Personale docente

Name: Davide Orsi
Place of birth: San Secondo Parmense, Parma, Italy
Date of birth: 03 April 1984

Education:
2006 Graduated in Physics (Bachelor of Science) cum Laude at University of Parma
2008 Reasmus Student at Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble (FR); 6 months training at the European Synchrotron ESRF, beamline ID10.
2008 Graduated in Physics (Master of Science) cum Laude at University of Parma
2012 Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Parma

Work experience:
2012 – 2018: Assegno di ricerca, Ex. Art. 22, L.240/2010, Department of mathematical, Phisical and Computer Sciences, ex. Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Parma
2018: Borsa di ricerca, Art. 18, comma 5, L.240/2010, Department of mathematical, Phisical and Computer Sciences, University of Parma
1 March 2019 – today: Ricercatore universitario a t.d. - t.pieno (art. 24 c. 3-A L. 240/10), Department of mathematical, Phisical and Computer Sciences, University of Parma

Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale:
26/07/2018 - 02/B1, Fisica Sperimentale della Materia. National Academic Qualification as Associate Professor.
12/09/2018 - 02/D1, Fisica Applicata. National Academic Qualification as Associate Professor.

Publication metrics:
31 publications, 358 citations, h-index 12 (Scopus)
Prizes:
“Marco Fontana” Prize awarded by Società Italiana di Fisica (2011) for “the brilliant results obtained on X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy and its applications to the study of the dynamics of interfacial systems".
Young Researcher Prize “Nanoinnovation’s got talent” (2017), awarded by “Progetto Diventerò” - Fondazione Bracco.

Invited talks:
2014 ESRF User Meeting, "Dynamics of a bidimensional gel around its percolation transition"
2016 ESRF User Meeting, "Microscopic dynamics in 2D phospholipid-nanoparticles films studied in real and momentum spaces".
2017 Nanoinnovation 2017 (Rome, IT), Sessione per giovani ricercatori "Nanoinnovation’s got talent","CeF3- ZnO nanostructures for the Self-lighted Photodynamic Therapy of deep tumors".

Most relevant academic commitments:
Member of the doctoral college for the Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Parma
Member of the Internationalization Commission of the Department of Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences, University of Parma
Member of the Department Board of the Department of Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences, University of Parma, representing Research Fellows.
Teaching “General Physics 1” for the bachelor’s degree in Information Technology Engineering, University of Parma (2017)
Teaching an online exercise course of Mechanics and Thermodynamics for EduOpen.org, a web portal of E-leaning financed by Ministero dell’Istruzione, Università e Ricerca (2018).
Teaching “Laboratory for Molecular Nanotechnologies” for the master’s degree in Physics, University of Parma (2018-today)

Projects, Contracts:
Project “FIL Giovani Ricercatori” approved by University of Parma and funded by Fondazione Cariparma (2019), to develop a near-infrared spectrometer for the direct detection of singlet oxygen produced by nanostructures under irradiation by UV-Vis radiation and X-rays (Self-lighted Photodynamic Therapy of deep tumours).
Grant “Spinner” awarded by Regione Emilia-Romagna (2013). The grant financed a 3-month period as visiting researcher at University of Cambridge, Cavendish Laboratory, performing microrheology measurements on giant unilamellar vesicles by tracking their thermal flickering using Phase Contrast Microscopy and Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy.
Main proposer of 3 experiments at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, FR, approved by a peer-reviewed panel system. Participants to 10 additional experiments at the same facility. These experiments were mainly focused on the characterization of the structure and dynamics of soft matter systems with X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy, Small-angle X-ray Scattering, X-ray Reflectivity. Participant to a Neutron Reflectivity experiment at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Oxford, UK.

