The Smart Bio-Interfaces group focuses on the development and exploitation of physically-active nanoparticles and nanostructured materials, able to provide appropriate instructive cues to cells and tissues.

The remote control of cellular functions through smart nanomaterials represents a bio-manipulation approach with unprecedented potential applications in many fields of medicine, ranging from cancer therapy to tissue engineering. By actively responding to external stimuli, smart nanomaterials act as real nanotransducers able to mediate and/or convert different forms of energy into both physical and chemical cues, fostering specific cell behaviors. A new paradigm is proposed for nanomedicine, in order to exploit the intrinsic properties of nanomaterials as active devices rather than as passive structural units or carriers for medications.

In this view, we are focused on three main research topics:

• Cellular stimulation through piezoelectric, magnetic, redox-active and optically-active nanoparticles
• Microphysiological systems
• Biology in altered gravity conditions, and nanotechnological countermeasures in space medicine

We are based at the Center for Materials Interfaces, thus taking fully advantage of its chemical, biological, and microfabrication facilities, including clean rooms (class 1000 and class 10000), chemical laboratories, and BSL2 biological laboratories. More specifically, we can rely on equipment for:

• Nanomaterials, micro- and nano-fabrication. Chemical hoods; EmulsiFlex-C5 (Avestin); Sorvall LYNX 4000 Superspeed Centrifuge (ThermoFisher); Fisherbrand Q125 Sonicator (Fisher Scientific); Sonic dismembrator Fisher FB-120 (Fisher Scientific); Mask aligner for photolithography (Karl Suess); Materials printer (Dimatrix); Parylene deposition system PDS 2010 (Labcoater 2); Plasmochemical reactor Colibrì (Gambetti); Rotavapor (Heidolph); Spin Coater (SPS EUROPE); Sputter coater/TEM glow discharge system (Quorum); Syringe pumps (WPI Aladdin AL-4000); Thermal evaporator (Tecno Service).

• Microscopy. Helios NanoLab 600i FIB/SEM/STEM (ThermoFisher) equipped with X-ray microanalysis (Bruker) and micromanipulator (Oxford Instruments); C2s confocal microscope (Nikon); Eclipse Ti-E fluorescence microscope (Nikon); Raman confocal microscope LabRAM (Horiba); Observer Z1 polarized light microscope (Zeiss); DM750 optical microscope (Leica Microsystems); SteroZoom S9i stereomicroscope (Leica Microsystems).

• Characterization. Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer IRAffinity-1 (Shimadzu); High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) 33413 (Shimadzu); Gel permeation chromatography (GPLC) 1260 Infinity (Agilent Technologies); Differential scanning calorimeter DSC-1 STARe System (Mettler Toledo); Zetasizer Nano ZS90 (Malvern); LAMBDA 45 spectrophotometer (Perkin Elmer); Cary Eclipse fluorescence spectrophotometer (Agilent Technologies); VICTOR X3 plate reader (Perkin Elmer); Nanodrop 2000 spectrophotometer (Thermo); Stylus profilometer P6 (KLA-TENCOR); Probe station Cascade (PMS); NMR Spectrometer, Brucker Avance III HD with Supermagnet, Brucker Ascend 400 (Bruker).

• Biological analyses. CytoFLEX Flow Cytofluorimeter (Beckman Coulter); CFX Connect real-time PCR detection system (BioRad); PowerPac Basic + Mini-PROTEAN Tetra Cell (electrophoresis system, BioRad); iBlot gel transfer system (Invitrogen); ChemiDoc Western blot Imager (Bio-Rad); Manual Rotative Microtome (Histoline); Inclusion Station (Histoline); WMicrotracker SMARTx8 hardware (Phylum Tech); Endovascular evaluator (TARIC); Freeze dryer (Labconco FreeZone 76700); Cooled Incubator INCU- Line IL 56PR Peltier; CO2 Incubators (Heracell 150i); Biological hood (MSC Advantage 1.8 Thermo); Biological hood (Steril VBH Angelantoni).

• Physical stimuli application. Magnetherm (NanoTherics); RLTMDL-808-500 NIR laser (Roithner Lasertechnik); Sonoporation Gene Transfection System SonoPore KTAC-4000 (Sonidel); Random positioning machine RPM 2.0 (Airbus).

• Prof. Shinji Takeoka, Waseda University (Tokyo, Japan)
• Prof. Madoka Suzuki, Osaka University (Osaka, Japan)
• Prof. Satoshi Arai, Kanazawa University (Kanazawa, Japan)
• Prof. Toshinori Fujie, Institute of Science Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)
• Prof. Wojciech Chrzanowski, The University of Sydney (Sydney, Australia)
• Prof. Katarzyna Krukiewicz, Silesian University of Technology (Gliwice, Poland)
• Dr. Aitor Larranaga, University of the Basque Country (San Sebastian, Spain)
• Dr. Mariana Oliveira, University of Aveiro (Aveiro, Portugal)
• Dr. Luca Menichetti, CNR (Pisa, Italy)
• Prof. Filippo Maria Santorelli, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris (Pisa, Italy)
• Prof. Alessandra Salvetti, University of Pisa (Pisa, Italy)
• Dr. Andrea Petretto, Gaslini Hospital (Genova, Italy)
• Prof. Pietro Fiaschi, San Martino Hospital (Genova, Italy)
• Prof. Francesco Papadia, San Martino Hospital (Genova, Italy)
• Dr. Alessandro Donati, Kayser Italia (Livorno, Italy)

Kidaria Bioscience is an IIT start-up incorporated on May 31st, 2022, aiming at exploiting natural extracts with remarkable antioxidant properties for cosmetic and nutraceutical applications.