Biophotonics And Advanced Microscopies
Keywords: Raman microscopy, SERS, correlative imaging, bionsensors, cancer
Group leader: Anna Chiara De Luca
Contacts:
Phone: +39 0816132612
Lab: +39 08161325206
Email: annachiara.deluca@cnr.it
a.deluca@ieos.cnr.it
Our group develops and applies advanced biophotonic, spectroscopic and microscopy technologies for the molecular and cellular characterization of biological systems, with particular emphasis on cancer and cellular metabolism.
A major focus is the development of label-free approaches based on Raman spectroscopy and imaging to identify biochemical and metabolic signatures of cells, tissues and biological fluids, including clinically relevant samples such as tissue and liquid biopsies.
We integrate Raman and SERS with advanced and multimodal microscopy to correlate molecular, morphological and functional information across different spatial scales. Our research is progressively extending from 2D cellular systems to 3D models, organoids and in vivo approaches, to investigate cancer-associated phenotypes, metabolic alterations and treatment response in increasingly physiologically relevant conditions.
At the molecular level, we develop SERS-based biosensors, nanostructured platforms and fiber-based optical probes for sensitive biomarker detection, monitoring of drug uptake and release, and minimally invasive molecular sensing, with increasing emphasis on in vivo applications.
Our ultimate goal is to identify cancer-associated molecular, cellular and metabolic phenotypes and translate advanced optical technologies into new tools for precision medicine, supporting diagnosis, patient stratification, treatment selection and monitoring of therapeutic response.
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
Laura Matino; PhD In Engineering
email: lauramatino@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
2026 – 2028 PNRIIC 310 Infrastructure grant - INSPIRE
2022 – 2026 PNRR Infrastructure grant - SEE LIFE IR00023
2022 – 2024 SeeInvis @CNR grant
2019 – 2024 AIRC IG Grant n.21420
Project title: Correlative optical microscopies for cancer imaging
2019 – 2023 Progetto Ricerca Finalizzata (under 40) GR-2018-12367517
Project title: Pharmacological targeting of CtBP1/BARS in cancer
2022 – 2024 Bilateral agreement CNR/ASRT
Project title: Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel Triazole based compounds as
anti-cancers and non-steroidal Aromatase Inhibitors
2018 – 2022 PON Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020
Project title: Nanofotonica per nuovi approcci diagnostici e terapEutici in Oncologia e
Neurologia (NeON)- ARS01_00769
2018 – 2022 POR CAMPANIA FESR 2014/2020
PROGETTO CIRO - Campania Imaging Infrastructure for Research in Oncology
2018 – 2022 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 PON Potenziamento Infrastruttura Europea
Progetto IMPARA - Imaging dalle molecole alla preclinica- PIR01_00023
2012 – 2018 AIRC start up grant n. 11454
Project Title: Advanced photonic techniques for efficient non-invasive cancer diagnosis
at cellular and molecular scale.
2012 – 2018 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 FIRB from Italian Ministry for Research (MIUR) n. RBFR12WAPYProject title: Photonic techniques for early cancer diagnosis at cellular and molecular scale
Tumore alla tiroide, in Campania uno studio che scopre le metastasi tramite un nanosensore
È pronto il nanosensore che riesce a individuare le metastasi del tumore alla tiroide: sfruttando la luce laser e minuscole sfere d'oro che ne potenziano la sensibilità, riesce a trovarle in modo affidabile rilevando la presenza di un'unica proteina. Lo hanno messo a punto i ricercatori di tre istituti del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche di Napoli e delle Università del Sannio e Federico II di Napoli. Lo studio, pubblicato sulla rivista Biosensors and Bioelectronics, utilizza una tecnica che ha un enorme potenziale nella realizzazione di sensori biologici e che potrebbe essere estesa anche ad altre forme di tumore, facilitando la diagnosi e l'individuazione dei trattamenti più efficaci.
Congratulations to Maria Mangini of the Biophotonics and Advanced Microscopy Lab for the best poster award from SIB- Società Italiana di Biochimica e Biologia Molecolare.
Congratulations!!! We look forward to further excellent scientific achievements!
Biomedical Optics Express Top Downloads: May and September 2022
The Invited Review Article “Diatom biosilica in plasmonics: applications in sensing, diagnostics and therapeutics” by Edoardo De Tommasi (CNR-ISASI) and Anna Chiara De Luca (CNR-IEOS) has been among the top 10 downloads of Biomedical Optics Express in May 2022!
Access to the paper
https://opg.optica.org/boe/fulltext.cfm?uri=boe-13-5-3080&id=472316
“SERS Quantification of Galunisertib Delivery in Colorectal Cancer Cells by Plasmonic-Assisted Diatomite Nanoparticles” has been published on the Small cover!
Access to the paper
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/smll.202170178
Press releases:
https://ladiscussione.com/113037/salute/un-nanosistema-per-contrastare-il-tumore-al-colon/
https://tg24.sky.it/salute-e-benessere/2021/07/30/tumore-colon-cnr
https://www.cnr.it/it/comunicato-stampa/10498/un-nanosistema-per-contrastare-il-tumore-al-colon
https://www.airc.it/traguardi-dei-ricercatori/un-nuovo-nanosistema-per-il-dosaggio-specifico-di-farmaci-antitumorali-0921
Internalization kinetics and cytoplasmic localization of functionalized diatomite nanoparticles in cancer cells by Raman imaging
Access to the paper
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jbio.201700207
