FRANCESCO NICOTRA
Full Professor of Organic Chemistry
Member of the Board of Directors of the University of Milano-Bicocca
President of the IUPAC Division of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
Scientific Director of the Foundation European Centre for Nanomedicine (CEN)
Italian representative in the International Carbohydrate Organisation
Award for innovation in research of the Italian Chemical Society, 2011
Medal Berti for Research in Carbohydrate Chemistry, 2012
Medal Quilico of the Division of Organic Chemistry of the Italian Chemical Society, 2015
• 2016- Scientific Director of the Foundation European Centre for Nanomedicine (CEN)
• 2009-2012 Dean of the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Milano-Bicocca
• 2002-2008 Head of the Departemt of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca
• 2000 Full professor of Organic Chemistry, University of Milano-Bicocca
• 2018-2019 President of the IUPAC Division of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
• 2015-2018 Vice-President of the IUPAC Division of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
• 2006-2015 Chairman del subcommittee of Biotechnology of IUPAC
• 2011- Titular Member of the IUPAC Division of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry
• 2002- Italian representative in the International Carbohydrate Organisation and in the European Carbohydrate Organisation
Research experience
The scientific interests concern the design, synthesis and characterisation of organic compounds of biological and pharmaceutical relevance. Recent studies are devoted to the valorisation on bioactive molecules, in particular carbohydrates, in nanomedicine.
LAURA RUSSO
From 2019 President of Bicocca Alumni. Association of Alumni of University of Milano-Bicocca (https://www.bicoccalumni.it/).
From December 2018 – today, Adjunct Lecturer – at National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG) – Department of Chemistry.
From March 2017 – today, Assistant Professor – at University of Milan-Bicocca, Nanomedicine Building, U28 belonging to the Centre of Nanomedicine of the Milano-Bicocca University. Dr. Russo is also VisitingResearcher at Cùram – NUIG, Ireland.
2016, Principal Investigator – SFI Foundation SIRG scheme enstablished “to support excellent researchers and innovative research ideas with potential economic and societal impact”. Coordination of a research project focussed on Glyco-functionalized hydrogels for tissue engineering applications. Cùram – Centre for Research in Medical Devices, National University of Galway, Ireland
2013 to 2015, Unit Coordinator at University of Milan-Bicocca, Dept. of Biotechnology and Biosciences, on project founded by CARIPLO Foundation on the design and synthesis of smart biomaterials for 3D cultures and Tissue Engineering.
2010, Visiting Researcher at Imperial College of London, Department of Materials, on Design, Synthesis and Functionalization of new hybrid biomaterials for bone
tissue engineering
2009 – 2012, PhD Student in Industrial Biotechnology at the University of Milano- Bicocca, Department of Biotechnology
Research Experience
Dr. Laura Russo gained expertise on regenerative medicine and nanomedicine. In particular she worked on nano- and biomaterials functionalization using a wide range of materials (organic, inorganic, polymeric, natural and synthetic), and smart functionalized hydrogel for 3D cell cultures. Dr Russo has also expertise in manipulating complex biomolecules such as carbohydrates. Her research activity to date has allow to the design and set up of different chemoselective ligation strategies for the covalent immobilization of several carbohydrates and peptides of biological interest on nanomaterials for tissue engineering applications (bone and cartilage regeneration, cardiac regeneration, neuronal regeneration). Today, research interests of Dr. Russo are focused on 3D smart biomaterials for cell microenvironment studies and on 3D printed biomaterials for biomedical applications.