3rd “para” ao -day - unipr.it · 1990-1991 chair of genetics at the university of bologna ......

3rd “PARMA” NANO-DAY The event that brings together students, researchers, enterprises

CENTRO CONGRESSI, AULE DELLE SCIENZE

CAMPUS DELLE SCIENZE E DELLE TECNOLOGIE, UNIVERSITÀ DI PARMA

JULY 12-14, 2017

PROGRAM & BOOK OF ABSTRACTS

3rd “PARMA” NANO-DAY

The event that brings together students, researchers, enterprises

JULY 12-14, 2017

CENTRO CONGRESSI, AULE DELLE SCIENZE

CAMPUS DELLE SCIENZE E DELLE TECNOLOGIE UNIVERSITÀ DI PARMA

ORGANIZED BY

Prof. Nelson Marmiroli - Dept. Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, UniPR

Director CINSA

Dr. Salvatore Iannotta - Director IMEM-CNR, Parma

http://www2.bioscienze.unipr.it/nano-day/ @ParmaNanoDay

Published by Università di Parma

Edited by Nelson Marmiroli and Salvatore Iannotta

© 2017 by Nelson Marmiroli and Salvatore Iannotta

(Authors of the single lecture/poster abstracts here published

are jointly-responsible for their correspondent submitted content)

ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8

Preface

3rd “PARMA” NANO-DAY, July 12-14, 2017

4 Preface

The conference, now at its third edition, represents an important meeting point for anybody

working on nanotechnology, not only in the academic world, but also in the industrial one.

The object is to organize an event focussed on young researchers, and their work. To promote

broad participation, the 3rd

Parma Nano-Day is completely free to all participants.

The event will take place from the 12th

to the 14th

of July. In the morning of July 12th

, a round

table will be organized with title “Technologies and Sustainable Development”. At the

discussion will attend important figures from different institutions, the academic world, and

the industry. In the afternoon of the same day, there will be a job day where industries, and

academic spin-offs will introduce their new line of research in the nanotechnology field. This

event will be followed by a session where several funded projects will be briefly presented.

The third part will focus on scientific talks (13th

and 14th

of July) divided in four sessions:

Technologies and Applications; Regulation and Economics; Agri-food, Environment and

Biotechnologies; and last Medicine and Health. The program will see almost 30 speakers

alternating the stage. Among those, it is worth mentioning: Dr. Ciro Chiappini (King’s

College London, UK), Dr. Soren Bowadt (European Commision), Dr. Jason C. White (CAES,

USA), and Dr. Isabella De Angelis (Istituto Superiore di Sanità). Moreover, are expected

almost 50 poster presentations, and the best ones will be awarded in the afternoon of the last

day.


5 Organizers

THE ORGANIZERS

Prof. Nelson Marmiroli

Dept. Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Parma

tel. 0521905606

[email protected]

Education and professional experience

1967-1971 degree in Biological Sciences at the University of Parma

1973-1977 Research Assistant at the University of Parma

1978 Associate Professor at the University of Chicago (IL, USA)

1979-1982 Adjunct Professor of Agricultural Genetics at the University of Udine

1980-1986 Associated Professor in Applied Genetics at the University of Parma

1986-1990 Full Professor of Genetics (Chair) at the University of Lecce

1990-1991 Chair of Genetics at the University of Bologna

1991-1995 Chair of Biology at the University of Parma

Since 1995 Chair of Recombinant DNA Technologies at the University of Parma

Current titles and assignements

Rector Delegate and President of the Committee for University Sport Activities; Coordinator of the

Unit "Biotechnology, Ecology, Sustainability" of the Department; Member of the Coordinators'

Committee of the Department; Director of the CINSA (National Interuniversity Consortium for

Environmental Sciences).

He has authored over 300 scientific publications. Milton P. Gordon Award for excellence in the career

related to environmental biotechnologies (International Phytotechnology Society, 2013).

Main research activities

- Application of environmental biotechnologies for sustainability. Phytoremediation, bioremediation,

emerging contaminants (nanomaterials and nanoparticles), interaction of plants with pollutants

(outdoor and indoor).

- Genomics and proteomics of the response to environmental stress; genes and gene products involved

in the adaptive response and in response to stress; new proteomic tools based on 2D analysis and mass

spectrometry.

- Analysis of the effects of environmental stress and agricultural conditions on protein composition of

cerela grains (durum wheat and rice), through proteomic, ionomic and ultrastructural analyses.

Analysis of the effects of nanoparticles of different structure on plant, fungal and animal organisms

subjected to environmental stress.

- Development of molecular biosensors and nanosensors based on protein and DNA for analysis of

food composition and quality; development of microsensors for on-line monitoring of food supply

chains, development of Lab-on-chip systems. Molecular traceability in food and feed.

- Development of systems for analysis of gene expression regulation mediated by microRNAs,

concerning occurrence of infective immunological and inflammatory diseases in man.

- Development of innovative tools for toxicological analyses.

- Innovative methodologies as countermeasure against deliberate threats towards environmental and

food resources.

- Production of selected plant species which can be used as natural resources to decrease the impact of

conventional energy sources, using renewable resources in the production of biofuels.


6 Organizers

Dr. Salvatore Iannotta

IMEM-CNR, Parma

tel 0521269225

[email protected]

Major research interests

Synthesis and studies of nanostructured and molecular materials; organic electronics; bioelectronics;

memristive devices and systems and nanomedicine. Active and passive gas- and bio-sensors, trace-gas

detection and related applications.

Education

1976 – Degree in Physics at the University of Bologna

1984 – PhD. in Chemistry at the (GWC) (Guelph Waterloo Centre for Graduate Work in Chemistry-

Waterloo - Ontario Canada)

Current position

Director of CNR Istituto dei Materiali per l'Elettronica ed il Magnetismo (IMEM) and of the

BIOGENA-P Center, BIOelectronics GEnomics and NAnomedicine of CNR and University of Parma.

He is Professor at the PhD School on Science and Technology of Materials of the University of Parma

(since 2009).

Professionals and intramural responsibilities

He has been science visitor at several research institutes among which the Nanoscale Facility of

Cornell University and has been visiting scientist at the Lash Miller Laboratory of the University of

Toronto (Ontario–Canada). He has been member of the board of directors of the Bruno Kessler

Foundation (FBK) and of scientific/stirring committees of national and International conferences

(among some recent ones: ECOSS-26 –European Conference on Solid Surface August 2009, CIMTEC

2012; MAMA –Hybrids October 2012; chair 20th International Symposium on Metastable,

Amorphous and Nanostructured Materials - ISMANAM 2013, chair ICNAAM 2014 Symposium on

"Adaptive Materials, Devices and Systems Towards Unconventional Computing and Robotics:

Modeling and Implementation", chair of E-MRS 2016 Symposium on "Adaptive Materials, Devices

and Systems"). He is coordinator of several research projects on a national and international basis in

the fields of nanostructured, molecular, hybrid materials and systems including their applications to

gas and bio-sensing, energy (photovoltaics in particular). He is co-author of more than 150 papers on

journals with international editorial boards with more than 3100 citations and he has been invited

speaker to more than 50 international conferences. He is also author or co-author of several

monographs, among which: "Cluster Beam Synthesis of Nano-structured Materials" – Springer –

Berlin (http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-642-59899-9). He is promoter of several national,

European and international scientific collaborations/initiatives and member of the International Union

for Vacuum Science Techniques and Applications (IUVSTA) - Nanostructures Division Committee.

He is also member of the board of directors of the Ph. D. Schools: Science and Technology of the

University of Parma. Since 2014 he is President of the Panel Energy, Micro- and Nanoelectronics for

the evaluation of proposal whitin the MISE-FCS Programme (the Italian Ministry of Economical

Developments Programme for Competitive Growth). He has been acting as research proposal reviewer

for several international agencies.

http://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-642-59899-9


7 Steering Committee

STEERING COMMITTEE

Prof. Elena Maestri Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Prof. Stefano Selleri Dept. Engineering and Architecture, UniPR

Prof. Marina Caldara Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Prof. Marta Marmiroli Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Prof. Roberta Ruotolo Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Dr. Michela Janni IMEM-CNR, Parma

Dr. Caterina Agrimonti Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Dr. Alessia Comastri Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Dr. Sara Graziano Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Dr. Davide Imperiale Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Dr. Giacomo Lencioni Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Dr. Francesca Mussi Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Dr. Laura Paesano Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Dr. Luca Pagano Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Dr. Graziella Pira Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

With the kind collaboration of

Dr. Marina Cassano U.O. Ricerca Competitiva, UniPR

Dr. Mimmo Cavalca Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Dr. Doretta Fava U.O. Placement e Rapporti con le Imprese, UniPR

Dr. Licia Gambarelli U.O. Ricerca Competitiva, UniPR

Dr. Guido Giombi C.I.R.E.A., UniPR

Dr. Vanni Villa U.O. Approvvigionamenti, UniPR

http://www.unipr.it/ugov/organizationunit/191493

Scientific Committee


10 Scientific Committee

Prof. Andrea Caneschi

INSTM Director, UniFI

Prof. Maria Careri

Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Prof. Paolo Cescon

IDPA-CNR, Venice

Prof. Attilio Corradi

Dept. Veterinary Science, UniPR

Prof. Antonio D’Aloia

Director of the Centre of Bioetics, UniPR

Prof. Roberto De Renzi

Dept. Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences, UniPR

Prof. Luca Di Nella

Dept. Economics and Management, UniPR

Prof. Giorgio Dieci

Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Prof. Giovanni Franceschini

Vice Rector, Dept. Engineering and Architecture, UniPR

Prof. Rinaldo Garziera

Dept. Engineering and Architecture, UniPR

Prof. Alessandro Mangia

Dept. SCVSA, UniPR

Prof. Antonio Mutti

Dept. Medicine and Surgery, UniPR

Prof. Ludovico Valli

Dept. Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, UniSalento

Round Table


12 Round Table

Simona Caselli

Assessore all'agricoltura, caccia e pesca Regione Emilia Romagna, Bologna, IT

E’ nata a Parma nel 1961. Laureata in Economia e Commercio all’Università di Parma, è revisore

contabile iscritta all’Albo. Dirigente di Legacoop nazionale e regionale, è stata presidente di Legacoop

Emilia Ovest (che raggruppa le province di Reggio Emilia, Parma e Piacenza), dopo aver guidato per

quattro anni la Legacoop di Reggio Emilia. E’ stata anche Direttore Commerciale e Sviluppo del

CCFS, il Consorzio finanziario nazionale di Legacoop con sede a Reggio Emilia. Ha ricoperto svariati

incarichi come consigliere di amministrazione e di sindaco in società cooperative. In particolare è stata

amministratore di Coopfond, il Fondo Nazionale di promozione cooperativa di Legacoop e di Quadir

spa, società di alta formazione cooperativa; consigliera di amministrazione di Coop Consumatori

Nordest e membro della Direzione Operativa dell’Associazione Nazionale delle Cooperative Agricole

per le politiche finanziarie. Ha collaborato a diverse pubblicazioni su temi economico-finanziari e

sulla cooperazione ed ha svolto attività di docenza in Master in Economia Cooperativa. E’ stata

consigliere di amministrazione dell’Università di Parma.

Palma Costi

Assessore alle attività produttive, Regione Emilia Romagna, Bologna, IT

E’ nata a Camposanto, in provincia di Modena, nel 1957. E’ stata presidente dell’Assemblea

legislativa della Regione Emilia-Romagna nella precedente legislatura. Laureata in Storia

contemporanea, ha ricoperto diversi incarichi tra cui quello di sindaco di Camposanto (1982-1991). E’

stata responsabile della Segreteria dell’assessore regionale alla Sanità, Giuliano Barbolini; dal 1994 al

1995 responsabile dei Servizi sociali del Comune di Mirandola e dal 2004 al 2006 dell’Ufficio

Relazioni con il Pubblico/Servizi Demografici, sempre del Comune di Mirandola. Ha ricoperto il ruolo

di assessore alla Pianificazione del Comune di Modena - dal 1995 al 2004 - e di assessore alle Attività

produttive, pari opportunità, risorse umane e semplificazione della Provincia di Modena dal 2006 al

2010.

Giovanni Franceschini

Dip. di Ingegneria e Architettura, UniPR, Parma, IT

Giovanni Franceschini si è Laureato in Ingegneria Elettronica presso l'Università di Bologna. Dal 1987

al 1989 svolge attività di ricerca presso il CESI (Centro Elettrotecnico Italiano) di Milano. Nel 1990 è

ricercatore presso l'Università degli Studi di Parma dove, attualmente, e' Professore Ordinario del

raggruppamento ING-IND/32 "Convertitori, Macchine e Azionamenti Elettrici".

Da gennaio 2011 a novembre 2013 è stato Direttore del Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione,

Università di Parma. Da novembre 2013 ricopre l’incarico di prorettore vicario dell’Università di

Parma con delega ai sistemi informativi. L'attivita' di ricerca del Prof. Franceschini si colloca nel

campo della modellistica, progettazione e diagnostica degli azionamenti elettrici ad alta dinamica e sui

sistemi di conversione statica dell'energia. E' revisore per le Transaction on Industrial Electronics e

Industry Applications. E' autore o coautore di oltre 150 lavori pubblicati a convegni o su riviste

internazionali.


13 Round Table

Flavia Barone Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma, IT

Laureata in Scienze Biologiche presso l’Università La Sapienza di Roma è primo ricercatore presso il

Dipartimento Ambiente e Salute dell’Istituto Superiore di Sanità, dove svolge la propria attività

istituzionale e di ricerca. E’ membro designato al Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials

dell’OECD, esperto designato nel GdL ISS “Nanomateriali e salute” e nel GdL Nazionale ISPESL sui

nanomateriali, esperto nel CtC REACH del Ministero della Salute GdL Nanomateriali. Principali

progetti nazionali e internazionali: coordinatore per l’ISS del progetto FP7 NANoREG-A common

European approach to the regulatory testing of Manufactured Nanomaterials (2013-2017);

convenzione ISS - Regione Lazio “RInnovaReNano - Ricerca e innovazione responsabile delle

nanotecnologie” (2015-2017); progetto H2020 NanoReg2-Development and implementation of

Grouping and Safe-by-Design approaches within regulatory frameworks (2015-2018); referente per

l’ISS (Additional Partner) del progetto H2020 EC4SafeNano - European Centre for Risk Management

and Safe Innovation in Nanomaterials & Nanotechnologies (2016-2019).

Alberto Manzo

MIPAAF, Roma, IT

Il Dr. Alberto MANZO è laureato in Scienze Agrarie, presso l’Università degli Studi di Napoli, Portici

e ha conseguito la specializzazione post-laurea in Biotecnologie Vegetali presso la Scuola di

Specializzazione dell'Università degli Studi di Pisa, ed ha conseguito presso l’Università di Perugia il

titolo di Dottore di Ricerca in Biotecnologie agro ambientali.

Dal 1988, è entrato nei ruoli del Ministero partecipando a numerose commissioni Nazionali ed

Internazionali. E’ stato esperto nazionale designato presso la Commissione UE nel Gruppo “COEX-

NET” nonché membro della delegazione italiana nel Comitato biologico (SCOF). Dal 2006 al 2009 è

stato dirigente dell’Ufficio “Agricoltura biologica” del Ministero delle politiche agricole alimentari e

forestali. Dal 2009 al 2012 ha ricoperto l’incarico di dirigente dell’Ufficio “Agroenergie e filiere

agricole e agroalimentari minori” del Ministero delle politiche agricole alimentari e forestali ordinando

il Tavolo Bioenergie.

Andrea Pontremoli

Dallara S.p.A, Parma, IT

Andrea Pontremoli entra in IBM nel 1980, assunto come semplice tecnico di manutenzione percorre la

carriera professionale fino ad essere nominato nel 2004 Presidente e Amministratore Delegato IBM

Italia. Nell’ottobre del 2007 lascia l’incarico di Presidente e Amministratore Delegato di IBM Italia e

Amministratore Delegato e Direttore Generale di Dallara Automobili. Da novembre 2007, è Direttore

del “Executive Master in Technology and Innovation Management” presso ALMA Graduate School,

Università di Bologna. Da aprile 2008, è nel CdA e nel Comitato Esecutivo di Barilla S.p.A. Da

maggio 2012, è Lead Indipendent Director nel CdA della Brunello Cucinelli S.p.A. Nel 2004

l’Università di Parma gli conferisce la laurea Honoris Causa in Ingegneria Informatica. Da tempo

Pontremoli fa parte delle Giunte di Confindustria, Assolombarda ed Assonime. A ciò si aggiunge

l’appartenenza al direttivo del “Council of Relationship Italy and USA” ed è membro dell’Aspen

Institute Italia.


14 Round Table

Paolo Cescon

IDPA-CNR, Venezia, IT

Prof. Ordinario di Chimica Analitica all’Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia, già Preside della Facoltà di

Scienze e Pro Rettore Vicario. Incarichi istituzionali e professionali: Membro Comitato Scientifico

dell’Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Direttore Istituto Dinamica dei Processi Ambientali- CNR,

Commissario Straordinario Centro Nazionale di Ricerche in Agricoltura (CRA), Membro

Commissione Scientifica Nazionale del Programma di Ricerche in Antartide (PNRA), Membro

Ufficio di Piano (PCM) per il monitoraggio di piani riguardanti la protezione di Venezia, Membro

Commissione Nanotech della Regione del Veneto. E’ autore, su riviste scientifiche internazionali, di

numerose pubblicazioni dedicate allo sviluppo e applicazione di metodologie analitiche in settori come

la caratterizzazione di elementi in matrici reali, lo studio di processi naturali che influenzano il clima.

RICONOSCIMENTI: Medaglia Lavoisier, Euroanalysis VI 1987 - Premio Nazionale INARC 1989 –

Premio della Terra 2002 – Medaglia Canneri, Società Chimica Italiana 2005.

Lanfranco Masotti Consorzio Italbiotec, Milano, IT

Presidente del Consorzio Italbiotec e già Presidente del corso di laurea specialistica in Biotecnologie

Farmaceutiche dell’Università Alma Mater Studiorum di Bologna. Laureato in Chimica Industriale è

stato inoltre coordinatore del Dottorato di ricerca in Biotecnologie Cellulari e Molecolari e direttore

del Dipartimento di Biochimica “G. Moruzzi” di detta Università. È autore di oltre 160 pubblicazioni

scientifiche su riviste nazionali ed internazionali. Alla presidenza del Consorzio, un ente pubblico-

privato no-profit con quasi 20 anni di esperienza, si occupa della promozione delle biotecnologie,

grazie alla collaborazione tra Università, centri di ricerca ed industrie. Il Consorzio è Regional Branch

Office per la Regione Italia dell'European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB), membro del Cluster

Tecnologico Nazionale SPRING e coordinatore del Cluster Regionale Lombardo della Chimica Verde

(LGCA). In questo contesto si impegna per lo sviluppo della bioeconomia, un passaggio obbligato per

affrontare le grandi sfide planetarie: mutamenti climatici, scarsità di risorse, tutela dell’ambiente,

multifunzionalità dell’agricoltura, salute, miglioramento delle condizioni di vita della popolazione,

nuove opportunità di crescita e occupazione, rafforzamento della competitività delle imprese.

Francesco Ausiello ASTER Emilia Romagna, Bologna, IT

Laureato in Ing. Meccanica indirizzo meccatronico diviene ingegnere in Fiat Direzione Ricerca

applicata nell’ambito di studi generali sul sistema energetico Italia e sul veicolo in rapporto al

risparmio energetico. Assunto in Magneti Marelli PWT è direttore del gruppo che ha ideato e

sviluppato il 1° sistema Common Rail per l’iniezione elettronica diesel. Direttore R&S MM Divisione

motori ed alternatori elettrici sviluppa l’ultima generazione di Alternatori e Starter, e in tale ruolo

viene assunto dalla DENSO ltd con la stessa gamma prodotto. Rientrato in Marelli fonda il gruppo J

RAUM (Joint Research Area University Marelli). Conclude la carriera in MMarelli Holding come

direttore della Innovazione Corporate. Dal 2009 Assume la carica di Direttore Tecnico ASTER per la

promozione della rete di alta tecnologia dell’Emilia Romagna; attualmente ricopre la carica di

responsabile dei progetti strategici di ASTER, e opera come rappresentante regionale nel Progetto

Vanguard Initiative.


15 Round Table

Antonio D’Aloia

Centro Bioetica, UniPR, Parma, IT

Antonio D’Aloia, è Professore Ordinario di Diritto Costituzionale nell’Università di Parma, dove

insegna anche Biodiritto. Ha fondato, e ne è Direttore scientifico, University Center for Bioethics,

Centro Interdipartimentale di studi bioetici dell’Ateneo parmense; è vice-Direttore della Rivista on

line Biolaw Journal. Dal 2015, è membro del Consiglio Direttivo dell’Associazione Italiana dei

Costituzionalisti.

Da anni si occupa delle connessioni tra diritto e sviluppi della scienza e della tecnica. Ha scritto e

curato decine di pubblicazioni sui principali temi della bioetica e del biodiritto: decisioni di fine vita,

procreazione medicalmente assistita, wrongful birth e wrongful life, responsabilità medica, protezione

dei dati genetici, ruolo del giudice nei conflitti biogiuridici, enhancement, bioetica ambientale e tutela

delle generazioni future, diritto e climate change, decisione legislativa e razionalità scientifica.

Invited Speakers


18 Chairmen

Ordered following the programme

Prof. Enrico Dalcanale Scientific Director Functional Materials section, INSTM, Florence, IT

Enrico Dalcanale graduated in Industrial Chemistry (cum laude) at the University of Bologna in 1981.

After working as research scientist at the Donegani Research Institute of Montedison in Novara from

1982 to 1990, he joined the Faculty of the Department of Chemistry of the University of Parma, where

he is currently Full Professor in Industrial Chemistry. In 1985-86 he spent a sabbatical year in the

group of D. J. Cram (Nobel Laureate 1987) at UCLA. In 2004 he has been visiting professor at Naval

Research Laboratory (Washington DC, USA). He is the founder of SOATEC, a University spin-off

company active in the field of environmental and food sensors. He is presently the Scientific Director

of the Functional Materials section of the Italian Consortium for Materials Science (INSTM). He has

published over 160 research papers, 16 reviews and he holds 15 patents. He presented the results of his

research in over 110 research lectures in conferences and invited seminars worldwide. The research

profile of ED's group is defined by the supramolecular approach to materials science, giving a

privileged position to molecular recognition and self-assembly as operating tools. The major fields of

activity have been responsive surfaces, supramolecular polymers and sensors.

Prof. Roberto De Renzi Dept. Mathematical, Physics and Computer Sciences, UniPR, Parma, IT

Prof. Roberto de Renzi born in Pavia in 1955. In 1979 he got an honours degree, the University of

Parma. In 2002 he became full professor in Physics at University of Parma. He coordinated the Parma

Research on Magnetism (PaRMa) Laboratory and reorganized the solid state NMR laboratory of the

Department of Physics in Parma. He developed muon spin spectroscopy: from the early exploratory

experiments at CERN (Geneve, 1979-1987), and designed and commissioning of the pulsed source at

ISIS (Rutherford Laboratory, 1985-1989). He had a scientific advisory role at ISIS, at the Paul

Scherrer Institute (Villigen, CH) and at J-PARC (Tokai, JP). In 2017 he became Head of the

Department of Mathematical, Physics and Computer Sciences, Parma.

Publications and Distinctions: Author of 187 papers, coauthor of a condensed matter textbook.

Yamazaki Prize 2014 recipient from the International Society for Muon Spin Rotation APS

Outstanding Referee 2013.

Prof. Rinaldo Garziera Dept. Engineering and Architecture, UniPR, Parma, IT

Professor. Rinaldo Garziera, born in Como in 1962, began his scientific career at the Normale Scuola

di Pisa in 1980. From 1985 to 1986 he worked as a temporary researcher at Ispra's Euratom Center. He

graduated from the Politecnico di Milano in Mechanical Engineering in 1987, where he has been a

Ph.D. student since 1989. In 1991 became a Researcher in the Industrial Engineering Department at

the University of Parma. He became associate professor in the same university in 1998, and received

the Applied Mechanics Chair at the Machines in January 2001. In his research activity he was

involved with automatic machines, vibrations of fluid interacting structures, nonlinear structures and

vibration monitoring. He has held the Master of Mechanical Engineering Fundamentals course, and

for some years has been director of the Industrial Engineering Department of the University of Parma.


19 Chairmen

Prof. Maria Careri

Dept. Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, UniPR, Parma, IT

Full Professor of Analytical Chemistry at Parma University since 2001. Head of the

Chemistry Department of Parma University since July 2012 up to December 2016. Board Member of

University of Parma (Term 2017-2020).Director of the University Master Course "Laboratory Quality

Systems" from 2001-2002 to 2010-2011 academic years. Chair elected of the Executive Board of the

Division of Analytical Chemistry of the Italian Chemical Society (2007 – 2009). Director of the

National School of "Analytical and Bioanalytical Methodologies based on Mass Spectrometry" of the

Italian Chemical Society, which is hold in Parma starting from 2005. Member of the International

Advisory Board of Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (Springer) since January 2008.

Representative of the University of Parma in the board of JRU “METROFOOD-IT”. Author of more

than 170 scientific papers on international peer-reviewed journals and 2 patents. Invited speaker at

national and international symposia.

Dr. Andrea Zappettini IMEM-CNR, Parma, IT

Andrea Zappettini is senior researcher at IMEM-CNR and Head of the SIGNAL research group, whose

main activities are: i) the development of CdZnTe-based gamma ray detector ii) the realization and

characterization of metal oxide nanostructures for piezo and gas sensing iii) the integration of organic

electrochemical transistors into textile and into plants.

He is author of over 180 scientific publications in international journals (source: Web of Science), that

have cited more than 2000 times, his h-index is 25, and he is author of 10 international patents and 4

Italian patents.

Since 2008 he has been professor at the PhD course in Materials Science at the University of Parma.

Since 2011, he has been Chair of the Commission for Crystal Growth and Characterization of

Materials of the International Union of Crystallography and ex-officio member of the Executive

Committee of the International Organization for Crystal Growth. Since 2015 he is Coordinator of the

Crystal Growth Section of the Italian Crystallography Association.

