secondments

🌎Meet our secondees: Alenzo Murray from the University of Western Cape, South Africa 🇿🇦 to the University of Bologna, Italy 🇮🇹.

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Alenzo is currently a PhD student at the University of Western Cape, South Africa in the field of electrochemistry and developing chemical- and biosensors systems for biomedical applications under the supervision of Prof. Priscilla Baker

His research focuses on developing biosensors for the detection of prostate cancer biomarkers such as spermine and spermidine in urine.

His research aims to improve the sensor’s performance for early diagnosis and screening of prostate cancer by modifying the electrode surfaces with two-dimensional conductive metal-organic framework.]

🌎Meet our secondees: Alejandro Chamorro from 🇮🇹 UNITOV to  🇺🇸 UCSB. Alejandro will work on aptamer based biosensors for the monitoring of monoclonal therapeutic antibodies for cancer treatments.

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Alejandro is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Rome Tor Vergata in the field of analytical science collaborating with Prof. Alessandro Porchetta.

Alejandro’s research focuses on developing aptamer based biosensors (EAB sensors) for the detection of therapeutical drugs.

In Nano-ImmunoEra he contributes to the development of EAB sensors platforms for the monitoring of monoclonal therapeutic antibodies for cancer treatments.

🌎Meet our secondees: Claudio Ignazio Santo from 🇮🇹 (UNIBO) to🇩🇪(INNE). Claudio will work on innovative methods for antibody detection based on the combination of CRISP and lateral flow.

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Claudio is currently pursuing a PhD in chemistry at the University of Bologna in the field of electrochemistry under the supervision of Prof. Francesco Paolucci and Prof. Giovanni Valenti.

Claudio’s research focuses on Electrochemiluminescence and its optimization for biosensors’ application.

In the Nano-ImmunoEra project, he contributes by analyzing and developing innovative methods for antibody detection. Simultaneously, he focuses on the characterization and optimization of novel materials for enhanced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) applications.

🌎Meet our secondees: Elisa Paialunga from 🇮🇹 (UNITOV) to 🇨🇭(CSEM). Elisa Paialunga will work on the design and fabrication of microfluidic systems through 3D printing.

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Elisa Paialunga obtained a master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Rome, Tor Vergata, under the supervision of Prof. Alessandro Porchetta. Currently, she is in the final year of her Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences & Technologies, under the supervision of Prof. Laura Micheli.

Her research focuses on the development of biosensors based on CRISPR-Cas for the detection of antibodies.

In Nano-ImmunoEra, she is actively involved in the design and fabrication of microfluidic systems through 3D printing, enabling the transposition of CRISPR-Cas assays into diagnostics in integrated devices.

🌎Meet our secondees: Andrea Celeste Di Pede from 🇮🇹 (UNITOV) to  🇳🇱 (WUR). Andrea will work on the development of CRISPR-Cas based biosensors for antibody detection.

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Andrea Celeste obtained a Master’s degree in Chemistry at the University of Tor Vergata. She is currently doing a PhD in Chemical Science under the supervision of Prof. Alessandro Porchetta.

The research focuses on the development of CRISPR-Cas systems for diagnostics of nucleic acids.

In Nano-ImmunoEra she is involved in the development of CRISPR-Cas based biosensors for antibody detection.

🌎Meet our secondees: Neda Bagheri from 🇮🇹 (UNITOV) to 🇩🇪 (INNE). Neda Bagheri will work on the development of CRISPR-based POC platforms for the monitoring of antibodies

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Neda is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Rome Tor Vergata in the field of chemical science under the supervision of Prof. Alessandro Porchetta.

Neda’s research focuses on recreating nature-inspired strategies to program CRISPR-Cas systems using innovative DNA nanodevices.

In Nano-ImmunoEra she contributes to the development of CRISPR-based POC platforms for the monitoring of antibodies.

