CV esteso

PERSONAL DATA

Place, date of birth	Bari, October the 8th, 1964
Resident in	Corso V. Veneto 6A 70123, Bari - Italy
Mobile	+39 338 310 3112
Nationality	Italian
Researcher ID	G-9065-2011
ORCID	0000-0002-0798-0780
URL website	https://www.uniba.it/docenti/torsi-luisa https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisa-torsi-75b8bb34/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luisa_Torsi

           

 

EDUCATION

1994 – 1996    Post-Doctoral Fellow at Bell Laboratories - Lucent Technologies (formerly AT&T), Murray Hill – NJ (USA) – Supervisor: Prof. Ananth Dodabalapur

1988 – 1993    Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences at the Chemistry Department of the University of Bari A. Moro - Supervisor: Prof. Francesco Palmisano; the formal defense of the thesis was held at La Sapienza University on 09/22/1993 but the official document issued by the Ministry of Research is dated 10/20/1995

1989                Laurea Degree in Physics at the Physics Department of the University of Bari A. Moro - Supervisor: Prof. Aldo Cingolani

1983                Scientific high school diploma at the Liceo Scientifico “E. Fermi” Bari  

 

 

PRESENT POSITION

2005 - today   Full Professor of Chemistry at the Chemistry Department of the University of Bari A. Moro

 

FORMER POSITIONS

2017 - 2022    Adjunct Professor (10% of the time) at the Faculty of Science and Engineering of Åbo Akademi University(Finland) under the collaboration agreement signed between the University of Bari and Åbo Akademi University

1998 – 2004    Associate Professor of Chemistry at the Chemistry Department of the University of Bari A. Moro

1993 -1998     Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the Chemistry Department of the University of Bari A. Moro

07-2006          Visiting Professor at the Chemistry Department of the University Denis Diderot, Paris VII in France

06-2005          Visiting Professor at the Chemistry Department of the University of Angers in France

08-2000          Visiting researcher at Bell Laboratories - Lucent Technologies Murray Hill – NJ (USA)

 

SUMMARY OF THE CV

Luisa Torsi received her Laurea degree in Physics from the University of Bari in 1989 and a Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences from the same institution in 1993. She was a post-doctoral fellow at Bell Labs from 1994 to 1996. In 2005 and 2006 she was an invited professor at the University of Anger and Paris 7. Since 2005 she is a full professor of chemistry at the University of Bari and from 2017 to 2022, she was an adjunct professor at the Abo Academy University in Finland. She is also presently member of the prestigious Accademia dei Lincei.

In 2010 she has been awarded the Heinrich Emanuel Merck prize for analytical sciences, marking the first time the award has been given to a woman. The IUPAC - International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry awarded her with the 2019 Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering. The analytical chemistry division of the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) conferred her the Robert Kellner Lecturer 2019. Prof. Luisa Torsi is also the winner of the Wilhelm Exner Medal 2021 with the following motivation: "for her pioneering research in organic bioelectronics and for having successfully combined electronic and electrochemical sensors, analytical chemistry, organic semiconductors, solid-state device physics, and materials chemistry in an interdisciplinary manner”. The prize has been awarded since 1921 by the Austrian Industrial Association to celebrate excellence in science and the over 230 awardees include more than 20 Nobel prizes. The Italian President, Sergio Mattarella invited Prof. Torsi to the Quirinale in Rome to personally congratulate her on this award. Just recently she has been selected as the winner of the Premio Presidente della Repubblica, that since 1949 is awarded by the Accademia dei Lincei. Among the people awarded, there are several winners of other important awards such as the Nobel Prize and the Wolf Prize.

Torsi is the author of about 230 ISI papers, published in journals such as Science and Nature Materials. Her works have gathered almost 16.500 citations, contributing to an h-index of 64 (Google Scholar). She is among the 2% most cited scientists in the world (John P.A. Ioannidis, DOI: 10.17632/btchxktzyw.4) and is the second most cited woman in Italy in materials science (Research.com ranking). She is also a co-inventor of numerous patents and has given over 200 invited seminars, including more than 50 plenary talks at conferences and universities in USA, Asia, and Europe.

Research funding amounts to nearly €40M, including several European, national, and regional projects, of which Torsi is often the coordinator. Right now, at the Apulian regional center "Single-Molecule Digital-Assay" chaired by Torsi a clinical trial is ongoing to validate the Single-Molecule with a large Transistor (SiMoT) technology patented by the group led by Torsi in 2016. SiMoT technology, which is currently at a Technology-Readiness-Level of 5 (TRL5), is planned to reach TRL7-8 in 3-5 years and meet the needs of an ideal point-of-care device by combining the advantages of a salivary antigen test (fast, disposable, easy to use, non-invasive) with the performance of a molecular one (reliably sensitive to one single marker in a droplet of 0.1 ml). Torsi also coordinated the “Single-molecule bio-electronic smart system array for clinical testing – SiMBiT” European project that successfully brought the SiMoT proof-of-principle device published in 2018 to an all-electronic ELISA-like single-molecule array prototype for early and minimally invasive pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Another key project, BioScreen, financed by the Lombardia region, concerned the development of a SiMoT-based salivary single-sensor test, for single COVID-19 virion assay. Torsi is presently coordinating an Italian project financed by the Ministry of Agriculture in which a SiMoT POC prototype is developed to assay a single live Xylella fastidiosa bacterium directly in infected olives trees’ sap. She has also coordinated a “European Industrial Doctorate” Marie Curie project in collaboration with the German Multinational Merck and a Marie Curie “International Training Networks” to establish a European Network of electronic sensing. Several national Italian projects funded by the Ministry of Research were also coordinated by prof. Torsi.

Since 2020 she has been appointed National Representative for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action of Horizon Europe by the Italian Minister for Education and Research. She is also a past president of the European Material Research Society (over 4,000 members), the first woman to serve in this role. Torsi has been also elected 2017 Fellow of the Material Research Society, for pioneering work in the field of organic (bio) electronic sensors and their use for point-of-care testing. She is also Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry since 2022. Presently, she is serving as Vice-President of the Scientific Committee of the Italian National Research Council. She is also the President of MEDISDIH S.c.ar.l., the evolution of the Apulian Mechatronics technology district strongly involved in promoting industrial product and process innovations that integrate the progress achieved by digital technologies in support of multidisciplinary mechatronic technologies also for health applications. Torsi is a member of the Board of Directors of the Leonardo Foundation – Civiltà delle Macchine, established by the Founding Member Leonardo SpA, to promote collaboration with stakeholders, communities, and territories.

Prof. Torsi is committed as a role model for younger women scientists. She has been giving several talks including a TEDx talk. She is one of the 100Experts a project led by Fondazione Bracco comprising an online databank with the CVs of female experts in STEM, a sector historically underrepresented by women but strategic for the economic and social development. In a recent campaign to foster gender equality in science among children, prof. Torsi was featured in a story of TOPOLINO (Italian comic digest-size series of Disney comics), as “Louise Torduck”, a successful female scientist of the Calisota valley.