Research interests:
During his Ph.D., under the guidance of prof. L. Cristofolini, DO investigated the structure and dynamics of 2D soft matter systems confined at the air-water interface, in particular Langmuir monolayers of photosensitive azopolymers and 2D gels formed by gold nanoparticles. These studies made use of a suite of techniques; Interfacial rheology, Multiple Particle Tracking, Discrete Fourier Microscopy, Epifluorescence microscopy, as well as large scale facility techniques such as Small Angle X-ray Scattering and X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS). Their combination disclosed relevant links between structure, dynamics and mechanical response of these 2D systems, within the framework provided by Generalized Stokes-Einstein relations. This research was performed in collaboration with the staff of the ID10 beamline of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Grenoble, FR), led by dr. A. Madsen, at the forefront in the development of the XPCS technique.
After the Ph.D., working in the group “Laboratory of Molecular Nanotechnology” led by prof. L. Cristofolini, DO contributed to the application of the same techniques to characterize the effects of the incorporation of silica nanoparticles within phospholipid layers within a project in collaboration with dr. L. Liggieri, CNR-ICMATE, Genova. Part of these activities took place within the COST actions CM1101(Colloidal Aspects of Nanoscience) and MP1106 (Smart and Green Interfaces).
More recently, DO contributed to investigations of the structure, dynamics and mechanical response of model oil-in-water emulsions at different stages of ageing, in the framework of a collaborative research effort funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and led by dr. L. Liggieri, CNR-ICMATE, Genova. This research aims at investigating the processes that govern emulsion destabilization and their link to the physico-chemical properties of liquid interfaces in presence of surfactants, eventually by performing microgravity experiments where sedimentation/creaming is suppressed. These studies combine scattering techniques such as Diffusing Wave Spectroscopy with microscopy, macroimaging and rheology. In particular, DO is proficient in the construction of high-performance custom-made experimental setups for Diffusing Wave Spectroscopy, employing state-of-the-art detectors and 3D printing techniques.
As a Research Fellow (Ricercatore a Tempo Determinato, art. 24 c. 3-A L. 240/10) DO’s activities focused on the development and characterization of stimuli-responsive nanostructures with application in nanomedicine, in particular in the treatment of deep tumours. These activities stemmed from a long-standing collaboration between “Laboratory of Molecular Nanotechnology” of University of Parma and CNR-IMEM, Parma. In particular, DO synthetized and characterized different inorganic nanostructures for a proposed nanotherapy called Self-Lighted Photodynamic Therapy (SLPDT); these nanostructures, combining scintillating nanoparticles and photoactive nanomaterials, are capable of generating reactive oxygen species with antitumoral effect under irradiation with high-energy X-ray beams from Radiotherapy Clinical linear accelerators. DO performed the synthesis of the nanostructures, their morphological characterization by means of Dynamic Light Scattering, Zeta potential analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) Microanalysis, as well as spectroscopic characterization by Fluorescence and UV-Vis Spectroscopies.

Building on this line of research, DO was granted funds by University of Parma and Fondazione Cariparma to develop a near-infrared spectrometer for the direct detection of a highly reactive ROS, singlet oxygen, by measuring its fluorescence emission at 1270nm. In contrast to analogous NIR spectrometer used to characterize molecular Photodynamic Therapy photosensitiser, this instrument is specifically designed for the characterization of SLPDT nanostructures irradiated by Radiotherapy clinical X-ray beams; as such, it combines high sensitivity, portability and a versatile sample environment within a custom-made 3D printed integrating sphere. It aims at enabling the fast screening of new SLPDT nanostructures, addressing a main bottleneck of their development.
Do was also involved in the characterization of nanostructures for combined drug-delivery and Magnetic Hyperthermia (MH), where magnetic nanoparticles irradiated by rf oscillating magnetic fields induce a localized heating that damages cancer cells, in the framework of a collaboration between “Laboratory of Molecular Nanotechnology”, dr. F. Albertini of CNR-IMEM, and the group led by dr. P. Warszynski, Polish Academy of Sciences (Krakow, PL). DO performed the MH irradiation experiments and the characterization of the nanostructures by Dynamic Light Scattering. Part of these activities took place within the COST action TD1402 – RADIOMAG, Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Magnetic Hyperthermia and Indirect Radiation Therapy.