Labs and instruments

NanoInnovation Laboratory

The NanoInnovation Laboratory has been established in 2003

Our group works on applications of nanotechnology to biophysics and translational medicine. The focus is on world spread diseases, as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. We implement innovative sensing strategies for the detection of disease molecular biomarkers at the early stage of disease progression, as well as integrated platforms to decipher the mechanisms of disease development. Our platforms are based on Atomic Force Microscopy, to study macromolecules and biorecognition events as well as cell and tissue biomechanics; Fluorescence Microscopy; Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. These platforms are complemented by other Synchrotron Radiation-based techniques. Expertise in surface bio-functionalization, bio-recognition at surfaces, self-assembling, nanopatterning, is at the core of our activities.

Our group is composed by highly motivated graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from Physics, Biology, Biotechnology, Bioengineering, and Materials Science. We collaborate extensively with groups from University of Trieste, the International School of Advanced Studies (SISSA), the medical school of Udine, and many other Universities in Europe, Africa, India and in the US.

By construction, the laboratory is equipped with various AFM microscope systems for operation in air and liquid environment. We can perform nanolithography, conductance, surface capacitance, work function and high resolution measurements on a large variety of samples ranging from biological (dna, protein, cells, etc.) to organic (alkanethiols, acenes, etc.) and inorganic (gold, Si, mica, etc.) samples either conducting or insulating. Furthermore the laboratory is equipped with a chemical and biological sample preparation room.

The laboratory is also available to italian and foreign students who spend part of their studies at Elettra often introducing in the lab new research topics.

The laboratory team work consists of:

• short measurements (few days) carried out as a support of other labs/beamilnes at Elettra, or at other research institutions;
• experiments related to long-term projects lead by the internal team or related to the staging external students course of study.

For more detailed information visit the main homepage.