The aim of this research activity is to realize miniaturized and automated supports for biological and diagnostical assays, or as substrate for strictly controlled cellular growth, migration and differentiation. In order to develop biologically integrated devices, it is important to organize biomolecules on surfaces with resolutions up to the nanometer scale. Our research activity starts therefore from immobilizing various extra cellular, citosolic and integral membrane proteins on micro and nanochips. Because of the enormous variety of protein structure and functions, immobilization of these complex macromolecules could be a useful tool for a great variety of purposes.  

Imprinting processes, microfluidic networks and microcontact printing can be successfully employed for achieving chemical contrast between different biomolecular monolayers and to immobilize  extracellular and citosolic proteins. We focus our attention on proteins of the Extra Cellular Matrix (ECM). The ECM includes a complex group of structural macromolecules surrounding and supporting animals tissues cells.

The organization of the matrix can influence the organization of the cells cytoskeleton and can mechanically influence cell spreading, moreover affecting the cell behaviour (development, shape, polarity) by binding to cell-surface receptors that activate intracellular signalling pathways. For their crucial role on supporting cells and influence their behaviour and differentiation, ECM biomaterials are currently being explored as  adhesive domains on planar substrates for control of cellular adhesion and growth in well defined areas.