Microfluidics for Chemistry and Cellbiology

Mission

The research group is focused on the application of microfluidics to chemistry and cell biology. The team, which consists of a chemist, a physicist, a biotechnologist, a material engineer and a technician, is strongly interdisciplinary. During the years, the fabrication of microreactors as well as the fine-tuning of the operating conditions to produce nanoformulations have been the relevant target of the group activity. Thanks to expertise in the dynamics of fluids in confined environment and the fabrication of integrated lab-on-chip, the physical/chemical properties and functionalities of (bio)molecules and (bio)materials have been deeply investigated and finely addressed. Recently two biologists joined the microfluidics team, thus the group is also moving towards cell biology in the perspective of using microfluidic technologies to create biomimetic niches and study pathophysiological phenomena with high parametric control. All these activities are currently supported by active projects

People Involved

Arima

Valentina

CNR Researcher

Group Coordinator 

Monica

Bianco

CNR PostDoc

Elisabetta

Perrone

CNR Technician

Ilenia

Viola

CNR Researcher

Alessandra

Zizzari

Associate PHD Student

Antonio

Gaballo

CNR Researcher

Paola

Priore

CNR PostDoc

Facilities & Labs

Characterization Lab @ Lecce

Bio Lab @ Lecce

NanoFab Lab @ Lecce

Soft and Living Matter Laboratory @ Rome

Linee di Ricerca

Nanobiotechnology

Lab on chip
Biosensors & Bioelectronics
Cell biology

Photonics&Optoelectronics

Organic Random Lasers

Publications

  1. M. Bianco, A. Sonato, A. De Girolamo, M. Pascale, F. Romanato, R. Rinaldi, V. Arima An aptamer-based SPR-polarization platform for high sensitive OTA detection Sensors & Actuators: B. Chemical 314-320 (2017) ISSN: 0925-4005; doi: 10.1016/j.snb.2016.10.056
  2. M. S. Chiriacò, M. Bianco, F. Amato, E. Primiceri, F. Ferrara, V. Arima, G. Maruccio Fabrication of interconnected multilevel channels in a monolithic SU-8 structure using a LOR sacrificial layer Microelectronic Engineering 164, 1, 30-35 (2016) ISSN: 01679317DOI: 10.1016/j.mee.2016.07.006
  3. F. Di Maria, M. Zangoli, I. E. Palamá, E. Fabiano, A. Zanelli, M. Monari, A. Perinot, M. Caironi, V. Maiorano, A. Maggiore, M. Pugliese, E. Salatelli, G. Gigli, I. Viola, G. Barbarella Improving the Property–Function Tuning Range of Thiophene Materials via Facile Synthesis of Oligo/Polythiophene-S-Oxides and Mixed Oligo/Polythiophene-S-Oxides/Oligo/Polythiophene-S,S-Dioxides  Adv. Funct. Mater. 26 (38), 6970-6984 (2016) ISSN:1616-3028 DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201602996.
  4. D. Vergara, P. Simeone, F. Julien, M. Trerotola, A. Giudetti, L. Capobianco, A. Tinelli, C. Bellomo,
I. Fournie, A. Gaballo, S. Alberti, M. Salzet, M. Maffia, Translating epithelial mesenchymal transition markers into the clinic: Novel insights from proteomics EuPA Open Proteomics, 10, 31-41, (2016) ISSN: 2212-9685 doi:10.1016/j.euprot.2016.01.003
  5. M. Bianco, V. Guarino, G. Maruccio, G. Galli, E. Martinelli, G. Montani, R. Rinaldi and V. Arima Non-Biofouling Fluorinated Block Copolymer Coatings for Contact Lenses Sci. Adv. Mater. 7, 1387-1394 (2015). ISSN: 1947-2935; doi: 10.1166/sam.2015.2056
  6. A. Zacheo, A. Quarta,  A. Zizzari,   A. G. Monteduro,   G. Maruccio,  V. Arima and   G. Gigli One step preparation of quantum dot-embedded lipid nanovesicles by a microfluidic device RSC Adv., 5, 98576-98582 (2015) ISSN: 2046-2069; doi: 10.1039/c5ra18862h
  7. A .Zacheo, A. Zizzari, E. Perrone, L. Carbone, G. Giancane, L. Valli, R. Rinaldi and V. Arima Fast and safe microwave-assisted glass channel shaped microstructure fabrication Lab Chip 15, 2395–2399 (2015) ISSN: 1473-0197; doi: 1039/c4lc01419g
  8. V. Arima, P. Watts, and G. Pascali Microfluidics in Planar Microchannels: Synthesis of Chemical Compounds On-Chip Chapter 8 from “Lab-on-a-Chip Devices and Micro-Total Analysis Systems: A Practical Guide” Published: November 5, 2014 by Springer. Editor(s): by Jaime Castillo-León and Winnie E. Svendsen
  9. A .Zizzari,   M. Bianco,   R. Miglietta, L. L. del Mercato, M. Carraro, A. Sorarù, M. Bonchio, G. Gigli, R. Rinaldi, I. Viola, V. Arima, Catalytic oxygen production mediated by smart capsules to modulate elastic turbulence under a laminar flow regime Lab Chip, 14, 4391-4397 (2014) ISSN: 1473-0197; doi: 1039/c4lc00791c
  10. L. del Mercato, M. Carraro, A. Zizzari, M. Bianco, R. Miglietta, V. Arima, I. Viola, C. Nobile, A. Sorar, D. Vilona, G. Gigli, M. Bonchio, R. Rinaldi Catalytic Self-Propulsion of Supramolecular Capsules Powered by Polyoxometalate Cargos Chem. Eur. J. 20, 1 – 6 (2014) ISSN: 0947-6539; doi: 10.1002/chem.201403171

