Soft Particles

Emanuele Mauri is Assistant Professor in the framework of Applied Physical Chemistry at Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta" at Politecnico di Milano. He received his Master Degree in Chemical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano. In January 2018, he received his Ph.D. in Industrial Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano with honors discussing an experimental thesis on the synthesis of polymeric devices for drug and cell delivery in central nervous system. He also spent research period as visiting Ph.D. student at the Department of Neuroscience at University of Cambridge (Pluchino Lab). The main research fields are:• the chemical functionalization of polymers and the study of their physical and chemical properties • the design of three-dimensional smart polymeric systems as highly biocompatible tools for controlled drug and gene delivery, in nanomedicine and tissue engineering. • studies of formulated polymer-based systemsHe received the European Doctorate Award by European Society of Biomaterials (ESB) and the award Trainee Travel Award/Italian Young Scientist by Italian Society for Biomaterial (SIB) at the 10th World Biomaterials Congress in Montréal (Canada). In 2019, he is awarded as NanoInnovation’s Got Talent by Fondazione Bracco at NanoInnovation 2019, in Rome.

Professor Zhang has a broad interest in understanding and modulating soft matter at surfaces and interfaces, which underpins the development of sustainable formulated products, new hygiene technologies, innovate healthcare technologies, intervention to improve air quality, and new routes for energy. He leads several national and international research consortia, supported by EPSRC and Horizon Europe, to understand antimicrobial effects so as to develop sustainable and effective surface hygiene technologies. He received two Industrial Fellowships, funded by the Royal Academy of Engineering, to work with Procter & Gamble (2020-2023) and DuPont Teijin Film (2018), respectively. His expertise in surface forces, e.g. adhesion, friction, contact mechanics, has been applied extensively in a wide range of soft matter applications such as biotribology.