Consorzio Interuniversitario per lo sviluppo dei Sistemi a Grande Interfase
Center for Colloid and Surface Science

Personal information

Position: Permanent Staff

Email: maria.sportelli@uniba.it

Phone: +39 080 5442112

Location: Bari


Fields of Interest and Expertise

Nanotechnology, analytical spectroscopy, biofilm inhibition, antimicrobials, antivirals, active food packaging.

Teaching

Chemistry I, Analytical Chemistry Module - Biological Sciences @ Biology Dept., University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Italy

Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry I - Chemistry Dept., University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Italy

Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry I - Materials Science @ Physics Dept., University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Italy

Curriculum Vitae

MCS graduated in Chemistry -summa cum laude- at the University of Bari, studying the synthesis and characterization of ZnO antimicrobials. Her work was awarded as the best Italian master thesis in Analytical Chemistry for 2012.

In 2016 she accomplished her PhD studies in Chemistry of Innovative Materials (Analytical Chemistry) at the University of Bari and Ulm University (DE), working on the development, characterization and analytical application of new nanostructured materials and organic/inorganic nanocomposites. Her PhD thesis was recognized as the best of the PhD School in Chemical Science, XXVIII cycle, winning the 2016 “Gianfranco Giorgio PhD Award”. She received the "Young Scientist Award 2015” at XVIII Euroanalysis Conference, along with the Gordon F. Kirkbright Bursary Award 2017 from the Association of British Spectroscopists Trust (ABS Trust), the Ambrogio Mazzucotelli Award 2018 from the Italian Chemical Society, and the European Young Chemist Award EYCA 2020 Gold Medal for the Early Career Researcher level. The last three were granted for her achievements in the spectroscopic characterization of biofilms exposed to antimicrobial thin films. Since 2016, she had several post-doc fellowships, still working on the synthesis, surface spectroscopic and microscopic characterization of nanomaterials, and their application as antimicrobial agents. She is currently tenured research Assistant Professor in Analytical Chemistry at the Chemistry Department of the University of Bari. Since 2012, MCS is member of the Italian Chemical Society (SCI) and has been part of the Organizing Committee of the PhD School “CHESS”, for the 2017 and 2019 editions, along with the international iSo-Days 2020 Conference. MCS serves as referee many international Journals and is member of the Topic Editorial Board of “Antimicrobials”. Currently, she is co-editing a special issue on the same Journal and on the Journal “Reactions”. Her scientific production is documented by more than 50 papers on peer-reviewed journals, 8 technical papers on journals without impact factor, 9 conference proceedings, 5 book chapters, and more than 220 communications presented at national and international conferences. H-index = 21 (Scopus). MCS has a 10-year experience in the synthesis and analytical characterization of metal nanoparticles, polymers, and nanostructured hybrid materials with antimicrobial properties. Her research mainly focuses on the use of combined analytical techniques for understanding microbial contamination, eradication, and fighting through controlled ionic release.

Awards

2020 European Young Chemist Award EYCA Gold Medal, Early Career Researcher from EuChemS

2018 Ambrogio Mazzucotelli Award, as the best Italian young spectroscopist from the Analytical Chemistry Division, Italian Chemical Society (SCI)

2017 Gianfranco Giorgio PhD Award, best PhD Thesis in Chemical Sciences from the University of Bari

2017 Gordon F. Kirkbright Bursary Award, best European young spectroscopist from the Association of British Spectroscopists Trust (ABS Trust)

2015 Young Scientist Award for the Best Oral Presentation from the XVIII EuroAnalysis Conference - France

2013 Italian best Master Thesis in Analytical Chemistry from the Italian Chemical Society

Unit

Publications

Silver Nanoparticles Entrapped in Zein Films as Biocompatible Coatings for Food Preservation

- Antonica Valeria Montefusco - Margherita Izzi - Maria Chiara Sportelli - Rosaria Anna Picca - Nicola Cioffi
Proceedings of the 2023 IEEE 13th International Conference Nanomaterials: Applications and Properties, NAP 2023

BIODEGRADABLE POLYMER FILMS TO PREVENT BIOFILM FORMATION FOR FOOD PACKAGING APPLICATION

- Kukushkina E. - Maria Chiara Sportelli - Nicoletta Ditaranto - Altun N. - Gonzalez P. - Rosaria Anna Picca - Nicola Cioffi
ECCM 2022 - Proceedings of the 20th European Conference on Composite Materials: Composites Meet Sustainability

Self-Standing Bioinspired Polymer Films Doped with Ultrafine Silver Nanoparticles as Innovative Antimicrobial Material

- Kukushkina E.A. - Duarte A.C. - Tartaro G. - Maria Chiara Sportelli - Cinzia Di Franco - Fernández L. - García P. - Rosaria Anna Picca - Nicola Cioffi
International Journal of Molecular Sciences

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