Oldest publications (2011-2013):

  1. I. Viola, N. Ghofraniha, A. Zacheo, V. Arima,  C. Conti, G. Gigli Random laser emission from a paper-based device J. Mat. Chem. C 1, 8128-8133 (2013) ISSN: 2050-7526; doi: 10.1039/c3tc31860e
  2. V. Arima,   G, Pascali,  O. Lade,  H. R. Kretschmer,   I. Bernsdorf,   V. Hammond,  P. Watts,   F. De Leonardis,   M. D. Tarn,  N. Pamme,   B. Z. Cvetkovic,   P. S. Dittrich,   N. Vasovic,   R. Duane,   A. Jaksic,   A. Zacheo,   A. Zizzari,   L. Marra,  E. Perrone,  P. A. Salvadori,   R. Rinaldi Radiochemistry on chip: towards dose-on-demand synthesis of PET radiopharmaceuticals Lab on a chip 13, 2328-2336 (2013) ISSN: 1473-0197; doi: 10.1039/c3lc00055a
  3. R. Milani, E. Monogioudi, M. Baldrighi, Cavallo, V. Arima, L. Marra, A. Zizzari, R. Rinaldi, M- Linder, G. Resnati, P. Metrangolo Hydrophobin: fluorosurfactant-like properties without fluorine Soft Matter 9, 6505-6514 (2013) ISSN: 1744683X; doi: 10.1039/c3sm51262b
  4. N. Ghofraniha, I. Viola, A. Zacheo, V. Arima, G. Gigli, C. Conti   Transition from nonresonant to resonant random lasers by the geometrical confinement of disorder Opt. Lett. 38, 5043-5046  (2013) ISSN: 0146-9592; doi: 10.1364/OL.38.005043
  5. M. Bianco, A. Aloisi, V. Arima, M. Capello, S. Ferri-Borgogno, F. Novelli, S. Leporatti and R. Rinaldi Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D) as tool to exploit antigen-antibody interactions in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma detection Biosensors and Bioelectronics 42, 646–652 (2013) ISSN: 0956-5663; doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2012.10.012
  6. B. Z. Cvetković, O. Lade, L. Marra, V. Arima, R. Rinaldi and P. S. Dittrich Nitrogen supported solvent evaporation using continuous-flow microfluidicsRSC Adv. 2, 11117-11122 (2012) ISSN: 20462069; doi: 10.1039/c2ra21876c
  7. V. Arima, M. Bianco, A. Zacheo, A. Zizzari, E. Perrone, L. Marra, R. Rinaldi Fluoropolymers coatings on polydimethylsiloxane for retarding swelling in toluene Thin Solid Films 520, 2293–2300 (2012). ISSN: 0040-6090; doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2011.09.063
  8. I. Viola, A. Zacheo, V. Arima, A. S. Aricò, B. Cortese, M. Manca, A. Zocco, A. Taurino, R. Rinaldi, G. Gigli The influence of polydimethylsiloxane curing ratio on capillary pressure in microfluidic devices Appl. Surf. Sci. 258, 8032-8039 (2012) ISSN: 0169-4332; doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2012.04.164
  9. M. Bianco, I. Viola, M. Cezza, F. Pietracaprina, G. Gigli, R. Rinaldi, V. Arima Microfluidic motion for a direct investigation of solvent interactions with PDMS microchannels Microfluid. Nanofluid. 13, 399-409 (2012) ISSN: 1613-4982; doi: 10.1007/s10404-012-0966-y
  10. G. Montani, V. Arima, G. Maruccio, The Tear Film Interaction with Contact Lenses Chapter 19 from “Ocular surface: Anatomy and Physiology, Disorders and Therapeutic Care” Published: October 18, 2012 by CRC Press. Editor(s): Raul Martin Herranz, University of Valladolid, Spain; Rosa M. Corrales Herran, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
  11. A. Zacheo, V. Arima, G. Pascali, P.A. Salvadori, A. Zizzari, E. Perrone, L. De Marco, G. Gigli, R. Rinaldi, Radioactivity resistance evaluation of polymeric materials for application in radiopharmaceutical production at microscale Microfluid. Nanofluid. 11 (1), 35-44 (2011) ISSN: 1613-4982; doi: 10.1007/s10404-011-0770-0
  12. A. Zizzari, V. Arima, A. Zacheo, G. Pascali, P.A. Salvadori, E. Perrone, D. Mangiullo, R. Rinaldi Fabrication of SU-8 microreactors for radiopharmaceutical production Microelectronic Engineering 88   (8), 1664-1667 (2011) ISSN: 0167-9317; doi: 10.1016/j.mee.2010.12.059