Prof. Luca Di Nella Dept. of Economics and Management, UniPR, Parma, IT

Degree in Law with full marks cum laude. Postgraduate Specialization in civil law at School of Civil

law at University of Camerino with full marks cum laude. Research doctorate in "Civil Law in

constitutional legality". Research scientist - full post in research sector IUS/01 Private Law, UniPR

(2000) Assistant professor in research sector IUS/01 Private Law, UniPR (2002) Full professor in

research sector IUS/01 Private Law, UniPR (2006) Member of supervision team on research doctorate

programme "The individual's problems in civil law" based at University of Sannio, and member of

supervision team on research doctorate programme in "Civil Law in Constitutional Legality"

University of Camerino, from fifteenth course. Since 2009 is Responsible of the University of Parma

for the international Master Strategia e Pianificazione delle Organizzazioni, degli Eventi e degli

Impianti sportivi. Since 2010 is Coordinator of Law Section and member of Scientific Board of the

review Associazioni e sport. Since 2011 is Director of the Centro di Ricerche sullo Sport (CeRS,

UniPR). Since 2009 is member of Tribunale Nazionale di Arbitrato per lo Sport of CONI.


20 Chairmen

Dr. Søren Bøwadt European Commision, DG Research & Innovation, Brussels, BE

Dr. Søren Bøwadt has been working for the European Commission's DG Research and Innovation

since 1999 and is currently the Deputy Head of Unit for the "Advanced Materials and

Nanotechnology" Programme. His main educational background in organic synthetic and analytical

chemistry has been obtained from the University of Odense, Denmark. Søren Bøwadt has been

responsible for over 150 scientific projects in various areas of natural science, setting up the SPIRE

public private partnership and has published more than 50 peer-reviewed papers in various areas of

chemistry related research.

Prof. Ruggero Bettini Pharmaceutical Technology, Food and Drug Department, UniPR, Parma, IT

Ruggero Bettini in 1994 got his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology, University of

Pavia. Currently is Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology, Food and Drug Department, University

of Parma, Italy. Is Director of the Interdepartmental Centre for Innovation in Health Products,

Biopharmanet-TEC, University of Parma, Italy. He is also Director of the Master course in

“Pharmaceutical Technology and Regulatory Affairs”, University of Parma. His research activity is

mainly focused on Solid dosage forms for controlled and site specific drug delivery, and solid-state

chemistry for improving biopharmaceutical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients; swelling

controlled systems for oral drug delivery; nasal and pulmonary administration of powders;

pharmaceutical applications of supercritical fluid technologies; solid-state chemistry of drugs; natural

polymers for regenerative medicine applications.

Prof. Giorgio Dieci Director Dept. Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, UniPR, Parma, IT

Giorgio Dieci, Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Parma, studies the molecular

mechanisms of gene transcription and its regulation, with recent emphasis on human retrotransposon

silencing control. After the Ph.D. in Molecular Biology and Pathology, he was EMBO post-doctoral

fellow at CEA-Saclay (Gif-sur-Yvette, France) where he contributed to clarify fundamental aspects of

the transcription process. He later joined the University of Parma, where he coordinated several

national scientific programs and an international team supported by the Human Frontier Science

Program. Studies carried out within these programs gave rise to many collaborations with research

groups in USA, France, Japan, Switzerland and Italy, and led to scientific achievements including a

better understanding of the RNA polymerase III transcription system and the discovery of novel

regulators of ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotic cells. He is presently supported by a grant from the

Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) for the study of the connections between

retrotransposons and cancer. For the period 2017-2019 he has been appointed Head of the new

Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability of the University of Parma.


21 Chairmen

Prof. Marta Marmiroli Dept. Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, UniPR, Parma, IT

BSc (Hons) in Solid State Physics, Parma University. PhD in Biotechnology, Parma University,

“Applications of scanning electron microscopy, microanalysis, microfluorescence and EXAFS to

environmental biotechnology”. OECD grant for research on N use in agriculture. Senior Researcher at

Parma University, scientific section BIO/13. Lecturer in Applied Biotechnology and

Phytoremediation. Research focus on food security in several EU and NATO projects. Collaboration

with Canterbury and Lincoln University, NZ; CAES (The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment

Station, CT., USA); The James Hutton Institute, UK; ELETTRA synchrotron, Trieste. Main interest in

investigation of plant-metals /ENMs interaction through advanced “-omics”, microscopy, EDX, and

synchrotron-light based methods.

Prof. Jason C. White Vice Director Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, CT, USA

I am currently Vice Director of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, as well as Head of

the Department of Analytical Chemistry. I am also State Chemist. I received a B.S. in Ecology from

Juniata College in Huntingdon, PA in 1992. I received my Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology from

Cornell University in 1997. I did a one-year post-doctoral position at the Connecticut Agricultural

Experiment Station in New Haven CT from 1997-1998 in the Department of Soil and Water. I also

have adjunct status at the University of Texas-El Paso, University of Massachusetts, and Post

University. I am Managing Editor for the International Journal of Phytoremediation, Immediate Past

President of the International Phytotechnology Society, on the Editorial Advisory Board (SAB) of

Environmental Science and Technology and Environmental Science and Technology Letters, and on

the editorial boards of Environmental Pollution and NanoImpact. My primary research interests

include nanotoxicology, nano-enabled agriculture and food safety. I live in Prospect CT USA with my

wife Michelle and 6 children.

Dr. Rita Baraldi IBIMET-CNR, Bologna, IT

Doctor in Agricultural Science, Dr. Rita Baraldi is a Senior Scientist at the Institute of Biometeorology

(IBIMET) of the National Research Council. Since 2009 responsible of the detached branch of

IBIMET-CNR in Bologna, Italy. Her research activities are mainly focused on: Atmosphere/biosphere

exchange, Ecophysiological studies on volatile organic compound emission (VOC) from vegetation at

plant and ecosystem scale, Plant physiology and ecophysiology, Auxin and abscisic acid biosynthesis

and metabolism in association with various aspects of plant, bacteria and fungal development,

phytohormones as intermediates between light signal and morphogenesis. She is author of several

publications in international journals.


22 Chairmen

Prof. Elena Maestri Dept. Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, UniPR, Parma, IT

Elena Maestri has a degree in Biology and a PhD in Genetics. She is Full Professor of Applied

Biology at the University of Parma, in the Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences, and

Environmental Sustainability. She is the President of the Degree in Biotechnology and member of the

PhD Course in Biotechnology and Life Sciences. Her teaching activities cover Cell and Animal

Biology, Environmental Biology, Applications of Transgenic Organisms.

The research activities are focused on two main topics:

- food integrity in the framework of several National research projects, with the application of

molecular biology and genomics to protection of quality and authenticity

- environmental biotechnologies, phytoremediation, effects of pollutants including nanoparticles as

emerging contaminants.

She authored over 250 publications. She is in the Editorial Board of the journals 'Environmental

Science and Pollution Research' and 'International Journal of Phytoremediation'.

Dr. Rosaria Rinaldi IMM-CNR, Lecce, IT

Rosaria Rinaldi graduated in Physics at the University of Bari (Italy) on July 1991. During her

Phd she worked on the optical and electronic properties of semiconductor quantum wires. She got

her PhD in 1994. From 1994 she has been working at the Material Science Department of

University of Lecce, where she builds up the facility for the fabrication of low dimensional

structures and photonic structures based on patterned materials. In January 2001, she was

appointed Professor in Condensed Matter Physics at the department of Innovative Engineering of

the University of Lecce. In 2001, she set up a Clean-Room for advanced nanoprocessing of

materials and realization of nanostructures based on Electron Beam Lithography, Galvanic

Electrodeposition of metals and Soft Lithographies. In the mean time, she opened a new research

line on nano- biotecnology and nano-bio-electronics. She is actually responsible of the “NEW

QUANTUM SYSTEMS” laboratory at DIE and "NANO - BIO-ELECTRONICS" division at the

National Nanotechnology Laboratory - INFM-CNR Lecce. She is author and co-author of more

than 200 articles published in peer reviewed international Journals.


23 Chairmen

Prof. Antonio Mutti

Dept. of Medicine and Surgery, UniPR, Parma, IT

Graduated summa cum laude in Medicine and Surgery (1974), Specialist cum laude in Occupational

Medicine (1977), Resident (1974), then Research fellow (1976), and established university researcher

(1980), he is full Professor of Occupational Medicine at the University of Parma (2000). Responsible

of the Regional Reference Center of Industrial Toxicology (from 1997). Delegate for International

Relationships and Biomedical Research (from 1996 to 2000). From 2000, he is President of the

Committee for the assistance to the personnel of the University of Parma. Assistant director at the

Institute of Clinical Medicine and Nephrology (from 1991) then Department of Clinical Medicine,

Nephrology and Health Sciences (from 1996), of which he became Vice-director (2003-2010) and

then Director (1st November 2010). From 2006, he is member of the Board of the International

Commission on Occupational Health and member of Panel on Contaminants of the Food Chain at the

EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). Author of over 400 scientific publications, half of which in

peer-reviewed international journals he has been Project Leader or local Coordinator of the several

projects funded by the European Commission.

Sen. Prof. Giorgio Pagliari

Dept. of Law, Political and International Studies, UniPR, Parma, IT

He was elected Senator in 2013, he is professor of Administrative Law at the University of

Parma. He was involved in the important reform of the public administration to simplify

italian administration. According to Open Polis 2016 he is the most productive senator and

second within the Parliament. He is now a member of: Giunta delle elezioni e delle immunità

parlamentari, Commissione Affari Costituzionali, Commissione Giustizia, Comitato

parlamentare per i procedimenti di accusa, Commissione parlamentare per la

semplificazione, Commissione parlamentare di inchiesta sul rapimento e sulla morte di Aldo

Moro and President of Commissione contenziosa.

Dr. Andrea Zanlari President Camera di Commercio of Parma, Parma, IT

Dr. Zanlari is since 1999 president of the Camera di Commercio di Parma. In addition, he holds many

official offices, such as president of INDIS – Istituto Nazionale Distribuzione e Servizi, President of

PARMA ALIMENTARE.

He was nominated “Cavaliere dell’Ordine Costantiniano di San Giorgio, Commendatore della

Repubblica italiana and Grande Ufficiale dell’Ordine “Al Merito della Repubblica Italiana”.


24 Invited Speakers

Dr. Ciro Chiappini Dept. of Materials, King's College, London, UK

Dr. Ciro Chiappini is Lecturer in Nanomaterials and Biointerfaces at King’s College London, United

Kingdom. He earned a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the 3816, University of Texas at Austin

(USA) in 2011. He worked as Newton Fellow and Marie Curie Fellow at Imperial College London

until 2016. Dr. Chiappini develops functional interfaces for tissue engineeringand precision medicine.

Prof. Luca Vincetti Dept. of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, UniMORE, Modena-Reggio, IT

He received the Degree in Electronics Engineering (cum laude) from University of Parma, Italy. He

did his PhD in Information Technologies at the University of Parma on the development of numerical

methods for optical devices analysis and he got the PhD degree in 2000. He also received a Young

Research Project grant. The same year he became researcher at the National Inter-University

Consortium for Telecommunications. In 2001 he moved to the University of Modena and Reggio

Emilia with a grant funded by Cisco Research Center of Cisco Systems. The same year he became

Assistant Professor of Electromagnetic Fields at the Department of Information Engineering,

University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. He has made several key contributions in the development

and applications of analytical models of PMD in optical fiber and numerical models based on Finite

Element Method for the analysis and design of photonic components. He has also pioneered the use of

FEM modal solvers for the analysis of Photonic Crystal Fibers.

Prof. Daniele Ruggiu Dept. of Political Science, Law, and International Studies, UniPD, Padua, IT

Daniele Ruggiu is a legal philosopher at the Department of Political Science, Law, and International

Studies of the University of Padova where he teaches “Legal Theory”. He obtained his Ph.D degree at

the University of Palermo (2008). His main interests are: The European human rights law and the

work of the European Court of Human Rights; the impact of emerging technologies on human rights

(nanotechnology, synthetic biology, information technologies, human enhancement technologies); the

study of governance models, such as Responsible, Research and Innovation and the development of

rights-based models of governance; legal hermeneutics as the philosophical framework of human

rights. He worked on several EU funded projects (Synth-Ethics, EPOCH, ResAgora, NeroLaw

network etc.). He published articles in several Journals (Nanoethics, JLT, Ragion pratica, Rivista di

Filosofia del Diritto, Politeia) and took part to several conferences, national and international. He was

member of the “Center of research for legal, ethical and social decisions on emergent technologies” at

Padua University (2009-2015). He is member of the Group on “Ethics and Emerging technologies: a

Population-based Health Monitoring Project” of the Fondazione Lanza (Padova). He is member of the

editorial board of “Ars interpretandi. Journal of Legal Hermeneutics”.


25 Invited Speakers

Dr. Dania Esposito Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Rome, IT

Dr. Dania Esposito is a PhD, researcher of the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research-

ISPRA, in Rome. She is involved in the activities of national Competent Authority (CA) for the

implementation of Regulations concerning hazard and risk assessment of chemicals (i.e. “REACH”

and “CLP”), including environmental issues related to the Substance Evaluation process.

She is advisor of the Italian member of the Risk Assessment Commettee (RAC) at the European

Chemical Agency (ECHA). She takes part to national and European activities on challenges in

REACH implementation in relation on nanomaterials, focusing on the ecotoxicity and environmental

fate, with the aim to evaluate, define and propose advices to ensure the protection of the environment,

in relation to nanomaterials, supporting the national tasks at European level. Recently she was

nominated auxiliary expert for IT-CA in the advisory group ECHA-NanoMaterial Expert Group for

environmental aspects.

Prof. Cesare Galli Dept. of Law, Political and International Studies, UniPR, Parma, IT

Full Professor of IP Law, Law Department, University of Parma (1998-today), he is the author of

numerous publications, including the books: 3 D Printing. Legal aspects and business opportunities

(2014-2015, edited together with A Zama); The Commented Code of Industrial and Intellectual

Property (2011, edited together with A Gambino); The Italian IP Code: the 2010 Reform (2010); A

guide to the warranties on IP rights (2011); The New Frontiers of Patent Law (2003); The Future of

Trademarks in the Face of the Challenges of Globalization (2002); Functions of Trademarks and

Scope of Protection (1996). Since 2005 he has been a member of the Italian Government Boards of

Counsel in the IP field, including the board which drafted the 2010 reform of the Code of Industrial

Property. Since 2009 he has been a member of the sub-group on the legal framework of the EU

Counterfeiting and Piracy Observatory (now OHIM Observatory on the Infringement of IPRs). Head

and founder of IP-Law Galli (2004-today), a highly specialized IP boutique law firm, he handles

litigation involving all branches of IP law, often involving cross-border profiles, in particular

regarding the most cutting-edge sectors of technology.

Dr. Giovanna Zappa Research director at ENEA, Rome, IT

Giovanna Zappa, Research director at ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy

and Environment) with more than thirty years of experience in Analytical Chemistry, Reference

Materials and Metrology applied to Chemical and Biological Measurements. She is Coordinator of the

European Research Infrastructure METROFOOD-RI and of the JRU METROFOOD-IT. Scientific

Responsible of National Research Project on food safety SAFE&SMART and principal Investigator of

research projects on food quality and safety. She is member of the IMEKO TC23 "Metrology in Food

and Nutrition", UNI and ISO Committees, Codex Alimentarius and academic teaching on "Risk

Analysis and Methodologies for Exposure Evaluation to Chemical Agents” graduation course in

“Techniques Environment and workplaces" – University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, tutor for graduation,

post-graduation, PhD and fellowships. She is author of more than 150 scientific publications.


26 Invited Speakers

Prof. Luca Marchiol Dept. of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UniUD, Udine, IT

Luca Marchiol, PhD, is Associate Professor at the University of Udine (I). Director of 2nd degree in

"Land and Environment Science and Technology", joint Master between the University of Udine and

University of Trieste. Currently, LM teaches “Ecosystems Ecology” and “Restoration of Degraded

Sites”. As regards the research interests LM worked on plant ecophysiology and abiotic stress, then on

metal accumulators/hyperaccumulators vs phytoremediation. Since 2012 LM studies the relationships

between engineered nanomaterials and plants.

Dr. Isabella De Angelis Dept. of Environment and Health of the Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, IT

Isabella De Angelis, graduated in Biological Sciences, is researcher at the Department of Environment

and Health of the Italian National Institute of Health (ISS). Her research interests are focused on the

use and validation of in vitro models to investigate toxic action mechanisms. She is particularly

interested in chemicals and nanoparticles absorption processes using in vitro models of epithelial

barriers.

Since 2011, she is Head of Delegation at the OECD Working Party of Manufactured Nanomaterials

and member of the ISS working group “Nanomaterials and Health”. She actively participates to

National (Lazio Region, Ministry of Health) and European (NaNoREG, NanoReg2, EC4Safe Nano)

research projects addressed to nanomaterials safety.

Prof. Michele Miragoli Dept. of Medicine and Surgery, UniPR, Parma, IT

Tenure track assistant professor at the Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma.

Research Associate at CNR-IRBG and group leader of the Cardiac Nanophysiology Laboratory at the

Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan. Currently, he holds the position of honorary research associate

at Imperial College London. 17 years of experience in cardiac physiology. Supervisor of different

M.Sc and PhD students. Dr. Miragoli is interested in cardiac nanomedicine and nanophysiology and

the group was among the first in demonstrating the interaction between excitable cardiac tissue and

charged nanoparticles. Principal Investigator and co-investigator of several national and international

project from Italian Ministry of Health, Italian Ministry of Education University and Research,

Wellcome Trust UK, British Heart Foundation UK, FP7 Capacities Program Qualityinano

Transnational Access, Horizon 2020. Awarded for the Italian Young Investigator Research Prize, from

the Italian Society of Cardiovascular Research and the National Institute of Cardiovascular Research

(2009) and from young investigation award led by the Swiss Society of Cardiology (2008). Co-author

of more than 40 papers published in international peer-reviewed journals and co-inventor of 1

international patent.

Programme


28 Programme

Wednesday, 12 July

08:30 Registration (registration area)

09:00 Introduction of the organizers (congress hall)

Prof. Nelson Marmiroli (UniPR) and Dr. Salvatore Iannotta (IMEM-CNR)

Authorities welcome and remarks

09:30 Round Table “Technologies and Sustainable development”

Nanotechnologies are just one of the new technologies facing Industry and Universities

in their search on innovation. New applications create new perspectives in Italy and

abroad, opening up possibilities for researchers and operators in the field of science and

technologies, to be discussed for the safe and sustainable use of the knowledge.

Organizer

Prof. Nelson Marmiroli

Moderator

Vittoriano Zanolli - Direttore, “La Provincia” di Cremona e Crema

Speakers

Prof. Giovanni Franceschini - Rettore Vicario, UniPR

Dr. Simona Caselli - Assessore all'agricoltura, caccia e pesca, Regione E-R

Dr. Palma Costi - Assessore alle attività produttive, Regione E-R

Dr. Flavia Barone - Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Roma

Dr. Alberto Manzo - Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali (MIPAAF)

Dr. Andrea Pontremoli - Dallara S.p.A., Parma

Prof. Paolo Cescon - IDPA-CNR, Venezia

Dr. Lanfranco Masotti - Presidente, Consorzio Italbiotec, Milano

Dr. Francesco Paolo Ausiello - Direttore Tecnico, ASTER

Prof. Antonio D’Aloia - Direttore Centro Bioetica, UniPR

13:00 Lunch break

14:00 Poster exhibition (poster area)


29 Programme

14:30 Job Day (congress hall and Industry dedicated area, 1st floor)

“Industries meet students and young researchers”

Young participants will have the opportunity to meet Companies and Industries from the

sector of nanotechnologies, for discussion and interaction.

Oral communications (10 minutes) of selected companies that present themselves to the

audience by explaining the company’s Core Business, the Mission, the placement in the

national/international market, the main activities carried out, the possibility to offer

internships and apprenticeships for students and/or graduates and also provide contacts

and relevant business figures.

Moderator

Prof. Sara Rainieri (UniPR)

16:30 Project Session (congress hall)

Brief presentation of funded project in the area of nanotechnology.

Moderators

Prof. Enrico Dalcanale (INSTM) and Dr. Salvatore Iannotta (IMEM-CNR)

Projects

SUPRANANO – Prof. Enrico Dalcanale (INSTM)

INTENSE – Prof. Elena Maestri (UniPR)

TERMOREF – Prof. Francesco Basile (CIRI EA, UniPR)

Nano2Fun – Prof. Anna Painelli (UniPR)

SUPERSITO – Dr. Stefano Zauli Sajani (Center for Environment and Health, ARPAE E-R)

Smart-PV – Dr. Massimo Mazzer (IMEM-CNR)

Refrigerazione Magnetica – Dr. Simone Fabbrici (MIST E-R) and Dr. Franca Albertini

(IMEM-CNR)


30 Programme

Thursday, 13 July


Session I. Technologies and Applications (congress hall)

Chairmen: Prof. Roberto De Renzi (UniPR) and Prof. Rinaldo Garziera (UniPR)

09:00 Plenary lecture - Dr. Ciro Chiappini (King’s College London, UK).

Engineering high aspect ratio nanostructures to direct cell fate

09:25 Oral Communication - Prof. Daniele Pontiroli (UniPR).

Carbon Nanostructures for Energy Applications

09:40 Oral Communication - Dr. Simone Fortunati (UniPR).

Amperometric genosensor based on PNA probes implemented on carbon nanotubes-

modified screen printed electrodes

09:55 Oral Communication - Dr. Valeria Caponetti (UniBO).

Fluorescent nanoaggregates by self-assembly of amphiphilic perylene bisimides for

sensing pH and anions in water

10:10 Oral Communication - Prof. Rosaria Rinaldi (IMM-CNR).

Multi-shape hydrogel-nanostructures: microfluidic-assisted approach

10:25 Oral Communication - Dr. Carlo Molardi (UniPR).

Design of micro-structured fiber for improved high power laser operation

10:40 Oral Communication - Dr. Carlotta Peruzzi (IMEM-CNR).

Full plastic organic electrochemical transistors with graphene-metal nanoparticle

composites as gate electrodes: a benchmark towards the intrinsic selectivity

11:00 Coffee break

11:20 Invited speaker - Prof. Luca Vincetti (UniMORE).

Microstructured Fibers for label-free DNA detection

11:40 Poster Presentation Session A. Technologies, Chemistry and Physics (congress hall)

Chairmen: Prof. Maria Careri (UniPR) and Dr. Andrea Zappettini (IMEM-CNR)

13:00 Lunch break

13:45 Poster vision and evaluation (poster area)


31 Programme

Session II. Regulation and Economics (congress hall)

Chairmen: Prof. Luca Di Nella (UniPR) and Dr. Soren Bowadt (European Commision, DG Research

& Innovation)

14:30 Plenary lecture - Dr. Soren Bowadt (European Commision)

15:00 Miniplenary - Prof. Daniele Ruggiu (UniPD).

Towards a overall regulation of nanotechnologies: is the devil in the detail?

15:20 Invited speaker - Dr. Dania Esposito (ISPRA, Roma).

Nanomaterials and EU Regulation on Chemicals. Approach to the environmental risk

assessment

15:35 Invited speaker - Prof. Cesare Galli (UniPR).

IP Protection of Nanotechnology: Patents Vs Open Source - Pros and Cons

15:50 Oral Communication - Dr. Maria Chiara Errigo (UniPR).

The Nanotechnologies in the food sector: the European regulation

16:05 Short Communication - Prof. Elena Maestri (UniPR).

Nanotechnologies in agri-food: lessons learned from transgenic organisms

16:15 Coffee break

16:40

Poster Presentation Session B. Medicine, Health, Drugs and Veterinary Medicine

(congress hall)

Chairmen: Prof. Ruggero Bettini (UniPR) and Prof. Giorgio Dieci (UniPR)


32 Programme

Friday, 14 July


Session III. Agri-food, Environment and Biotechnologies (congress hall)

Chairmen: Prof. Marta Marmiroli (UniPR) and Dr. Jason C. White (The Connecticut Agricultural

Experiment Station, CAES; New Haven, CT, USA)

09:00 Plenary lecture - Dr. Jason C. White (CAES, USA).

Nanomaterials and the Food Supply: Assessing the Balance Between Applications and

Implications

09:30 Miniplenary - Dr. Giovanna Zappa (ENEA)

Application of nanotechology in agri-food: opportunities and challenges

09:50 Oral Communication - Dr. Michela Janni (IMEM-CNR).

Bioristor: an in vivo biosensing, biomimetic electrochemical transistor with applications

in plant science and precision farming

10:05 Oral Communication - Dr. Alessia Favero (UniPR).

Tetraphosphonate Cavitands recognition in water: from amino acids to histone

camouflage

10:20 Oral Communication - Dr. Manon Auguste (UniGE).

PANDORA: probing safety of nano-objects by defining immune responses of

environmental organisms

10:35 Oral Communication - Dr. Chiara Lico (ENEA).

A biodistribution study of two differently shaped plant virus nanoparticles reveals new

peculiar traits

10:50 Short communication - Dr. Luca Pagano (UniPR).

Physiological and molecular response Cucurbita pepo exposed to ENM binary

combinations

11:00 Coffee break

11:20 Invited speaker - Prof. Luca Marchiol (UniUD).

Phytonanotechnology: a new horizon to food security

11:40 Poster Presentation Session C. Agri-food, Environment and Biotechnologies

(congress hall)

Chairmen: Dr. Rita Baraldi (IBIMET-CNR) and Prof. Elena Maestri (UniPR)

13:00 Lunch break

13:45 Poster vision and evaluation (poster area)


33 Programme

Session IV. Medicine and Health (congress hall)

Chairmen: Prof. Rosaria Rinaldi (IMM-CNR) and Prof. Antonio Mutti (UniPR)

14:30 Plenary lecture - Dr. Isabella De Angelis (Istituto Superiore di Sanità)

Approaches for nanomaterial safety

15:00 Miniplenary - Prof. Michele Miragoli (UniPR).

Recovery of cardiac impulse propagation in ischemic rat heart via silicon carbide

conductive nanowires (SiC-NW)

15:20 Oral Communication - Dr. Gregorio Marchiori (Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute).