 

MOST SIGNIFICANT SCIENTIFIC / TECHNOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

While there is an increasing demand for non-invasive multiplexing ultrasensitive simultaneous detection of both proteins and nucleic-acid markers, protein biomarkers are becoming increasingly important for the diagnosis of progressive diseases such as tumors, neurodegenerative syndromes, and infections. Oncoproteins are considered an important complement to mutated genetic markers and direct immunometric detection of pathogens (as opposed to the assay of their genomic components) is a faster option as it requires no sample pretreatment. Detecting markers or pathogens in a peripheral biofluid like blood or saliva makes the test also minimally or non-invasive and better suited for point-of-care (POC) applications. If the assay is sensitive enough to reliably detect a single marker or pathogen, earlier diagnosis and prognosis become possible. Such a POC screening would endow clinicians with the attacker advantage over a disease. However, while there is now the possibility to detect a single strand of a mutated gene or a single copy of viral DNA, a commercial system that can reliably detect a single protein at 10^-20 mole/l (M), is not yet available. Nor is available a platform that can simultaneously detect both proteins and DNA/RNA markers.

In 2018, Prof. Torsi and her group published the first paper on the Single-Molecule detection with a large Transistor – SiMoT sensor (Nat.Comm.2018 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05235-z), setting a world record for protein assay working at 10^-20 M (10 zeptomolar, zM) limit-of-detection (LOD) directly in a real fluid. This technology was patented in 2016 (European Patent Application no. 16207596.4 filed December 30, 2016. International 2017 Patent no. PCT/IB2017/058065 filed December 18, 2017) and after six and a half years SiMoT reached the following milestones:

• >25 papers published with a total IF of 279,086 (see list of most relevant publications);
• 7 projects granted for more than 10 M€ (see list of projects);
• 5 patents submitted, one awarded already (see list of patents);
• 7 different proteins/antigens detected: Immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), p24 protein of the HIV-1 virus capsid (p24-HIV-1), Spike1 (S1), Mucin1 (MUC1), Complement decay-accelerating factor (CD55), Interleukin 6 (IL-6); 1 DNA strand: KRAS; 2 microRNA: COVID-19, miR-182-5p; 1 virus: COVID-19; 1 bacterium: Xylella fastidiosa. All detected at the single entity level in either saliva, blood serum, pancreatic cysts fluid, olive sap (see list of most relevant publications);
• uniquely capable to detect both a single protein and a single nucleic-acid marker in 0.1 ml of blood (Adv.Elec.Mat.2021 DOI: 10.1002/aelm.202100304);
• highly sensitive: limit-of-quantification, LOI (up to 1% false positives and false negatives) of 1 marker in 0.1 ml or equivalently at a concentration of 10 zM (Comm.2018 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05235-z; Sci.Adv.2022 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo0881; 1Adv.Sci.2022 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202203900);
• highly reliable qualitative (yes/no-type) platform working at a threshold of one marker in a droplet of 0.1 ml: over 300 assays (including more than 100 patients) with less than 1% of both false-positive and false-negative errors have been measured. (Sci.Adv.2022 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo0881; Advanced Materials 2023 submitted);
• in a mass POC screening in less than an hour and not invasively, a SiMoT self-test can highly reliably assess if a droplet of saliva contains or not at least a marker or a pathogen, thus enabling clinicians to conveniently and quickly isolate a subset of asymptomatic patients;
• demonstration that single-molecule assay at a millimeter-wide interface (working at the single molecule LOD/LOI) is not limited by the diffusion barrier plaguing single-molecule detection at a nanometric interface (near-field-like approach) that work at single molecule resolution but at LOD in the nM - mM range (Adv.Sci.2022 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202104381);
• identification of an amplification mechanism, still under investigation, involving the propagation of the conformational change from a single capturing antibody involved in the binding, to a large portion of the antibodies’ layer with the following main highlights:
  • collective interactions are in place possibly associated with an electrostatic network of hydrogen bonds connecting the antibodies that highly densely populate the electrodic surface. The binding event generates a defect in the network that propagates to neighboring elements through a domino-like effect. This results in a change of the electrostatic properties in the capturing layer, large enough to be detected with a sufficiently high signal-to-noise ratio, by a millimeter-sized transistor. (Chem.Rev.2022 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00290; Comm.2018 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05235-z; Chem.Mat.2019 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.8b04414).
  • The domino-like model is supported by the evidence that few binding events can elicit an extended work function change in a large area surface biofunctionalized with 10 million capturing antibodies. This is demonstrated by Kelvin-Probe-Force-Microscopy measurements of the gate surface potential showing how few affinity binding events (10 at most) cause a potential shift of a 10⁴ µm² wide portion of an electrode covered by a dense layer (≈10⁴ µm⁻²) of 10⁸ physisorbed antibodies. Hence the amplification of 1 binding event shifts the conformational state of 10 million antibodies/probes. (Adv.Interf.Mat.2022 DOI: 10.1002/admi.202201829).

 

• the SiMoT “umbrella-technology” has reached TRL5 (Technology validated in a relevant environment and pre-clinical studies have started) with two technologies, one comprising a single sensor (BioScreen project, Torsi is a PI) the other is a 96-wells ELISA-like array (SiMBiT project, coordinated by Torsi). The prototypes comprise a disposable cartridge and a reusable reader that operates via an app installed in a Bluetooth-connected smart-device. These projects are described in the following:
  • The BioScreen project demonstrated (Sci.Adv.2022 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo0881) how SiMoT technology can produce at TRL5 a portable salivary immunometric test that performs at the level of a molecular one. In fact, so far molecular tests are highly reliable and sensitive but lack portability and are not simple to use; conversely, easy-to-use antigenic tests still lack high performance. BioScreen has shown how to combine single-molecule sensitivity and outstanding reliability with ultra-portability and simplicity of use. This digital platform is capable of artificial intelligence–based binary classification at the limit of identification of one single marker or virus in 0.1 ml. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy are proven to reach 99.2% as validated through 240 assays, including a pilot clinical trial of 18 patients. The versatile immunometric system can detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus, spike S1, and immunoglobulin G antigen proteins in saliva, blood serum, and swab. The BioScreen prototype shown in the figure, has a small footprint comprising a disposable cartridge and a handheld electronic reader connected to a smart device. The sample handling is minimal, and the assay time-to-result is 21 min. Reliable and sensitive self-testing with an ultraportable and easy-to-use diagnostic system operated directly by a patient holds the potential to revolutionize point-of-care testing and early diagnosis deployable also in low resources settings. This is a link of a video showing how simple the whole assay procedure is: https://www.science.org/doi/suppl/10.1126/sciadv.abo0881/suppl_file/sciadv.abo0881_movie_s1.zip
  • The SiMBiT (Single-molecule bioelectronic smart system array for clinical testing) project (https://simbit-h2020.eu) has developed a bio-electronic 96-ELISA-like array prototype at TRL5 (shown on the left) that can perform single-molecule detection of both proteins (MUC1 and CD55) and genetic (KRAS) biomarkers. It is a cost-effective, portable multiplexing (parallel detection of three to five different markers from the same sample) 96 bio-electronic sensors array prototype. It integrates printed electronics, organic electronics, and a miniaturized Si IC chip, enabling a disposable assay plate at low-cost to be deployed for point-of-care. Pathologists at the University of Düsseldorf have proven the validity of the SiMBiT assay prototype in the clinical environment for high-throughput array-based assay. The platform is designed to be amenable to many different applications, but the project focused on the detection of markers associated with pancreatic cystic lesions susceptible to malignant transformation for the early diagnosis of human pancreatic neoplasms with time-to-results in an hour. Both cyst fluids and blood plasma from more than 100 patients with pancreatic cancer were assayed benchmarking the SiMBiT technology against state-of-the-art approaches such as: Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), ELISA (Enzyme-linked ImmunoAssay), and Single Molecule Array (SIMOA by Quanterix). Due to low sensitivity, the assay of protein markers MUC1 and CD55 in the plasma samples could not be successfully performed with SIMOA and ELISA assays. SiMBiT technology yielded, on the contrary, very encouraging results, namely: - i) the MUC1protein assay was proven to reliably distinguish between mucin-producing neoplasms and control samples; - ii) CD55 and KRAS (both protein and genetic markers) assay could discriminate high-grade mucin-producing neoplasms/pancreatic cancer from all the other samples; - iii) the combined multiplexing SiMBiT assay of MUC1, KRAS and CD55 resulted in 100% diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for the detection of a mucinous neoplasm and for the detection of high-grade mucinous neoplasm in cyst fluids as well as blood plasma samples. Moreover, SiMBiT technology is the most cost-effective, the fastest test, and the only platform which can be used for protein and genetic markers simultaneous testing. The companies involved in the project, FlexEnable Technologies Ltd (Cambridge, UK) and Masmec S.p.A (located in the Bari industrial district), are determined to bring the prototype to the market as soon as the already ongoing clinical trial is completed. Masmec S.p.A., already producing point-of-care systems, will handle to route to market for the final SiMBiT prototype that will include all the needed features to make the diagnostic process compliant with clinical protocols and regulations (Part of the data will be disseminated in a submitted Advanced Materials 2023 paper).

