User:Ciccioformaccio/Claudio Nastruzzi

Claudio Nastruzzi (born 1958) is an Italian chemist, professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at University of Ferrara.

Early life
Claudio Nastruzzi was born in Ferrara, Italy on 29 March 1958, near Stadio Paolo Mazza (a football stadium located in the GAD district in Ferrara; home of the Serie A football team S.P.A.L.). He is a pharmacist and biomaterial chemist whose activity is focused, since early 90s, on biomaterials science, pharmaceutics, drug delivery and, more generally, on pharmaceutical sciences.

Academic activity
Nastruzzi was educated in pharmaceutical technology at the School of Pharmacy of the University of Ferrara, working on the isoxazole chemistry. Subsequently, he obtained the PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences working on liposome based formulations and later he was a postdoctoral fellow at Institute fur Polymere at ETH, Zurich, under the supervision of Prof. Pier Luigi Luisi.

Nastruzzi is currently professor at the Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology at the University of Ferrara, where he founded the Biomaterials and Encapsulation Laboratory (BEL) dealing with research in the field of drug delivery and controlled release. BEL is actively involved in the fields of biomaterials and microfluidics.

Personal life
Nastruzzi enjoys sport activity; he was a former athlete of Volley Portomaggiore, Old Rugby Rovigo Delta and CUS Ferrara Canottaggio. He is currently member of the cycling teams Witoor and Arieti Ferrara.

Biomaterials & Bioencapsulation Laboratory (BEL)
In 2002, Nastruzzi started the activity of the Laboratory of Biomaterials & Bioencapsulation. The main goal of the Laboratory is an integrative concept of research and teaching in the fields of biomaterials, bioencapsulation, drug formulation and drug delivery. Currently are under investigation different formulations including, inorganic matrixes, liposomes, lipospheres, microparticles, nanocapsules, microemulsions and polymeric films. Another important field of study of the Laboratory of Biomaterials & Bioencapsulation is represented by cell encapsulation and transplant using natural, synthetic and engineerized polymers. The research group focuses on the production and characterization of particulate delivery systems, including liposomes and microspheres for gene therapy and microparticles. The laboratory has also expertise in tissue engineering and cell encapsulation protocols (pancreatic islets, Sertoli cells, osteoblasts, etc.) and biocompatibility tests for the validation of biomaterials. The rapid prototyping section focuses on the design and development of small laboratory equipment for biotech applications and microencapsulation protocols. Finally, the laboratory know-how has expanded to the design, production and use of microfluidic chip for the production of nanoparticles and microparticles.