3D printing of novel PCL/bioactive glass scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration:

nanoindentation and finite element analyses

15:35 Oral Communication - Dr. Alessandra Procopio (UniBO).

Quantitative determination of dye doped silica nanoparticles in cancer cells

15:50 Oral Communication - Dr. Nicolò Riboni (UniPR).

Odorant binding protein-functionalized superparamagnetic nanoparticles for biomedical

applications

16:05 Oral Communication - Dr. Gloria Zaccariello (UniVE).

Growth of Bismuth Titanate into mesoporous silica nanoparticles: a new safe self-sealing

UV filter for cosmetic formulations

16:20 Short Communication - Dr. Laura Paesano (UniPR).

MicroRNAs transcriptional regulation in human cells exposed to CdS QDs

16:30 Poster awards (congress hall)

Chairmen: Prof. Giorgio Pagliari (Senatore) and Dr. Andrea Zanlari (Presidente, Camera

di Commercio Parma)

17:00 Conference closure by organizers

18:00 Scientific Happy Hour

Oral Communications


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 36 Oral Communication - Session I

Engineering vertical nanowire arrays for cell manipulation

C. Chiappini1

1Department of Craniofacial Development and Stem Cell Biology, Dental Institute

King's College London, United Kingdom.

[email protected]

Engineering the cell-material interface to direct cell fate carries transformative potential for

regenerative medicine, precision medicine and fundamental cell and molecular biology.

Vertical arrays of nanowires and nanoneedles are rapidly emerging as promising biointerfaces

capable of manipulating cells. Thanks to their high aspect ratio, nanoneedles interact

simultaneously with multiple organelles within the cell, enabling gene delivery, intracellular

sensing, and direct stimulation of signalling pathways at multiple levels of the

mechanosensory machinery. Leveraging these interactions enables gene therapy, epigenetic

remodelling and intracellular sensing, yielding dynamic manipulation of cells and their

environment with broad impact both in vitro and in vivo.



Carbon Nanostructures for Energy Applications

D. Pontiroli1*

, G. Magnani1, S. Scaravonati

1, D. D’Alessio

1, M. Gaboardi

1,2,

C. Milanese3, G. Bertoni

4, A. Malcevschi

5, N. Sharma

6, M. Riccò

1

1 CNL, DSMFI, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 7/A, 43124 Parma Italy.

2 ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, United Kingdom.

3 Pavia Hydrogen Lab, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 16, 27100 Pavia (Italy).

4 IMEM-CNR, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy.

5 DSCVSA, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma Italy.

6 School of Chemistry, UNSW Australia, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia.

*[email protected]

The progressive depletion of fossil fuels and the subsequent need to quickly switch to

renewable sources strongly require to boost the performances of the current energy-storage

systems. In fact, on the one hand, efficient large-scale electric energy accumulators will be

implemented in future smart-grids to buffer the intermittent production of energy by sun and

wind power. On the other hand, the production of electric vehicles will need even more

performing devices for both energy harvesting and storage, in order to become really

competitive with existing petrol cars.

In this scenario, the development of innovative technologies exploiting novel carbon

nanostructures could be the winning strategy, thanks to their unique mechanical, electronic

and structural properties and to the intrinsic environment-friendly character of carbon.

In this talk, a survey of the recent advances in the field of the energy transport, conversion

and storage, obtained at the Carbon Nanostructures Laboratory (CNL) at the Department of

Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences at the University of Parma, is given. Carbon

nanomaterials, based on Buckminster-fullerene, graphene and activated bio-chars,

demonstrated to be promising for the development of novel Li-/Na-/Mg-ion batteries,

supercapacitors and direct/indirect solid-state hydrogen-storage systems.



Amperometric genosensor based on PNA probes implemented on carbon

nanotubes-modified screen printed electrodes

S. Fortunati, M. Giannetto, A. Rozzi, M. Mattarozzi, A. Manicardi, R. Corradini, M. Careri

Dipartimento Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Università di Parma, Parco Area

delle Scienze 17/A 43124 Parma.

*[email protected]

Genosensors have received great attention in the past decade, being nucleic acids promising

molecular probes due to the ease of functional modification and the specificity for base

pairing. In a program dealing with the development of innovative sensors as analytical tools

for assessing food safety1,2

we combined DNA-mimic probes based on Peptide Nucleic Acids

(PNAs) with the enhancing properties of Carbon NanoTubes as binding substrates on Screen

Printed Electrodes (CNT-SPEs). Our previous studies3, focused on the use of the same PNA

probes on all-gold SPEs, evidenced that best results have been obtained suiting a non-

competitive approach, based on the binding of target “Roundup-Ready (RR)” transgenic soy

DNA by a PNA-Capture Probe (CP)-functionalized sensor, followed by the hybridization

with a PNA-Reporter Probe (RP). The latter bears a biotin tag, capable of strong interactions

with a streptavidin-Alkaline Phosphatase conjugate, which converts a substrate into an

electroactive species. We experimented CNT-SPEs obtaining higher loading capability of CP,

if compared to gold substrates. Another crucial aspect deals with the nature of the RP, since

we noticed the formation of CP/Target/RP adduct using PNAs both for capture and reporter

probes. To overcome this limit, we moved to DNA-based RPs, obtaining encouraging results

in terms of signal inhibition associated to hybridization of the target DNA up to nanomolar

scale. Further studies, currently ongoing, are focused on the comparison of such inhibitive

approach with the use of a sandwich-type assay based on the use of a longer DNA target,

hetero-complementary to CP and RP.

[1] A. Manfredi, M. Giannetto, M. Mattarozzi, M. Costantini, C. Mucchino, M. Careri, Anal Bioanal Chem

(2016) 7289–7298

[2] M. Giannetto, E. Umiltà, M. Careri, Anal. Chim. Acta 806 (2014) 197-203.

[3] S. Fortunati, MsSCI thesis, 2016.



Fluorescent nanoaggregates by self-assembly of amphiphilic perylene

bisimides for sensing pH and anions in water

V. Caponetti1*

, M. Montalti2

1University of Bologna, via Selmi 42, Bologna, Italy.

2University of Bologna, via Selmi 42, Bologna, Italy.

*[email protected]

Multi-stimuli responsive materials are finding increasing importance in fields of high social

and economic impact that include drug delivery, diagnostics, tissue engineering and ‘smart’

optical systems, as well as microelectronics, biosensors, microelectromechanical systems,

coatings and textiles. Although different design approaches have been proposed, the self-

assembly of molecular or nanostructured building blocks is, without any doubt, one of the

most versatile, straightforward and powerful strategy to achieve stimuli-responsive materials.

The response of these materials, either to environmental or external solicitation, can be, in

fact, achieved by exploiting the same inter-components interactions that brings to their

assembly.

Here we demonstrate that aggregation of properly designed perylene bisimide amino derivate

can be controlled by pH in

water solution. As shown in

the figure the dye molecules

(a) aggregate in water

because of p-p stacking

interaction (b), causing

fluorescence quenching.

The system can be

disaggregated and the

fluorescence switched on

by protonation exploiting

the electrostatic repulsion

between the positive cations

(c).

Even more interestingly we

observed that the

protonated system can be re-assembled by increasing the concentration of anion that partially

shield the positive charge of the ammonium substituents.

Finally, our molecules show a unique response to protonation and anion concentration in

water. These features make them very promising tools for ion sensing in view of biological

and environmental applications.



Multi-shape hydrogel-nanostructures: microfluidic-assisted approach

A. Aloisi1, C.C. Toma

2, G. Mandriota

2, R. Di Corato

2, R. Rinaldi

1,2,*

1CNR Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystems, SP Lecce-Monteroni, Lecce, Italy.

2Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica "Ennio De Giorgi", Università del Salento, Via Arnesano, Lecce, Italy.

*[email protected]

Here we present a microfluidic-assisted method of nano-vesicles assembly under sterile,

closed environment and gas exchange adjustable conditions, a critical issue, when the cargo to

be upload is very sensitive. Conventional approaches to synthesize sodium alginate-based

vesicles in aqueous phase relies on bulk mixing of polymer and divalent cations. Here we

propose the option to simply tuning diverse shapes of organic/organic-inorganic bio-hybrid

systems for pharmaceutical formulations/biomedical applications, adjusting chemical and

physical forces. Fine-tuning stream flow rate, microchannel surface chemistry and salts

concentration, we succeed in optimizing shape-controlled calcium alginate nanogels (NGs)

polymerization process, at interface of the glass/PDMS cross-shaped microfluidic device.

Furthermore, as, active molecules cargo amount mainly influences the final -drug delivery

device- product costs, one of the purposes of the novel method is to obtain a very efficient

drug encapsulation process, in order to improve the efficiency of encapsulated active

drug/vesicle volume ratio, even starting from very low cargo concentrations [1].

Given the undoubtedly favorable properties of hydrogels, different regulatory issues should

turn into a relevant starting point for discussion among worldwide regulatory bodies, drug

policymarkers, and biopharmaceutical companies in pursuing suitable pharmaceutical product

formulation based on biopolymer like alginate, chitosan and their derivatives.

[1] F. Sallustio, C. Curci, A. Aloisi, C.C. Toma, E. Marulli, G. Serino, S. Cox, G. De Palma, A. Stasi, C. Divella,

R. Rinaldi, F.P. Schena. Inhibin-A and Decorin secreted by humanadult renal stern/progenitor cells through the

TLR2 engagement induce renal tubular cell regeneration. Accepted for publication in Scientific Reports.



Design of micro-structured fiber for improved high power laser operation

C. Molardi1, F. Poli

1, A. Cucinotta

1, S. Selleri

1*

1Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 181/A I-43124,

Parma, Italy.

*[email protected]

In recent years fiber laser systems have shown a rapid evolution in terms of beam quality and

power. To achieve high pulse energy and peak power, a large effective area is required, so

new photonic crystal fiber designs have been proposed. Thermo-optical effects can lead to

transverse mode instability, a nonlinear effect which suddenly appears at certain threshold of

power. In this contribution, improved fiber designs for Yb-doped power amplifiers are

proposed. The fibers are numerically investigated focusing on the influence of thermal effects

on guidance properties. The analysis has been obtained with a custom software based on finite

element method, provided with a spatial amplifier combined with an efficient thermal model.

Two kind of fibers with micro-structured cladding have been investigated. The first, a large

pitch fiber, is based on a periodic pattern of hole inside the cladding. The second, a symmetry

free photonic crystal fiber, is based on aperiodic cladding structure. These fibers present a 19-

cell doped core with an area of 1178.47 μm2, a double cladding structure obtained with an air-

cladding characterized by a diameter of 270 μm, and a length of 0.9 m. The fibers have been

pumped with a 400 W pump at 976 nm. The input signals, composed by the fundamental

mode of 5 W and the first higher order mode of 50 mW, have been considered at 1032 nm.

Results show the possibility of achieving an effective amplification, maintaining an output

mode discrimination larger than 0.56.

Fig.1. (a) SEM image of a micro-structured all-solid photonic crystal fiber; (b) SEM image of the large pitch

fiber; (c) Schematic of the cross-section of the symmetry free photonic crystal fiber, with a detail of the mesh

used for numerical simulations.



Full plastic organic elecrochemical transistors with graphene-metal

nanoparticle composites as gate electrodes: a benchmark towards the

intrinsic selectivity

C. Peruzzi1,2

, S. Pascale3,4

, P. D’Angelo1, G. Tarabella

1, S. Marasso

1,5, M. Cocuzza

1,5, A. Secchi

2, F.

Fabbri1,3

, S. Iannotta1

1IMEM-CNR Institute, Parco Area delleScienze 37/A, 43124, Parma, Italy.

2 Department of Chemistry, University of Parma, Parco Area delleScienze, 43124, Parma, Italy.

3 KET – Lab, c/c Italian Space Agency, Via del Politecnico, 00133, Roma, Italy.

4Hypatia Consortium, c/c Italian Space Agency, Via del Politecnico, 00133 Roma, Italy.

5Chilab, Materials and Microsystems Laboratory, Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT),

Politecnico di Torino, Via Lungo Piazza d'Armi 6 10034 Chivasso, Torino, Italy.

Organic Electrochemical Transistors (OECTs) are a special class of bio-electronic devices.

The peculiar features of the organic conductor constituting the OECT active channel allow

developing versatile devices with multifunctional operation, even if the OECT primary field

of action is Biosensing. OECTs are capable of detecting a large variety of bioanalytes via

modulation of the active channel current, also in real-time and with a sensitivity often

exceeding that of everyday biosensors. However, even if the demonstrated high

transconductance of OECTs allows amplifying small variations of ionic signals, the concrete

detection of bioanalytes dissolved in a physiological ambient is not an easy task, due to the

lack of intrinsic specificity.

We show the fabrication and characterization of a Graphene-metal nanoparticles composite

and its implementation as a flexible gate electrode in OECTs. Prism-shaped Ag nanoparticles

are physisorbed on Graphene/Low Density Polyethylene substrates at different concentrations

and the deposition process has been monitored by different experimental techniques (Uv-Vis

spectroscopy, TEM, SEM, DLS and Zeta-Potential). The effect of the as-prepared gate

electrodes on the OECT response in presence of a physiological ambient has been studied by

collecting transconductance curves as a function of the gate voltage. We show that our gates

furnish a tool for resolving the contribution of a specific species present in the saline ambient

to the overall signal. Our gates promote the decoupling of the faradaic signal of salts in

solution, activated by the metal counterpart of the nanocomposite and amplified by the

transducing element, and the contribution of the graphene support.



Microstructured Fibers for label-free DNA detection

L. Vincetti1,*

, F. Giovanardi1, A. Cucinotta

2

1Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via Vivarelli 10, 41124

Modena, Italy. 2Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze, 181/A, 43124

Parma, Italy

*[email protected]

Photonic Crystal Fibres (PCFs) represent a promising platform for the development of cost-

effective and sensitive sensors for the detection of specific DNA sequence. Solid Core PCFs

and Hollow Core Photonic Band Gap PCFs have been numerically and experimentally

investigated for this purpose. The air holes running along the fibre length allow the

infiltration of biologically active substances into the fibre. Biological layers are so attached

at the air-dielectric interfaces. Inhibited Coupling (IC) fibres are a new kind of Hollow Core-

PCFs where the particular microstuctured cladding guarantees the inhibition coupling

between core modes and cladding modes at particular wavelengths. This results in a

transmission spectrum composed by an alternation of high and low loss regions. The

nanometric thickness of the biological layer results in a shift of the transmission spectrum.

This shift can be exploited in order to obtain a sensor without the need of any grating.

Fig. Top: Fibre cross section and detail of a single tube composing the microstructured cladding. Bottom: loss

of a 20cm long fibre without bio-layer, and with bio-layer 10nm, 20nm, and 30 nm thick


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 44 Oral Communication - Session II

Towards a overall regulation of nanotechnologies: is the devil in the detail?

D. Ruggiu1*

1Department of Political Science, Law, and International Studies, University of Padova, Italy.

*[email protected]

Nanotechnology is at its mature stage. Products based on nanotechnologies are increasingly

marketed. Science has reduced the level of uncertainty and gained new knowledge in this

sector. In the meantime, a law-making process occurred. The EU started to regulate

nanotechnologies since 2000s. Cosmetics, electronics, food labelling, biocides, waste

electrical and electronic equipment, medical devices have been progressively regulated at EU

level. We are in the middle of a process of consolidating the European regulatory landscape in

this sector which paradoxically resulted from an initial approach inspired by the new

governance paradigm. However, this detailed regulatory movement caused lacunae,

inconsistencies, incoherencies which compromises EU efforts in this field. There is the need

for uniform criteria which are able to shape a multitude of regulatory tools as part of a smart

regulation. These criteria are EU fundamental rights, and they can be the starting point for a

novel type of business, which is competitive and ethically sound.



Nanomaterials and EU Regulation on Chemicals. Approach to the

environmental risk assessment

D. Esposito1,*

1 National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via V. Brancati 48 - 0144, Rome, Italy.

*[email protected]

The rapidly expanding Nanotechnology provides technical and commercial opportunities,

however nanomaterials may pose risks to the environment and raise health and safety

concerns for humans and environment connected to their innovative properties.

According to the main EU regulation on chemicals, the REACH Regulation (EC) No

1907/2006, manufacturers, importers and downstream users must ensure the safe use of each

substance, whatever its form. Therefore, the processes foreseen by REACH (e.g. registration,

evaluation, authorisation and restrictions), together with classification and labelling processes,

(according CLP Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008), involve nanoforms as any other form of a

substance although there are no explicit requirements for nanomaterials. This imply to

adequately asses and manage the potential risks still not well defined of these forms of

materials, introducing new challenges for regulators, such as the Commission and European

Chemical Agency (ECHA), Member State Competent Authorities, as well as all other

stakeholders.

In particular, because one of the aims of the REACH Regulation is to fill the knowledge gap

on chemicals, it is important to provide advice on any scientific and technical issues regarding

the implementation of REACH and CLP legislation in relation to nanomaterials.

It is presented a focus on the main environmental issues, in term of hazard and exposure

information requirements, related to specificity of nanomaterial properties, as it is addressed

at European level.



The nanotechnologies in the food sector: the European regulation

M.C. Errigo, M. Tempesta

1University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

*[email protected]

*[email protected]

Nanotechnologies industrial applications are diversified and concern the most important

business sectors with inevitable and significant economic impacts; first, in the field of food

production and storage. Producing feeds that have particular qualities, giving particular colour

to foods, enriching them with special additives, ensuring their wholesomeness by proper

packing, are some of the activities in which nanotechnologies can have a significant and

positive incidence. At the same time, because of their complexity, nanomaterials need to be

subjected to scrupulous control to reduce the risk of human health. Therefore, the law have to

mediate, even through the use of the precautionary principle, between the requirement of

technological innovation and the protection of human health, and finds a very interesting test

ground in the use of nanotechnologies in the food sector.

Consequently, the purpose of the proposed intervention is to study EU legislation on

the subject in question, trying to verify how this intervention has been carried out at the

institutional level (also in terms of its democratic legitimacy). So, the concepts of "soft law",

"new governance" and "accountability", which are crucial to understanding how the law - in

particular, the "European law" - "reacts" to the rapid evolution of technological development,

will be studied with special attention. More specifically, we will try to describe the role

played by European institutions - also by looking at their mutual relationships - without

forgetting, of course, the influence exercised by EFSA.

Following the definition of the general framework, the proposed speech will focus on

details of the regulation at European level.



Nanotechnologies in agri-food: lessons learned from transgenic organisms

E. Maestri1,2

, R. Ruotolo1*

, M. Marmiroli1, N. Marmiroli

1,2

1University of Parma, Department Chemistry, Life Sciences, Environmental Sustainability, Parco Area delle

Scienze 11/A, Parma, Italy. 2CINSA, Parco Area delle Scienze, Parma, Italy.

*[email protected]

Nanotechnology is a rapidly evolving field with the potential to forward agriculture and food

industry with new tools to improve food production and processing along the entire supply

chain, improving agricultural practices, industrial processes and analytical techniques but also

the shelf-life of fresh and processed products, plant performance, nutrient absorption and pest

resistance. The applicability of a nanotechnology-based farming, built upon the experience

and practices of different countries, must be pursued in order to increase sustainability,

without damaging soil and water resources, and without causing carbon/nitrogen loss due to

leaching and emissions. Similar exciting perspectives have often been prospected for

transgenic plants in agriculture, and have been subjected to wide debate.

Nanotechnology-based food products and food packaging materials are already available to

consumers in some countries, like titanium dioxide in sweets or metals in supplements, but

additional products and applications are currently at the research and development stage.

Some have reached a high level of technology readiness. A broad range of nanotechnology-

derived products will be increasingly available to stakeholders, agri-food business operators,

food industry and consumers in the near future. In this situation, existing data and knowledge

available on the effects of nanomaterials in humans, crop plants and livestock are not yet

sufficient to allow for a thorough evaluation of their potential and of their safety. Evidence

required for effective regulation and governance must be delivered, and full knowledge

exchange and dissemination programme with key stakeholders and end-users, including the

general public, must be implemented, to avoid some of the mistakes which characterised the

early introduction of transgenic crops.

A consideration about the history of introduction of transgenic organisms in agriculture from

the 1990s can provide useful information and lessons on mistakes to be avoided during the

introduction of nanotechnology in agriculture and food. The attitude of EU institutions and

bodies towards nanotechnologies will be described, in view of application of the

precautionary principle and of implementation of risk assessment procedures. Promises and

pitfalls of nano-agri-food will be examined.


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 48 Oral Communication - Session III

Nanomaterials and the food supply: assessing the balance between

applications and implications

J.C. White

2Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven CT 06511, USA.

*[email protected]

Increasing population growth and a changing climate will exert significant pressure on

already stressed agricultural production systems. Nanotechnology has the potential to

dramatically increase global food production and food security. However, any widespread use

of nanomaterials in food production must occur with a thorough understanding of both the

risks and benefits, including an assessment of the fate and effects of these materials in the

environment. Work at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station is focused both on

novel applications of nanomaterials (NM) to suppress crop disease, as well as on efforts to

understand the mechanisms of NM toxicity on biota. A synopsis of these two complementary

programs will be presented.

Plant pathogens reduce agricultural productivity by 20%, resulting in billions of dollars of

losses from reduced yield, wasted resources, and compromised food quality; novel

approaches to suppress crop disease are clearly needed. Plant micronutrients are critical to

disease resistance but availability in soil is low and foliarly applications are often poorly

absorbed/translocated. However, nanoparticle (NP) forms of nutrients may be absorbed and

translocated more effectively. Greenhouse and field investigations have shown that nanoscale

micronutrients can increase the growth and yield of tomato, eggplant and watermelon in soil

infested with the pathogens Verticillium or Fusarium. Current efforts are focused on

understanding the mechanisms of disease suppression, as well as on optimizing amendment

strategies to maximize food production.

Significant effort is being made to understand the fate and effects of NM in agricultural

systems so as to ensure the sustainable application of nanotechnology in agriculture.

Experiments are focused on three areas: assessing the molecular mechanisms of NP

phytotoxicity, evaluating the trophic transfer of NP within the food chain, and characterizing

the effect of NP exposure on the fate co-contaminants. Proteomic and transcriptomic data

indicate that plant response to NP exposure and subsequent trophic transfer is often

significantly different from corresponding bulk/ionic materials. NP co-exposure can also

significantly alter co-contaminant accumulation and toxicity, but these effects again vary

significantly with the conditions of exposure. Collectively, this work shows that although

NP/NM use can significantly increase food production, important questions remain

unanswered and any application of nanotechnology in agriculture should only be pursued with

a sufficient understanding of mechanisms of action.



Application of nanotechnology in agrifood: opportunities and challenges

G. Zappa

Italian National Agency for New technology, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development

Department for Sustainability – Biotechnology and Agroindustry Division

C. R. Casaccia Via Anguillarese 301, Rome ITALY, City, Country.

[email protected]

The introduction of nanotechnologies in food industry and agriculture paved the way for a lot

of promising applications, at all the stages of the supply chain. Nanotechnologies could play

an important role in establishing a more sustainable supply of high-quality food products for

the global population. In primary production nanotechnologies allow to realize nanoformulate

pesticides, herbicides, or veterinary drugs with slow release characteristics or triggered release

in response to a specific hazard. At the stage of food processing, nanotechnologies permit a

more efficient fractionation of crops, and - by using nano-encapsulation - to deliver

ingredients to specific locations in the gastrointestinal walls or to improve bioavailability of

nutriceuticals. At now, the most advanced applications of nanotechnologies concern

packaging. Thanks to nanotechnologies it is possible to develop advanced food contact

materials and active, smart and biodegradable packaging. Other very important applications

are related to sensor development.

The application of nanotechnology offers the possibility to improve both the safety (in terms

of increased shelf life and better monitoring) and the quality (in terms of taste, texture,

firmness and nutritional value) of products, as well as to apply Controlled Environment

Agriculture and Precision Farming techniques.

In parallel, the rapid proliferation and spread of nanotechnologies in a wide range of

consumer products, raised a number of concerns related to the protection of public health,

food safety, environmental protection and ethical, political and regulatory issues.

Metrology has a key role in the development and introduction of new technologies, both to

facilitate their application, to assess the risks and to measure the benefits introduced.



Bioristor: an in vivo biosensing, biomimetic electrochemical transistor with

applications in plant science and precision farming

M. Janni1,2

, N. Coppedè1, M. Bettelli

1, F. Gentile

3, A. Petrozza

4, F. Cellini

4, N. Marmiroli

5, A.

Zappettini1,*

11Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism (IMEM), National Research Council (CNR), Parco Area

delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy. 2Institute of Bioscience and Bioresources (IBBR), National Research Council (CNR), Via Amendola 165/A,

70126 Bari, Italy. 3Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area

delle Scienze, 11/A, 43100 Parma, Italy. 4 Centro Ricerche Metapontum Agrobios. S.S. Jonica 106 Km. 448.2, Metaponto, Italy.

5Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, University Federico II, Naples, Italy.

*[email protected]

The ability to monitor the plant physiological activity using in vivo and integrated biosensors

represents a key point for SMART farming.

Different approaches have been proposed to analyse the plant physiological activity on a

qualitative basis but few data are available in terms of quantitative data. Biosensors are tools

that transform a recognition event such as the perception of a small molecule by a receptor

into a signal that can be easily detected and quantified.

Here we present a biomimetic in-vivo biosensor named “Bioristor” that monitors qualitative

and quantitative changes in tomato sap during growth and development directly integrated

within the plant tissues. It is an active part of the device and resulted perfectly integrated

within the plant tissues without altering tomato morphology. The data analyses showed that

the device detects the changes that occur in the sap composition and concentration and

allowed to do a perfect match with the photoperiodic cycle. Moreover, the application of

bioristor in tomato plants in low water conditions allow an early detection of the plant stress.

The sensor has been also used in an integrated experiment in the automated phenotyping

platform held in ALSIA on tomato plants subjected to drought and salt stress allowing to

couple the imaging data obtained in the platform with the bioristor data giving a 360-degree

view on tomato development and physiology under stress.

The developed user-friendly, low cost biosensor able to detect stresses in early stages, open

new perspectives for precision farming and plant science studies.



