Ricerc@Sapienza

The NanoDelivery Lab is focused on the comprehensive study of the Protein Corona.
The Protein Corona is a dynamic biomolecular layer that spontaneously assembles on the surface of nanoparticles upon exposure to biological fluids such as blood, serum, or plasma. This adsorption process profoundly reshapes the nanoparticle’s physicochemical identity—altering parameters such as size, surface charge, stability, and biological recognition. Because the Protein Corona constitutes the true molecular interface between engineered nanomaterials and living systems, it governs nearly every aspect of nano–bio interactions, from cellular uptake and biodistribution to immune modulation, therapeutic efficacy, and safety. As such, deciphering and controlling the Protein Corona is fundamental for the successful clinical translation of nanomedicines.

Our research aims to elucidate the mechanisms through which the Protein Corona forms, evolves, and dictates biological outcomes. We integrate physical chemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, and translational nanotechnology to understand how corona signatures reflect the physiological or pathological state of an organism, and how they can be engineered or exploited to improve therapeutic and diagnostic performance.

In essence, we investigate the involvement and impact of the Protein Corona across the following major research areas:

Nanocarriers for drug and gene delivery

We study how the Protein Corona affects the stability, targeting, intracellular trafficking, and therapeutic output of nanocarriers designed to deliver drugs, DNA, RNA, and gene-editing molecules. By correlating corona composition with delivery efficiency, we identify strategies to harness or modulate the corona for enhanced precision and reduced off-target effects. In the context of lipid-mediated drug and gene delivery our group elucidates how lipid composition, surface charge, PEGylation, and formulation methods influence the corona acquired by liposomes and LNPs in biological fluids. We investigate how such coronas alter biodistribution, immune recognition, and transfection efficiency, with a focus on optimizing LNP platforms for next-generation gene therapies and genetic vaccines.

Nanomaterials for cancer detection 

We develop corona-based diagnostic approaches in which nanoparticles act as sensors of disease-specific protein fingerprints. By analyzing corona patterns via SDS-PAGE, proteomics, and machine learning, we create non-invasive liquid biopsy platforms for the early detection, risk stratification, and longitudinal monitoring of cancers—particularly pancreatic cancer—capturing subtle molecular alterations that are not detectable with traditional biomarkers.