Research Interests

Cilia driven flow of Cerebrospinal fluid
We study the cilia driven flow of the cerebrospinal fluid in the ventral third ventricle of the mammalian brain. The beating cilia create a complex flow network which we indagate with fluorescent bead tracking, fluorescent liposomes imaging, differential interference contrast microscopy and immunostaining. The aim is the precise description of the flow network in order to understand its origin, development and the function.

Collective dynamics and phase transitions in cell monolayers
Current collaboration with University of Milan and IFOM institute on the characterization of confluent cell monolayers undergoing a jamming phase transition, characterized by the rising of collective migration and a transition from a solid-like to a fluid-like state. Flocking cell monolayers are interesting models for the study of phenotypes associated to cancer evolution towards metastasis. In particular, we currently study the shape deformations cells nuclei undergo in jammed and flocking monolayers correlating them with the local dynamic state of the tissue.

Rheomicroscopy of soft materials
Current collaboration with University of Milan on the characterization of mechanical properties of viscoelastic soft materials. We work on the development and characterization of a microscope adapted stress controlled shear cell, assembled at the Biometra department of University of Milan. Sample strain associated to an imposed stress is assessed trough an optical measurement, thus enabling the recovering of mean mechanical properties of the sample. The simultaneous imaging of the sample allows to correlate macrorheological properties with local dynamics of the sample at the micrometric scale, thus opening the way to a deeper comprehension of the microscale structural origin of macroscopic mechanical properties of soft materials.

Dynamics of colloids in the vicinity of gas-liquid interface
Project in collaboration with University of Montpellier, as a prosecution of Stefano Villa PhD work, on the description of the dynamics of micrometric particles of different shapes in the vicinity of air-water interface. Measurements are made with a Dual Wave Reflection Interference Microscopy – developed at Charles Coulomb laboratory (Montpellier) - enabling 3D tracking of colloidal dynamics. The study is devoted to the understanding of the physics underlying the dynamics of bacteria and biofilms in the vicinity of water surface and, in the waste water treatment framework, the approach and trapping of micrometric pollutants at the surface of water.