Tetraphosphonate cavitands recognition in water: from amino acids to

histone camouflage

A. Favero1, R. Pinalli

1, G. Brancatelli

2, D. Menozzi

1, D. Hernández

3, P. Ballester

3, S. Geremia

2, E.

Dalcanale1,*

1 Department of Chemistry, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17/A, 43124 Parma, Italy.

2 Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, via Giorgeri 1, 34127 Trieste,

Italy. 3 Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), Avgda. Països Catalans 16, 43007 Tarragona, Spain.

*[email protected]

Amino acids (AA) represent an ideal playground for testing complexation ability and

selectivity of synthetic receptors, due to their biological relevance and chemical diversity.1 In

particular, tetraphosphonate cavitands (Tiiii) present remarkable molecular recognition

properties towards N-methylammonium salts.2 The origin of Tiiii selectivity towards these

species can be attributed to the presence of three synergistic interaction modes: (i) N+•••O=P

cation–dipole interactions; (ii) cation-π interactions of the acidic +N–CH3 group with the π

basic cavity; (iii) two simultaneous hydrogen bonds between adjacent P=O bridges and the

nitrogen protons. The ability of Tiiii in complexing monomethylated AA was studied both in

solid state, through single crystal X-ray diffraction, and in solution, via NMR and ITC

experiments. The aims of the reported study are: (i) to highlight the non-covalent interactions

involved in the binding event in each case; (ii) to investigate Tiiii ability to discriminate

between the different AA; (iii) to calculate the Ka values of the different complexes,

dissecting the entropic and enthalpic contributions; (iv) to determine the solvent influence on

the complexation selectivity. The solution experiments show that, moving from methanol to

water, the complexation event changes from entropy driven to entropy opposed, leading to a

drop of the Ka. However, this reduction in binding affinity is associated with an increase in

selectivity, since in aqueous solutions only N-methylated amino acids are effectively

recognized. These results open the way for the use of tetraphosphonate cavitands in the

detection of post-translational monomethylation of lysine residues in histones.4

References 1 Späth, A.; König, B. Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2010, 6, No. 32.

2 Dionisio, M. et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 2392-2398.

3 Pinalli, R. et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2016, 138, 8569.

4 Bontempi, N. et al. NanoScale. 2017, DOI: 10.1039/C7NR02491F.

Figure 1. Molecular structures and ITC data for Nε-Me-Lys complexation with Tiiii in MeOH vs water 3



PANDORA: probing safety of nano-objects by defining immune responses

of environmental organisms

M. Auguste1, L. Canesi

1,*

1 Dept. of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, Genova, Italy.

*[email protected]

PANDORA (Probing safety of nano-objects by defining immune responses of environmental

organisms) is a European Training Network (ETN) funded in the framework of H2020 Marie

Skłodowska- Curie ITN programme. The PANDORA network aims at the education of

promising young scientists who will learn how to assess the impact of engineered nano-

objects (nanoparticles, NP) on the immune and defensive responses of organisms in the

environment. PANDORA will tackle the issue of global immunological nanosafety by

comparing the effects of a selected number of NP of wide application on the immune

response of several earth and marine organisms in parallel to human. The highly conserved

system of innate immunity/stress response/inflammation will be the focus of PANDORA, as

this would allow us to identify common reactivity across immune defence evolution. The

research activities implemented in PANDORA have the following objectives: 1. To identify

immunological mechanisms triggered by nano-objects, and predictive markers of risk vs.

safety; 2. To do so by a collaborative cross-species comparison, from plants to human, of

innate immune defence capacity, using selected, industrially-relevant NP; 3. To design

predictive in vitro assays to measure the immuno-risk of NP to the environment and human

health, as new approaches to industrial and environmental nanosafety testing.



A biodistribution study of two differently shaped plant virus nanoparticles

reveals new peculiar traits

C. Lico1, P. Giardullo

2,3, M. Mancuso

4, E. Benvenuto

1, L. Santi

5, S. Baschieri

1,*

1Laboratory of Biotechnology, ENEA, Via Anguillarese 301, Rome, Italy.

2Department of Radiation Physics, Guglielmo Marconi University, Rome, Italy.

3Department of Sciences, University of Roma Tre, Rome, Italy.

4Laboratory of Biomedical Technologies, ENEA, Via Anguillarese 301, Rome, Italy.

5Department of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100,

Viterbo, Italy.

*[email protected]

Self-assembling plant virus nanoparticles (pVNPs) have started to be explored as nanometre-

sized objects of interest for application in biomedicine. Plant VNPs may be ideal in terms of

biocompatibility and biodegradability and are attractive because of the wide diversity of

symmetries and dimensions, easy chemical/biological engineering, easy and rapid production

in plants. Recently, we defined that icosahedral Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) and

filamentous Potato virus X (PVX) are neither toxic nor teratogenic. To further contribute to

understand the behaviour of these nanoparticles in vivo, we report here the results of an

interdisciplinary study aimed to define for the first time the biodistribution of unlabelled,

unpegylated, underivatized TBSV and PVX through the use of reliable detecting antibodies.

These data add new important information about the in vivo behaviour of these nano-objects

and demonstrate that these pVNPs are intrinsically endowed with different and peculiar

properties, in terms of tissue and organ localization, persistence in the bloodstream,

association to cell membrane. The structural and behavioural differences between the two

viruses, will allow to select the most appropriate nano-scaffold, as a function of the foreseen

application (e.g. drug targeting and delivery, imaging, development of new diagnostic tools).



Physiological and molecular response Cucurbita pepo exposed to ENM

binary combinations

L. Pagano1,2,3,*

, F. Pasquali1, S. Majumdar

3, R. De la Torre-Roche

3, N. Zuverza-Mena

3, M. Villani

4, A.

Zappettini4, R.E. Marra

3, S.M. Isch

5, M. Marmiroli

1, E. Maestri

1, O.P. Dhankher

2, J.C. White

3, N.

Marmiroli3

1Dept. Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

2Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA.

3The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT, USA.

4IMEM-CNR, Parma, Italy.

5Dr. Katherine A. Kelley State Public Health Laboratory, Rocky Hill, CT, USA.

*[email protected]

Although engineered nanomaterial (ENM) uptake, transport and response mechanisms in

plants have received increased attention in the recent years, many questions regarding ENM

risks to the environment and to food safety remain unanswered. The impact of ENM

interactions with co-existing organic and inorganic contaminants, including secondary ENMs,

remains poorly understood. The physiological and molecular response of zucchini (Cucurbita

pepo L.) under conditions of nanomaterial combined treatments (NMCT) with binary

combinations of nanoparticle (NP) cerium oxide (CeO2), lanthanum oxide (La2O3), copper

oxide (CuO), zinc oxide (ZnO) and cadmium sulfide quantum dots (CdS QDs) were tested

and compared with respective individual (NMIT) and bulk material (BMT) treatments. ICP-

MS results within specific tissues upon exposure to NMCT or NMIT conditions demonstrated

that metal content varied significantly upon co-contaminant exposure, including instances of

antagonistic effects: La uptake was significantly decreased upon CeO2 NP co-exposure

whereas La2O3 NP caused a complete deregulation of Cu uptake upon CuO NP co-exposure.

Expression analysis of specific genes previously shown to be responsive to ENM exposure

confirmed the involvement of the chloroplast in plant response: ORF31, a chloroplastic

electron carrier down-regulated in all treatments, showed potential as a biomarker of

exposure/effect. Principal component analysis (PCA) on plant physiological and molecular

response provided insight into the nature of phytotoxicity under NMIT and NMCT exposure.

This systematic approach is highly useful for characterizing the risk associated with ENMs by

providing a mechanistic interpretation and a holistic perspective for more complex systems of

contamination.

mailto:*[email protected]



Phytonanotechnology: a new horizon to food security

L. Marchiol1

1University of Udine, Via delleScienze 206, Udine, Italy.

[email protected]

Nanomaterials have rapidly gained importance in many fields of science and technology due

to their unique properties. Agriculture field is also looking towards this newly growing

technology with great hope for future sustainability. Although the use of nanotechnology in

agriculture (phytonanotechnology) is relatively a new idea as compared to the other sectors

(e.g. industry, energy, aerospace, medicine), it has been considered to be an important tool for

enhancing resistant against stress as well as enhancing the crop yield. In particular,

phytonanotechnology has the potential to alter conventional plant production systems,

allowing for the controlled release of agrochemicals and target-specific delivery of

biomolecules. However, the development of effective, safe and sustainable

phytonanotechnology strategies requires intense research and development.


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 56 Oral Communication - Session IV

Approaches for nanomaterial safety

I. De Angelis

Health and Environment Department, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.

*[email protected]

Despite the increasing use of nanomaterials (NMs) in consumer products and in biomedical

fields, there is a scientific uncertainty about the safety of nanomaterials for both human health

and environment.

NMs have peculiar physico-chemical properties that make them suitable for innovative

applications but, on the other hand, they may be responsible of interaction with living system

that are unpredictable solely on the base of the chemical structure.

Although an increasing number of reports in the literature have shown adverse effects of

NMs, data are still contradictory and/or inconclusive. This is mostly related to bias in the

conduction of experiments as differences in sample preparation, NMs quantification and

characterization, dosimetry and stability of test solutions. Moreover, many parameters can

vary from nanoform to nanoform or even within the same nanoforms; therefore a case-by-case

strategy in NMs Risk Assessment (RA) is often suggested. For this reason, in NMs RA

emphasis is now placed on approaches for tiered testing schemes, read-across and grouping,

as well as modelling approaches and in silico methods.

It is generally accepted that methods and tools for traditional chemicals are in principle

suitable for NMs hazard assessment but their unique properties require that protocols (e.g. test

guidelines and guidance) are adapted when applied to NMs, as well as new ones developed to

address specific regulatory endpoints.

On this respect, in vitro tests are especially relevant in the early phase of NMs evaluation for

screening purposes and for identification of potential toxicity mechanisms as, for example,

genotoxicity.

Since the 7th

Framework Programme, European Commission and National Governments

have considered as priority research area the investigation on NMs safety and a large amounts

of money has been allocated on this topic. About 50 research projects were funded with the

aim of increasing knowledge on the potential hazard of NMs and providing answers to

regulatory requirements.

Within national and European research projects, the Italian National Institute of Health

(Istituto Superiore di Sanità) has developed competences and specific tools for NM hazard

assessment, taking advance of a multidisciplinary approaches and competences becoming an

important national point of reference on this topic.

In conclusion, the way forward in NMs RA is to develop robust, fast and cost-effective

methods appropriate for regulatory purposes, in order to keep pace between technological

innovations and safe use.



Recovery of cardiac impulse propagation in ischemic rat heart via silicon

carbide conductive nanowires (SiC-NW)

M. Miragoli

Department of Medicine and Surgery,University of Parma

*[email protected]

Structural remodeling of the heart as occurring in the context of myocardial infarction (MI) is

the primary cause of arrhythmias and sudden death. Apart from changes in the size and

number of cardiomyocytes (CMs), the histopathology of MI is characterized by the

appearance of myofibroblasts (MFBs). MFBs persist locally for years and continue to secrete

collagen under humoral control. The resulting electrically insulating collagenous septa

contribute to arrhythmia by forming a non-uniform substrate for impulse propagation, which

causes activation wavefronts to take irregular (zigzag) pathways, resulting in slow conduction

and conduction blocks. We found that MFBs directly depolarize coupled CMs and induce

ectopic activity. Treatments for reducing post-MI arrhythmias show limited efficiency,

including recent approaches in regenerating MI tissue by stem cells or genetically

reprogrammed MFBs. Hence, other strategies have to be explored.

We started from HL-1 cardiac cells line cultured from 3 days together with semi-conductive

silicon carbide nanowires (SiC-Nw), in a controlled bioelectric and biomechanics

environment. Optogenetic and optical mapping of impulse propagation showed that SiC-NW

supported electric propagation and perform electrical coupling among distant cardiac cells by

synchronizing the spontaneous bioelectrical activities over distances. In-vivo preliminary data

indicate an anti-arrhythmogenic effect of SiC-NWs once injected into induced-ischemic

regions of the rat hearts. In the future, the predicted intervention strategies will be transferred

and validated infarcted animal where the electrical milieu of MFs can be manipulated by

nanotechnologies. On a very simple conceptual basis, showing that a possible SiC-NWs-

conductive cardiac patches are capable of re-establishing electrical communication in

infarcted areas would offer a new strategy for increasing post-MI life expectance



3D printing of novel PCL/bioactive glass scaffolds for bone tissue

regeneration: nanoindentation and finite element analyses

G. Marchiori1*

, M. Berni1, M. Petretta

1, C. Gualandi

2, M. Boi

1, D. Bellucci

3, C. Garavelli, M.L.

Focarete2, V. Cannillo

3, B. Grigolo

1, M. Bianchi

1

1Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, Bologna, Italy.

2University of Bologna, Italy.

3University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy.

*[email protected]

Introduction

3D scaffolds composed by a polymeric matrix loaded with an inorganic phase are of

increasing interest in bone regeneration [1]. The objective of this study was to perform a

systematic study of the role of composition and 3D architecture on the mechanical

performances of PCL/Bioactive glass scaffolds.

Methods

Composites were obtained by mixing PCL pellets and bioactive glass powders with

innovative formulation (BGMIX_Mg [2], size < 25 µm) in a different wt.% ratio and

characterized by nano-indentation (NHT2, CSM Instruments SA) before and after plotted by

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) with a 3D Discovery printer (RegenHU, Switzerland), in

order to reveal potential effects of the printing on the material properties. Post-printing

nanoindentation outputs were then used as inputs for Finite Element Analysis (FEA) together

with geometrical parameters such as fiber and pore size (μm), layer orientation, height and

porosity in order to optimize the scaffold design. By FEA, compression tests on scaffolds

were simulated according to ASTM [3]. Scaffold performances were evaluated in terms of

compressive modulus (GPa), in dependence of architecture and material composition.

Optimized scaffold designs were then proposed for manufacturing and compression testing

[3] in order to reveal their strength.

Results and Discussion

Nanoindentation highlighted a great influence of composition and printing on PCL/Bioactive

glass mechanical properties. FEA showed that material composition had more influence on

compressive modulus than scaffold geometry, vice versa on strain. This could suggest to

choose the most compliant geometry and tune the material composition for reaching the

desired stiffness.

References

1. Poh et al, Acta Biomater, 30:319-333, 2016.

2. Bellucci et al, Mater Sci Eng C, 72:566–575, 2017.

3. ASTM D1621



Quantitative determination of dye doped silica nanoparticles in cancer cells

A. Procopio1, A. Sargenti

1, C. Cappadone

1, G. Farruggia

1, N. Zaccheroni

2, E. Rampazzo

2, F.

Palomba2, L. Merolle

3, A. Gianoncelli

4, S.o Iotti

5, E. Malucelli

5*

1Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Università di Bologna, Via San Donato 19/2, Bologna 40127, Italy.

2Dipartimento di Chimica “G. Ciamician”, Via Selmi 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy.

3 ASMN-IRCCS, Dipartimento di Medicina Trasfusionale, Reggio Emilia, Italy.

4Elettra - Sincrotrone Trieste, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy.

4 Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Via San Donato 15, University of Bologna, Bologna 40127, Italy

*[email protected]

Dye doped silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) constitute very effective nanoplatfoms to obtain

efficient luminescent, stable, biocompatible and targeted agents for biomedical applications.

In this study, we have used silica-PEG core-shell nanoparticles, obtained by a one-pot

synthesis, based on preparation of Pluronic F127 micelles in water. The obtained

monodisperse aqueous suspension of nanoparticles (25 nm of diameter) shows high stability

also in the presence of proteins, offering a valuable advantage compared to other

nanostructures.

These SiNPs did not show toxicity up to 800 nM, and neither ROS induction, the mostly

recognized mechanism of cell damage for SiNPs.

To quantitatively determine the Si concentration and distribution in LoVo (Human colon

adenocarcinoma) cells loaded with dye SiNPs, we combined X-Ray Fluorescence Microscopy

(XRFM) and Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy (STXM). The Si molar concentration

requires knowing the volume of the illuminated area, from which the fluorescence intensity

originated. The volume has been calculated by the STXM considering an intracellular

constant density of 1.2 g/cm3.

These results showed the internalization of the SiNPs, mainly deploying in the perinuclear

area (Fig 1). The number of SiNPs present within the cell has been calculated considering a

constant value 15x103 of Si atoms for each SiNPs. In particular, in the cell showed in Figure

1, we estimated a number of 727x103 SiNPs.

The approach of combining XRFM with STXM to achieve the concentration maps of

exogenous nanoparticles in cells is still at its infancy and it represents an important step on the

way of nanoparticles quantitative determination and intracellular compartmentalization.

Figure1. Panel a shows the map of Si fluorescence obtained by XRFM; panel B shows the map of transmission

obtained by STXM; panel c shows the map of Si concentration obtained by combination of XRFM and STXM



Odorant binding protein-functionalized superparamagnetic nanoparticles

for biomedical applications

N. Riboni1*

, F. Bianchi1, R. Ramoni

2, S. Grolli

2, V. Conti

2, F. Casoli

3, C. de Julián Fernández

3, L.

Nasi3, F. Bisceglie

1, P. Luches

4, M. Careri

1

1Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Università di Parma, Parco

Area delle Scienze 17/A, 43124 Parma, Italy. 2Dipartimento di Scienze Medico-Veterinarie, Università di Parma, Via del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy.

3Istituto dei materiali per l'elettronica ed il magnetismo, Parco Area delle Scienze, 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy.

4Istituto Nanoscienze del CNR, Via Campi 213/a, I-41125 Modena, Italy.

*[email protected]

Quorum sensing (QS) is a system of stimuli and responses related to population density of

bacteria: when the secreted signaling molecules (inducers) binds the receptors, the

transcription of certain genes is activated. Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) are

multifunctional scavengers secreted by the nasal epithelia of mammals, characterized by

broad ligand binding specificity towards a large number of natural and synthetic molecules

of different chemical classes1 (Fig. 1). Preliminary investigations proved that OBPs are able

to bind QS molecules like acyl-homoserine lactones and pyocianin.

Being able to be driven towards a specific inflammation zone by using an external magnetic

field, superparamagnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) functionalized with bovine-OBP (bOBP)

are proposed as targeted quorum quenching agents to be used in lung diseases.

A three step synthesis was performed: i) synthesis of the bare MNPs having a diameter of

6.5 ± 1.1 nm; ii) functionalization with

phosphonoundecanoic and

phosphonopropionic acids as linkers; iii)

functionalization with bOBP.

MNPs were characterized by VSM, TEM,

XPS, EDX, IR spectroscopy and by using a

colorimetric assay (BCA Protein Assay Kit).

The bOBP amount on the surface of the

nanoparticles was estimated at 6.0 ± 1.1

mgOBP/g MNP.

With respect to bare MNPs, a good

magnetization was retained after bOBP

functionalization (57 vs 44 emu/g), thus allowing their use for biomedical applications.

1F. Bianchi, G. Basini, S. Grolli, V. Conti, F. Bianchi, F. Grasselli, M. Careri, R. Ramoni, Anal. Bioanal.

Chem. 405 (2013) 1067-1075

Figure 1. bOBP structure



Growth of Bismuth Titanate into mesoporous silica nanoparticles: a new

safe self-sealing UV filter for cosmetic formulations

G. Zaccariello1,*

, M. Back1, M. Zanello

1, P. Canton

1, E. Cattaruzza

1, P. Riello

1, A. Alimonti

2, A.

Benedetti1

1Università Ca’Foscari di Venezia, Via Torino 155/b, Venezia, Italia. 2Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regine Elena 299, Roma, Italia.

*[email protected]

The use of nanosized inorganic UV filters (i.e. TiO2 and ZnO) in sunscreen formulations is

limited by the high photocatalytic properties that they show under UV irradiation. The

photocatalytic activity could induce the degradation and a chemical transformation of the

organic molecules in sunscreen formulations. To overcome this problem the commercial

sunscreens contain TiO2/ZnO nanoparticles modified with an external coating. However, the

development of new strategies to simultaneously tail off the photocatalytic activity of the

active phase and enlarge the window of filter’s absorption is still a challenge. In this view, we

propose the use of bismuth titanates BixTiyOz grown into mesoporous silica network of MSN.

The growing process of this new nanosystem is analyzed underlining the key role of the

bismuth ion that, acting as a low-melting point agent for the silica framework, led to a self-

sealing mechanism, by which the active phase is embedded into the silica matrix. The

chemical-physical properties were investigated by means of XRPD, TEM, UV-vis

spectroscopy, N2 physisorption, XPS, and SF-ICP-MS analysis. The photocatalytic activity

was evaluated through photocatalytic tests. The radical suppression of the photocatalytic

activity and the excellent UV shielding properties make the proposed nanosystem a perfect

candidate for the development of the next generation nanomaterials for cosmetic and skin care

formulations.



microRNAs transcriptional regulation in human cells exposed to CdS QDs

L. Paesano1,*

, M. Bianchi2, G. Guglielmi

1, M. Villani

3, O. Bussolati

2, M. Marmiroli

1

1Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

2Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

3IMEM-CNR, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy.

*[email protected]

The miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at a post-

transcriptional level and exhibit a broad range of biological functions in a myriad of cellular

processes. Thus, the expression of miRNAs is under tight regulation and the changes in their

expression profile can alter either globally or selectively protein output and influence key

biological processes leading to disease development1. Several studies on the involvement of

miRNA were reported within pathological contexts, such as mitochondrial dysfunction2, HIV

infection3, and cystic fibrosis

4. Several studies revealed that miRNAs are regulated in

response to the cytotoxicity of nanomaterials2,5

. Here we demonstrate that both miRNA and

mRNA expression profiles were modified during exposure to quantum dots (QDs).

In a previous in vitro study on the toxicity of CdS QDs, we utilized HepG2 cells to find out

biomarkers of exposure to CdS QDs6. In a cognate study, we followed the effects in HepG2

cell lines of CdS QDs and Cd ions on microRNA levels and mRNA expression profiles.

Results showed that only a small number miRNAs (66) were differentially expressed during

CdS QDs exposure, whereas 131 miRNAs were altered in their expression by Cd ions. We

compared mRNA and miRNA regulation and performed a network analysis using the web-

resource DIANA-mirPath to provide a comprehensive understanding of CdS QD toxicity. The

ultimate goal will be to identify the role of miRNAs in the toxicity mechanism, so as to

identify specific miRNAs as reliable biomarkers of CdS QDs exposure.

1 Genovesi LA, Anderson D, Carter KW, Giles KM, Dallas PB, 2012. Identification of suitable endogenous

control genes for microRNA expression profiling of childhood medulloblastoma and human neural stem cells.

BMC Research Notes, 5:507 2 Huang Y, Lu X, Qu Y, Yang Y, Wu S, 2015. MicroRNA sequencing and molecular mechanisms analysis of

the effects of gold nanoparticles on human dermal fibroblasts. Biomaterials 37:13 3 Bignami F, Pilotti E, Bertoncelli L, Ronzi P, Gulli M, Marmiroli N, Magnani G, Pinti M, Lopalco L, Mussini

C, Ruotolo R, Galli M, Cossarizza A, Casoli C, 2012. Stable changes in CD4+ T lymphocyte miRNA expression

after exposure to HIV-1. Blood 119:6259 4 Montanini L, Smerieri A, Gulli M, Cirillo F, Pisi G, Sartori C, Amarri S, Bernasconi S, Marmiroli N, Street

ME, 2016. miR-146a, miR-155, miR-370 and miR-708 are CFTR-dependent, predicted FOXO1 regulators and

change at onset of CFDs. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 101:4955 5 Eom HJ, Chatterrjee N, Lee J, Choi J, 2014. Integrated mRNA and micro RNA profiling reveals epigenetic

mechanism of differential sensitivity of Jurkat T cells to AgNPs and Ag ions. Toxicology Letters 229:311 6 Paesano L, Perotti A, Buschini A, Carubbi C, Marmiroli M, Maestri E, Iannotta S, Marmiroli N, 2016. Markers

for toxicity to HepG2 exposed to cadmium sulphide quantum dots; damage to mitochondria. Toxicology 374:18


Poster Communications


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 64 Poster Communication - Session A

Effect of the hollow topology on the local spin dynamics in Iron Oxide

MNPs

M. Basini1, D. Peddis

2 and A. Lascialfari

1

1Dipartimento di Fisica and INSTM, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy.

2ISM-CNR, Area della Ricerca Roma 1, 00016 Monterotondo Scalo (RM), Italy.

*[email protected]

This research has been developed within the framework of a general research concerning novel

systems based on magnetic nanoparticles with different spin topologies that present, consequently,

different static and dynamic magnetic properties. In particular the experimental investigation and

data analysis were focused on the effect of the hollow core spins topology. Nanoparticles with a

hollow magnetic core (HNP) of variable dimensions constituted of maghemite (-Fe2O3) and/or

magnetite (Fe3O4) have been studied, while nanoparticles having a full core (FNP) and the same

magnetic phase, were used as reference systems with superparamagnetic monodomain

conventional behaviour.

The static answer of the systems has been evaluated as a function of field and as a function of

temperature by means of DC magnetic measurements.

The characterization of the local spin dynamics have been performed as a function of frequency

by means of nuclear magnetic resonance dispersion profiles (NMR-D) and as a function of

temperature by means of muon spin resonance (MuSR) experiments.

The NMR-D of the hollow samples revealed the presence of a paramagnetic-like contribution

at high fields (>30MHz), which was ascribed to disordered surface spins, not visible in the

NMR-D of the full samples. To interpret the longitudinal relaxation experimental data a novel

phenomenological model was proposed.

The time-decay constant of the muon asymmetry was monitored as a function of temperature

and revealed a critical temperature (T* similar for HNP and FNP of comparable volume)

below which the electronic spins are blocked with respect to the frequency window of the

probes (muon’s Larmor frequency). At very low temperature, the presence of an anomaly,

much more evident in HNPs, was observed and ascribed to the surface spins. Additionally, for

the first time in a MuSR experiment on magnetic nanoparticles the presence of a static local

field (Hloc) was observed when the temperature is decreased below T*, thus indicating a local

magnetic order observable by muons.

