January 2011
Full Professor of Physics and Photonics at Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy. Leading Researcher in the “Photonics for health” group at the Physics Department.

January 2007 – December 2010
Rector Deputy for Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property protection and Spin-off creation at Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy

November 1999 – December 2010
Associate Professor of Physics at Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy.

January 1989 – October 1999
Researcher at the “Instituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie”, formerly “Centro di Elettronica Quantistica” of the National Research Council (CNR).

October 1985 – December 1988
Analyst for special projects and development of new product for IBM Co.

October 1985
Master Degree (Laurea) in Nuclear Engineering cum laude from Politecnico di Milano

Research Activities
His initial researches have been in the field of low divergence resonators for solid-state lasers. Thereafter, he turned his main interests to the applications of lasers in medicine and biology, covering many research topics like: laser-tissue interaction, photoablation with mid-infrared lasers, photodynamic therapy of tumours, fluorescence spectroscopy and imaging, and photon migration. In this context, he developed innovative systems for Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging and Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy that were applied to the detection of tumours in humans.
Presently, his main research deals with the development of advanced spectroscopic and imaging techniques for medicine (molecular imaging), biology, and conservation of cultural heritages. Within this framework, he recently specialised in tomographic imaging methods. More specifically, he developed advanced methods and systems for Diffuse Optical Tomography (DOT), for Optical Projection Tomography (OPT) and for Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM).
Gianluca Valentini exhibits a long-standing expertise for the development of optical diagnostic devices and systems for biomedical applications from lab to bedside. He is co-author of more than 100 paper published in peer reviewed journals. He is reviewer for many journals published, among others, by the Optical Society of America and the American Institute of Physics. Beyond his professorship in Politecnico di Milano, he is lecturer in P.h.D. courses of Physics.