 

• SiMoT has also generated also other projects and applications and the most relevant are described in the following:
  • Apulian Regional Center “Single-Molecule Digital Assay”: the center, chaired by prof. Torsi is supported by the Apulian local government to bring the SiMoT technology from TRL5 (technology validated in a relevant environment, pre-clinical studies started, device validation process started) to maturity level TRL7 (demonstration of the system prototype in an operational environment; phase 2 clinical study completed; final product design of the medical device/digital system validated). Here a partnership with the Scientific Oncological Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare of Bari and the University of Brescia is in place. The digital biomedical device to be developed will also allow the transfer of analysis data directly to a database (cloud) to which healthcare personnel could have direct and fast access. In an optimized system, the analysis response with the possible diagnosis will then be sent back directly to the patient. Moreover, a thousand tests in the framework of a clinical trial, are being performed (trial expected to be completed in 3 years) and the results will have to verify the following characteristics: - i) single-molecule LOD/LOI in 0.1 ml; - ii) high reliability, e. false-positives and false-negatives less than 1-5%; - iii) time required to complete the test of less than one hour; - iv) operate directly on a patient's blood or saliva sample.
  • The 1LIVEXYLELLA project: fast and reliable electronic assay of infectious Xylella fastidiosa single bacterium in plants sap, is the topic of the project coordinated by prof. Torsi and financed by the Italian Ministry for Agriculture. It is focused on the development at TRL5 of a portable SiMoT device for the early diagnosis of the Xylella bacterium that is plaguing the Apulian Region’s monumental olive trees and threatening agriculture in Europe. Indeed, Xylella fastidiosa is among the most threatening pathogens as it can infect hundreds of plant species worldwide with dramatic consequences on agriculture and the environment. The project starts from the results of a recently produced prove-of-concept that concern an electrolyte-gated transistor demonstrated to detect Xylella fastidiosa at a limit-of-quantification (LOQ) of 2 ± 1 bacteria in 0.1 mL (20 colony-forming-unit per mL). The assay is carried out with a millimeter-wide gate functionalized with Xylella-capturing antibodies directly in saps recovered from naturally infected plants. The proposed platform is benchmarked against the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) gold standard, whose LOQ turns out to be at least one order of magnitude higher. Furthermore, the assay selectivity is proven against the Paraburkholderia phytofirmans bacterium (negative-control experiment). The proposed label-free, fast (30 min), and precise (false-negatives, false-positives below 1%) electronic assay, lays the ground for an ultra-high performing immunometric point-of-care platform potentially enabling large-scale screening of asymptomatic plants (Adv.Sci.2022 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202203900).

 

20 MOST RELEVANT PUBLICATIONS

The research activity is documented by over 230 ISI products also published also in journals with a very high impact factor such as Science and Nature Materials. The published works have obtained over 16.400 citations reaching an h-factor of 64. Furthermore, the works cited at least 10 times (i10-index) are more than 140 (Google Scholar).https://scholar.google.it/citations?hl=it&view_op=list_works&gmla=AJsN-F7GoVuEMJWUoEnS8CTJLEBVey0CPnjzydpM_UkhSxAGp7RPofdRWcwBUAcvvuP35qvt65hWDGMR5TW57hdV2NgRkFu_A12DP0bkvERGRh1l2rz93Q&user=4vNWapMAAAJ

Listed in the following are the most relevant 20 publications:

1. Genco, E., Modena, F., Sarcina, L., Björkström, K., Brunetti, C., Caironi, M., Caputo, M., Demartis, V.M., Di Franco, C., Frusconi, G., Haeberle, L., Larizza, P., Mancini, M.T., Österbacka, R., Reeves, W., Scamarcio, G., Scandurra, C., Wheeler, M., Cantatore, E.* Irene Esposito, I.* Macchia, E.* Torricelli, F.* Viola, A.F.* Torsi, L.* ”A Single-Molecule Bioelectronic Portable Array for Early Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer Precursors”Advanced Materials (IF=32.086) 2023, 202304102, DOI: 10.1002/adma.202304102
2. Scandurra,C., Kim Björkström, K., Sarcina, L., Imbriano, A., Di Franco, C., Österbacka, R., Bolella, P., Scamarcio, G., Torsi,L.,* Macchia, E.,* Single Molecule with a Large Transistor – SiMoT cytokine IL-6 Detection Benchmarked against a Chemiluminescent Ultrasensitive Immunoassay Array, Advanced Materials Technologies (IF= 8.856) 2023, 202201910, DOI: 10.1002/admt.202201910
3. Di Franco, C., Macchia, E., Sarcina, L., Ditaranto, N., Khaliq, A., Torsi, L.,* Scamarcio, G.* Extended Work Function Shift of Large-Area Biofunctionalized Surfaces Triggered by a Few Single-Molecule Affinity Binding Events. Advanced Interface Materials (IF=6.389), 2022, 202201829; DOI: 10.1002/admi.202201829
4. Sarcina, L.; Macchia, E;* Loconsole, G.; D’Attoma, G.; Bollella, P.; Catacchio M.; Leonetti, F.; Di Franco, C.; Elicio, V.; Scamarcio, G.; Palazzo, G.; Boscia, D.; Saldarelli, S.; and Torsi, L.*  Fast and Reliable Electronic Assay of a Xylella fastidiosa Single Bacterium in Infected Plants Sap. Advanced Science (IF= 17.521) 2022, 2203900 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202203900 – Featured as main covered.
5. Macchia, E., Kovacs-Vajna, Z.M., Loconsole, D., Sarcina, L., Redolfi, M., Chironna, M., Torricelli, F.,* Torsi, L.,* A handheld intelligent single-molecule binary bioelectronic system for fast and reliable immunometric point-of-care testing. Science Advances (IF= 14.98) 6 Jul 2022 Vol 8, Issue 27 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo0881
6. Macchia, E; Torricelli, F.; Bollella, P.; Sarcina, L.; Tricase, A.; Di Franco, C.; Österbacka, R.; Kovács-Vajna, Z.M.; Scamarcio, G.; Torsi, L.*; Large-Area Interfaces for Single-Molecule Label-free Bioelectronic Detection. Chemical Reviews (IF= 72.087) 2022,122, 4, 4636 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00290
7. Macchia, E., De Caro, L., Torricelli, F., Di Franco, C., Mangiatordi, G.F., Scamarcio, G., and Torsi, L.*, Why a diffusing single-molecule can be detected in few minutes by a large capturing bioelectronic interface. Advanced Science (IF= 17.521) 2022, 9,20, 210438; DOI: 10.1002/advs.202104381