[1] A. Cabot, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 129, 10358-10360 (2007)

[2] A. Cabot et al. Phys. Rev. B 79, 094419 (2009)

[3] H. Khurshid et al. Appl. Phys. Lett. 101, 022403 (2012)

[4] H. Kurshid et al. J. Appl. Phys. 115, 17E131 (2014)

[5] H. Khurshid et al. scientific reports 5:15054 (2014)

A.01



Stabilization and thermal conductivity of aqueous nanofluids

M. Cannio*, M. Lassinantti Gualtieri, M. Romagnoli

Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena 41125, Italy.

*[email protected]

Nowadays cooling is one of the most important technical challenges that many different

industries, such as microelectronics, transportation, solid-state lighting, and manufacturing

face and try to solve. Therefore there is an urgent need for new and innovative coolants with

improved performance: ‘nanofluids’, suspensions of nanoparticles (nominally 1–100 nm in

size) in conventional fluids, have been proposed as a means of meeting these challenges in

order to surpass the performance of heat transfer liquids currently available. In this work,

different nanoparticles_NPs (in particular magnetite, titania, silica, Ag/Pt), with controlled

morphology and size, commercial or obtained by microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis

and/or electrochemical approach, were investigated. Since the agglomerate sizes can

significantly impact the thermophysical properties of nanofluids and lead to a different heat

transfer performance, the preparation of stable suspensions is of great importance. In

particular, various parameters affecting stability of aqueous nanofluids suspension such as

dispersant addition, sonication time and pH were considered. The stability of the nanofluids

was studied by zeta potential, particle size distribution and UV–vis spectroscopy method

(following the investigated suspensions during a period of time). Finally, once identified the

most stable suspensions, their thermal properties were measured to evaluate the possible

application as heat transfer fluid. The preliminary results indicate a significant enhancement

of NPs water based nanofluid thermal conductivity with respect to water (up to 25%) and

conventional water based fluid.

A.02

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167577X16303615



Solid state NMR spectroscopy and nuclear spin relaxometry for the

investigation of nanomaterials

E. Carignani1,2,*

, S. Borsacchi3,2

, F. Martini4,2

, L. Calucci3,2

, C. Forte3, M. Geppi

4,2

1Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche- Istituto per i Processi Chimico-Fisici (CNR-IPCF),

Via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy. 2 Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM),

Via G. Giusti 9, 50121 Firenze, Italy. 3Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Istituto di Chimica dei Composti OrganoMetallici (CNR-ICCOM),

Via G. Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy. 4Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa,

Via G. Moruzzi 13, 56124 Pisa, Italy.

*[email protected]

Solid state NMR is a very powerful technique for the investigation of a large variety of

multicomponent nanostructured materials [1-3]. Thanks to its wide applicability and

versatility has gained a crucial role among solid state techniques. On the other hand, nuclear

spin relaxometry is especially suited for the investigation of properties of nanostructured

porous materials and contrast agents [4, 5].

In this contribution some applications, especially concerning the pharmaceutical and

biomedical fields, will be shown, taking examples from studies carried out in our research

group.

In particular, it will be highlighted how solid state NMR can give information on physical

and/or chemical interactions occurring at the interface between the components, on the

structural and dynamic behaviour of each component, and on the dimensions and dispersion

of the corresponding domains. Moreover, examples will be given on the possibility to

investigate in detail the state of water in porous materials and the mechanism of contrast

enhancement by nuclear spin relaxometry.

References

[1] A. Marchetti, J. Chen, Z. Pang, S. Li, D. Ling, F. Deng, X. Kong Adv. Mater., 2017, 29, 1605895.

[2] L. A. Straasø, Q. Saleem, M. R. Hansen Ann. Rep. NMR Spectrosc., 2016, 88, 307-383.

[3] M. Geppi, S. Borsacchi, G. Mollica, C.A. Veracini Appl. Spectrosc., Rev. 2009, 44, 1-89.

[4] R. Kimmich and E. Anoardo Progr. Nucl. Magn. Reson. Spectrosc., 2004, 44, 257-320.

[5] C. J. Meledandri, D. F. Brougham Anal. Methods, 2012, 4, 331-341.

A.03

http://localhost/iccom2015/



Synthesis and investigation of croconates as smart organic coating for nobel

metals nanoparticles

B. Cogliati1,*

, A. Arduini1, A. Secchi

1, L. Serravalli

2, G. Trevisi

2 and P. Frigeri

2

1Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences an Enviromental Sustainability – COFI unit – Parco area delle scienze

17/A. I-43124 Parma, Italy. 2 Istituto Materiali per Elettronica e Magnetismo IMEM-CNR, MBE Group, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A –

43124 Parma, Italy.

*[email protected]

Croconic acid is a cyclic organic molecule, belonging to a particular family of

compounds called oxo-carbon acids. This molecule properly functionalized exhibit an

absorption in NIR region and this property can be exploited in the design of NIR-harvesting

materials obtained with a hybridization of a nano-material, characterized by a NIR absorption,

with this organic molecule.

The purpose of this research is to combine a particular type of gold nanoparticles,

called nanorods (AuNRs), with a specific aspect ratio (AR) in order to have an absorption in

NIR region (900-1100 nm), with a croconic acid. This latter must be properly functionalized

with an alkyl spacer (for example thiol-ending) in order to allow the anchoring to the AuNRs.

O

O

O

A1

A2n X

X = -SH, -COOH, -NH2

anchoringgroup

NPs

The difficulty is to detect a synthetic pathway for the synthesis of the croconic acid

and here two strategies are proposed (Scheme 1), as reported in literature [1], [2]

. Gold nanorods

are synthetized with a Seed-Mediated Growth method [3]

.

Scheme 1

[1] Fatiadi, A.; Isbell, H.; Sager, W. Journal of Research of the national Bureau of Standards- A.Physics and

Chemistry. 1962, 67A. 153-162.

[2] FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD. - Patent: EP1707552 A1, 2006.

[3] Nikoobakht, B; El-Sayed, M.A. Chem. Mater. 2002, 15, 1957-1962.

A.04



ZnO nanorod-based piezoelectric stress sensor embedded within carbon

fiber composite

M. Culiolo1,*

, M. Villani1, D. Delmonte

1, D. Calestani

1, N. Coppedè

1, M. Solzi

2,

L. Marchini3, R. Bercella

3, A. Zappettini

1, T.Y. Kim

4, S.W. Kim

4,5

1 IMEM-CNR, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, Parma, Italy.

2 Dipartimento di Fisica e CNISM, Università di Parma, Via G.P. Usberti 7/A, Parma, Italy.

3 Bercella s.r.l., Via Enzo Ferrari 10, Varano de’ Melegari (PR), Italy.

4 SKKU Advanced Institute of Nanotechnology (SAINT), Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon 440-746,

Republic of Korea. 5 School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering (AMSE), Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon

440-746, Republic of Korea.

* [email protected]

Carbon fiber composites (CFC) are a fundamental class of materials in applications where

both high mechanical resistance and light weight are requested (automotive, civil

engineering, aerospace, etc.). Thanks to the latter feature, the use of these materials in

transportation leads to significant reduction of CO2, NOx and noise. Mentioning the aviation

field, an aircraft composed of 53% CFC by weight such as Airbus 350XWB can save up to

25% fuel. A life-cycle CO2 emissions analysis shows a reduction up to 2700 tons of CO2

per aircraft every year (Boeing 787 Dreamliner, 50% CFC by weight).

Nevertheless, due to their intrinsic structure strongly dependent on carbon fiber (CF) fabric

and resin arrangement, a precise predictive deformation and failure behavior is hard to

model, which is one of the main causes limiting the use of these materials in aerospace

technologies. Hence, on account of the very heavy loads the CFC structures are subject to,

it is important to carry out real-time monitoring of deformations and vibrations.

Nowadays’ stress sensors in CFC, mainly based on piezoelectric PZT and optical fibers

(Fiber Bragg Grating, FBG), present some drawback such as large size (compared to CF’s)

and weight addition. The use of zinc oxide (ZnO) piezoelectric nanostructures can

overcome these issues and lead to a real-time stress sensor completely embedded within

CFC.

In this work low cost, low temperature and low environmental impact synthesis of ZnO

nanorods on CF is carried out, as well as piezoelectric characterization of such micro-

composite sensor.

A.05



Synthesis of water dispersible and catalytically active gold-decorated cobalt

ferrite nanoparticles

A. M. Ferretti1,*, A. Silvestri1,2, M. Marelli1, V.Pifferi2, L.Falciola2, A. Ponti1, and L. Polito1

1CNR – ISTM, Nanotechnology Lab., Via G. Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy.

2University of Milan, Department of Chemistry, via C. Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, Italy.

*[email protected]

One of the most compelling goals in the field of the nanotechnologies is the design and

synthesis of hetero-structured nanoparticles containing different types of materials. This kind

of structures is able to combine in a single entity the physical and chemical properties of the

composing materials. Here we report a new strategy for the synthesis of cobalt ferrite (CoxFe3-

xO4) decorated with ultrasmall ( d= 2-3 nm) gold nanoparticles (NPs).The synthetic procedure

exploits double role of the of 2,3-meso-dimercapto succinic acid (DMSA): as phase transfer

for cobalt ferrite NPs from organic to aqueous media, and as promoter of the nucleation of

gold clusters only in proximity of the magnetic nanoparticle surfaces, thanks to its reducing

properties. We present also a complete morphological (TEM, STEM) and chemical

characterization, based on microanalysis methods (EFTEM, EELS and EDX). The new

obtained nano-hertostructure combines the

magnetic properties of cobalt ferrite with the

catalytic properties of small noble metal

clusters in a single entity (figure 1). So we

investigate the catalytic activity of

CoxFe3-xO4-Au NPs using a model reaction, that

is the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-

aminophenol (4-AP), using NaBH4 as reducing

agent. The catalyst has been magnetically

recovered up to 5 times, maintaining excellent

kobs over the cycles

DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b01266

Figure 1 STEM image of CoxFe3-xO4-DMSA-Au

NPs obtained using the optimized experimental

conditions

A.06

http://pubs.acs.org/author/Pifferi%2C+Valentina

http://pubs.acs.org/author/Falciola%2C+Luigi



Ultrastructural analysis of dental ceramic surfaceprocessed by a 1070 nm

fiber laser

C. Fornaini1, F. Poli

1,*, E. Merigo

2, S. Selleri

1, A. Cucinotta

1

1Department of Engineering and Architecture, Parco Area delle Scienze 181/A, 43124 – Parma, Italy.

2Micoralis Laboratory, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Nice, 24 Avenue des Diables Bleus, 06357 Nice,

France.

*[email protected]

Lithium di-silicate ceramics offer high accuracy when used in prosthetic dentistry. Their

bonding, using different resins, is highly dependent on micro-mechanical interlocking and

adhesive chemical bonding. Ceramic surface treatment increases the contact area with the

tooth structure, creating micro-porosities and enhancing the potential for mechanical retention

of the cement. Different surface treatment methods have been proposed in literature. Non-

destructive techniques to treat inert ceramics and modify their mechanical and chemical

characteristics help to produce an activated surface. Performance investigation of high

strength ceramics when their surface is modified for chemical and mechanical bonding is

required.

The aim of this study is to investigate the possibility of using fiber lasers for surface treatment

of Lithium di-silicate ceramics, thus improving their mechanical and chemical properties.

Samples were irradiated by a 1070 nm pulsed fiber laser (AREX 20) provided by Datalogic,

Italy, with different parameters. Surface modifications were analyzed by optical microscope,

SEM and EDS (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy). The observation of the irradiated

surface shows a roughness increase with small areas of melting and carbonization. EDS

analysis revealed that, by using proper laser parameters, no evident differences between laser-

processed samples and controls are obtained. These preliminary results have shown that fiber

laser irradiation can be considered an effective tool to increase the Lithium di-silicate

ceramics adhesion.

A.07



Plasma processing of oxide-based nanomaterials for sensing and energy

applications

A. Gasparotto1,*

, G. Carraro1, C. Maccato

1, D. Barreca

2

1Department of Chemistry, Padova University and INSTM, 35131 Padova, Italy.

2CNR-ICMATE and INSTM, Department of Chemistry, Padova University, 35131 Padova, Italy.

*[email protected]

Cold plasmas are versatile, soft tools for the synthesis, modification and engineering of

functional materials. In the field of inorganic nanosystems, plasma-assisted routes such as

sputtering and plasma enhanced-chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) offer a high control

over topological, structural and compositional material features, impacting, in turn, a broad

variety of technological applications.

In this contribution, attention will be focused on selected case studies demonstrating the high

potential of plasma processing in the tailored fabrication of single-phase and composite

Fe2O3-based functional nanostructures. Representative examples will include:

i) the modification of ε-Fe2O3 nanorods by sputtering of Au nanoparticles under mild

conditions, allowing to preserve the 1D iron oxide morphology and to tailor gold content and

distribution as a function of sputtering time. Gas sensing tests aimed at NO2 detection

evidenced that Au introduction resulted in enhanced performances thanks to the intimate

Au/ε-Fe2O3 interfacial contact and the occurrence of Schottky junction effects;

ii) the synthesis of Pt/α-Fe2O3 nanocomposites by a hybrid synthetic route, consisting in the

PE-CVD of iron(III) oxide followed by platinum sputtering and eventual annealing in air.

Material characteristics such as Pt oxidation state and hematite nano-organization strongly

affected the system photoelectrochemical performances in sunlight-assisted water splitting;

iii) α-Fe2O3-TiO2-Au nanocomposites, fabricated by a three-step plasma-assisted strategy, and

tested in the solar-driven H2 generation via photoreforming of ethanol aqueous solutions.

Compared to bare hematite, Fe2O3-TiO2-Au photocatalysts displayed an improved functional

behavior, mainly related to an enhanced interfacial separation of photogenerated charge

carriers.

A.08



Epitaxially grown NiMnGa thin films: the impact of growth conditions on

microstructure and magnetic configuration

M. Takhsha Ghahfarokhi1,*

, F. Casoli1, S. Fabbrici

1,2, R. Cabassi

1, F. Albertini

1

1 IMEM-CNR, Parco Area delle Scienze 37A – 43124, Parma, Italy. 2 MIST E-R, Via P. Gobetti, 101 – 40129, Bologna, Italy.

*[email protected]

Heusler compounds have constantly shown novel emerging properties due to the giant effects

(e.g. magnetoelastic, magnetocaloric and barocaloric) driven by external elements (e.g.

magnetic field, temperature and stress).

Compared to the bulk materials, thin films offer further possibility to be applied in

micro/nanosystems and could open a new window to novel-concept nanoactuators, valves,

memories, energy harvesters and solid-state microrefrigerators.

Several studies are being conducted to a better understanding of the mechanisms that would

allow the microstructural control by playing with thickness and epitaxial constraints given by

suitable substrates. The achievement of a fine control of microstructure and magnetic

configuration at the different length scales is of particular importance for the optimization of

shape memory effect and magnetic field induced strain applications, where twin configuration

plays a major role [1].

We have applied RF sputtering technique to epitaxially grow Ni-Mn-Ga films on MgO (100)

with different thicknesses, growth temperatures and deposition rates. 10-800 nm Ni-Mn-Ga

were directly grown on the substrate surface at the growth temperatures from 200 to 400 °C.

The different deposition rates were achieved by changing the applied voltage to the target and

the argon pressure. Microstructures of the thin films were measured using AFM and XRD.

Magnetic configuration of the samples, martensitic transformation and Curie temperature

were studied by MFM, AGFM and SQUID techniques. Results indicate a correlation between

the microstructures of the samples prepared in different growth conditions and their magnetic

features.

[1] Ranzieri, Paolo, et al. Advanced Materials 27.32 (2015): 4760-4766.

A.09



The potentiality of carbon nanostructures for hydrogen storage

G. Magnani1,*

, D. Pontiroli1, M. Gaboardi

1,2, C. Milanese

3, G. Bertoni

4, A. Malcevschi

5,

K.F. Aguey-Zinsou6, M. Riccò

1

1 CNL, DSMFI, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 7/A, 43124 Parma, Italy.

2 ISIS Facility, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, United Kingdom.

3 Pavia Hydrogen Lab, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 16, 27100 Pavia, Italy.


5 DSCVSA, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy.

6 Materials

Energy Research Laboratory (MERLin), School of Chemical Engineering, The University of New

South Wales Australia, NSW 2052, Sydney, Australia.

*[email protected]

This study represents a comprehensive approach to the use of carbon nanostructures for

hydrogen storage, as developed in the Carbon Nanostructures Laboratory group in Parma

University. It has to be placed in the context of a growing demand of renewable fuels such as

hydrogen, identified as a possible replacement to the current gasoline for automotive

application. In this domain, considerable interest is stimulated by the carbon nanostructures

for their relatively low weight and the possibility to modify the interaction energy with the

hydrogen molecule. In particular it is well known that the fundamental physical and chemical

properties of materials can change drastically when entering the nanosize regime so one can

expect important changes in hydrogen sorption properties such as improved kinetics and

reversibility and possibly a change in thermodynamics.

This work analyzes several different approaches in the use of carbon nanostructures materials,

in particular fullerenes, graphenes and biochars, for solid state hydrogen storage applications.

The principal aims of this study have been:

Synthesis, optimization and study of the hydrogen properties of metal clusters intercalated

fullerides, transition metals decorated graphenes, biochars.

Study of the interactions between hydrogen and carbon and mechanisms involved in the

hydrogen sorption and desorption process.

Optimization of nanoparticles dimension and investigation on the role of the size in the

hydrogen storage applications.

Study of the use of metal decorated graphene as a substrate to promote the formation of

nanosized MgH2, investigating the thermodynamic properties in the hydrogen storage field

of the hydride.

A.10

https://scholar.google.it/citations?user=BA9JzuoAAAAJ&hl=it&oi=sra



Nano-engineered smart filters: towards induced release

V. Ricci

1,*, S. Erokhina

1, P. D’Angelo

1, V. Erokhin

1, S. Iannotta

1

1IMEM-CNR, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, Parma, Italia.

*[email protected]

The controlled release of drugs represents a great challenge in current nanomedicine. The

triggering of the drug release dynamics and dosage represent both the first step needed for the

design of efficient implantable polymer-based micro reservoirs able to release drugs on

demand, by an external stimuli.

The aim of our work is to develop smart filters for a controlled release using Polyelectrolyte

Multilayers (PEMs) fabricated by layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition. We have used glass fiber

filters with pores of 0.7 µm in size. Of course, such pores cannot be covered by a nm thick

layers. Therefore, before the layer formation, the pores were filled by a sacrificial material (in

our case, CaCO3 particles) that can be easily dissolved afterwards by an acidic solution (HCl).

Using the LbL technique, the as-prepared filters have been covered with an adhesion layer of

PEI, polyethylenimine, subsequently, with 15 bilayers made of alternate monolayers of an

anionic polyelectrolyte, (the poly[sodium 4-styrenesulfonate], PSS), and of a cationic

polyelectrolyte (the poly[allylamine hydrochloride], PAH).

Using the Scanning Electron Microscopy, we have characterized our filters, confirming that it

is possible to plug the pores and deposit a polyelectrolyte multilayer film on the filter.

After the dissolution of the sacrificial material, further changes in pH, allow controlling the

size of film pores, favoring the passage of the desired molecules through the filter.

A.11



Superparamagnetic nanoparticles with enhanced magnetic

properties:synthesis and biocompatible coating

R. Di Corato

1, A. Aloisi

2, R. Rinaldi

1,2*

1 Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica “Ennio De Giorgi”, Università del Salento, Via Arnesano, Lecce, Italy.

2 CNR Institute for Microelectronics and Microsystem, SP Lecce-Monteroni, Lecce, Italy.

*[email protected]

In the emerging field of nanomedicine, superparamagnetic nanoparticles have been used

primarily as contrast agent for MRI and, more recently, as effectors in magnetic hyperthermia

or as carrier in drug delivery. The research on the synthesis of this class of material is mainly

focused on the enhancement of particles properties, assuring an always more convincing

biocompatibility.

We focused on an update of a synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles firstly reported in 2004 by

Colvin’s group and on a novel method for transferring particles in aqueous media. This

preparation was based on the decomposition of a non–usual iron precursor, the iron(III)

oxide-hydroxide. The main advantage of this approach reside in the possibility to obtain

different sizes of magnetic nanoparticles by a single step reaction. We obtained quasi-

spherical particles in a range between 10 and 40 nm, with a progressive deterioration of

morphological control over the threshold of 25 nm. Moreover, we investigated the effects of

an aggressive oxidation step on the magnetic properties of the particles. The complete

transformation of the different magnetic phases in a pure γ-Fe2O3 (maghemite) led to a higher

magnetic susceptibility and to a magnetic saturation close to the references bulk value. The

nanoparticles above described were transferred in water by a novel affinity exchange method,

grafting on the surface non-modified dextran molecules. The particles remained

monodispersed, with an optimal colloidal stability. In addition, a supplementary chitosan

coating was applied on particles, in order to boost the cellular uptake and to increase the

particle loading capacity.

A.12



Carbon nanostructures for high-performance supercapacitors

S. Scaravonati1,*

, D. Pontiroli1, G. Magnani

1, B. Galante

1, B. Musig

1, A. Malcevschi

2, C. Milanese

3, G.

Lucchesi3,4

, G. Bertoni5, M. Riccò

1

1Dipartimento di Scienze Matematiche, Fisiche e Informatiche, Università degli Studi di Parma, Parco Area

delle Scienze 7/A, 43124 Parma, Italy. 2Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Università degli Studi di Parma,

Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy. 3Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Pavia, Viale Taramelli, 16, 27100 Pavia, Italy.

4Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy.

5Istituto dei Materiali per l’Elettronica ed il Magnetismo, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy.

*[email protected]

Electric double-layer capacitors, also known as supercapacitors (SC), are very promising

electrochemical devices that bridge the gap between conventional capacitors and rechargeable

batteries. SC store electrostatic energy by exploiting the charge separation at the interfaces

between two porous electrodes and a dielectric (Figure 1). The short distance between the

charge layers (few angstroms) and the very high specific surface area (SSA) of electrodes

determine much higher capacitance values than those of conventional capacitors, of the order

of 10-100 F/g. If compared with rechargeable batteries, SC show faster charge and discharge

rate (higher power density), higher lifetime and lower costs, albeit their energy density is still

much lower than that of Li-ion batteries. In order to achieve high performance SC, the

combination between high SSA with a pore size distribution best suiting the electrolyte ions

dimension is needed.

In this work we identified two classes of different carbon nanostructured materials, which

revealed to be rather promising as SC electrodes, thanks to their high specific surface and

hierarchical porosity: 1) graphene related materials produced by the thermal exfoliation of

graphite oxide (TEGO) and 2) chemical activated bio-chars, namely a charcoal obtained from

the pyrolysis or pyro-gasification of biomasses. In particular, the best investigated system

reached an astounding SSA of up to 3000 m2/g, which, with a favorable pore size distribution,

proved to operate as electrodes in SC with specific capacity of up to 100 F/g.

Figure 1: Working mechanism of a SC

A.13

4



Preparation of acrylate-based silver nanocomposite by simultaneous

polymerization–reduction approach via 3D printing technique

G. Taormina1,*

, C. Sciancalepore2, M. Messori

3, F. Bondioli

1

1Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 181/A,

43124, Parma, Italy. 2INSTM, Research Unit of Parma, Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Parma, Parco

Area delle Scienze 181/A, 43124, Parma, Italy. 3Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via P. Vivarelli 10/1,

41125, Modena, Italy.

*[email protected]

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has drawn tremendous attention with its potential

applications in various fieldsi. The integration of nanotechnology into 3D printing offers huge

opportunities for the manufacturing of 3D engineered materials exhibiting optimized

properties

The addition of nanofillers affects the printing process: solution viscosity, light penetration

depth and nanoparticles dispersion and stabilityii,iii

.

In this work, the preparation of 3D nanocomposites, proposed by the simultaneous photo-

reduction of metal precursors (silver acetate) with the photo-polymerization of an acrylated

monomer mixture to form a nanocomposite using the SLA technology, is presented and

discussed.

The laser beam of the printer is used to locally photo-induce the reduction of silver cations,

generating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), while photo-polymerizing the acrylated monomers,

by means of the homolytic photo-cleavage of the photoinitiatoriv

.

The SLA printing process is used to produce specimens, tested for thermo-mechanical

characterization. Structure of AgNPs and microstructure of Ag nanocomposites are analysed

respectively using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The antimicrobial

and cytotoxicity tests are also performed to verify the presence of these functional properties

due to AgNPs.

i B. Utela, D. Storti, R. Anderson, M. Ganter, J. Manuf. Process. 2008, 10, 96.

ii J. Czyz˙ ewski, P. Burzyn´ski, K. Gaweł, J. Meisner, J. Mater. Process. Technol. 2009, 209, 5281.

iii D. Yugang, Z. Yuan, T. Yiping, L. Dichen, Rap. Prototyp. J. 2011, 17, 247.

iv S. Jradi, L. Balan, X. H. Zeng, J. Plain, D. J. Lougnot, P. Royer, R. Bachelot, S. Akil, O. Soppera, L. Vidal,

Nanotechnology 2010, 21, 095605-1.

A.14



Design and characterization of hydrophobic and oleophobic multilayer

films by sol-gel process

R. Taurino1,2,*

, M. Messori3, F. Bondioli

1,2

1Dipartimento di Ingegneria e Architettura, Università di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 181/A, 43124

Parma, Italy 2Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM), Via G. Giusti 9,

50121 Firenze, Italy. 3Dipartimento di Ingegneria Enzo Ferrari, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Pietro Vivarelli 10,

42025 Modena, Italy.

*[email protected]

The development of easy-to-clean and self-cleaning surfaces is one of the important outcomes

of nanotechnology since its early beginnings. Even though a number of methods have been

reported in literature to obtain hydrophobic and oleophobic surfaces and conditions were

recognized that should be met, it has to be noted that many of them are not feasible for large-

area applications. In this work the authors evaluated the possibility to prepare multifunctional

surface through layer-by-layer deposition of organic-inorganic hybrids sol-gel films, allowing

facile control of surface roughness and hydrophobicity.

The results demonstrated that super-hydrophobic properties, and low hysteresis values (2°)

derive from combined suitable chemical compositions and surfaces roughness.

