Debora Ferrari

Ph.D. candidate in Bioingegneria E Scienze Medico-chirurgiche , 39th cycle (2023-2026)
Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT)

Profile

PhD

Research topic

Synthesis, characterization and functionalization of colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles for highly reproducible and robust bioanalytical applications.

Tutors

Keywords

Medical Innovation and Technology
Nanomedicine
Bionanotechnology

Biography

Debora Ferrari is a PhD candidate in Bioengineering at Politecnico di Torino under the supervision of Professor Laura Fabris. She is currently working on an ERC-funded research project aimed at detecting genetic disease biomarkers through surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and liquid biopsy. Since 2023, her research has focused on the synthesis and advanced characterization of anisotropic plasmonic nanostructures, particularly six-branched gold nanostars, for highly reproducible and robust bioanalytical applications.

Her interdisciplinary research combines nanotechnology and statistical data analysis. She independently manages experimental design, nanoparticle engineering, and data interpretation. She has presented her work at major international conferences, including the Gordon Research Conference and the Seminar on Noble Metal Nanoparticles (South Hadley, Massachusetts, USA), as well as the Gold Conference (San Sebastian, Spain). In 2024, she received the Best Poster Award at the DiSAT Research Day.

She is the first author of a 2024 publication in Frontiers in Nanotechnology on the role of surfactants and polymers in the surface chemistry of plasmonic nanostars, and a co-author of a 2026 paper in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C elucidating the plasmonic properties of icosahedral-seeded gold nanostars, as well as a 2024 publication in Advanced Materials Interfaces exploring oligonucleotide–gold nanoparticle interactions beyond traditional models.

Debora participated in Conception X (Cohort 8), a UK-based nine-month program supporting PhD researchers in transforming scientific research into deep-tech startups (2025). She is currently a visiting PhD researcher at Stanford University, in collaboration with SLAC, in Professor Cargnello’s group.

With her background in materials and chemical engineering, she brings scientific rigor, innovation, and entrepreneurial drive to the field of nanobiotechnology.

Research

Laboratories

Publications

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