 

8. Macchia E., Sarcina L., Driescher C., Gounani Z., Tewari A., Osterbacka R., Palazzo G., Tricase A., Vajna Z.M.K., Viol, F., Modena F., Caironi M.,Torricelli F., Esposito I.*, Torsi, L.*, Single-Molecule Bioelectronic Label-Free Assay of both Protein and Genomic Markers of Pancreatic Mucinous Cysts' in Whole Blood Serum, Advanced Electronic Materials (IF=7.633) 2021, 2199-160X, 2100304; DOI: 10.1002/aelm.202100304
9. Picca, M.R., Manoli, K., Macchia, E., Sarcina, L., Di Franco, C., Cioffi, N., Blasi, D., Österbacka, R., Torricelli, F., Scamarcio, G., Torsi, L.*, Ultimately sensitive organic bioelectronic transistor sensors by materials and device structures design. Advanced Functional Materials (IF=19.24) 2020, 30, art. No. 1904513, DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201904513  
10. Macchia E., Picca R.A., Manoli, K., Di Franco, C., Blasi, B., Sarcina, L., Ditaranto, N., Cioffi, N., Österbacka, R., Scamarcio, G., Torricelli, F., Torsi, L.*, About the amplification factors in organic bioelectronic sensors. Materials Horizons (IF=15.717) 2020, 7, 999 – 1013. DOI: 1039/C9MH01544B

Macchia, E., Manoli, K., Holzer, B., Di Franco, C., Ghittorelli, M., Torricelli, F., Alberga, D., Mangiatordi, G.F., Palazzo, G., Scamarcio, G., Torsi, L.*,  Single molecule detection with a millimetre-sized transistor. Nature Communication (IF=17.694) 2018, 9, art. No. 3223, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05235-z

Highlighted in Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05950-z

11. Mulla, M.Y.; Tuccori, E.; Magliulo, M.; Lattanzi, G.; Palazzo, G.; Persaud, K.; Torsi, L.*, Capacitance modulated transistor detects odorant binding protein chiral interactions. Nature Communication (IF=17.694) 2015, 6, art. No. 6010, DOI:1038/ncomms7010   
12. Manoli, K.; Magliulo, M.; Mulla, Y.M.; Singh, M.; Sabbatini, L.; Palazzo G.; Torsi, L.*, Printable bioelectronics to investigate functional biological interfaces. Angewandte Chemie Int Ed (IF=16.823) 2015, 54,12562-12576, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7010
13. Palazzo, G.; De Tullio, D.; Magliulo, M.; Mallardi, A.; Intranuovo, F.; Mulla, M.Y.; Favia, P.; Vikholm-Lundin, I.; Torsi, L.*, Detection beyond the Debye's length with an electrolyte gated organic field-effect transistor.  Advanced Materials (IF=32.086.4) 2015, 27, 911-916. DOI: 10.1002/adma.201403541  

1. Magliulo, M.; Manoli, K.; Macchia, E.; Palazzo, G.; Torsi, L.*, Tailoring functional interlayers in organic field-effect transistor biosensors. Advanced Materials (IF=32.086.4) 2015, 27, 7528-51 (Epub 2014 Nov 27), DOI: 10.1002/adma.201403477

15. Palazzo, G.; Magliulo, M.; Mallardi, A.; Angione, M.D.; Gobeljic, D.; Scamarcio, G.; Fratini, E.; Ridi, F.; Torsi, L.*,  Electronic Transduction of Proton Translocations in Nanoassembled Lamellae of Bacteriorhodopsin, ACS-Nano (IF=18.027) 2014, 8, 7834-7845. DOI: 10.1021/nn503135y
16. Angione, M.D.; Cotrone, S.; Magliulo, M.; Mallardi, A.; Altamura, D.; Giannini, C.; Cioffi, N.; Sabbatini, L.; Fratini, E.; Baglioni, P.; Scamarcio, G.; Torsi, L.*, Interfacial electronic effects in functional biolayers integrated into organic field-effect transistors. Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (IF=12.779) 2013, 109, 6429-6434. DOI:1073/pnas.1200549109 

1. Torsi, L.*,  Magliulo, M.; Manoli, K.; Palazzo, G., Organic field-effect transistor sensors: a tutorial review. Chemical Society Reviews (IF=60,615) 2013, 42 (22), 8612-8628. DOI: 10.1039/C3CS60127G

18. Torsi, L.*, Farinola, G. M.; Marinelli, F.; Tanese, M. C.; Omar, O. H.; Valli, L.; Babudri, F.; Palmisano, F.; Zambonin, P. G.; Naso, F.; A sensitivity-enhanced field-effect chiral sensor, state-of-the-art detection limit improved by three orders of magnitude. Nature Materials (IF=47.656) 2008, 7, 412-417. DOI:1038/nmat2167  
19. Dodabalapur, A.* Torsi, L., Katz, H. E.; Organic Transistors: Two-Dimensional Transport and Improved Electrical Characteristics Science (IF=63.832) 1995, 268, 270-271. DOI: 1126/science.268.5208.270  
20. Dodabalapur, A.* Katz, H. E.; Torsi, L., Haddon, R. C.; Organic heterostructure field-effect transistors Science (IF=63.832) 1995, 269, 1560-1562. DOI:1126/science.269.5230.1560

 

PATENTS

Patents pending:

1. 1. Torricelli, F, Torsi, L, Scamarcio, G, Kovacs-Vajana, ZM, A clustered FET bio-sensor system for biological assay 2019 PCT/IB2019/061345 on 24.12.2019.
2. 2. Torsi L., Scamarcio G., Macchia E., Manoli K., Palazzo G., Cioffi N., Picca R. A. Sensor useful for providing field effect transistor sensor, comprises source-drain channel, semiconductor layer on source-drain channel, first gate electrode, first well, semiconductor layer and first gate electrode. Patent Number: WO2019145755-A1. Patent Assignee Name and Code: UNIV BARI ALDO MORO (UYBA-Non-standard). 2019 Derwent Primary Ac-cession Number: 2019-67550N.
3. 3. Torsi, L., Palazzo, G., Scamarcio, G., “A field-effect transistor sensor” European Patent Application 2017 no. 17177349.2 filed on June 22, 2017.
4. 4. Torsi, L, Palazzo, G., Scamarcio, G., “Method of functionalization of a gate electrode of a field-effect transistor sensor” European Patent Application no. 16207596.4 filed December 30, 2016. International 2017 Patent no. PCT/IB2017/058065 filed December 18, 2017.

