Opto-Bio Interfaces

The overarching goal of my research is to induce light sensitivity in living cells, in order to control the cell functioning. We develop specific devices that behave as light actuators. In the years we studied planar interfaces, nanoparticles and intra membrane molecular switches that are able to transduce light absorption into a biological signal. Fundamental questions regard the coupling mechanism at the abiotic/biotic interface, while the application is in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Direct neuronal stimulation is a promising tool for addressing disorders such Alzheimer and Parkinson, but also in prosthesis for rescue of fundamental functions such as vision. An artificial retina prosthesis is one of the most advanced application so far demonstrated in animal models. Controlling muscular cells contraction is another development under study that may lead to artificial organs as well as cyborgs.

BIO:
Guglielmo Lanzani is head of the Center for Nano Science and Technology of the Italian Institute of Technology, located in Milan. Since August 2011 he is full professor in Physics at Politecnico di Milano, where he teaches basic physics to first year students and organic photophysics to 5th grade students in engineering. His research is documented by 300+ publications in peer-reviewed journals, 8 patents and 200+  invited talks at international conferences and institutions (h-index=59 (Google Scholar 2021)). Major achievements are: i) the realization of a retina implant that has been successfully tested on rats, showing rescue of visual acuity in genetically modified animals affected by retinitis pigmentosa and the related study of the biotic/abiotic interface showing geneless opto modulation of different type of cells. ii) contributing to build the photoexcitation scenario in organic semiconductors. During this activity GL has demonstrated optically pumped organic lasers, non linear photodiodes, all optical modulators.