Mr Beniamino Sciacca

Biography/ Background

Dr. Beniamino Sciacca was born in Patti (ME), Italy. He received his BSc degree in biomedical engineering from 'Politecnico di Torino', Italy, in 2004, discussing the thesis "Electrical characterization of microelectrode arrays". In 2006 he received his MSc degree in biomedical engineering from 'Politecnico di Torino' and 'Politecnico di Milano', under a double-degree project, discussing a research thesis entitled "A molecular mechanics study of the interaction between microcantilever and DNA fragments".

In 2007 he began his PhD study in SCREAM (Surface Chemistry and REActivity of Materials) group, under the supervision of Prof. F. Geobaldo, in the Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering at "Politecnico di Torino", working on porous silicon photonic nanostructures for biosensing devices, and defended his thesis in 2010. During his PhD he has been visiting student for six months in Prof. M. Sailor group, at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), USA, and for three months in Dr. F. Cunin group, at the "Institut Charles Gerhardt Montpellier, France.

In 2010 he was a postdoc in SCREAM group working on the development of a nanoreactor made with porous silicon for the real time detection of ROS species by means of hybrid resonant microcavities, and on the development of stable and luminescent porous silicon nanoparticles for drug delivery.

In March 2011 he joined Prof. Tanya Monro's research group at the Institute for Photonics & Advanced Sensing (IPAS) as a postdoctoral associate, working on SPR biosensors for early gastric cancer detection, in collaboration with Dr. Peter Hoffman (Adelaide-Proteomics Centre).

Publications

Journal article

B. Sciacca, S. Pace, P. Rivolo, F. Geobaldo, "Swithching of fluorescence mediated by a peroxynitrite-glutathione redox reaction in a porous silicon nanoreactor", Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 14 (2012).

B. Sciacca, E. Secret, S. Pace, P. Gonzales, F. Quignard, F. Geobaldo, F. Cunin, “Chitosan-functionalized porous silicon optical transducer for the detection of carboxylic acid-containing drugs in water”, Journal of Material Chemistry, 21 (2011).

B. Sciacca, S. Alvarez, F. Geobaldo, M. J. Sailor “Bioconjugate functionalization of thermally carbonized porous silicon using a radical coupling reaction”, Dalton transactions, 39 (2010).

F. Michelotti, B. Sciacca, L. Dominici, M. Quaglio, E. Descrovi, F. Giorgis, F. Geobaldo, “Fast optical vapour sensing by Bloch surface waves on porous silicon membranes”, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 12 (2010).

B. Sciacca, F. Frascella, A. Venturello, P. Rivolo, E. Descrovi, F. Geobaldo, F. Giorgis, “Doubly resonant porous silicon microcavities for enhanced detection of fluorescent organic molecules” Sensors and actuators B: Chemical, 137 (2009).

F. Frascella, P. Mandracci, A. Venturello, B. Sciacca, F. Giorgis, F. Geobaldo, “Microstructure and optical properties of porous silicon after plasma assisted nitridation”, Phys. Stat. Sol. C, 6 (2009).

E. Descrovi, F. Frascella, B. Sciacca, L. Dominici, F. Michelotti, F. Geobaldo, F. Giorgis, “Coupling of surface waves in highly defined one-dimensional porous silicon photonic crystals for gas sensing applications” Appl. Phys. Lett., 91 (2007).

“ASP studies on fluorine in biomedicine: two innovative applications” Chemistry today, 25 (2007).

International Conferences 

“Chitosan/porous silicon hybrid material for the detection of drug pollutants in water”, PSST 2010, Valencia, Spain, 15-20 March 2010, poster.

“Bloch surface waves on porous silicon rugate structures as a tool for the enhancement of fluorescence emission”, PSST 2010, Valencia, Spain, 15-20 March 2010, poster.

“Fast optical vapour sensing by Bloch Surface Waves on porous silicon membranes bonded on transparent substrates”, PSST 2010, Valencia, Spain, 15-20 March 2010, poster.  

“Porous silicon coupled microcavities for enhanced fluorescence detection of organic molecules”, EOSAM (European Optical Society Annual Meeting), Paris, 29 Sept - 02 Oct 2008, oral.

“Bloch Surface Waves on a porous silicon one-dimensional photonic crystal for gas sensing applications”, EOSAM (European Optical Society Annual Meeting), Paris, 29 Sept - 02 Oct 2008, oral.

“Resonant microcavities as a tool for the detection of very low concentration of fluorescent molecules”, PSST (6th International Conference on Porous Semiconductors Science and Technology), Mallorca, Spain, 10-14 March 2008, oral.

“Bloch Surface Waves on a porous silicon one-dimensional photonic crystal for gas sensing applications”, PSST (6th International Conference on Porous Semiconductors Science and Technology), Mallorca, Spain, 10-14 March 2008, oral.

“Microstructure and optical properties of plasma assisted nitridation of porous silicon”, PSST (6th International Conference on Porous Semiconductors Science and Technology), Mallorca, Spain, 10-14 March 2008, poster.

“Controlled light propagation in Porous Silicon multilayers”, NanoSMat (International Conference on Surfaces and Nanostructured Materials), Algarve (Portugal), 09-11 July 2007, oral.

“Porous silicon coupled microcavities for the detection of fluorescent organic molecules”, Nanomedicine 2008, Genova, 29 Nov 2008, oral.

“Methods for the synthesis of perfluoroethers and biomedical applications”, 18th ISFC International Symposium on Fluorine Chemistry, Bremen (Germany), August 2006, poster.

 

Entry last updated: Thursday, 5 Apr 2012