Ricerc@Sapienza

Giulio Caracciolo’s scientific interests lie at the interface of nanomedicine, biophysics, and translational diagnostics. His research focuses on:

Nanoparticle–protein corona: He investigates the physicochemical principles governing corona formation, its dynamic evolution across diverse biological environments, and its impact on nanoparticle identity, biodistribution, and cellular interactions. His work also explores how selective modulation of the corona can be harnessed to engineer precision drug delivery systems and to create highly informative biomolecular signatures for liquid biopsy applications.

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for gene delivery and gene therapy: His research involves the rational design of ionizable, cationic, and hybrid lipid nanocarriers optimized for the encapsulation and surface display of DNA and RNA. This includes studying nucleic acid loading mechanisms, stability and corona acquisition in physiological fluids, and the functional outcomes of LNP-mediated delivery in vitro and in vivo. He aims to develop next-generation LNP platforms capable of targeted delivery, enhanced intracellular trafficking, and controlled expression of therapeutic payloads.

Protein-corona–based diagnostics: He develops diagnostic technologies that exploit the protein corona as a disease-sensitive interface. His group has pioneered SDS-PAGE– and proteomics-based analytical frameworks for the early detection, risk stratification, and longitudinal monitoring of complex diseases, including pancreatic cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and conditions associated with pathological aging. These approaches integrate nanotechnology, high-throughput profiling, and machine learning to convert nanoparticle–biomolecule interactions into clinically actionable information.