I received a PhD in Physics at the University College London, with a project focused on the study of the structural and dynamical features of π-conjugated carbon materials by means of neutron scattering techniques, with the view to understand and enhance their light-harvesting properties for photovoltaic applications. In 2015, I obtained a Marie Curie – Early Stage Researcher fellowship at the CNST-IIT to investigate the optical properties of carbon-based nanomaterials via ultrafast spectroscopic techniques. Currently, I am mostly interested on the study of light-matter interactions in light-responsive molecules and photonic structures, for optoelectronics and bio-photonics.

My major research achievements include: i. the photomodulation of cellular signalling via the use of an opto-mechanical light actuator, and the study of the photo-biophysics underpinning such an effect; ii. the proof-of-concept detection of pathogenic bacteria by using hybrid plasmonic/photonic devices; iii. the first report on the occurrence of optical gain in graphene quantum dots.