 

Patents granted:

5. 5. Torsi L., Palazzo G., Scamarcio, G., FET sensor e.g. biosensor for detecting biomarkers at the earliest possible stage of disease, has gate electrode that is functionalized with biological recognition elements layer patterned into several uncoupled domains. Patent Number(s): EP3418729-A1 WO2018234905-A1, 2018 Patent Assignee Name(s) and Code(s): UNIV BARI ALDO MORO (UYBA-Non-standard). Derwent Primary Accession Number: 2018-A39981.
6. 6. F. Babudri, G.M. Farinola, H.O: Hassan, F. Naso, F. Palmisano, M. C. Tanese, L. Torsi*, L. Valli, P. G. Zambonin; Organic thin film transistors comprising thienyl oligomers and their use as gaseous phase sensors. FT/TS/GV/ds/06578D53 (07.02.07) – International extension No. WO 2008/096239 – European Patent No. 2121647.
7. 7. Angione, M. D.; Cioffi, N.; Magliulo, M.; Palazzo, G.; Torsi, L.; Cotrone, S.; Scamarcio, G.; Sabbatini, L.; Mallardi, Organic field effect transistors based on multilayers of self-assembled biological systems covered by an organic semiconductor layer: processes for their realization and use as sensors. EP2385563-A1
8. 8. Angione, M. D.; Cioffi, N.; Magliulo, M.; Palazzo, G.; Torsi, L.; Cotrone, S.; Scamarcio, G.; Sabbatini, L.; Mallardi, A. Transistor e.g. FET, useful in sensor, comprises a conductive layer, a dielectric layer, and a semiconducting film that is deposited on top of receptor molecule layer previously deposited or covalently linked to surface of gate dielectric. Patent Number: WO2013065073-A1; WO2013065073-A8; US2014312879-A1
9. 9. Cioffi, N.; Ditaranto, N.; Sabbatini, L.; Tantillo, G.; Torsi, L.; Zambonin, P. G. New nanoparticles comprising a core formed from metal selected from silver, copper, tin and zinc and a shell formed of quaternary ammonium compound, useful in nanocomposite materials and as biostatic compounds or biocides. Patent number: EP2157211-A1.
10. 10. Cioffi, N.; Ditaranto, N.; Sabbatini, L.; Torsi, L.; Zambonin, P. G. Use of nano-particles in a fabric or polymer matrix for delaying the release speed of metal ions from the core into an aqueous material. Patent number: EP2123797-A1.
11. 11. Ananth Dodabalapur, Howard E. Katz, Luisa Torsi, Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ. Article comprising a thin film transistor with low conductivity organic layer United State Patent US005574291A;

Patent Number: 5,574,291; Date of Patent: Nov. 12, 1996.

12. 12. Ananth Dodabalapur, Howard E. Katz, Luisa Torsi, Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ. Article comprising an organic thin film transistor. United States Patent US005596208A; Patent Number: 5,596,208; Date of Patent: Jan. 21, 1997.
13. 13. Ananth Dodabalapur, Robert Cort Huddon, Howard E. Katz, Luisa Torsi, Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ. Article comprising an organic thin film transistor adapted for biasing to form a n-type or a p-type transistor. United States Patent US006278127B1; Patent Number: US 6,278,127 B1; Date of Patent: Au .21, 2001.

 

MAIN AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

2023    Spiers Memorial Lecture - Challenges and prospects in organic photonics and electronics, a Faraday Discussion, Royal Society of Chemistry

2023    Elected Member of the Accademia dei Lincei

2023    Premio Presidente della Repubblica awarded by the Accademia dei Lincei, an Italian prize introduced in 1949 by the former president and academic Luigi Einaudi. Among the people awarded, there are several winners of other important awards such as the Nobel Prize and the Wolf Prize.

2022    Fellow of Royal Society of Chemistry for significant contributions to the publication of papers in the field of chemical sciences.

2021    Wilhelm Exner Medal 2021 awarded for her pioneering contributions in the field of organic bioelectronics. The medal has been awarded since 1921 by the Austrian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises to celebrate excellence in research and science and is conferred in the presence of the Minister for Technological Innovation Leonore Gewessler under the aegis of the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen. The motivation is the following: Prof. Torsi's research crosswise combines electronic and electrochemical sensors, analytical chemistry, organic semiconductors, physics of solid-state devices, chemistry of materials and physics. Being at the forefront of one of the fastest growing research directions in organic electronics, her discoveries promise new technologies for healthcare and human well-being. The award has previously been conferred to 23 Nobel laureates, including scientists of the caliber of Guglielmo Marconi, William Shockley, Karl Ziegler, Ted Hänsch and Emmanuelle Charpentier https://www.wilhelmexner.org/en/. The Italian President Sergio Mattarella has invited Prof. Torsi to the Quirinale to personally congratulate her on this award.

2020    Canneri Medal awarded by the Analytical Chemistry Division of the Italian Chemical Society to distinguished scientists in the field of Analytical Chemistry https://www.soc.chim.it/it/divisioni/analitica/medaglie_premi_2020.

2019    Robert Kellner Lecture of the European Chemical Society Division of Analytical Chemistry honoring those who have made a substantial contribution to the advancement of research or teaching in analytical chemistry https://www.euchems.eu/divisions/analytical-chemistry/honours/  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00216-019-02373-1

2019    Outstanding Women of Southern Italy – Department for International Trade – UK Government Science and Innovation Network https://twitter.com/tradegovukITA/status/1104049783617044480/photo/2

2019    IUPAC (international Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry) Distinguished Women in chemistry or chemical engineering; the award recognizes and promotes the work of women in chemistry around the world. Winners are selected based on excellence in basic or applied research, for achievements in teaching or education as well as for demonstrating leadership or managerial excellence in the chemical sciences. https://iupac.org/iupac-2019-distinguished-women. 

2018    Plenary Lecture in the occasion of the inauguration of the academic year  at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Turin https://www.unito.it/eventi/il-dipartimento-di-chimica-dedica-linaugurazione-dellaa-2018-2019-al-tema-del-crescente-ruolo.     