Superhydrophobic surfaces with contact angles higher than 150° were obtained after the

application of multilayer coatings, due to the presence of random irregular and fractal

surfaces. Moreover, good photocatalytic activity can be obtained after the application of TiO2-

SiO2 coating as top layer. Both hydrophobic and oleophic properties were achieved after the

application of nanostructured organic–inorganic hybrid coating based on a perfluoropolyether

oligomer (PFPE).

The method, used in this work, is simple and less expensive, compared to other conventional

techniques, and it can be applied on a variety of substrates, such as silicon wafer, glass,

metals, and polymer surfaces, with little or no pretreatment of the surfaces.

A.15



Coupling nanostructured metal oxides with gold nanoparticles: a

multidisciplinary study

M. Villani1,*

, G. Bertoni1, F. Fabbri

1, L. Lazzarini

1,

D. Calestani1, N. Coppedè

1, C. Morasso

2, S. Beretta

3, F. Terenziani

3, A. Zappettini

1


2 LABION – Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Clinical Biophotonics, Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi

ONLUS, P.le Morandi 6, 20121, Milan, Italy. 3 Parma University, Phys. Dept., Parco Area delle Scienze 7/A, 43124, Parma, Italy.

* [email protected]

Surface plasmon resonance is the most outstanding behavior of metallic nanostructures

resulting in optical properties hardly achievable in other optical materials, yielding a wide

range of applications. By coupling with metal oxides semiconductors, metallic

nanoparticles can be used to tune optical absorption or emission, thanks to the strong

interaction of collective excitations of free charges (plasmons) with electromagnetic fields.

Herein we present the functionalization of meaningful metal oxides nanostructures with Au

nanoparticles by means of a photochemical process which doesn’t rely on binding agents or

capping molecules to achieve shape / size control of nanostructures, resulting in clean

interfaces.

A direct imaging at the nanoscale of the plasmon-exciton coupling in Au/ZnO

nanostructures is reported by combining scanning transmission electron energy loss (EELS)

and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy / mapping. Interestingly, the Au plasmon

resonance is localized at the gold / vacuum interface, rather than presenting an isotropic

distribution around the nanoparticle [1]. Such study of the fundamental interactions at the

nanoscale allow a deeper understanding of the nanocomposite material enabling the design

of improved optical materials. As a case-study, we present a novel 3D substrate for

biomedical SERS investigations. Apomorphine detection – a drug used for the management

of Parkinson disease – has been investigated, the SERS substrate is characterized by an

enhancing factor up to 106 and a de

tested to target single cancer cells showing enhanced Raman signals related to the portion

of the cell interacting with the 3D structure of the substrate.

Figure 1. a) Sketch of ZnO TP functionalization with Au NPs by means of photochemical reaction. b)

Aqueous dispersion of ZnO/Au. c) SEM image of a single Au-decorated ZnO TP. d) A representative

Au NPs/ZnO TP as seen in HAADF-STEM.

[1] G. Bertoni, F. Fabbri, M. Villani, L. Lazzarini, S. Turner, G. Van Tendeloo, D. Calestani, S. Gradecak, A.

Zappettini, G. Salviati, Sci. Rep. 2016, 6, 19168.

[2] S. Picciolini, N. Castagnetti, R. Vanna, D. Mehn, M. Bedoni, F. Gramatica, M. Villani, D. Calestani, M.

Pavesi, L. Lazzarini, A. Zappettini, C. Morasso, RSC Adv., 2015, 5, 93644–93651.

A.16


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 80 Poster Communication - Session B

Identification of nanoparticles “protein-coronas” in the blood of marine

invertebrates: effects on the immune response

T. Balbi

1, R. Fabbri

1, M. Montagna

1, G. Camisassi

1, A. Salis

2, G. Damonte

2, L. Canesi

1,*

1Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genoa.

2Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research-CEBR, University of Genoa, Italy.

*[email protected]

The development of nanotechnology will inevitably lead to the release of consistent amounts

of nanoparticles (NPs) in aquatic ecosystems, where NP intrinsic properties, as well as those

of the receiving medium, will affect particle behavior, bioavailability, uptake and toxicity in

aquatic organisms. However, the evaluation of the biological effects of NPs requires

additional understanding of how, once within the organism, NPs interact at the molecular

level with cells in a physiological environment. In mammalian models, NPs associate with

serum soluble components, organized into a “protein corona”, which affects particle

interactions with target cells. However, no information on the interactions of NPs with

biological fluids of aquatic organisms is available yet.

In the marine bivalve Mytilus, the immune system has been shown to represent a sensitive

target for different types of NPs. Data on the first identification of protein coronas formed

around different NPs (amino modified polystyrene, n-CeO2, n-TiO2) in Mytilus blood

(hemolymph) are presented. The results show that NP-protein interactions are particle

specific, and are strongly influenced by the net surface charge of the particle retained in sea

water. The role of NP-protein coronas formed in biological fluids of marine invertebrates, and

their possible consequences on the impact of NPs on innate immunity is discussed.

Canesi, L., Corsi, I., 2016. Effects of nanomaterials on marine invertebrates. Sci. Total Environ. 565, 933-940.

Canesi et al., 2016. Invertebrate models for investigating the impact of nanomaterials on innate immunity: the

example of the marine mussel Mytilus spp. Curr. Bionanotech 2, 1.

B.01



LPS adsorbed to the bio-corona of TiO2 nanoparticles powerfully activates

selected pro-inflammatory transduction pathways

M.G. Bianchi

1,*, L. Paesano

2, M. Allegri

1, M. Chiu

1, G. Taurino

1, A. L. Costa

3, M. Blosi

3, S. Ortelli

3,

N. Marmiroli2, O. Bussolati*

1, E. Bergamaschi

4

1Department of Medicine and Surgery and

2Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental

Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

3Institute of Science and Technology for Ceramics (CNR-ISTEC), National Research Council of Italy,

Faenza(RA), Italy. 4Department of Public Health Science and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.

*[email protected]

*[email protected]

The adsorption of bioactive compounds provides engineered nanoparticles (NP) with novel

biological activities and may modify the biological effects of the adsorbed molecules.

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin), a powerful macrophage activator, is a

common environmental contaminant present in several body compartments such as the gut.

We recently observed that the co-incubation of LPS with TiO2 nanoparticles (NP) markedly

potentiates its pro-inflammatory effects on macrophages (1,2) suggesting that LPS gains

enhanced activity when included in a NP bio-corona. A pellet fraction, denominated P25/LPS,

was isolated by centrifugation from a mixture of P25 TiO2 NP (128 g/ml) and LPS (10

ng/ml) in the presence of fetal bovine serum. Western Blot analysis of the pellet eluate

indicated that P25/LPS fraction contained proteins and LPS. In murine macrophages

P25/LPS, at a nominal LPS concentration of 40 pg/ml of LPS, induced both NF-B- and

IRF3-dependent cytokines at levels comparable to those observed with free LPS (10 ng/ml),

although with different time courses. Moreover, compared to free LPS, P25/LPS caused a

more sustained phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and a more prolonged induction of STAT1-

dependent genes. Cytochalasin B partially inhibited the induction of Tnfa by P25/LPS, but not

by free LPS, and suppressed the induction of IRF3-dependent genes by either P25/LPS or free

LPS. These data suggest that, when included in the bio-corona of TiO2 NP, LPS exhibits

enhanced and time-shifted pro-inflammatory effects. Thus, in assessing the hazard of NP in

real life, the enhanced effects of adsorbed bio-active molecules should be taken into account.

1)Bianchi et al. (2015) Titanium dioxide nanoparticles enhance macrophage activation by LPS through a TLR4-

dependent intracellular pathway. Toxicol. Res. 4: 385-398. doi: 10.1039/c4tx00193a.

2) Di Cristo et al. (2016) Proinflammatory Effects of Pyrogenic and Precipitated Amorphous Silica

Nanoparticles in Innate Immunity Cells. Toxicol Sci. 150:40-53. doi: 10.1093/toxsci/kfv258.

B.02

mailto:[email protected]

http://pubs.rsc.org/-/content/articlehtml/2015/tx/c4tx00193a

http://pubs.rsc.org/-/content/articlehtml/2015/tx/c4tx00193a

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26612840



Nanoindentation of engineered bone tissue: a still unexplored option in

regenerative medicine

M. Boi

1,*, M. Bianchi

1, G. Marchiori

1, M. Berni

1, A. Russo

1, M. Sartori

1 , M. C. Maltarello

1, F.

Salamanna1, G. Giavaresi

1, M. Fini

1, M. Marcacci

1.

1 Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute, Bologna, Italy.

*[email protected]

Bone tissue is a highly-organized material with a complex hierarchical macro-, micro- and

nanostructure. For this reason, conventional mechanical tests are not able to catch the

mechanical properties of bone on a multi-scale level. Recently, nanoindentation technique has

emerged as a useful tool for the mechanical investigation of biological materials, as it allows

to relate structural changes to variations in mechanical properties on micro- and nano-scales.

Noteworthy, the elastic modulus (ER) of bone trabeculae is strongly correlated to the

mineralization degree of the collagen fibrils of which bone is composed. To date, the

investigation of nanomechanical properties has been almost exclusively limited to the analysis

of healthy and pathologic bone tissue, whereas there are very few studies investigating the

evolution of the mechanical properties of bone tissue during the regeneration process. At the

NanoBiotechnology Laboratory of the Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli we are currently

investigating the nanomechanical properties of engineered (i.e. regenerated) bone and

cartilage tissue according to different regeneration approaches and models, mainly involving

the use of synthetic bone grafts made of biomimetic inorganic/organic composites. By

comparing the nanomechanical properties of engineered tissue with those of native (i.e. pre-

existing) tissue, it is possible to obtain useful insights about the degree of growth of the new

tissue and efficacy of the regeneration method adopted, not directly accessible through

conventional analysis methods.

B.03



Enabling development and formulation of Drug Delivery Systems based on

micro and nanoparticles by Single Particle Extinction and Scattering

(SPES) technology

C. Cella

1,*, F. Mariani

1, M.A.C. Potenza

2 , P. Milani

2, T. Sanvito

1

1 EOS

S.r.l., viale Ortles 22/4, Milan, Italy.

2 Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 16, Milan, Italy.

*[email protected]

Micro and nanoparticles in fluid suspensions are under investigation in a wide range of

applications that includes pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and agrochemicals. However, the

successful development of products based on particles is often prevented by their

unpredictable behaviors in complex fluids, such as blood and cell culture media. In fact,

particle-to-particle and particle-to-biomolecule interactions can modify particle

characteristics, surface properties and the overall engineering processes. Enabling

technologies are urgently needed for a thorough characterization of particles as suspended in

the medium where they are supposed to fulfil their function.

Traditional particle sizing techniques, such as Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), are not able

to discriminate between particles and medium components. Hence, time consuming additional

complementary analyses are required as well as an adequate, and in many cases troublesome,

sample preparation.

We demonstrate that the innovative Single Particle Extinction and Scattering (SPES)

technology thoroughly characterizes and classifies micro and nanoparticle, even directly

suspended in complex media. Particles as model for drug delivery systems are suspended in

murine serum and blood and analyzed by SPES. Without purification, SPES technology

discriminates each single particle from the background. Moreover, fine sizing is obtained

even at very low particle concentration in media as complex as whole blood. On the contrary,

in the same experimental conditions, DLS provides untrustworthy and unrepeatable data

because of its inability to distinguish optical signals as coming from the surrounding media.

SPES opens new possibilities in micro and nanoparticle characterization and development,

including studies on pharmacokinetics, biomolecular corona formation, biomarkers and

dosimetry.

B.04



Textile sensors for wearable physiological monitoring

N. Coppedè

1,*, M. Giannetto

2, A. Castellini

1,2,V. Lucchini

1,2, L. Ceriani

1,2, M. Villani

1, S. Iannotta

1, M.

Careri2, A. Zappettini

1

1IMEM CNR, Parco Area 37/a, Parma, Italy.

2Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Parco Area delle Scienze, 11/a,

Parma, Italy.

*[email protected]

A growing interest in research has been devoted in the last years to the wearable applications,

in particular in the monitoring of physiological parameters. The purpose of these technologies

is to measure different biological parameters continuously in non-invasive way. If there have

been a great improvement in the monitoring of physical measurements, (Heart rate,

accelerometers, breathing, etc.) more efforts have to be done to the chemical and biochemical

side. The integration of materials for electronics and sensing in the wearable device is always

complex and implies a bridge between different technological materials. In the last years,

IMEM CNR Parma, has developed an original approach based on the direct functionalization

of textile fibers by conductive polymers, for the realization of biochemical sensing device.

The device based on an organic electrochemical transistor architecture, allows to monitor,

continuously and in non-invasive way, the electrolyte concentration in different fluids. In

particular the devices have been used to monitor human sweat. To improve the information

available from the sensor devices, further functionalization could be developed. In particular

in this work the textile electrochemical sensors, have been functionalized with ion selective

membranes, to improve the selectivity for specific ionic species. A selective device for the

sensing of potassium and another for calcium, has been realized. Moreover, the use of reactive

electrodes has been tested for the detection of specific biological molecules, present in

physiological fluids. These species are of paramount importance for monitoring the hydration

and the physiology of the athletes during sport performances of for patients or workers in

everyday life.

Battista, E., Lettera, V., Villani, M., Calestani, D., Gentile, F., Netti, P.A., Iannotta, S., Zappettini, A., Coppedè,

N. “Enzymatic sensing with laccase-functionalized textile organic biosensors” (2017) Organic Electronics:

physics, materials, applications, 40, pp. 51-57.

Coppedè, N., Tarabella, G., Villani, M., Calestani, D., Iannotta, S., Zappettini, A. “Human stress monitoring

through an organic cotton-fiber biosensor” (2014) Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2 (34), pp. 5620-5626.

B.05



β-N-Acetyl-D-mannosamine-containing calixarenes as multivalent

immunostimulators

F. Faroldi

1,*, M. Giuliani

1, S. Fallarini

3, A. Casnati

1, F. Compostella

2, G. Lombardi

3, F. Sansone

1

1Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Università di Parma, Parco Area

delle Scienze 17/A, 43124, Parma, Italy. 2Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università di Milano, Via Saldini 50, 20133,

Milano, Italy. 3Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università del Piemonte Orientale A. Avogadro, Largo Donegani 2,

28100, Novara, Italy.

*[email protected]

Streptococcus Pneumoniae is an encapsulated bacterium responsible of several and harsh

diseases; serotype 19F is one of the most commonly isolated serotypes and it is characterised

by the presence on its capsule of a polysaccharide whose N-acetyl-D-mannosamine residue

seems to play the major role in immunostimulation and thus can be used as minimal antigenic

unit1.

We synthesized a small library of glycocalixarenes decorated with β-N-acetyl-D-

mannosamine in order to obtain immunological active compounds, exploiting multivalency.

We started from glucose to obtain β-N-acetyl-D-mannosamine, functionalized at the anomeric

position with a three-carbon spacer. The sugar unit was then conjugated with the proper

isothiocyanate calix[4] and calix[6]arenes to give the final glycocalixarenes (Figure 1). The

different geometries and valencies were chosen to study how the diverse orientation and

number of the saccharide epitopes could influence the immunological activity of these

compounds. As reported in previous works, in fact, varying the display and number of sugar

units on a calixarene platform determines interesting selectivities in the interactions with

protein receptors2,3

.

Biological properties of the glycocalixarenes have been investigated in terms of capability to

inhibit the interaction between the polysaccharide 19F and the corresponding antibody present

in the human system. Conformationally mobile calix[6]arenes have shown the best binding

affinity towards the anti-19F antibody, rising up to 80% of the inhibition shown by the natural

polysaccharide which was used as reference.

1. L. Panza, F. Ronchetti, G. Russo and L. Toma, J. Chem. Soc. Perkins Trans 1, 1987, 2745-2747; 2. F.

Sansone, E. Chierici, A. Casnati and R. Ungaro, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2003, 1, 1802-1809; 3. S. Andrè, F.

Sansone, H. Kaltner, A. Casnati, J. Kopitz, H. J. Gabius and R. Ungaro, Chembiochem, 2008, 9, 1649-1661.

n = 1, R = Me

n = 1, R = Pr, fixed cone n = 1, R = Pr, 1,3-alternate

n = 3, R = Me

Nn

Figure 1: Calixarenes decorated with β-N-acetyl-D-mannosamine

B.06



3-(Mercaptopropyl)- trimethoxysilane functionalization of scaffolds based

on SiOxCy nanowires for tissue engineering applications

B. Ghezzi1,2

*, P. Lagonegro3, L. Parisi

1,2, R. Pece

1,2, C. Galli

1,2,3, G. Attolini

3, F. Rossi

3, G. M.

Macaluso1,2,3

, G. Salviati3

1Dipartimento di Medicina e Chirurgia, Università degli Studi di Parma, via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma – Italy. 2Centro Universitario di Odontoiatria, Università degli Studi di Parma, via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma – Italy.

3Istituto IMEM-CNR, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma – Italy.

* [email protected]

The aim of this study was to functionalize SiOxCy nanowires scaffolds with 3-

(Mercaptopropyl)-trimethoxysilane (Msi). Msi is a molecule with an –SH terminal group that

could provide a binding site for many biological molecules, to improve cell adhesion and

proliferation on biomaterials.

The first phase of the project was focused on the study of the topographical and chemical

surface modifications induced by the functionalization. We evaluated the wettability of the

material and its protein adsorption respectively through contact angle analysis and SDS-page

electrophoresis. The results show different wettability and protein adsorption pattern,

probably due to the –SH terminal group.

Later, the cytotoxic effect of Msi-NWs on MC3T3-E1 murine osteoblast cells was evaluated

through indirect and direct cytotoxicity contact tests, following ISO 10993-5 guidelines. To

test cell viability, we performed a chemiluminescent assay after 24 and 48h. Moreover, to

evaluate cell adhesion and proliferation the samples were investigated by fluorescence

microscopy and SEM/FIB observation. Finally, we focused our attention on genic expression

through RT-PCR, to verify if there was a stimulus to osteoblastic differentiation.

According to the observed viability, cells were more numerous on the Msi-NWS samples than

on the NWs after 48h, likely indicating that cell proliferation was more difficult on the NWs.

Fluorescence images clearly show that cells were healthier on Msi-NWS by 96h, as confirmed

also by SEM/FIB observation, suggesting that substrates have good biocompatibility and the

functionalization may offer a suitable substrate for tissue engineering applications.

B.07



Bone-like apatite thin films for bone regeneration: pulsed electron

deposition from a biogenic source

G. Graziani

1,*, G. Carnevale

2, A. Pisciotta

2, L. Bertoni

2, M. Boi

1, A. Gambardella

1, M. Berni

1, G.

Marchiori1, A. Russo

1, A. De Pol

2, M. Bianchi

1

1 Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, NanoBiotechnology Laboratory, via di Barbiano 1/10, Bologna, Italy.

2University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological

Sciences, Via del pozzo 71, Modena, Italy.

* [email protected]

Fabrication of biogenic thin-films with suitable mechanical properties is desired in

orthopedics and dentistry to overcome the limitations of currently available coatings and

improve clinical results of coated implants.

Here, biological-like apatite thin-films were deposited at room temperature from a biogenic

source of natural apatite by pulsed electron deposition technique (PED).

Bone apatite-like (BAL) films, deposited directly from bone targets (deproteinized bovine

tibial cortical shafts), were compared to films deposited by sintered stoichiometric

hydroxyapatite targets (HA). After deposition, a set of samples was annealed at 400°C to

increase crystallinity.

All samples were characterized in terms of composition and crystallinity (XRD, FT-IR),

microstructure and morphology (SEM-EDS, AFM) and mechanical properties

(nanoindentation and micro-scratch). In vitro biological tests were then performed by using

human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs): the cells were isolated, plated on the samples and

cultured for 3 weeks, when the expression of typical osteogenic markers Runx-2, osteopontin,

Osx and Osteocalcin in hDPSCs was evaluated.

Results showed that deposition by PED allows obtaining bone-like apatite coatings, closely

resembling composition and structure of natural-apatite. Upon annealing at 400°C, the

coatings exhibited increased crystallinity and satisfactory mechanical properties (comparable

to those of commercial plasma-sprayed HA-coatings) and were capable of providing a

suitable microenvironment for hDPSCs adherence and proliferation and for them to reach

osteogenic commitment.

These results indicate that bone apatite-like thin films obtained by biogenic source are an

innovative and promising route for bone regeneration.

B.08



Polydopamine-functionalized superparamagnetic nanocrystal clusters as

potential magnetic carriers for biomedical applications

G. Mandriota

1, R. Di Corato

1, R. Rinaldi

1*

1Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica “Ennio De Giorgi”, Università del Salento, Via Arnesano, Lecce, Italy.

*[email protected]

One of the major challenge of antitumor drug delivery is the development of suitable carriers

for therapeutic molecules. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are

promising magnetic drug carriers as they are biocompatible, biodegradable, readily tunable

and controllable by an external magnetic field. We proposed and demonstrated a synthesis of

polydopamine-functionalized superparamagnetic nanocrystal clusters.

Firstly, an oil-phase evaporation-induced self-assembly strategy was introduced to fabricate

magnetic nanocrystal clusters (MNC). We demonstrated that the choice of the best size and

volume of SPIONs, solvents and the surfactant concentration are important parameters in

producing nanoclusters with a high density of magnetic cores, with a size comprised between

90 and 100 nm and a multilayer structure.

Secondly, the surface of the MNCs was functionalized with polydopamine (PDO) for

improving their stability. Different concentrations of dopamine were assayed for determining

the best compromise between stability, loading capacity and increase of the cluster size.

Thirdly, a fluorescent dye, crystal violet, was grafted to the surface of MNC@PDO as model

for drug loading and release efficiency. It is observed that the contribution of the dye

increased with higher concentration of crystal violet introduced. We demonstrated that the as

synthesized MNC@PDO can be exploited to create an environmentally sensitive magnetic

drug carrier, particularly with regards to the binding and desorption efficiency.

For the future our intention is to obtain a magnetic nanosystem that can transport

chemotherapeutic drug preferentially to its biological target by making use of magnetic field.

B.09



Specific IgG antibodies react to mimotopes of BK polyomavirus, a small

DNA tumor virus, in healthy adult sera

E. Mazzoni

1, F. Frontini

1, I. Bononi

1, S. Pietrobon

1, M. Manfrini

1, G. Guerra

2, F. Martini

1,

M. Tognon1

1Laboratories of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, Section of Pathology, Oncology and Experimental

Biology, School of Medicine, Department of Morphology, Surgery and Experimental Medicine, University of

Ferrara, Ferrara 44121, Italy.

[email protected]

BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) was isolated in 1971 from the urine of a kidney transplant

patient. Soon after its identification, BKPyV was characterized as a kidney-tropic virus,

which is responsible of a significant fraction of the rejection of transplant kidney in the host.

Moreover, in experimental conditions, BKPyV is able to transform different types of animal

and human cells and to induce tumors of different histotypes in experimental animals. BKPyV

DNA sequences have been detected in healthy individuals and cancer patients using

polymerase chain reaction/Shouthern blot hybridization methods. Serum antibodies against

this polyomavirus were revealed using immunological techniques, which, however, cross-

react with other polyomaviruses such as JC (JCPyV) and Simian Virus 40 (SV40). These non-

specific data indicate the need of novel immunological methods and new investigations to

check in a specific manner, BKPyV spread in humans. To this aim, synthetic peptides of

approximately 20 a.a. residues from BKPyV structural capsid protein 1 (VP1) were employed

as mimotopes for specific immunological reactions to IgG antibodies of human serum

samples. An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with synthetic peptides mimicking

immunogenic epitopes of BKPyV VP1 was set up and employed to test sera of healthy adult

subjects. Data from this innovative immunological assay indicate that serum antibodies

against BKPyV VP1 mimotopes are detectable in healthy subjects ranging from 18 to 90

years old. The overall prevalence of serum samples that reacted to BKPyV VP1 mimotopes

was 72%. The strong points from this investigation are (i) the novelty of the

nanobiotechnology approach, (ii) its simplicity as an immunological method, and (iii) the

specificity of BKPyV antibody reaction to VP1 mimotopes.

B.10



Use of polymer conjugates for the intraperoxisomal delivery of engineered

human alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase as a protein therapy for

primary hyperoxaluria type I

E. Oppici

1, A. Roncador

1, M. Talelli

2, A. N. Pariente

2, M. Donini

3, S. Dusi

3, C. Borri Voltattorni

1, M.

J. Vicent,2, B. Cellini

1,*

1Department of Neurological Biomedical and Movement Sciences, Section of Biological Chemistry, University of

Verona, Strada le Grazie 8, 37134 Verona (VR), Italy. 2Polymer Therapeutics Lab, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe (CIFP), Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3,

Valencia 46012, Spain. 3Department of Medicine, Section of General Pathology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 8, 37134

Verona (VR), Italy.

*present address: Department of Experimental Medicine University of Perugia, P.le Gambuli 1, Perugia.

*[email protected]

INTRODUCTION: Alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase (AGT) is a liver peroxisomal

enzyme whose deficit causes the rare disorder Primary Hyperoxaluria Type I (PH1). The

treatment options currently available for PH1 are either poor effective or highly invasive.

Since PH1 displays a loss-of-function pathogenesis, the development of an enzyme

administration strategy to replenish the liver with active AGT might relieve disease

symptoms. To this aim, we evaluated the possibility of delivering AGT upon conjugation with

a polymeric nanocarrier, able to promote cargo transfer across the plasma membrane, mask

the protein from the immune system and improve its stability in the bloodstream.

METHODS: We setup the conjugation of poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(L-glutamic acid) (PEG-

PGA) with AGT via formation of disulfide bonds between the polymer and solvent-exposed

cysteine residues of the enzyme.

RESULTS: PEG-PGA conjugation does not affect AGT structural/functional properties, but

allows the enzyme to be internalized in a cellular model of PH1 and restores glyoxylate-

detoxification. The insertion of the C387S/K390S amino acid substitutions, known to favour

the interaction with the peroxisomal import machinery, reduces conjugation efficiency, but

endows the conjugates with the ability to reach the peroxisomal compartment. The obtained

conjugates are hemocompatible, stable in human plasma and not immunogenic.

