Pasquale Mastella

The detection and quantification of tumor biomarkers can indicate the manifestation or recurrence of cancer, and is an important aid in early diagnosis. Nanotechnology offers important advantages over conventional techniques in this field, allowing to develop systems capable of irreversibly and selectively interacting with a specific biomarker, and to detect a bioanalyte even in low traces in biological fluids and ex vivo.

Pasquale develops nanostructured systems based on biocompatible polymers with high solubility in water, conjugated to luminescent reporters and oligonucleotides able to interact selectively with specific bioanalytes. These components are formulated into responsive nanoparticles using microfluidics techniques, with the aim of identifying and quantifying circulating tumor biomarkers in vivo.

Pasquale gruaduated in Biotechnology at the University of Sannio and his Master degree in Molecular Biotechnology from the University of Pisa.