2018    Silver medal of the Italian Chemical Society awarded to the Merck & Elsevier Young Chemistry Symposium by the "SCI Gruppo Giovani".

2017    Elected Fellow of the Material Research Society for pioneering work in bio-organic electronic sensors and their use in point-of-care testing https://www.mrs.org/careers-advancement/awards/spring-awards/mrs-fellows/list-of-mrs-fellows

2015    Overall platinum International European Women Inventors & Innovators Network Award for the biomedical devices she is developing.

2010    Heinrich Emanuel Merck Award conferred by the renowned pharmaceutical multinational that celebrates scientists who are developing innovative analytical chemistry methods with applications that aim to improve the quality of life. She was the first woman to win this award https://www.merckgroup.com/en/research/grants-and-awards/heinrich-emanuel-merck-award.html

 

SELECTION OF PLENARY AND INVITED LECTURES

Prof. Torsi has delivered more than 200 invited seminars and nearly 50 plenary reports and invited lectures at universities and research centers in the USA, Asia and Europe. In the following some selected pkenary and invited talks are listed:

Plenary Lectures: International Meeting on Chemical Sensors, Changchun, Ciana (2023, remote event); LOPEC; Driving the Future of Printed Electronics, Munich (2022); Corso di Orientamento della Scuola Normale superiore di Pisa (2022), Brazilian Materials Research Society, Foz do Iguaçu (2021); Biosensors 2020, Buson (2021); IEEE Nanotechnology Material and Device Conference, Stockholm (2019); Euroanalysis XX – European Chemical Society, Istanbul (2019); Inaugurazione anno accademico 208/2019 Dipartimento di Chimica – Università degli Studi di Torino (2018); 14^th International Symposium on Functional p-electron System, Berlin (2019); 2^ndEuropean Biosensor Symposium, Firenze (2019); Merck & Elsevier Young Chemistry Symposium by the “SCI Gruppo Giovani”; International Conference on Molecular Electronics, ElecMol’18 Paris, (2018); Polymer and Organic Materials for Electronics and Photonics: Science for Applications, Prague (2017); 12^th International Symposium on Functional p-electron System, University of Washington in Seattle – USA (2015); 8^th International Conference on Molecular Electronics and Bioelectronics (M&BE8) Tokyo,  Japan (2015); 4^th Zing Electrochemistry Conference – Portugal (2015); 8^th ECNP Inter­na­tional Conference on Nanostructured Polymers and Nanocomposites, Dresda (2014); Organic Photonics + Electronics Symposium Plenary Session at the SPIE Optics + Photonics Annual Meeting, San Diego (2014); Spanish Society for Analytical Chemis­try XVIII Meeting (2013); Euroanalysis XVI “challenges in modern analytical chemistry”– Belgrade (2011); 6^th conference on Analytical Sciences – Dublin (2011); 30th, CAS International Semiconductor Conference – Sinaia (2007).

Invited Lectures to universities, research centers and companies (selezione): École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL); Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa (Italy); E. Fermi Colloquia – European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS), Florence Italy; Institute of Hydro­chemistry – Technical University of Munich; University of Groningen – The Physics Collo­quium; Frontiers of Chemistry – Seminars – Headquarters of the Merck Group, Merck KgaA, Darmstad. Microelectronics Research Center – University of Texas at Austin; CNR-Istituto delle Macromolecole (I); Department of Chemistry – University of California; University of Cambridge CAPE-CIKC Advanced Technology Lectures; School of Materials Engi­neering – Nanyang Technological University; Institute of Material Research and Engi­neering, A*Star- Singapore; ITODYS-Paris VII; CNR-Istituto di Spettroscopia Molecolare (I); CNR-Istituto Lamel; Dipartimento di Chimica Inorganica-Università di Padova; Institut des Sciences et Technologies Molécu­laires d’Angers; Dipartimento di Chimica – Università di Pisa; Annual Doctoral Workshop, Chemistry Department of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

 

MANAGERIAL ACTIVITY

2022-     President of the Apulian Mechatronics District and Digital Innovation Hub, MEDISDIH s.c.ar.l., evolution of the Mechatronics Technological District strongly involved in the promotion of product and/or industrial process innovations that integrate the progress achieved by digital technologies in support of multidisciplinary mechatronics technologies http://www.medisdih.it/wp/cda/ http://www.medisdih.it/wp/cda/   

2022-     Vice-President of the Scientific Council of the National Research Council. The managerial structure of the CNR consists, in addition to the President, of two organs: the Board of Directors and the Scientific Council. The second has a consultative nature and is chaired by the President without the right to vote. The Vice President of the Scientific Council is elected by its members https://www.cnr.it/it/consiglio-scientifico.

2022-     President of the Apulian Regional Center for Single-Molecule Digital Assay: The main aim of the Center is the realization of 1000 clinical trials with the SiMoT technology invented and developed by the group led by Prof. Torsi. Moreover, the center aims at the validation of SiMoT device that operates directly in peripheral biologics fluids of patients for the digital detection of the markers/pathogens of oncological, neurological and infectious pathologies.

2018-     Member of the Board of Directors of "Fondazione Leonardo Civiltà delle Macchine" established by the Founding Partner Leonardo SpA which aims to promote dialogue with civil society, collaboration with stakeholders, communities and territories as well as to contribute to making people aware of Leonardo SpA as a pillar in the Country System and national asset of technological innovation https://fondazioneleonardo-cdm.com/it/fondazione/  

2018-19 Rector's delegate for the "management of the closure of the PON 2007/2013 and programming PON 2014/2020"

2019-21 Member of the Sounding Board of MilliporeSigma R&D (Boston)

2017-     Person in charge of the collaboration agreement between the University of Bari Aldo Moro and the Åbo Akademy University

2016    President of the European Material Research Society; first and only woman to serve on  this role https://www.european-mrs.com/meetings/2016-spring/plenary-session

2013-15 Vice-President of the European Material Research Society

2013-     Chair of the Patent Committee of the University of Bari  https://www.uniba.it/ateneo/tutela-della-proprieta-intellettuale/commissione-brevetti

 

LIST OF AWARDED PROJECTS

The projects awarded to Prof. Torsi and the consortia she often coordinates, have gathered almost 40 million euros (40 M€) in the last 16 years, and include several European, national, and regional contracts as detailed in the following:

On-going projects:

1.- 2023 - “Assessing the need for terminology, standards and guidelines for wearable devices that provide chemical / biochemical measurement readouts” – IUPAC The Analytical Chemistry Division (Div V) – 5, 000 $

