Loretta L. del Mercato

Nanoscience Institute-CNR
UOS National Nanotechnology Laboratory (NNL)

Research interests

My current research interests cover the synthesis and engineering of multifunctional carriers systems for medical diagnosis and bio-applications (drug/gene delivery, biological sensing) and their morphological and structural characterization via several imaging tools (e.g., Scanning Probe Microscopy, Confocal Laser Microscopy, Electron Micrsocopy). Precisely, we are interested on designing capsules based diagnostic carrier systems for non-invasive, real-time, multiplex sensing of analytes in living cells and in vivo. In addition we investigate the use of these systems as drug delivery carriers.

My latest research interests has concerned the assembly of multifunctional capsules with different geometries and functions:
(1) ratiometric sensor capsules for multiple real-time sensing of ions (sodium, potassium, and protons);
(2) biodegradable capsules for controlled release of molecules in cells;
(3) Nanoparticle-modified polyelectrolyte capsules for remote opening of capsules under microwave irradiation in cells.


Biographical sketch

April 2010 – Present
Researcher at Nanoscience Institute – National Research Council (CNR), Lecce, Italy
National Nanotechnology Laboratory, Nanobiomolecular Electronics and Nanobiotechnology (NEN)

February 2008 – March 2010
Post doctoral researcher at Philipps University of Marburg, Germany
Department of Physics, Biophotonics Division, Prof. Wolfgang J. Parak

October 2007 – January 2008
Research Fellow at Nanoscience Institute – National Research Council (CNR), Lecce, Italy
National Nanotechnology Laboratory, Nanobiomolecular Electronics and Nanobiotechnology (NEN)

July 2004 – September 2007
PhD with fellowship in “Innovative Materials and Technologies”, Nanoscience Institute – National Research Council (CNR), Lecce, Italy
National Nanotechnology Laboratory, Nanobiomolecular Electronics and Nanobiotechnology (NEN)

May 2004 – June 2004
Research Fellow at Nanoscience Institute – National Research Council (CNR), Lecce, Italy
National Nanotechnology Laboratory, Nanobiomolecular Electronics and Nanobiotechnology (NEN)

February 2004 – April 2004
Tutor and Advisor of Diploma students at SofTel (Center for Orientation, Training and Teaching) University “Federico II”, Naples, Italy

September 1997 – January 2004
MSc in Biotechnology, University “Federico II”, Naples, Italy


2008: Member of the Local Organization Committee of the International Conference “Colloidal Nanoparticles - From Synthesis to Biological Applications”.
2006:“Best Student” prize from SISSA for her seminar on elastic and conductive properties of amyloid-like fibrils (3rd Nat. Conference on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Trieste).
2009: Grant by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology Office (COST) supported by the EU FP for her work on polyelectrolyte capsules as drug delivery systems for cells (XVII Int. Conference on Bioencapsulation, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands).

(Co-)author of 22 articles on peer reviewed journals, 1 chapter in a Book and 1 international patent.

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