DELLACASA , Elena

Considering the increasing interest for protein immobilization on nanoparticles, in this work, we demonstrate the preparation of poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (PSMA) nanoparticles and their capability to conjugate the proteolytic enzyme papain. PSMA nanoparticles were fabricated by combining precipitation and electrospray technique....

Most in vitro functional and morphological studies for developing nervous system have been performed using traditional monolayer cultures onto supports modified by extracellular matrix components or synthetic bio-polymers. These biomolecules act as adhesion factors essential for neuronal growth and differentiation. In this study, the use of...

One of the current major challenges in orthopedic surgery is the treatment of meniscal lesions. Some of the main issues include mechanical consistency of meniscal implants, besides their fixation methods and integration with the host tissues. To tackle these aspects we realized a micro-porous, gelatin/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based hydrogel to...

The availability of 3D biomimetic in vitro neuronal networks of mammalian neurons represents a pivotal step for the development of brain-on-a-chip experimental models to study neuronal (dys)functions and particularly neuronal connectivity. The use of hydrogel-based scaffolds for 3D cell cultures has been extensively studied in the last years....