2. - 2022 - “Apulian-EDIH – Digital Innovation Hub” – Submitted to the Digital Europe Program call DI-GITAL-2021-EDIH-INITIAL-01 — Initial Network of European Digital Innovation Hubs – application submitted by the Regional Mechatronic District and Digital Innovation Hub of Puglia S.c.a.r.l. – Prof. Torsi is the Legal Entity Appointed Representative - LEAR – The project, which is expected to receive a total of 4,700 M€ (€4,700,000) (https://www.mise.gov.it/it/incentivi/poli-europei-di-innovazione-digitale-european-digital-innovation-hubs-edih), has obtained the seal-of-excellence and we are awaiting the financing decree for the total amount or for a portion, at the moment not known.
3. - 2022 - "1LIVEXYLELLA - Portable technologies and innovative protocols for the ultra-sensitive diagnosis of Xylella fastidiosa directly in plants and vectors" funded by the Ministry of Agriculture - MIPAAF D.M. n.419161 of 09/13/2022 – Prof. Torsi is the Coordinator and the funding is 0.976 M€.
4. - 2022 - “DARE - Digit a Lifelong Prevention” Code PNC0000002, funded by the Ministry of University and Research as part of the National Plan for Complementary Investments - HUB: Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna - Prof. Torsi is responsible for the Task 4.3 finaced with 0,838 M€.
5. – 2022 - “INNOVA - Italian network of excellence for advanced diagnosis” - code PNC-E3-2022-23683266 PNC-HLS-DA” - Funded by the European Union Next Generation EU, Ministry of Health Directorate General for Research and Innovation in healthcare, Call section: LSH-DA - HUB Institution: FOUNDATION IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Applicant/PI Coordinator: FOUNDATION IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico – Prof.ssa Torsi is Scientific Referent for UNIBA which is Spoke level 2 – the total funding is 86 M€ while the funding to UNIBA is 2,812 M€.
6. - 2021 - "Single-Molecule - Innovation Center in Single-Molecule Digital Assay" - Agreement between the Apuglia Region and the University of Bari Aldo Moro for the implementation of the intervention "enabling technologies for the ultra-sensitive analysis of pathogens and markers - diffusion of knowledge in the Apulian territory and creation of research and technological development chains”, art. 14 of law r. no. 51 of 30 December 2021 (cup b93c22000840001) – Prof. Torsi is the President of the Center and the assigned funding is 2,000 M€.
7. - 2021 - “NoOne - A binary sensor with single-molecule digit to discriminate biofluids en-closing zero or at least one biomarker" - Call: ERC-2021-STG Topic: ERC-2021-STG Type of action: HORIZON ERC Grants Granting authority: European Research Council Executive Agency – Grant awarded to Dr. Macchia, Prof. Torsi is main collaborator and member of the executive board – Grant 2,500 M€.
8. - 2019 - “ACTUAL - At the forefront of Analytical ChemisTry: disrUptive detection technoLogies to improve food safety” – National project PRIN-17 (2017RHX2E4). – Prof. Torsi is the Coordinator and the awarded funding is 1,078 M€.
9. - 2019 - “BACE - Bioelectronic Control of Cell-functions” Åbo Akademi University Research Institutem Consortium leader by Prof. Ronald Österbacka, Co-PIs are Dr Marika Sjöqvist, Prof. M. Lindfelt, and Prof. Luisa Torsi. The total funding is 1 M€.

 

Completed projects:

10. - 2019-2022 – “SiMBiT - Single-molecule bioelectronic smart system array for clinical testing” – Research and Innovation Action - 824946 - H2020-ICT-2018-2020/H2020-ICT-2018-2. – Prof. Torsi is the Project Coordinator and the funding is 3,020 M€.
11. – 2020-2022 “BioSCREEN - Bioelectronic devices with detection limit of a single molecule for rapid reliable and low-cost screening of symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects to COVID-19" funded by Regione Lombardia - Regional Operative Program POR FESR 2014-2020, involving University of Brescia (Cooridnator), University of Bari (Prof. Torsi PI) and the industrial partner INTERSAIL. (POR FESR 2014-2020, ID number 1831459, CUP E81B20000320007) total budget 0.386 M€.
12. - 2018-2022 - “SPACE - “Spatiotemporal Control of Cell Functions”- Academy of Finland contract number 316883 -Collaborators Cecilia Sahlgren and Ronald Österbacka; total financing: 950 M€. Prof. Torsi is Principal Investigatorleading a Research Unit and the funding for the operating unit is 0,390 M€.
13. - 2018-2022 - “IDF SHARID - Innovative Devices For SHAping the RISk of Diabetes - ARS01_01270” PON“Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020” (2018-2022) Prof. Torsi is Principal Investigator leading a Research Unit and the funding to the unit was 0,565 M€.
14. - 2018-2022 - "PMGB - Development of mechatronic, genomic and bioinformatics platforms for precision oncology -ARS01_01195," PON "Research and Innovation 2014-2020" (Years 2018-2022). Prof. Torsi is Principal Investigator leading a Research Unit and the funding to the unit: 0,650 M€.
15. - 2018-2022 - "E-DESIGN - Combination of design, electronics and multifunctional materials for new aesthetic components - ARS01_01158", PON" Research and Innovation 2014-2020" (2018-2022). Prof. Torsi is Principal Investigator leading a Research Unit and the funding to the unit is 0,770 M€.
16. - 2018-2021 - “Disposable bio-electronic sensor for HIV self-powered by a biological fuel cell” National Research and Innovation Operational Program 2014-2020, European Social Fund, Action I.1 “Innovative Doctorates with Industrial Characterization PhD Course in Chemical and Molecular Sciences – 34th Cycle Scholarship Code: DOT1302393 – Scholarship No. 3 CUP: H94F18000250006 – Funding assigned to the project submitted by Prof. Torsi is 0,090 M€.
17. - 2014-2017 - “OrgBIO - Organic Bioelectronics” Marie Curie Initial Training Network FP7 PEOPLE 2013. Prof.ssa Torsi is Principal Investigator leading a Research Unit – and the funding to the unit is 0,383 M€
18. - 2013-2016 - “Sense of Care - OFET biosensors for point-of-care applications” ITN-EID Initial Training Network, European Industrial Doctorate FP7- People 2012 – Prof. Torsi is Project Coordinator and funding total is 0,470 M€.
19. - 2010-2014 - "LABORATORIO SISTEMA - Laboratory for the Integrated Development of Science and Technology of Advanced Materials and for Innovative Devices" Italian MIUR ministry project PON Research and Competitiveness 2007-2013 - Support for structural change-Enhancement of structures and scientific and technological equipment-Structural strengthening - Prof. Torsi is the Scientific Coordinator of the project which has obtained a grant of 13 M€.
20. - 2011-2013 -“Electronic and electrochemical biosensors” Italian MIUR ministry PRIN 2009 Project - 2009AZKNJ7 - Prof.ssa Torsi is Project Coordinator and the funding is 0,454 M€.
21. - 2010-2013 “FLEXSmell -Gas Sensors on Flexible Substrates for Wireless Applications” Marie Curie Initial Training Network FP7 PITN-GA-2009-238454. Prof. Torsi is the Project Coordinator and the funding is 3,806 M€.
22. - 2010-2012 “BioEGOFET -Electrolyte-Gated Organic Field-Effect Biosensor” – Strep project FP7 - ICT-2009-3.3-Flexible, Organic and Large Area Electronics. Prof. Torsi is Principal Investigator leading a Research Unit and thefunding for the research unit is 0,485 M€.
23. - 2009-2012 - "Study and development of innovative polymeric materials for applications in corneal laser surgery" - Strategic project of the Puglia Region CIP: PS_046. Prof. Torsi is Principal Investigator leading a Research Unit and the funding to the unit is 0,233 M€.
24. - 2009-2012 “AgroBioPack - Technologies for the Bioactive Packaging of Fresh Dairy Products from Puglia -” - MIUR-MEF Project of the Puglia Region DM 29040. Prof. Torsi is the Principal Investigator leading a Research Unit and the funding to the unit is 0,119 M€.
25. - 2009-2012 - “DM01 - Sensors and Laser Micro-Processings for Automotive and Manufacturing Applications” DM01 project of the Apulian mechatronics technological district – MEDIS. Prof. Torsi is Principal Investigator leading a research unit and the funding to the unit is 0.205 M€.
26. - 2011 - Prof. Torsi was responsible for a Research Agreement with Merck KGaA and the grant was 0.120 M€.
27. - 2007-2008 - “Plastic bio-FET sensors” MIUR PRIN 2006 Project – 2006037708 (2007-2008). Prof. Torsi is Project Coordinator and the funding was 0.152 M€.
28. - 2006-2007 - "Characterization of the factors that influence the lapping of ceramic materials surfaces by means of diamond-based abrasives" SAM Abrasivi srl Industrial research project. Prof. Torsi is the recipient of a budjet of 0.015 M€.
29. - 2006 "Development of low impact chemical methodologies" - Banca Cari-puglia Projects Foundation for the year 2006. Prof. Torsi is Project Coordinator and the funding is 0.070 M€.
30. - 2006 “Organic Thin Film Transistor Based Sensors - Detection of toxic gas sensors (NOx, CO and H2S) at the 20-50 ppm level” - Singaporean Defense Science Organization, Temasek Labs - JPP MD-NTU/06 /0 - Prof. Torsi is the Co-Principal Investigator and the assigned funding is 0.120 M€.

