computer sealed the deal.

“Doing every day the results, I was getting in love with the topic and decided—yeah, I want to do this in my life.” —Alessandro Nicoli

After graduation, a serendipitous email from Prof. Moro led him to an opportunity in Prof. Antonella Di Pizio’s lab in Munich. Within weeks, he moved to Germany and became her first PhD student—helping build a lab from the ground up.

From Empty Lab to GPCR Discovery

Starting in an empty lab with just a shared desk, Alessandro and Antonella began their mission: to computationally study olfactory GPCRs, a massively under-characterized group of receptors. With hundreds of subtypes and limited ligand data, olfactory GPCRs represent a high-risk, high-reward challenge—perfect for a PhD built on curiosity and courage.

“Choosing one specific receptor is difficult… they’re unique because they can bind many different molecules. Let’s embrace the challenge to study all of them.” —Alessandro Nicoli