Carmela De Risi was born in Ferrara, on May 22, 1967.

She graduated in Chemistry from the University of Ferrara, on March 18, 1992, discussing a thesis entitled "Synthetic potential of 4-isopropyl-2-oxazolin-5-one. Synthesis of amino sugars" (supervisors: Prof. Simonetta Benetti and Prof. Achille Barco).

From November 1, 1992 to November 1, 1995 she studied for a PhD degree in Chemical Sciences at the "Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche" of Ferrara University, working in the group of Prof. Gian Piero Pollini on the synthesis of natural and structurally related antitumour compounds.

In March 1996 she went to the Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Lausanne, where she spent one year research in the laboratories of Prof. Pierre Vogel, focusing on the synthesis of alpha-C-glucosides of cyclitols and aminocyclitols.

She obtained the PhD degree in Chemical Sciences on October 29, 1996, discussing the thesis entitled: "Synthesis of natural and structurally related antitumour compounds".

After a further two years as a post doctoral researcher, on November 1, 1999 she took up his post as a researcher (CHIM/06, Organic Chemistry) at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Ferrara. Since then, she has always served at this Faculty, becoming a confirmed researcher in 2002.

Currently, she is a university researcher at the Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences of the same University.

The research activity is documented by 73 articles on journals, 5 book chapters (H-index: 26; number of citations: 2221) and several communications to congresses, and mainly focuses on synthesis and/or modification of biologically active compounds, general synthetic methodologies, organocatalysis, valorization of agri-food biomass.