 

 

ORGANISATION OF MAJOR SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS  

2023    Chair 16th European Conference on Molecular Electronics (ECME) – Bari,

2021    Co-Director of the Workshop: Fundamental mechanisms to drive progresses in organic, and large-area bioelectronics – Ettore Majorana Center – Erice, suspended due to the pandemic,

2020    Member of the Boston Millipore-Signa Study Group “Pandemic Supermind Activation” which brings together leaders of life sciences and other disciplines, harnessing the power of humans and technology to identify critical unmet needs of the COVID-19 pandemic https://www.pandemicsupermind.org/page/about

2020    Program Chair Europe of the Large-area, Organic & Printed Electronics Convention (LOPEC) – Munich March 24-26, 2020

2016    Co-Chair Organic Photonics + Electronics 2016 Symposium– SPIE – San Diego (USA)

2015    General Chair of the Material Research Society Fall Meeting / Boston (USA) https://www.mrs.org/fall2015/

2012    General Chair of the European Material Research Society Spring Meeting / Strasburg

2008-15 Chair and Program Committee member for the organization of several Symposia and Conference for E-MRS, MRS, and SPIE

 

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSABILITIES

2020- National Representative appointed by the Italian Ministry of Research for Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions in the Program Committee for Horizon Europe

2019- National Representative in the Division of Analytical Chemistry of IUPAC https://iupac.org/body/500/

2016 Italian Representative in the Task Force Materials Characterization - European Council (EMCC) of the European Commission https://www.instm.it/public/45/Report%20Task%20Force%20Characterisation_final_23-09.pdf

2013-20 Expert appointed by the Italian Ministry of Research in the Italian Program Committee for Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Biotechnology, and Advanced Manufacturing and Processing of Horizon 2020

2017- Coordinator of the Doctoral Degree Course in Chemical and Molecular Sciences Department of Chemistry, University of Bari

2010-15 Coordinator of the Degree Course in Materials Science - University of Bari

2011-13 Coordinator of the Scientific Commission of the Italian Chemical Society https://www.soc.chim.it/it/printpdf/18

2010-13 Member of the Board of the Analytical Chemistry Division of the Chem. Italian

2007-10 National Coordinator of the "Sensors Group" of the Italian Chemical Society

2006-07 Director of the Bari Unit of the National Consortium for Materials Science and Technology – INSTM

 

COMMISSION OF TRUST

2020- President of the Jury for the assignment of prizes of the European Chemical Society (                           EuChemS) Division of Analytical Chemistry

2019- Member of the Fellow award sub-committee of the Material Research Society (USA)

2018- Senior Editor of ACS Omega https://pubs.acs.org/page/acsodf/editorial-board.html

2014    Member of the ICT review panel / Swedish Research Council / Sweden

2014    Member of the ICT review panel / Research Council - Academy of Finland /Finland

2014- Official Nominator for the “Japan Prize”

2013    Member of the PE5 ERC Consolidator Grants panel https://erc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/document/file/erc_2013_cog_panel_members.pdf

2012    Member of the Chemistry Panel of GEV Area 3 – ANVUR VQR 2004-2010 https://www.anvur.it/attivita/vqr/vqr-2004-2010/gev/area-3-scienze-chimiche/area-3- components-and-organization/

2010-12 Chair of the Evaluation Panel of the European Commission for Marie Curie Actions –Research Fellowships; she fulfilled this role for three consecutive years

2016-17 Regional Editor for Europe of “Flexible and Printed Electronics” Journal of the Institute of Physics

 

MAIN TEACHING ACTIVITY (last five years)

Each academic year prof. Torsi has carried out no less than 350 hours of overall teaching activity, of which at least 60 hours of frontal teaching activity; the specific courses held in the last 5 years were the following:

-  Analytical Chemistry of Materials for the master's degree course in Materials Science and Technology (6 academic credits)

- Analytical Chemistry II with Laboratory for the bachelor’s degree course in Materials Science and Technology (6 academic credits)

- High-performance bioelectronic sensors for the Ph.D. course in Chemical and Molecular Sciences (2 academic credits).

 

ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT WOMEN IN STEMS

Torsi is actively engaged in promoting women in STEM and as a role model for young female scientists. She has given several talks on this topic, including a TEDx seminar (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxiq6OmMUYs). In a recent campaign to foster gender equality in science among children, prof. Torsi was featured in a story of TOPOLINO (Italian comic digest-size series of Disney comics), as “Louise Torduck”, a successful female scientist of the Calisota valley. She also performed the following tasks:

• Author of the editorial published on ACS Omega entitled: “Let Us Together Shine a Light on Women in STEM” https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.0c01236.
• Invited speech entitled "How not to STEM women's potential" in the presence of the Swedish Minister for Equal Opportunities at the workshop entitled "Women in Innovation and Sustainability" held in Stockholm.
• Selected by the Bracco Foundation and the Representation in Italy of the European Commission among the #100 Experts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEMs) (https://100esperte.it). Corriere della Sera and the "Uno Mattina" program highlighted the initiative and the photographer Gerald Bruneau portrayed some of the experts giving birth to an exhibition #Una-VitadaScienziata, set up at the Italian Diagnostic Center in Milan and at the Italian Embassy in Washington.
• Several interviews in local and national newspapers.