UNIBA

Luigi Gentile is an Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, University of Bari Aldo Moro, in Bari, Italy. His research embodies a multidisciplinary approach to understanding the relationship between chemical composition and complex supramolecular structures, with a particular focus on out-of-equilibrium phenomena in complex fluids. His work spans a wide range of colloidal and nanostructured complex fluids, including bio-based surfactants, biosurfactants, polymers, and biopolymers. These systems find applications in diverse fields such as soaps, food materials, cellulose, soil organic matter, and fungal decomposition, underlining the practical and biological relevance of his investigations.

Prof. Gentile is particularly recognized for his expertise in the rheological properties of materials and their relationship with supramolecular structures. He employs advanced techniques such as small-angle light, X-ray, and neutron scattering to unveil the structural characteristics of these materials. His contributions to the field have been supported by numerous research projects, grants, and fellowships, including funding from the European Soft Matter Infrastructure (EUSMI) and the Swedish Research Council. Notably, he received the FIS 2021 grant for his project "Out-of-Equilibrium Bio-Based Polymeric Complex Fluids" (OutBioPoly), highlighting his leadership in advancing the study of stimuli-responsive complex fluids.

In addition to his research, Prof. Gentile is actively involved in the academic community. He serves as the Director of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies in Material Science and Technology at the University of Bari, fostering the next generation of scientists. His international experience includes positions as a senior researcher at Lund University in Sweden, where he contributed to the study of mesophases and mesomorphic materials. His academic foundation was laid at the University of Calabria, where he earned a Ph.D. in Mesophases and Mesomorphic Materials and a Master’s degree in Physical Chemistry, both with distinction.

Gentile’s contributions extend beyond academia. He is a permanent member of the Center for Colloids and Surface Science (CSGI) in Florence and actively participates in leading scientific societies such as the European Colloid and Interface Society (ECIS), the Italian Society of Chemistry (SCI), and the Italian Neutron Spectroscopy Society (SISN), for which he is the regional contact point for Apulia. His editorial and reviewing activities further showcase his commitment to advancing the field. He has served on the editorial board of the Royal Society of Chemistry book "Out-of-Equilibrium Soft Matter: Active Fluids" and has reviewed articles for prestigious journals, including Langmuir, Soft Matter, and Scientific Reports.

Throughout his career, Prof. Gentile has received numerous accolades, such as the Elsevier Best Poster Prize at the European Colloid and Interface Society conferences in Berlin (2011) and Sofia (2013). He has also secured competitive beam time at renowned international facilities, including the ESRF in France, the PSI in Switzerland, and NIST in the USA. His contributions to organizing scientific meetings, including the Italian Soft Days and the National Congress of the Italian Society of Chemistry, reflect his dedication to fostering collaboration and innovation within the scientific community.

Gentile’s research on stimuli-responsive complex fluids exemplifies his vision of integrating fundamental scientific insights with practical applications. By exploring the dynamics of soft matter systems, he continues to contribute to the development of sustainable and advanced materials for a wide array of industrial and biological applications.