Research area: Structural and dynamical properties of systems with different degrees of complexity, from simple molecular liquids to cells and tissues, are studied with a range of spectroscopic techniques including: High Resolution Raman, THz Raman and depolarized Rayleigh scattering, microRaman mapping, SERS, FTIR and ATR-FTIR, Brillouin, UV-Raman, time domain non-linear spectroscopy.
Main Topics
- Biophysics of lipid membranes in liposomes, extracellular vesicles and cells. ATR-FTIR and microRaman spectroscopic techniques to characterize the thermotropic and lyotropic properties of the bilayer;
- FTIR, Raman and Brillouin study of denaturation and aggregation properties of globular proteins: the formation of amyloid fibrils and protein hydrogels;
- MicroRaman spectroscopy of cell lines in vitro: from band assignment to mapping studies as diagnostic tools;
- MicroRaman, microBrillouin spectroscopy and mapping of human bone and cartilage;
- Extended depolarized light scattering investigations of hydration properties of biomolecules (osmolytes, carbohydrates, peptides and proteins);
- Biobanking of biological samples of human origin: scientific, biopolitical and governance aspects, to explore the possible different ways of the managements of the new uses of the human body, alone and in its separate parts, and thus the paths with which new technologies affect and shape society;
- Dynamics of self-assembled systems by non-linear optical multidimensional spectroscopy;
- SERS study of nanohybrids for biomedical applications;
- Structure and dynamics of aqueous and organic electrolyte solutions, ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents;
- Vibrational spectroscopy of pharmaceuticals.