DISCUSSION: These results hold promise for the development of polymer-conjugated AGT

as an enzyme administration therapy for PH1 patients and represent the base for the

application to other diseases due to the deficit of peroxisomal proteins.

B.11



CeF3 – ZnO nanostructures for the self-lighted photodynamic therapy of

deep tumors

D. Orsi

1,*, T. Rimoldi

1, S. Pinelli

2, R. Alinovi

2, G. Benecchi

3, F. Rossi

4, L. Cristofolini

1

1 Department of Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

2 Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

3 Servizio di Fisica Sanitaria, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma, Parma, Italy.

4 IMEM-CNR Institute, Parma, Italy.

* [email protected]

Self-Lighted Photodynamic Therapy (SLPDT) is a proposed approach to the treatment of

deep tumors which aims at combining low-dose radiation therapy and photodynamic

therapy (PDT). A penetrating high-energy radiation (typically, X-rays) excites a

nanostructure that, combining a scintillating nanomaterial and a photosensitizer, can

damage tumor cells via the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as singlet

oxygen (1O2). Hence, SLPDT can be applied to deep tumors, where direct illumination of

the photosensitizer as in usual PDT is unfeasible.

We developed an inorganic nanostructure for SLPDT made of CeF3 nanoparticles

embedded in a nano-sized ZnO matrix. CeF3 is an efficient scintillator: when illuminated by

X-rays it emits UV light at 325 nm. ZnO is photo-activated in cascade, to produce ROS. In

contrast with hybrid organic-inorganic nanostructures, the inorganic nature of the NS

overcomes the problem of radiation-induced degradation,

which is known to affect organic photosensitizers.

The nanostructures have been tested in-vitro on

adenocarcinoma cells (A549). They show high internalization

and cytocompatibility in dark at concentrations > 50µg/ml.

Irradiation with X-rays induces ROS and singlet oxygen

generation; this reduces A549 cells’ viability and blocks the

cellular cycle in phase G2-M. This suggests that the

nanostructures could be effectively used to hinder tumor

proliferation between irradiation sessions, thus enhancing the

effectiveness of radiotherapy.

B.12



Markers for toxicity to HepG2 exposed to cadmium sulphide quantum dots;

damage to mitochondria

L. Paesano

1,*, A. Perotti

1, A. Buschini

1, C. Carubbi

2, M. Marmiroli

1, E. Maestri

1, S. Iannotta

3, N.

Marmiroli1

1Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.

2Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.


*[email protected]

Interaction of living organisms with quantum dots (QDs) is certainly more focused on

environment and occupational exposure associated with production and release or disposal.

Here, the transcription of genes involved in mitochondrial organization and function in

HepG2 cells exposed to cadmium sulphide (CdS) QDs has been profiled to highlight

biomarkers of exposure and effect to be tested for other cadmium based QDs. At low

concentrations, exposure to CdS QDs induced only minor damage to nuclear DNA, and none

to mitochondrial DNA. However, the stress caused an increase in the production of reactive

oxygen species (ROS), which triggered the mitochondria-mediated intrinsic apoptotic

pathway involving a cascade of transcriptomic events, finally prompting the activation of a

rescue pathway. The transcriptomic analysis confirmed the involvement in the response to

CdS QDs of genes related to apoptosis (AIFM2 and APAF1), oxidative stress response

(OXR1 and AOX1) and autophagy (ATG3 and ATG7), as potential biomarkers. Other

possible biomarkers specific for mitochondria function were LONP1 and HSPD1.

B.13



Nebulized coenzyme Q10 nanosuspensions: a versatile approach for

pulmonary antioxidant therapy

I. Rossi

1, E. Quarta

1, F. Sonvico

1, F. Buttini

1*

1Food and Drug Department, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, Parma, Italy.

*[email protected]

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an antioxidant substance indicated as a dietary supplement that has

been proposed as adjuvant in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders and cancer for its

protective and immunostimulating activities. The aim of this work was the production by

high-pressure homogenization, characterization and stability study of three different CoQ10

nanosuspensions designed to be nebulised.

Three surfactants, i.e. lecithin, PEG32 stearate and Vitamin-E TPGS, were selected to

stabilize CoQ10 formulations. Preparations were identified as nanosuspensions (particle size in

the range 35 - 60 nm): the smallest particles were obtained with Vitamin-E TPGS and denoted

a core-shell structure. The CoQ10 delivered from a commercial air-jet nebulizer was in all the

cases around 30% of the loaded dose. The nanosuspension containing PEG32 stearate

presented the highest respirable fraction (70.6% ± 5.1) and smallest median mass

aerodynamic diameter (3.02 µm ± 0.49). Stability tests showed that the most stable

formulation, after 90 days, was the one containing Vitamin-E TPGS, followed by the CoQ10-

lecithin formulation. Interestingly, those formulations were demonstrated to be suitable also

for nebulization with other type of devices, such as ultrasound and vibrating mesh nebulizers.

Studies focused on in vitro cellular toxicity of the formulations and their single components

using A549 human lung cells showed no obvious cytotoxicity for the formulations containing

lecithin and PEG32 Stearate. Vitamin-E TPGS alone was shown to be able to damage the

plasma membrane, nevertheless, cell damage was decreased when Vitamin-E TPGS was

present in the formulation with CoQ10.

B.14



Liquid-gated field-effect transistors based on reduced graphene oxides as

sensing platform for biomolecules

A. Rozzi

1,2, J. Brintinger

1,3, K. Shabnam

1, P. Rudatis

1,3, N. Yevalik

1,3, Z. Valeriia

1, W. Knoll

1, R.

Corradini2*

1Austrian Institute of Technology, Donau-City-Straße 1, 1220 Vienna, Austria.

2Università di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/a, 43124 Parma, Italy.

3Technische Universität Wien, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria.

*[email protected]

Since its discovery in 2004 by Gejm and Novoselov, the interest on graphene is growing not

only on its pure electronic properties but also to use it for sensing and bio-sensing

applications. The so-called FETs (field-effect-transistors) are a special type of sensor that

are highly sensitive to the surface modification in terms of change of charge. Using

reduced-oxide graphene (rGO) flakes it is possible to create a monolayer of graphene that

can be furthermore functionalized by bio-recognition units with specific interactions with

analytes. These specific interactions changes the electronic properties of the underlying

graphene, thus resulting in a modulation of the read out current.1 We report on the

fabrication, optimization and functionalization of rGO based FETs in a liquid gated

configuration (Figure 1) used for label-free detection of DNA, that is a powerful tool for

genetic disease, pathogen and genetic-modified detection. The bio-recognition units for the

detection are PNAs (Peptide Nucleic Acids) some synthetic analogous of DNA that show

high affinity and selectivity for the target sequence2, due to a neutral backbone that

minimize electrostatic repulsion between the hybridized strands (Figure 2).

References:

1. Larisika M, Kotlowski C, Steininger C, Mastrogiacomo R, Pelosi P, Schütz S, et al. Angewandte

Electronic Olfactory Sensor Based on A . mellifera Odorant-Binding Protein 14 on a Reduced

Graphene Oxide Field-Effect Transistor Angewandte. 2015;13443–6.

2. Cai B, Wang S, Huang L, Ning Y, Zhang Z, Zhang G. Ultrasensitive Label-Free Detection of PNA À

DNA Hybridization by Reduced Graphene Oxide Field-E ff ect Transistor. 2014;(3):2632–8.

Figure 2: Hybridization between PNA and

DNA

Figure 1: rGO based FETs in a liquid gated

configuration

B.15



Ultrastructural study of biomineralization process in human bone marrow

mesenchymal stem cells during the osteoblastic differentiation

A. Sargenti

1,*, S. Iotti

2, C. Cappadone

1, G. Farruggia

1, A. Procopio

1, E. Malucelli

2

1Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Università di Bologna,, Via San Donato 19/2, Bologna, Italy. 2Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie, Università di Bologna, Via San Donato 15, Bologna, Italy.

*[email protected]

Calcium is fundamental for the bone and it is present in the extracellular mineralized matrix

as hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals. Very little is known about the intracellular Ca concentration,

distribution and homeostasis in bMSC, and on the progression of the extracellular Ca-

phosphates and polyphosphates deposition during osteoblast differentiation. Synchrotron X-

ray radiation sources allow to study at nanoscale the cellular content and the extracellular

deposition of the elements involved in the HA formation.

The goal of this study is to measure the intracellular Ca concentration and the extracellular

Ca, P and Zn deposition in human bMSC induced to osteoblast differentiation at different

points. Cryofixed samples have been studied at the beamline ID16A-NI at the ESRF

synchrotron. We combined X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy measurements with X-ray phase

contrast nano-tomography, to obtain 2D Ca, P and Zn concentration maps at nanoscale

resolution (fig.1). To overcome misleading interpretation coming from 2D elemental maps,

we acquired x-ray fluorescence tomography to better localize in the space the deposition of

Ca, P and Zn.

The preliminary results of the 2D fluorescence shown an early spot deposition of Ca already

at 4 days. It is worthy to note that in correspondence of Ca deposition a P and Zn

accumulation is present as well. Moreover, the extracellular deposition of Ca at 10 days is

massive since the bMSC osteoblast differentiation is almost complete and the co-localization

of Ca with P and Zn is still evident.

These results strongly suggest the presence of phosphate compounds of Ca precursors of the

HA formation.

Figure 1.fluorescence maps of K, Ca, P and Zn (respectively panel a, b, c, and d) in bMSC after 4 (on the left)

and 10 (on the right) days of differentiation.

B.16


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 96 Poster Communication - Session C

Estimating consumer exposure to silver nanoparticles from food contact

materials: the study of migration properties

S. Argentiere1,*

, C. Cella2, C. Lenardi

3

1Filarete Foundation, viale Ortles 22/4, 20139, Milan, Italy.

2EOS Srl, Viale Ortles 22/4, 20139 Milan, Italy.

3 Cimaina and Physics Department, University of Milan, via Celoria 16, 20133, Milan, Italy.

*[email protected]

Due to their antimicrobial, anti-fungi, anti-yeasts and anti-viral activities, the use of silver

nanoparticles (AgNPs) in food contact materials (FCM) is emerging as an effective strategy to

prolong the shelf life of fresh food products. However, concerns are raised about the AgNPs

potential for adverse effects in humans, therefore risk assessment strategies are required to

estimate consumer exposure to AgNPs from FCM.

In this study, 100 nm AgNPs coated with either citrate (CT-AgNPs) or polyvinylpyrrolidone

(PVP-AgNPs) were selected. The migration properties of AgNPs were studied as a function

of different experimental parameters (particle surface coating, pH and ionic strength of

suspending medium), using a method based on shake flask principle. Finally, the impact of

the protein corona in AgNPs migration was evaluated.

After three hours shaking, the partition equilibrium was reached for both CT- and PVP-

AgNPs. However, the PVP-AgNPs completely moved in the organic phase, while the CT-

AgNPs still remained in the aqueous one. Nevertheless, this distribution was dependent on pH

and ionic strength of the aqueous phase: the higher the pH the more the AgNPs migrated in

the aqueous phase, both for CT and PVP coating. Finally, the formation on purpose of a

protein corona around each single AgNP minimized differences in AgNPs phase distribution

since both CT- and PVP-AgNPs were stabilized in the aqueous phase at each pH tested.

C.01



Characterization of nutritional and health properties of local Tuscany

cherry varieties and evaluation of innovative nanosystems delivery

D. Beconcini

1,2,*, R. Berni

2, F. Felice

1, M. Romi

2, A. Fabiano

3, Y. Zambito

3, R. Di Stefano

1, T.

Santoni1, G. Cai

2, C. Cantini

4

1University of Pisa, Department of Surgery, Medical, Molecular, and Critical Area Pathology, via Paradisa 2,

Pisa, Italy. 2University of Siena, Department of Life Sciences, via Aldo Moro (San Miniato) 2, Siena, Italy.

3University of Pisa, Department of Pharmacy, via Bonanno 33, Pisa, Italy.

4CNR Ivalsa Follonica, via Aurelia 49, Follonica (GR), Italy.

*[email protected]

Purpose: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of various

cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis. HUVECs (Humbilical Vein Endothelial

Cells) are very sensitive to injury caused by an high concentrations of reactive oxygen species

(ROS). Numerous products of Tuscan agro-food are rich in antioxidant and biologically

active substances. Among these, cherries are rich in polyphenols and especially in

anthocyanins. Aim of this work is to evaluate the antioxidant power and the protective effect

of natural cherry extracts (CE) on HUVECs.

Methods: Crognola Capannile, an autochtonous tuscany variety of Prunus Avium L. (sweet

cherry), was processed and its extract explored to evaluate the total polyphenolic content and

the antioxidant capacity, using Folin-Ciocalteau and FRAP assay methods. CE cytotoxicity on

HUVECs was evaluated by WST-1 assay. ROS production in vitro will be evaluated with the

use of a fluorescent probe (CM-H2DCFDA). CE will be encapsulated in multifunctional

chitosan-derivatives nanoparticles.

Results: Total polyphenolic content and antioxidant capacity were respectively 402,5 mg

Gallic Acid Equivalents (GAE) per 100 g of fresh weight (FW) and 2,19 mmol of ferric

chloride per 100 g of FW (as shown in TABLE 1). CE was mainly composed by phenolic

acids and antocyanins such as ferulic acid and cyanidin-3-glucoside (CYN3G), identified by

HPLC. CE added to endothelial cells culture were not cytototoxic until the polyphenolic

concentration of 500 μg GAE/ml of culture medium (GRAPHIC 1). ROS production results

are currently under evaluation.

Conclusions: Starring in the food market only seasonally, cherries have become nutraceutical

research topics for their possible medical applications in cardiovascular diseases with an

appropriated nanosystem delivery. GRAPHIC 1: Cherry extract cytotoxicity. HUVECs were cultured for 2 h in the

presence of CE (from 1µg/ml up to 1 mg/ml of total polyphenols). Cell viability was

determined by WST-1 colorimetric assay and expressed as % viability compared to

control (untreated cells). Data are representative of three separate experiments in

triplicate

TABLE 1: Total antioxidants, total phenolics and total antocyanins estimated in Crognola Capannile. Antioxidants

(mmol Fe3+/100 g FW)

Phenolics

(mg GAE/100g FW)

Antocyanins

(mg CYN3G/100 g FW)

Crognola Capannile

(Prunus Avium)

2,19 ± 0,09

402,5 ± 8,4

166,5 ± 2,4

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

Ctr

1µg/

ml

5µg/

ml

30µg

/ml

50µg

/ml

100µ

g/ml

500µ

g/ml

1000

µg/m

l

Polyphenols concentrations

Cell

via

bil

ity (

%)

C.02



Preparation of cellulose nanocrystals for decayed old wood consolidation

L. Bergamonti1,2

, F. Bondioli2, C. Graiff

1, A. Haghighi

3, C. Isca

1,P. P. Lottici

4, B. Pizzo

5, G. Predieri

1*

1Dip. SCVSA, Università di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, Parma, Italy.

2Dip. di Ing. e Arch., Università di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 181/a, Parma, Italy.

3Dept. of Wood Science and Technology, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

4Dip. SMFI, Università di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 7/A, Parma, Italy.

5 CNR IVALSA, via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.

Wood is one of the oldest materials used in a large variety of human artifacts thanks to its

particular aesthetic characteristics and mechanical properties. Wood is an organic,

hygroscopic and anisotropic material and for its nature is subjected to physical, chemical and

biological degradation. Current treatments adopted for historical wood conservation often

have undesirable side-effects which can have an impact on the aesthetical and mechanical

characteristics of the wooden artifacts.

This work deals with an attempt to obtain new nature-inspired consolidants compatible with

wood and paper, by using cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), a new class of cellulose materials

that have found a lot of applications in various research areas over the past two decades. CNC

can be obtained by acid hydrolysis of cellulose extracted by different materials, i.e. wood,

cotton, hemp [1].

CNC are expected to enhance the fiber-fiber bond strength and, hence, have a strong

reinforcement effect on paper materials. The main goal of this study is to test the consolidant

efficacy of the CNC on rotted wood samples to improve their mechanical properties.

Suspensions of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were prepared by sulfuric acid hydrolysis

starting from α-cellulose. The crystalline nature of nanocellulose was confirmed by XRD

analysis.

The CNC sol was applied on wood sample by total impregnation, under vacuum. The

products tested were CNC and CNC mixed

with lignin and/or PDMS. The mechanical

tests were carried out on a dynamic

mechanical analyzer (DMA) in three-point

bending. The best results in consolidation

efficiency (% improvement of elastic

modulus, see Figure) have been obtained with

CNC alone. Actually, CNC appreciably

improves the stiffness properties of the

decayed wood, in particular in the case of the

maximum decay class (A). Minor results have

been obtained in the case lower decay classes

(B, C).

[1] Y. Habibi Y., Key advances in the chemical modification of nanocelluloses. Chem. Soc. Rev. 2014, 43,

1519-1542

0

50

100

150

200

250

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Relativeincrease,%

Numberofrepeatedimpregnationcycles

StoragemodulusrelativeincreaseA

B

C

C.03



From field to fork: determination of metal nanoparticles in the pasta food

chain

F. Bianchi1,*

, M. Mattarozzi1,2

, D. Catellani3, M. Suman

3, M. Careri

1,2

1Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Università di Parma, Parco Area

delle Scienze 17/A ,43124 Parma, Italy. 2Centro Interdipartimentale SITEIA.PR, Università di Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 181/A, 43124 Parma,

Italy. 3Barilla G.R. F.lli SpA, Advanced Laboratory Research, Via Mantova, 166 – 43122 Parma, Italy.

*[email protected]

Nanoparticle research is currently an area of intense scientific research due to a wide variety

of potential applications in biomedical, optical, electronic and food areas. Nanoparticles (NPs)

can be produced from human activities both intentionally and unintentionally, so they can

enter the food chain, thus contaminating food products. Both Electron Microscopy equipped

with Energy Dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass

Spectrometry can be used to visualize NPs, to determine shape, size and aggregate state and

to assess their elemental composition, thus allowing to perform both qualitative and

quantitative analyses. In this study, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM)-

EDS and ICP-MS were used to assess the presence of NPs both in air and in the pasta food

chain. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses of NPs in raw materials (wheat ear, wheat,

semolina) and spaghetti were performed. Particle counting and identification were performed

on automatically acquired images over proper representative filter area. As for raw materials

and pasta, polycarbonate 0.1 µm filters were used to collect the particles after immersion of

the food products in milli-Q water. Fe and Ti were the major constituents of the collected

particles: Fe particles were mostly present in wheat ear and wheat, whereas Ti particles in

pasta samples due to the use of a wire-drawing machine containing Ti.

Finally, air monitoring near pilot plants was also performed by using a eight-stage Andersen

cascade impactor and then submitting the filters to ESEM-EDS, ICP-MS and gravimetric

analyses. Particles containing mainly Fe, Mn and Pb were identified.

C.04



Characterization of mutants tolerant to cadmium sulphide quantum dots

M. Caldara1,*

, C. Agrimonti1, A. Zappetini

2, N. Marmiroli

1

1Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma


*[email protected]

Metal-based nanomaterials are hydrophilic, and are typically only poorly soluble. Here, we

are focusing on cadmium sulphide quantum dots (CdS QDs). Its use is increasing,

particularly in the electronics industry. Their size (1-10 nm in diameter) is, however, small

enough that they can be taken up by living cells. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

represents an incredible toolbox for the dissection of complex biological processes, and how

they could be modified by the presence of different molecules or materials3.This model

organism displays sensitivity to CdS QDs. Recently4, this sensitivity has been attributed to a

cascade triggered by oxidative stress leading to apoptosis. Indeed, the effect of CdS QDs

exposure in yeast increases the level of reactive oxygen species, decreases the level of

reduced vs oxidized glutathione; reduces oxygen consumption, and the abundance of

respiratory cytochromes; disrupts mitochondrial membrane potentials, and affects

mitochondrial morphology. Previously5, the S. cerevisiae deletion mutant collection has been

exploited to provide a high-throughput means of revealing the genetic basis for

tolerance/susceptibility to CdS QDs exposure. The network analysis created with the

‘‘tolerance’’ mutations as entries, clustered genes encoding proteins involved in vacuolar

transport, morphology, inheritance in histone acetylation, in ion transport, in the DNA

damage response, and in protein folding.

To understand better the reason for their phenotype, we are now investigating the effects that

CdS QDs have on “tolerant mutants”. Preliminary data show that these strains display the

same oxidative stress as the wild type control. This seems to suggest that tolerance might be

connected to downstream effects that need to be further investigated.

3: Caldara M et al., 2017 Toxicological Sciences

4: Marmiroli M. et al., 2015 Nanotoxicology

5: Pasquali F. et al., 2017 J. Hazard. Mater.

C.05



Nanoporous polyanilines for pollutants removal from air and wastewater

E. Falletta*, C. Della Pina

1Chemistry Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, via C. Golgi, 19, 20133, Milan, Italy.

*[email protected]

The progressive growth of world population and industrialization have caused numerous

emerging problems, e.g., environmental pollution, that threaten human health and life quality.

Pollutants removal from air, soil and wastewater has become an important objective to be

accomplished by innovative nanomaterials able to remove dyes, metals, and so on [1].

Conducting polymers, as polyaniline and polypyrrole, have attracted a huge interest owing to

their peculiar properties which make them valid substitutes of conventional materials in

different fields. These compounds are generally synthesized following old polluting

processes. Inspired by our long-standing experience in catalysis [2], we have recently

addressed our efforts to find novel “green” approaches to produce them [3] and extend their

application in the environmental field.

Herein, we report our recent achievements in the VOCs monitoring and removal from air, as

well as in chromium and dyes removal from wastewater. In both cases nanoporous

polyanilines, produced either by traditional or clean protocols, have been employed as the

sorbent supports. The best materials were subjected to easy regeneration processes and, once

reused, they were found to retain their original high performances.

[1] G. Z. Kyzas, K. A. Matis, J. Mol. Liq., 2015, 203,159;

[2] C. Della Pina, E. Falletta, M. Rossi, Chem. Soc. Rev., 2012, 41, 350;

[3] C. Della Pina, E. Falletta, M. Rossi, Cat. Today, 2011, 160, 11.

C.06



Proteomic analysis of CdS QDs response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

V. Gallo1*

, M. Marmiroli1,V. Srivastava

2, N. Marmiroli

1

1. Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area

delle Scienze 33/A, 43124 Parma, Italy. 2. Division of Glycoscience, School of Biotechnology, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), AlbaNova University

Centre, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.

*[email protected]

Cadmium sulfide quantum dots (CdS QDs) are widely used in the electronic industries to

produce semiconductor structures, solar energy and medical devices. It has been shown that

CdS as nanoscale material has different physical and chemical properties than its "bulk"

counterpart. The aim of the research is to evaluate the response of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

model system to CdS QDs, exploiting proteomic approaches. A comparative study on the two

quantitative methods frequently used in proteomics, 2- DE (dimensional gel electrophoresis)

and iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification), was carried out. The first

method is familiar techniques used in gel based quantitative proteomic, the second method is

a new LC (liquid chromatography) -based technique which is gradually gaining in popularity.

The proteomic analysis was performed in yeast cells collected in the exponential and in the

stationary phases of growth in liquid YPD (yeast extract peptone dextrose), without

supplementation, with 0.25 mg L−1 nystatin, with 100 mg L−1 CdS QDs and with 0.25 mg

L−1 nystatin plus 100 mg L−1 CdS QDS. This comparative analysis was used to identify

differences in protein abundance with respect to the treatments and at the stage of growth:

exponential and stationary. The data were analyzed through different bioinformatics tools to

identify the proteins and the main pathways of response to CdS QDs. The results obtained

could provide mechanisms information on biological process and genes involved in response

in yeast and, in general, in eukaryotes.

C.07



The proteomic response of Arabidopsis thaliana to cadmium sulfide

Quantum Dots and its correlation with the transcriptomic response

D. Imperiale1,2,3,*

, M. Marmiroli1, L. Pagano

1, M. Villani

4, A. Zappettini

4, N. Marmiroli

1,2,3

1Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area

delle Scienze 33/A, Parma, Italy. 2 Interdepartmental Center Siteia.Parma, University of Parma, Parma, Italy. 3 CINSA,

National Interuniversity Consortium for Environmental Sciences

4 IMEM-CNR, Parma.

*[email protected]

A fuller understanding of the interaction between plants and engineered nanomaterials is of

topical relevance because the latter are beginning to find applications in agriculture and the

food industry. There is a growing need to establish objective safety criteria for their use. The

recognition of two independent Arabidopsis thaliana mutants displaying a greater level of

tolerance than the wild type plant to exposure to cadmium sulfide quantum dots (CdS QDs)

has offered the opportunity to characterize the tolerance response at the physiological,

transcriptomic and proteomic levels. Here, a proteomics-based comparison confirmed the

conclusions drawn from an earlier transcriptomic analysis that the two mutants responded to

CdS QD exposure differently both to the wild type and to each other. Just over half of the

proteomic changes mirrored documented changes at the level of gene transcription, but a

substantial number of transcript/gene product pairs were altered in the opposite direction. An

interpretation of the discrepancies is given, along with some considerations regarding the use

and significance of -omics when monitoring the potential toxicity of ENMs for health and

environment [1].

[1] Marmiroli M, Imperiale D. et al. Front. Plant Sci. 6:1104 (2015) doi:10.3389/fpls.2015.01104

C.08



Germination of common velvet grass (Holcus lanatus L.) and dandelion

(Taraxacum officinale F. H. Wigg) as affected by nCeO2 of different size

D. Lizzi

1,2, A. Mattiello

2, L. Marchiol

2*

1Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via L. Giorgieri 10, I-34127, Trieste, Italy.

2DI4A-Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Animal Sciences, University of Udine, via delle

Scienze 206, I-33100 Udine, Italy.

