Marco Malferrari’s research focuses on the physicochemical characterization of biological systems across different levels of complexity, ranging from purified proteins to human cells.
Main research areas:
- Interplay between solvent and protein dynamics in photoactive membrane proteins.
- Physicochemical mechanisms by which sugar glasses modulate and hinder protein dynamics.
- Bioprotection and room-temperature preservation of biomolecular systems, including antibodies, protein complexes, and fluorescent proteins for biomedical applications.
- Structural and functional characterization of proteins using advanced spectroscopic techniques, including time-resolved laser flash spectroscopy, static and time-resolved FTIR spectroscopy, difference FTIR spectroscopy, FT-NIR spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and static and pulsed high-field/high-resolution EPR spectroscopy. Development of in-house data analysis tools to validate physicochemical models and interpret experimental data.
- Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) imaging and electrochemical methodologies for the investigation of biological systems and processes.
- 3D bioprinting of cell cultures and engineered cellular microenvironments for the study of cell behavior under physiologically relevant conditions.
