The major research interests are: 1) design, synthesis and study of antitumoral activity of new aryl and heteroaryl compounds; 2) design, synthesis and study of antibacterial activity especiallly antimycobacterial of aryl and hetoarylhydrazones.

Maria Teresa Cocco have been full professor of Medicinal Chemistry since 2001. Prior to that she was Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in the Departement Farmaco Chimico tecnologico at the University of Cagliari from 1985-2001. M.T. Cocco was the President of the Pharmacy Degree from1997 to 2000.

COCCO M., CONGIU C, ONNIS V. Synthesis and antitumour activity of 4-hydroxy-2-pyridone derivatives. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY. vol. 35, pp. 545-552 (2000).
DE LOGU A, ONNIS V, SADDI B, CONGIU C, SCHIVO ML, COCCO M. Activity of a new class of isonicotinoylhydrazones used alone and in combination with isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, para-aminosalicylic acid and clofazimine against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY. vol. 49, pp. 275-282 (2002).
COCCO M., CONGIU C, ONNIS V, PELLERANO ML, DE LOGU A. Synthesis and antimycobacterial activity of new S-alkylisothiosemicarbazone derivatives. BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY. vol. 10, pp. 501-506 (2002).
COCCO M., CONGIU C, ONNIS V. Synthesis and in vitro antitumoral activity of new N-phenyl-3-pyrrolecarbothioamides. BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY. vol. 11, pp. 495-503 (2003).
COCCO M., CONGIU C, ONNIS V. New bis(pyridyl)methane derivatives from 4-hydroxy-2-pyridones: synthesis and antitumoral activity. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY. vol. 38, pp. 37-47 (2003).
COCCO M., CENZO CONGIU, VALENTINA LILLIU, VALENTINA ONNIS. Synthesis of new N-(2-(trifluoromethyl)pyridin-4-yl)anthranilic acid derivatives and their evaluation as anticancer agents. BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS. vol. 14, pp. 5787-5791 (2004).
CONGIU C, COCCO M., LILLIU V, ONNIS V. New potential Anticancer agents Based on the Anthranilic Acid Scaffold. Synthesis and Evaluation of Biological Activity. JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY. vol. 48, pp. 8245-8252 (2005).
COCCO M., CONGIU C., LILLIU V., ONNIS V. Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of 2,6-Dibenzylamino-3,5-dicyanopyridines on human cancer cell lines. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY. vol. 40, pp. 1365-1372 (2005).
COCCO M., CONGIU C, LILLIU V, ONNIS V. Synthesis and in vitro antitumoral activity of new hydrazinopyrimidine-5-carbonitrile derivatives. BIOORGANIC & MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY. vol. 14, pp. 366-372 (2006).