The Scientific Director, Dr. Maria Gabriella Santonicola, conducts research in the areas of:

1. Surfaces and interfaces responsive to external stimuli by means of grafting of polymer brushes with controlled radical polymerization.
2. Synthesis and characterization of polymeric bioactive and responsive hydrogels for the controlled release of biomolecules and cell arrays as having dynamic functional properties.
3. Hybrid nanocomposite materials obtained by self-assembly of structures based on carbon and biomolecules for biosensor applications.
4. Characterization of materials and surfaces on the nanoscale (AFM, ellipsometry, SPR spectroscopy, small-angle scattering techniques.

 The laboratory is equipped with a Optical Tensiometer Data Physic OCA 15 PRO and a Thermal Analysis Differential Scanning Calorimeter - Perkin Elmer DSC 8500.