Anna Chiara De Luca

Current Position:

Research Director

Contacts:

Group leader of Biophotonics and Advanced Microscopy Lab

Manager for the Joint Research Unit of the Euro-bioimaging Infrastructure

Phone: +39 0816132612
Lab: +39 08161325206
Email: annachiara.deluca@cnr.it
a.deluca@ieos.cnr.it

Keywords:

Raman microscopy, SERS, biosensors, imaging, biophotonics

My research focuses on the development of advanced optical technologies based on Raman spectroscopy for biomedical applications. I design and implement innovative Raman platforms—including next-generation Raman imaging systems, fluorescence-free Raman spectroscopy setups, and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) imaging—aimed at achieving label-free, molecular-resolution analysis of single cells. A key aspect of my work is the integration of Raman-based approaches with complementary microscopy techniques, such as fluorescence microscopy, digital holography, and mass imaging, to enable multimodal and correlative imaging.

In parallel, I work on the development of SERS biosensors capable of detecting ultra-low concentrations of clinically relevant molecules. These sensors are designed for early cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and for monitoring drug-release dynamics within living cells. I am also developing fiber-based SERS probes for in vivo applications, with the goal of enabling minimally invasive, real-time molecular detection in biological tissues.

Since 2015, I have been part of the Euro-BioImaging ERIC (EuBI) Advanced Light Microscopy Italian Node in Naples as a technology advisor. Since 2020, I serve as manager of the Joint Research Unit responsible for coordinating the research activities of the four Italian ALM nodes, fostering technological innovation and harmonized service provision within the EuBI framework.

Education

2008 PhD (with honors) in Novel technologies for materials, sensors and imaging, Department of Physics, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples.
2004 Master degree in Physics (cum laude), Department of Physics, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples.

Positions

2023-now: Research Director at IEOMI - 2^nd Unit
2020-now: Manager for the JOINT RESEARCH UNIT of Advanced Light Microscopy node of Euro-Bioimaging Infrastructure (ERIC)
2025-now: Member of Consiglio d'istituto of IEOMI

2021-2022: Senior Researcher at IEOMI - 2^nd Unit
2012-2020: Researcher at IBP – National Research Council of Italy, Naples.
2010-2012: Research fellow at the University of St. Andrews, School of Physics and Astronomy, St Andrews, UK
2009-2010: PostDoc at the University of St. Andrews, School of Physics and Astronomy, St Andrews, UK.
2005-2008: PhD student at Department of Physics, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples.
2004-2005: Postgraduate fellow (CoCoCo) at INFM (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica della Materia), Naples.

Honors/Awards

2019: Young Scientist Award PhotonIcs & Electromagnetics Research Symposium, PIERS Rome 2019
2017: Scientific Award of the Department of Biomedical Sciences-CNR for the research activity in the field “Biological and Biomedical imaging”

Patents

Brevetto Internazionale. Inventori: K. Dholakia, M. Mazilu, A. C. De Luca “Minimization of cross-talk in a multimode fiber” Nr. US 10 , 203 , 513 B2 Anno di deposito: 2019
https://patents.google.com/patent/US10203513B2/en?inventor=Anna+Chiara+De+Luca

Brevetto Europeo. Inventori: A.C. De Luca, D. Balduzzi, G. Coppola, G. Galli, L. Sirleto, R. Puglisi, M.A. Ferrara, P. Ferraro “Method and apparatus for discriminating X and Y sperms based upon Raman spectroscopy” Nr. WO2015075698A1 Anno di deposito: 2014 https://patents.google.com/patent/EP3074750A1/en

Brevetto Internazionale. Inventori: K. Dholakia, J. Baumgartl, M. Mazilu, A.C. De Luca, “Optical eigenmode imaging” Nr. US9568741B2 Anno di deposito: 2011
https://patents.google.com/patent/US9568741B2/en?oq=inventor:(Anna+Chiara+De+Luca)+US9568741B2

Polarization‐Sensitive Holotomography for Multidimensional Label‐Free Imaging and Characterization of Lipid Droplets in Cancer Cells
Advanced Science e09420 (2025)
H. Khadem, M. Mangini, M.A. Ferrara, A.C. De Luca, G. Coppola

SERS assisted sandwich immunoassay platforms for ultrasensitive and selective detection of human Thyroglobulin
Biosens & Bioelectron 233, 115322 (2023)
S Spaziani, G Quero, S Managò, G Zito, D Terracciano, PE Macchia, F Galeotti, M Pisco, AC De Luca*, A Cusano

SERS Quantification of Galunisertib Delivery in Colorectal Cancer Cells by Plasmonic-Assisted Diatomite Nanoparticles
Small 17 (34), 2101711 (2021)
S. Managò, C. Tramontano, D. Delle Cave, G. Chianese, G. Zito, L. De Stefano, M. Terracciano, Enza Lonardo, A.C. De Luca*, I. Rea