Projects

Cluster in Bioimaging – Regione Puglia Bando “Aiuti a Sostegno Cluster Tecnologici Regionali” (2015-2017). PI: Valentina Arima

SISTEMA – Sviluppo di nuove metodologie e strumenti Innovativi per la diagnoSi ed il trattamento Terapeutico di tumori Epiteliali uMAni. Regione Puglia Bando “Aiuti a Sostegno Cluster Tecnologici Regionali” (2015-2017) PI: Antonio Gaballo

Latest News

  • Scholar-in-Training Award dell’AACR a Marta Cavo

    Lecce, 15/01/2020
    Marta Cavo, ERC-postdoctoral research fellow at the CNR Institute of Nanotechnology in Lecce (ERC-StG INTERCELLMED No., 759959, PI: Dr. Loretta L. del Mercato), have been selected to receive a Scholar-in-Training Award (USD $625). The Scholarship will support her attendance at the Conference on The Evolving Landscape of Cancer Modeling, organized by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), to be held on 2-5 March 2020 in San Diego (California), where she will present the work “Quantifying stroma-tumor cell interactions in three-dimensional cell culture systems”. (more…)

  • I° meeting TecnoMed Puglia

    Lecce, 05 dicembre 2019 – Aula Rita Levi Montalcini – CNR NANOTEC Lecce

    Si terrà domani, giovedì 05 dicembre, con inizio alle ore 14.00 presso l’aula Rita Levi Montalcini del Cnr Nanotec, il “I° meeting TecnoMed Puglia: Tecnopolo per la medicina di precisione“. Il meeting mira a fare il punto sulle attività programmate, sullo stato di avanzamento e sugli highlights.

    Puoi scaricare la locandina da qui

  • Jam session Nanotec… note di scienza su scala nanometrica

    Lecce, 27 settembre 2019 – ex monastero degli Olivetani “CAR-T: l’alba di una nuova era”  con: Attilio Guarini (IRCCS Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II” di Bari)  introduce e modera: Marco Ferrazzoli (Ufficio Stampa CNR Roma) a cura di: Gabriella Zammillo 

    Le CAR-T (Chimeric Antigens Receptor Cells-T) sono cellule modificate in laboratorio a partire dai linfociti T. Rappresentano una nuova strategia di cura che sfrutta il sistema immunitario per combattere alcuni tipi di tumore come linfomi aggressivi a grandi cellule e leucemie linfoblastiche acute a cellule B. Il prof Attilio Guarini, ematologo all’Istituto tumori Giovanni Paolo II di Bari, le definisce la “vis sanatrix naturae della antica medicina salernitana”, trattandosi del potenziamento dell’attività citotossica dei linfociti del paziente opportunamente ingegnerizzati per riconoscere e contrastare alcuni tipi di cellule tumorali.

    (more…)