🌎Meet our secondees: Elisa Lazzarini (UNIBO) from 🇮🇹  to  🇳🇱 (WUR). Elisa will work on chemiluminescence and electrochemiluminescence investigation of CRISPR-Cas based biosensors

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Elisa obtained a Master’s degree in Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology at the University of Bologna, she is currently doing a PhD in Nanoscience for Medicine and the Environment under the guidance of Prof. Mara Mirasoli.

The research focuses on the development of new portable devices for multiplexed detection based on chemiluminescent enzyme assays, immunoassays or gene probe assays, using microfabrication technology and microfluidics for the quantitative analysis of molecules of interest in the medical, alimentary and environmental fields.

In Nano-ImmunoEra she is involved in the electrochemiluminescence investigation of CRISPR-Cas based biosensors

🌎Meet our secondees: Andrea Idili from 🇮🇹 (UNITOV) to  🇺🇸 (UCSB). Andrea will work on electrochemical aptamer sensors for the detection of clinically relevant targets

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Andrea received his Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry with full marks at the University of Rome Tor Vergata in 2017. During his Ph.D., he did three different visiting research periods (14 months) in the group headed by Prof. Alexis Vallée-Bélisle (UdeM, Canada). Dr.Idili did two different postdocs in the group of Prof. Kevin W. Plaxco (UCSB, USA – from 2017 to 2019) and Prof. Arben Merkoci (ICN2, Spain – from 2019 to 2021). From 2021 Dr. Idili has returned to the University of Rome Tor Vergata as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie research fellow and from 2022 he was appointed as Assistant professor. The importance of his research is highlighted in more than 39 peer-reviewed papers (21 h-index) published in high-impact factor journals, 1 patent, and 3 book chapters. He has received several international/national awards and fellowships in recognition of his work, including the “Marie Skłodowska-Curie individual fellowship” (ERC, 2021), “ISSNAF Awards for Young Investigators 2019” (ISSNAF, USA), the “PROBIST postdoctoral fellowship 2018” (BIST, Spain), and the “Canada-Italy Innovation Award 2013” (Embassy of Canada to Italy).

His current research focuses on the development of novel DNA-based electrochemical and optical sensors able to support the real-time, continuous monitoring of diagnostically relevant molecules both in vitro and in vivo

In Nano-ImmunoEra he is involved in DNA structure-switching design and development of electrochemical aptamer-based (EAB) sensors for the detection of clinically relevant targets.

🌎Meet our secondees: Melisa del Barrio from 🇪🇸 to  🇳🇱. Melisa is involved in the selection of recognition elements to target antibodies, bringing expertise in analytical chemistry and bioanalytical methods

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Melisa obtained her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Zaragoza and held postdoctoral positions at CNRS in Toulouse and Marseille (France). She was a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Cofund fellow at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and CSIC between 2019 and 2021. She is currently Assistant Professor at Universidad Complutense de Madrid, pursuing research within the GSOLFA team led by Assoc. Prof. Elena Benito Peña and Prof. Guillermo Orellana.

Her research activities have been interdisciplinary and are mainly focused on bioelectrocatalysis and the development of (bio)sensors for biomarkers monitoring.

In the Nano-ImmunoEra project, she is involved in the selection of recognition elements to target antibodies, bringing expertise in analytical chemistry and bioanalytical methods.

🌎Meet our secondees: Giovanni Valenti from 🇮🇹 to  🇺🇸  UCSB. Giovanni is involved in the electrochemical and electrochemiluminescence investigation of the CRISP based biosensors

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Giovanni obtained the Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Bologna in 2010 under the guidance of Prof. Paolucci. He was appointed as an Assistant Professor in 2013, and he has been a Visiting Fellow at the Dublin City University (Prof. R. Forster) and at the University of Texas (Prof. Bard). In 2021, he became a faculty member as Associate Professor in the Department Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician” (University of Bologna).

He is passionate about electrochemistry and its application to nanomaterials, for the generation of light (ECL), for the early diagnosis (biosensors) and for energy application (CO2RR, HER and OER).

In Nano-ImmunoEra he is involved in the electrochemical and electrochemiluminescence investigation of the CRISP based biosensors.