Bioderived three-dimensional hierarchical nanostructures as efficient surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrates for cell membrane probing
ACS Appl. Mater. Interf. 10(15) 12406 (2018)
S. Managò, G. Zito, A. Rogato, M. Casalino, E. Esposito, A.C. De Luca*, E. De Tommasi

A reliable Raman-spectroscopy-based approach for diagnosis, classification and follow-up of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Sci. Rep. 6 24821 (2016)
S. Managò, C. Valente, P. Mirabelli, D. Circolo, F. Basile, D. Corda, A. C. De Luca

Reproducible Surface-Enhanced Raman Quantification of Biomarkers in Multicomponent Mixtures
ACS Nano 8, 2575 (2014)
A.C. De Luca, P. Reader-Harris, M. Mazilu, S. Mariggiò, D. Corda, A. Di Falco

Online fluorescence suppression in modulated Raman spectroscopy
Anal. Chem. 82, 738 (2010)
A.C. De Luca, M. Mazilu, A. Riches, S. Herrington, K. Dholakia

Researcher TI:

Maria Mangini; PhD in Cell Biology
email:m.mangini@ieos.cnr.it; maria.mangini@ieos.cnr.it

Senior Technologist TD:

Giorgio Pariani; PhD in Cell Biology
email:giorgio.pariani@cnr.it

Researchet TD:

Rosaria Di Martino; PhD in Cell Biology
email: rosaria.dimartino@cnr.it

Ilenia Agliarulo; PhD in Cell Biology
email: ilenia.agliarulo@cnr.it

Pranoy Sahu; PhD in Biotechnology
email: pranoykumar.sahu@cnr.it

Post-doctoral fellows:

Alessandro Esposito; PhD in Nanotechnology
email: al.esposito@ieos.cnr.it; alessandro.esposito@ieos.cnr.it

Hossein Kadhem; PhD In Physics
email: h.kadhem@ieos.cnr.it

Reena V John; PhD in Biophysics
email: reenav.john@ieos.cnr.it

PhD student:

Somayeh Farazpour
email: s.farazpour@ieos.cnr.it

Master Student:

Martina di Martino

Ciro Iardino

2022 – 2025 National Coordinator: PNRR Potenziamento Infrastrutture IR00023
SEE LIFE-Potenziamento Euro-BioImaging ERIC Italia

2019 – 2024 PI: AIRC IG Grant n.21420
Correlative optical microscopies for cancer imaging

2022 – 2024 PI: SeeInvis @CNR grant
SERS-based biosensor for virus recognition (Seeinvis)

2022 – 2024 PI: Bilateral agreement CNR/ASRT
Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel Triazole based compounds as anti-cancers and non-steroidal

2019 – 2023 Coordinator of Second Unit: Progetto Ricerca Finalizzata (under 40) GR-2018-12367517
Pharmacological targeting of CtBP1/BARS in cancer

2018 – 2022 Coordinator of Unit: PON Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020
Nanofotonica per nuovi approcci diagnostici e terapEutici in Oncologia e Neurologia (NeON)- ARS01_00769

2018 – 2022 Coordinator of OR: POR CAMPANIA FESR 2014/2020
PROGETTO CIRO - Campania Imaging Infrastructure for Research in Oncology

2018 – 2022 Coordinator of OR: POR CAMPANIA FESR 2014/2020
PROGETTO PLATT - Piattaforma innovativa per lo sviluppo, di nuovi radiofarmaci per diagnosi e cura di neoplasie solide e nuovi potenti metodi non-invasivi per la diagnosi e gestione del cancro ai polmoni

2018 – 2022 Coordinator of OR: PON Potenziamento Infrastruttura Europea
Progetto IMPARA - Imaging dalle molecole alla preclinica- PIR01_00023

2012 – 2018 PI: AIRC start up grant n. 11454
Advanced photonic techniques for efficient non-invasive cancer diagnosis at cellular and molecular scale.

2012 – 2018 Partecipant: Finanziamento Premiale FOE 2014-Italian Ministry for Research (MIUR)
Project Title: Tecnologie Innovative per la Terapia con Radionuclidi e l'Imaging Biologico (TERABIO)

2013 – 2017 PI: FIRB from Italian Ministry for Research (MIUR) n. RBFR12WAPY
Project title: Photonic techniques for early cancer diagnosis at cellular and molecular scale

Partecipazione al docufilm “Galileo (R)evolution”, un racconto parallelo tra la vita di Galileo Galilei e la sua eredit. scientifica, diretto da Carlo Borean e prodotto da Berta Film / Kahuna Film, in collaborazione con il Museo Galileo Galilei.