He graduated in chemistry at the University of Catania with a specialization in Chemical physics of materials, presenting an experimental thesis on the growth of self-assembled mono- and multilayers on semiconductor oxide surfaces, using Secondary Ions Mass Spectrometry (SIMS-MS) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) as characterization techniques. In 2006 he won a scholarship offered by CNR for the study of polymeric materials. Since 2008 he has started collaborating with Professor Garozzo on the proteomic study of complex mixtures using MALDI and ESI mass spectrometry.
The research activity concerns the characterization of glycoconjugates in different biological matrices. Proteomics and Glycomics studies range from the characterization of components of the bacterial cell barrier (structure/pathogenicity correlation, antibiotic resistance, characterization of the gut microbiome) to the study of neurodegenerative diseases, congenital disorders of glycosylation and tumors.

Mariano Palomba is a researcher at the Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials (IPCB) of the National Research Council (CNR), at the secondary office in Naples / Portici, since 2014. He holds a degree in Chemical Engineering (2002) and the PhD in Materials and Structural Engineering (2013), both at the University of Naples “Federico II”. He carried out post-graduate contract research at the Department of Materials and Structural Engineering (DIMP) of the University of Naples “Federico II” from 2005 to 2006 and at the Institute for Composite and Biomedical Materials (IMCB) of the CNR from 2007 to 2014. He is the author and co-author of numerous publications in international journals in the field of materials science and engineering and of several presentations at international conferences (H index evaluated on the Scopus database in March 2022: 9). His current research interests focus on: functional nanocomposite materials, metal-polymer nanocomposites, polymer nanostructures, nano coatings of graphite supported on polymer, new electrical conductors, chemical sensors, chemical-physical characterization of these materials, with particular reference to microscopic techniques of morphological characterization (Scanning Electron Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy), and calorimetric techniques (Thermogravimetric Analysis, Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Dynamic-Mechanical Analysis).

Raman Spectroscopy, confocal Raman imaging, Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, FT-NIR, IR microspectroscopy) and Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). Her main activities: plasmonic nanomaterials for the analytical and bio-sensing applications of SERS spectroscopy; Raman imaging of cells and tissue; polymer science.

Valentina Peluso graduated in Medical Biotechnologies in  2015 at University of Naples Federico II, Naples (Italy); In 2021 she obtained the title of PhD in Clinical and Experimental Medicine at the Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences of the University of Naples Federico II, actively collaborating with CNR IPCB Institute UOS Naples/Portici. She completed her training with a period of study abroad as an Exchange Student at the Department of Oral Health Sciences, section of Orthodontics at the Faculty of Medicine KU Leuven, Belgium in 2020 where she obtained the License Laboratory Animal Science – FELASA B.

Her research activities are focused on research in the field of multiphase polymeric materials for tissue engineering and regenerative/therapeutic medicine. During her studies, Dr. Valentina Peluso has dealt with the analysis of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of stem cells resulting from the cell-material interaction and the action of an external phsycal and/or chemical stimuli like magnetic field. She has acquired specific skills in the selection/synthesis of biomaterials with related chemical-physical, mechanical and morphological analysis; optimization, modeling/simulation and definition of process parameters; fabrication of 3D customized nanocomposite scaffolds using additive manufacturing technologies; chemical-physical, mechanical and morphological characterization of 3D structures realized; biological analysis in vitro (adhesion, vitality/proliferation and cell differentiation), shape factor and in vivo analysis.
She participated in several national and international congresses.

She published various scientific articles, reviews and book chapters, both as a first author and as a co-author, on high impact factor scientific journals.

Roberta Puglisi was born in Siracusa, Italy.

After her Master Degree in Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry (summa cum Laude) in 2017, she achieved the PhD Degree in Chemical Sciences at the University of Catania in 2020. Her research activity was mainly focused on organic synthesis and supramolecular chemistry. In particular, she developed new fluorescent receptors for real time sensing of hazardous compounds such as chemical warfare agents vapours and pesticides in solution. Her scientific background comprises the synthesis of new organic functional compounds and the characterization by means of mono and bi-dimensional NMR spectroscopy (1H NMR, 13C NMR, T-REOESY and COSY), ESI-mass spectrometry and UV-Vis/Fluorescence spectroscopies.  As a part of her PhD programme, she spent ten months at the Eindhoven University of Technology where she worked with smart stimuli-responsive photonic polymers, with application in sensing field. After the PhD, she started working at the CNR-IPCB as research fellow where she was involved in CLEAN project. Here she gained experience in formulation and characterization of sustainable polymer nanocomposites by means of cutting edge instrumentation including: Thermal Analysis (DSC TGA), MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, Gel Permeation Chromatography and SEM microscopy. Recently her scientific interest are oriented on the design, synthesis and characterization of organic semiconductors as photoactive molecules to be included in molecularly imprinted polymer networks for water remediation.