*[email protected]

Nanomaterials from industrial, and urban sources may reach aquatic and terrestrial

environments. The knowledge about the relationships between nanomaterials (NMs) and

biota still remains incomplete. However, it is known that NMs can explicate their actions

depending on both the chemical composition and on the size and/or shape of the

nanoparticles (NPs). With regard to plants size and shape of NPs can have a role in

influencing their bioavailability and uptake by plants. Here we show preliminary data

regarding the effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles (nCeO2) of different size (25 and 50

nm) on germination and root elongation of common velvet grass (Holcus lanatus L.) and

dandelion (Taraxacum officinale F. H. Wigg). These species were chosen since they are

very common plants easy to identify, highly competitive among crop and weed species and

greatly adaptable to different ecological conditions. Also, they are characterized by easy

germination and rapid growth. Germinating seeds were exposed to different concentrations

(0, 0.2, 2, 10, 20, 50, 200, 2000 mgL-1

) of nCeO2 and bulk CO2, respectively. Relative Seed

Germination (RSG), Relative Root Elongation (RRE) and Germination Index (GI) were

assessed after 10 days. Cerium concentration in seedlings was determined by means of ICP-

MS.

C.09



CdS QDs and CdSO4: oxidative stress-induced toxicity in A. thaliana w.t.

F. Mussi1, D. Imperiale

1, G. Lencioni

1, A. Zappettini

2, M. Villani

2, N. Marmiroli

1, M.

Marmiroli1*


delle Scienze 33/A, 43124 Parma, Italy. 2Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism (IMEM), National Research Council (CNR), Parco Area

delle Scienze 37/A, 43124 Parma, Italy.

*[email protected]

Plants of A. thaliana (L. erecta) w.t. were tested in vitro at three growth stages (15, 30, 45

days) with different concentrations of either CdS quantum dots or CdSO4. The contaminants

were supplemented in agarised MS medium at two subtoxic concentrations corresponding to

1/3 and 2/3 MIC (Minimal Inhibitory Concentration). Plants were analyzed for the content of

Cd, chlorophylls, carotenoids and total phenolics in addition to the leaf respiration rate (TTC

assay), the antioxidant activity (ABTS and DPPH assay) and oxidative stress parameters

(GSH redox state and lipid peroxidation). ESEM/EDX was used to detect morphological

changes at the level of organs and tissues; microanalysis was performed to verify Cd uptake

in roots and leaves estimating root-shoot translocation, and to identify possible sinks for Cd

storage. These parameters were used to establish a correlation between the oxidative stress

response of plants to CdS QDs or Cd bulk material, at different concentrations and treatment

time. Considering the natural senescence process of A. thaliana (particularly evident after 45

days), we evidenced substantial differences in the response of plants to the two types of

contaminants. Cd was detected in roots and leaves, especially in trichomes, of plants treated

with high CdS QDs. Oxidative stress in plants appeared as a mechanism of CdS QDs toxicity,

increasing with higher CdS QDs concentrations. Comparing CdSO4 and CdS QDs toxic

effects significant differences emerged in relation to the type and time of treatment: CdSO4

was more toxic and caused higher levels of oxidative stress than CdS QDs.

C.10



Nucleo-mitochondrial interaction of yeast in response to cadmium sulfide

quantum dot exposure

F. Pasquali1, C. Agrimonti

1, L. Pagano

1,2,*, A. Zappettini

3, M. Villani

3, M. Marmiroli

1, J. C. White

2, N.

Marmiroli1

1Dept. Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy

2The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT, USA.


*[email protected]

Cell sensitivity to quantum dots (QDs) has been attributed to a cascade triggered by oxidative

stress leading to apoptosis. The role and function of mitochondria in animal cells are well

understood but little information is available on the complex genetic networks that regulate

nucleo-mitochondrial interaction. The effect of CdS QD exposure in yeast Saccharomyces

cerevisiae was assessed under conditions of limited lethality (<10%), using cell physiological

and morphological endpoints. Whole-genomic array analysis and the screening of a deletion

mutant library were also carried out. The results showed that QDs: increased the level of

reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased the level of reduced vs oxidized glutathione

(GSH/GSSG); reduced oxygen consumption and the abundance of respiratory cytochromes;

disrupted mitochondrial membrane potentials and affected mitochondrial morphology.

Exposure affected the capacity of cells to grow on galactose, which requires nucleo-

mitochondrial involvement. However, QDs exposure did not materially induce respiratory

deficient (RD) mutants but only RD phenocopies. All of these cellular changes were

correlated with several key nuclear genes, including TOM5 and FKS1, involved in the

maintenance of mitochondrial organization and function. The consequences of these cellular

effects are discussed in terms of dysregulation of cell function in response to these

“pathological mitochondria”.

C.11



Ring-shaped proteins bind nanoparticles and affect their bioactivity

G. Pira1, M. Villani

2, A. Zappettini

2, N. Marmiroli

1,*, R. Ruotolo

1,*


delle Scienze 11/A, Parma, Italy. 2IMEM-CNR, Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, Parma, Italy.

*[email protected]

*[email protected]

Nanotechnology is an emerging branch of applied science and technology for designing tools

and devices of size 1-100 nm. Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in

several fields from medical to electronics. The increasing interest for these advanced

technologies has led to great excitement about potential benefits, but little is known about the

potential effects of NP exposure on environment and human health. Toxicity and

biocompatibility of these materials may depend predominantly on the formation of protein

corona, which influence cell interactions, localization and bioactivity of NPs. The aim of this

work is to study the interactions of CdS quantum dots (QDs) and yeast cells (Saccharomyces

cerevisiae). We employed a proteomics-based approach coupled with MS analysis to

determine the identities of proteins that form the hard corona of these NPs. We observed that

ring-shaped proteins involved in specific cellular pathways, as protein synthesis, are more

prone to bind on NPs. Electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions are critical in the formation

of the protein corona. We also focused on the possible toxicological implications of the QD-

corona formation in yeast. Yeast mutant strains deleted in genes coding for corona proteins

show a tolerant phenotype also in the presence of QD concentrations that suppress the

viability of the wild-type strain. Tolerant phenotype of these mutants suggests that the

formation of protein corona may mediate the cytotoxicity of QDs in yeast. This study

demonstrate that the characterization of the protein corona would be a relevant approach to

predict potential toxicological effects of the NPs.

C.12




CdS QDs induce mutagenesis and affect spore morphogenesis in

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

R. Rossi1, M. Villani

2, A. Zappettini

2, N. Marmiroli

1,*, R. Ruotolo

1,*


delle Scienze 11/A, Parma, Italy. 2IMEM-CNR, Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A, Parma, Italy.

*[email protected]

*[email protected]

Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing field having potential applications in many areas. Metal-

based nanoparticles (NPs) have been studied for cell toxicity, immunotoxicity and

genotoxicity, but their real effects and the molecular mechanisms are still not fully known. In

this work, we studied the genotoxic effect of CdS quantum dots (QDs) in the yeast

Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The reversion of haploid and diploid strains carrying the ade2-

1 allele is analyzed upon QD treatment. We show that these metal-based NPs induce an

increase in mutability of both nuclear ochre nonsense alleles. Ade+ revertants grow more

slowly than the wild-type strain and it is possible that CdS QDs induce several mutations in

yeast genome. Future studies will indicate whether the mutagenic effect leads to perturbations

of replication and/or DNA repair synthesis. We have also studied the effects of these NPs on

meiotic development (sporulation) in yeast. The meiotic cell cycle is regulated through an

intricate developmental program that culminates in the production of highly specialized cell

types, spores, in budding yeast. CdS QDs inhibit progression through meiosis in an

irreversible manner with adverse effects on meiotic cell cycle progression and spore

formation. High concentrations of QDs (>3 mg/L) cause cell arrest and complete inhibition of

spore morphogenesis; lower concentrations of QDs (1 mg/L) induce an increase of both

nuclear divisions in meiosis in association to an apparently normal progression of spore

morphogenesis. These results indicate that CdS QDs irreversibly induce a severe sporulation

defect in yeast.

C.13




Microencapsulated gallic and ellagic acid as a mean for the biological

control of kiwifruit plants bacterial diseases

M. Sguizzato1,*

, E. Esposito1, A. Rossetti

2, A. Mazzaglia

2, M. Muganu

2, M. Paolocci

2, G. M. Balestra

2,

R. Cortesi1

1Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology (SVeB), University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.

2Department of Agricultural and Forestry Science (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy.

*[email protected]

Over the last decades, kiwifruit cultivation has gained increasing importance all over the

world, but some bacterial diseases caused (for instance) by Pseudomonas syringae pv.

actinidiae Takikawa et al., Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae van Hall and Pseudomonas

viridiflava (Burkholder) Dowson seriously threaten its cultivation. The diseases control relies

mainly on antibiotics, where allowed, and copper, although this adversely affects the

environment, so that alternative control measures are needed. In the present study gallic acid

and ellagic acid, substances easily obtainable from some plant tissues, were investigated for

their antimicrobial activity aiming to use them as support in the biocontrol of kiwifruit

bacterial diseases. These active principles demonstrated their effectiveness as pure substances

in both in vitro and in vivo tests. Moreover, they were loaded on methacrylate polymeric

microparticles using the spray-drying technique as physical method to their production. Their

encapsulation showed to improve their usefulness and to prolong remarkably their activity up

to 14 days after the treatment, when applied in greenhouse or in field on artificially and

naturally infected plants. The encouraging results obtained by this type of microencapsulated

formulation point the way to future alternative biological control strategies against kiwifruit

bacterial diseases as alternative to, or in combination with a reduced amount of copper

compounds.

C.14



A Calix[4]arene – based DNA topoisomerase I mimic for the promotion of

phosphoryl transfer processes

S. Volpi1, R. Salvio

2, R. Cacciapaglia

2, F. Sansone

1, L. Mandolini

2, A. Casnatia

1

1Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, della Vita e della Sostenibilità Ambientale, Università degli Studi di Parma,

Viale delle Scienze 17/A, 43124, Parma, Italy. 2Dipartimento di Chimica e Sezione Meccanismi di Reazione IMC−CNR, Università La Sapienza, P. le Aldo

Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy.

*[email protected]

The appropriate functionalization of the upper rim of cone-calix[4]arenes has been reported as

an effective strategy for the creation of artificial catalysts able to cleave the phosphodiester

function of nucleic acids and model compounds.1

With the aim to mimic the catalytic triad at the active site of human DNA topoisomerase I,2 it

was synthesized the trifunctional calix[4]arene (1H3)2+

, bearing at the upper rim two

guanidinium units and a phenolic hydroxyl group.3

The diprotonated form of the catalyst (1H2)+ was tested in the cleavage of the DNA model

compound bis(p-nitrophenyl) phosphate (BNPP) in 80% DMSO solution, with rate

enhancement of p nitrophenol liberation, respect to the background hydrolysis, as high as 6.5

× 104-folds at pH 9.5.

According to the experimental data, the three active units cooperate in a reaction sequence

(Figure 1) that involves a phosphoryl transfer process from BNPP to the nucleophilic

phenolate moiety of (1H2)+, followed by the liberation of a second equivalent of p-nitrophenol

from the phosphorylated intermediate, assisted by the neighboring guanidine/guanidinium

catalytic dyad.

Figure 1: Proposed mechanism for the cleavage of BNPP by (1H2)+.

References

1. M. Giuliani, I. Morbioli, F. Sansone, A. Casnati, Chem. Commun. 2015, 51, 14140.

2. M. R. Redinbo, L. Stewart, P. Kuhn, J. J. Champoux, W. G. J. Hol, Science 1998, 279, 1504.

3. R. Salvio, S. Volpi, R. Cacciapaglia, F. Sansone, L. Mandolini, A. Casnati, J. Org. Chem. 2016, 81, 9012.

C.15



Silk fibroin film as a natural material: processing and characterization

D. Vurro1, G. Tarabella

2, P. D’Angelo

1, F. Omenetto

3, L. Ascari

2, S. Iannotta

1*

1IMEM-CNR, Parco Area delle Scienze 37/A 43127 , Parma, Italy.

2Camlin Italy Srl, Strada Budellungo 2 43123 , Parma, Italy.

3Dep. of Biomedical Eng., Tuft University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA.

*[email protected]

Bombyx mori silkworm fibroin is a popular protein polymer, nowadays widely used as a high-end

textile fiber and originally used as surgical suture material. The facile processability of the

regenerated form makes it very attractive in a range of biological applications, requiring superior

mechanical properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability and facile-functionalization strategies.

Here, we show the development of a protocol for both an efficient silk fibroin extraction and

optimal thin-film deposition conditions. Our protocol allowed obtaining 8% (w/v) aqueous silk

solution. Two different techniques have been used to make silk fibroin films: solution casting and

spin coating. Freestanding films of 100μm thickness have been prepared by solution casting in a

polystyrene petri dish. XRD analysis has been used to analyze the degree of crystallization of β-

sheet crystallites. Thin films (thicknesses falling in the nm scale) have been obtained by spin

coating technique using different spinning parameters. Film thickness and surface roughness

have been studied by Profilometery and Atomic Force Microscopy, demonstrating that smooth

and thin films can be obtained by combining high spinning speeds and long spinning times.

This preliminary study shows that the properties of high quality fibroin-based films allow their

application as functionalizable substrates for the implementation in electronic devices.

C.16



First determination of fullerenes in the Austrian market and environment:

Quantitative Analysis and assessment

S. Zakaria1,2

, G. Fauler1, E. Fröhlich

*

1Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8010 Graz, Austria.

2Medical University of Graz, Stiftingtalstrasse 24, 8036 Graz, Austria.

* [email protected]

This study forms the first report on analyzing fullerenes in the Austrian environment and

cosmetic products available on the Austrian market. We developed, optimized and validated a

novel method for the analysis of C60 and C70 fullerenes and N-methylfulleropyrrolidine C60

(NMFP) for measuring sensitivities in the low ng/L range in order to prove their presence in

the environment (12 wastewater- and 12 sewage sludge samples) and in 11 selected fullerene

containing cosmetic products from three different brands. The optimized method relies on a

liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) or solid-liquid extraction (SLE) and, for the first time,

introduced the Carrez-clarification, followed by liquid chromatography (LC) and coupled to a

hybrid triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS) quantification. The total variability of the

new established LC-MS/MS method based on all the tested matrices was below 10%. We

found recoveries generally higher than 70% for both tap water and surface water.

The limits of quantification (LOQ) for the wastewater samples were measured to be from 0.8

to 1.6 ng/L, for the sewage sludge samples, from 1.4 to 2.6 ng/g DM (Drymass) and for the

cosmetic samples from 0.2 to 0.4 ng/g. None of the analyzed samples of wastewater or

sewage sludge samples contained fullerenes. But in 70% of the tested cosmetics, fullerene

concentrations between 10 to 340ng/g were detected. These values were much lower than

concentrations causing toxicity in water animals. It is concluded that there is currently no risk

for environmental toxicity by fullerene exposure in Austria.

C.17

Poster List


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 114 Poster List

Session A

Technologies, Chemistry and Physics

A.01

M. Basini, D.Peddis, A.Lascialfari

Effect of the hollow topology on the local spin dynamics in Iron Oxide MNPs

A.02 M. Cannio, M. Lassinantti Gualtieri, M. Romagnoli

Stabilization and thermal conductivity of aqueous nanofluids

A.03 E. Carignani, S. Borsacchi, F. Martini, L. Calucci, C. Forte, M. Geppi

Solid state NMR spectroscopy and nuclear spin relaxometry for the investigation of

nanomaterials

A.04 B. Cogliati, A. Arduini, A. Secchi, L. Serravalli, G. Trevisi, P. Frigeri

Synthesis and investigation of croconates as smart organic coating for nobel metals

nanoparticles

A.05 M. Culiolo, M. Villani, D. Delmonte, D. Calestani, N. Coppedè, M. Solzi, L. Marchini, R.

Bercella, A. Zappettini, T.Y. Kim, S.W. Kim

ZnO nanorod-based piezoelectric stress sensor embedded within carbon fiber composite

A.06 A.M. Ferretti, A. Silvestri, M. Marelli, V.Pifferi, L.Falciola, A. Ponti, L.Polito

Synthesis of water dispersible and catalytically active gold-decorated cobalt ferrite

nanoparticles

A.07

C. Fornaini, F. Poli, E. Merigo, S. Selleri, A. Cucinotta

Ultrastructural analysis of dental ceramic surface processed by a 1070 nm fiber laser

A.08 A. Gasparotto, G. Carraro, C. Maccato, D. Barreca

Plasma processing of oxide-based nanomaterials for sensing and energy applications

A.09 M. Takhsha Ghahfarokhi, F. Casoli, S. Fabbrici, R. Cabassi, F. Albertini

Epitaxially grown NiMnGa thin films: the impact of growth conditions on microstructure and

magnetic configuration

A.10 G. Magnani, D. Pontiroli, M. Gaboardi, C. Milanese, G. Bertoni, A. Malcevschi, K.F. Aguey-

Zinsou, M. Riccò

The potentiality of carbon nanostructures for hydrogen storage

A.11 V. Ricci, S. Erokhina, P. D’Angelo, V. Erokhin, S. Iannotta

Nano-engeneered smart filters: towards induced release

A.12 R. Di Corato, A. Aloisi, R. Rinaldi

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles with enhanced magnetic properties: synthesis and

biocompatible coating

A.13 S. Scaravonati, D. Pontiroli, G. Magnani, B. Galante, B. Musig, A. Malcevschi, C. Milanese,

G. Lucchesi, G. Bertoni, M. Riccò

Carbon nanostructures for high-performance supercapacitors

A.14 G. Taormina, C. Sciancalepore, M. Messori, F. Bondioli

Preparation of acrylate-based silver nanocomposite by simultaneous polymerization–reduction

approach via 3D printing technique


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 115 Poster List

A.15 R. Taurino, M. Messori, F. Bondioli

Design and characterization of hydrophobic and oleophobic multilayer films by sol-gel process

A.16 M. Villani, G. Bertoni, F. Fabbri, L. Lazzarini, D. Calestani, N. Coppedè, C. Morasso, S.

Beretta, F. Terenziani, A. Zappettini

Coupling nanostructured metal oxides with gold nanoparticles: a multidisciplinary study


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 116 Poster List

Session B

Medicine, Health, Drugs and Veterinary Medicine

B.01

T. Balbi, R. Fabbri, M. Montagna, G. Camisassi, A. Salis, G. Damonte, L. Canesi

Identification of nanoparticles “protein-coronas” in the blood of marine invertebrates: effects

on the immune response

B.02 M.G. Bianchi, L. Paesano, M. Allegri, M. Chiu, G. Taurino, A. L. Costa, M. Blosi, S. Ortelli,

N. Marmiroli, O. Bussolati, E. Bergamaschi

LPS adsorbed to the bio-corona of TiO2 nanoparticles powerfully activates selected pro-

inflammatory transduction pathways

B.03 M. Boi, M. Bianchi, G. Marchiori, M. Berni, A. Russo, M. Sartori , M.C. Maltarello, F.

Salamanna, G. Giavaresi, M. Fini, M. Marcacci

Nanoindentation of engineered bone tissue: a still unexplored option in regenerative medicine

B.04 C. Cella, F. Mariani, M.A.C. Potenza, P. Milani, T. Sanvito

Enabling development and formulation of Drug Delivery Systems based on micro and

nanoparticles by Single Particle Extinction and Scattering (SPES) technology

B.05 N. Coppedè, M. Giannetto, A. Castellini ,V. Lucchini, L. Ceriani, M. Villani, S. Iannotta, M.

Careri, A. Zappettini

Textile sensors for wearable physiological monitoring

B.06 F. Faroldi, M. Giuliani, S. Fallarini, A. Casnati, F. Compostella, G. Lombardi, F. Sansone

β-N-Acetyl-D-mannosamine-containing calixarenes as multivalent immunostimulators

B.07 B. Ghezzi, P. Lagonegro, L. Parisi, R. Pece, C. Galli, G. Attolini, F. Rossi, G.M. Macaluso, G.

Salviati

3-(Mercaptopropyl)- trimethoxysilane functionalization of scaffolds based on SiOxCy

nanowires for tissue engineering applications

B.08

G. Graziani, G. Carnevale, A. Pisciotta, L. Bertoni, M. Boi, A. Gambardella, M. Berni, G.

Marchiori, A. Russo, A. De Pol, M. Bianchi

Bone-like apatite thin films for bone regeneration: pulsed electron deposition from a biogenic

source

B.09 G. Mandriota, R. Di Corato, R. Rinaldi

Polydopamine-functionalized superparamagnetic nanocrystal clusters as potential magnetic

carriers for biomedical applications

B.10 E. Mazzoni, F. Frontini, I. Bononi, S. Pietrobon, M. Manfrini, G. Guerra, F. Martini, M.

Tognon

Specific IgG antibodies react to mimotopes of BK polyomavirus, a small DNA tumor virus, in

healthy adult sera

B.11 E. Oppici, A. Roncador, M. Talelli, A.N. Pariente, M. Donini, S. Dusi, C. Borri Voltattorni,

M.J. Vicent, B. Cellini

Use of polymer conjugates for the intraperoxisomal delivery of engineered human alanine:

glyoxylate aminotransferase as a protein therapy for primary hyperoxaluria type I


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 117 Poster List

B.12 D. Orsi, T. Rimoldi, S. Pinelli, R. Alinovi, G. Benecchi, F. Rossi, L. Cristofolini

CeF3 – ZnO nanostructures for the Self-lighted Photodynamic Therapy of deep tumors

B.13 L. Paesano, A. Perotti, A. Buschini, C. Carubbi, M. Marmiroli, E. Maestri, S. Iannotta, N.

Marmiroli

Markers for toxicity to HepG2 exposed to cadmium sulphide quantum dots; damage to

mitochondria

B.14 I. Rossi, E. Quarta, F. Sonvico, F. Buttini

Nebulized coenzyme Q10 nanosuspensions: a versatile approach for pulmonary antioxidant

therapy

B.15 A. Rozzi, J. Brintinger, K. Shabnam, P. Rudatis, N. Yevalik, Z. Valeriia, W. Knoll, R. Corradini

Liquid-gated field-effect transistors based on reduced graphene oxides as sensing platform for

biomolecules

B.16 A. Sargenti, S. Iotti, C. Cappadone, G. Farruggia, A. Procopio, E. Malucelli

Ultrastructural study of biomineralization process in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem

cells during the osteoblastic differentiation


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 118 Poster List

Session C

Agrifood, Environment and Biotechnologies

C.01

S. Argentiere, C. Cella, C. Lenardi

Estimating consumer exposure to silver nanoparticles from food contact materials: the

study of migration properties

C.02 D. Beconcini, R. Berni, F. Felice, M. Romi, A. Fabiano, Y. Zambito, R. Di Stefano, T. Santoni,

G. Cai, C. Cantini

Characterization of nutritional and health properties of local Tuscany cherry varieties

and evaluation of innovative nanosystems delivery

C.03 L. Bergamonti, F. Bondioli, C. Graiff, A. Haghighi, C. Isca, P.P. Lottici, B. Pizzo, G. Predieri

Preparation of cellulose nanocrystals for decayed old wood consolidation

C.04 F. Bianchi, M. Mattarozzi, D. Catellani, M. Suman, M. Careri

From field to fork: determination of metal nanoparticles in the pasta food chain

C.05 M. Caldara, C. Agrimonti, A. Zappetini, N. Marmiroli

Characterization of mutants tolerant to cadmium sulphide quantum dots

C.06 E. Falletta, C. Della Pina

Nanoporous polyanilines for pollutants removal from air and wastewater

C.07 V. Gallo, M. Marmiroli, V. Srivastava, N. Marmiroli

Proteomic analysis of CdS QDs response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

C.08

D. Imperiale, M. Marmiroli, L. Pagano, M. Villani, A. Zappettini, N. Marmiroli

The proteomic response of Arabidopsis thaliana to cadmium sulfide Quantum Dots

and its correlation with the transcriptomic response

C.09 D. Lizzi, A. Mattiello, L. Marchiol

Germination of common velvet grass (Holcus lanatus L.) and dandelion (Taraxacum

officinale F. H. Wigg) as affected by nCeO2 of different size

C.10 F. Mussi, D. Imperiale, G. Lencioni, A. Zappettini, M. Villani, N. Marmiroli, M. Marmiroli

CdS QDs and CdSO4: oxidative stress-induced toxicity in A. thaliana w.t.

C.11 F. Pasquali, C. Agrimonti, L. Pagano, A. Zappettini, M. Villani, M. Marmiroli, J.C. White, N.

Marmiroli

Nucleo-mitochondrial interaction of yeast in response to cadmium sulfide quantum dot

exposure

C.12 G. Pira, M. Villani, A. Zappettini, N. Marmiroli, R. Ruotolo

Ring-shaped proteins bind nanoparticles and affect their bioactivity

C.13 R. Rossi, M. Villani, A. Zappettini, N. Marmiroli, R. Ruotolo

CdS QDs induce mutagenesis and affect spore morphogenesis in Saccharomyces

cerevisiae


ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8 119 Poster List

C.14 M. Sguizzato, E. Esposito, A. Rossetti, A. Mazzaglia, M. Muganu, M. Paolocci, G.M. Balestra,

R. Cortesi

Microencapsulated gallic and ellagic acid as a mean for the biological control of

kiwifruit plants bacterial diseases

C.15 S. Volpi, R. Salvio, R. Cacciapaglia, F. Sansone, L. Mandolini, A. Casnatia

A Calix[4]arene – based DNA topoisomerase I mimic for the promotion of phosphoryl

transfer processes

C.16 D. Vurro, G. Tarabella, P. D’Angelo, F. Omenetto, L. Ascari, S. Iannotta

Silk fibroin film as a natural material: processing and characterization

C.17 S. Zakaria, G. Fauler, E. Fröhlich

First determination of fullerenes in the Austrian market and environment: Quantitative

Analysis and assessment

The organizers acknowledge the contributes of the following institutions:

- University of Parma

- IMEM-CNR, Parma

- INSTM, Firenze

- Consorzio Italbiotec, Milano

- CINSA, Parma

- Camera di Commercio di Parma

- Fondazione Cariparma

- Collegio Europeo, Parma

- Unione Parmense degli Industriali

University of Parma has provided the resources for conference book and for the Poster

Awards. Consorzio Italbiotec and IMEM-CNR granted the coffee break. Fondazione

Cariparma and Camera di Commercio di Parma both contributed to the Poster Awards.

CINSA and INSTM contributed actively to cover general expenses of the conference.

Acknowledgement

Patronage

ISBN 978-88-941066-8-8

3rd “para” ao -day - unipr.it · 1990-1991 chair of genetics at the university of bologna ......

Documents