research

 The research in our laboratory is mostly organized along three main themes:

Soft materials

We investigate the structure and properties of heterogeneous fluid materials such as colloids, emulsions, liquid crystals and gels, possibly involving DNA or proteins. Our focus is on developing a fundamental understanding of their properties, as well as using the materials as models for the study of complex phenomena. In addition, much of our work is motivated by potential technological applications. 

Biophysics

We study the properties of biological macromolecules and of cells. We focus on the underlying physics of biopolymers through the investigation of the self-ordering properties of DNA fragments, the mechanism of protein folding, the kinetics of molecular recognition processes and the dynamical behavior of biopolymer networks. We also extend these studies to investigate the mechanical properties of living cells. 

Development of novel optical techniques

A major activity of the laboratory is also represented by the development of novel optical techniques offering new solutions for specific technological issues or fundamental investigations. We continuously propose novel methods for the optical investigation of complex fluids and biomolecular samples, primarily based on light scattering, microscope imaging and time resolved spectroscopy. In particular, innovative solutions are proposed in the field of label-free biosensors and quantitative dynamic microscopy.  

For details visit the groups page or contact us.