Background

Guido completed his Master degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” in 2008. He obtained an international joint PhD in “Theoretical and Applied Mechanics” in 2012 at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and University Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL) under the supervision of Prof. R. Di Leonardo, Prof. C. M. Casciola, Prof. L Bocquet. His Ph.D. research focussed on the characterization of single/multi-phase micron-scale flows and colloidal particles by means of a number of optical techniques, such as digital holographic microscopy, optical trapping, micro-particle image velocimetry, confocal and fluorescent microscopy. He also carried out both independently, and in collaboration, atomistic and continuum numerical simulations to describe the light-matter interaction and the dynamics of fluid flows and colloidal systems.

 

In 2011, he joined the Membrane Biophysics Group in the Chemistry Department at Imperial College as a post doctoral research associate to work on a EPSRC-funded project, titled “Optical Control of Emulsion Drops for Nanofluidics and Microfabrication”. This project explored the fundamental science behind the optical manipulation of ultralow interfacial tension droplets and was developed in collaboration with the Chemistry Department of Durham University and the Central Laser Facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

In 2015, he was awarded a translational grant, funded by the EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account at Imperial College London, to identify killer applications of the novel optonanofluidic platform technology he developed.

 

In October 2016, he joined the Department of Chemical Engineering at Loughborough University as Lecturer in Bioengineering and he was promoted to Senior Lecturer in October 2020.

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In January 2023, Dr Bolognesi has joined the Department of Chemistry of University College London as Associate Professor in Physical Chemistry. He is currently a visiting fellow of Loughborough University.

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Qualifications:

• 2012  PhD in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (University of Rome “La Sapienza” and University Claude Bernard Lyon 1)

• 2008 MSc in Mechanical Engineering  (University of Rome “La Sapienza”)

• 2005 BSc in Mechanical Engineering  (University of Rome “La Sapienza”)

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Outline of main research interests​

His research interests lie in the experimental investigation of the physico-chemical behaviour of soft matter (such as colloids, lipid membranes) and fluid flows at the micrometer length scale with an interdisciplinary approach based on expertise in mechanics, micro-/nano-fluidics, microfabrication techniques, optics, interface and colloid science. His main research activities are:

• Microfluidic generation, manipulation and characterisation of functional particles and particle-based materials for drug-delivery, drug-screening and bio-sensing

• Optical manipulation and construction of micro-particle based assemblies for compartmentalised chemistry and synthetic biology

• Experimental/numerical investigations of single-phase and two-phase micron-scale flows

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Grants

• EPSRC New Horizons Award "Solute-driven Online Preconcentration in Lateral Flow Assay (SOP-LFA) devices for ultrasensitive biochemical testing". Mar 2023 - Dec 2024

• EPSRC New Investigator Award "Particle Filtration and Accumulation by Solute-driven Transport (FAST) for bio-analysis in microfluidic devices". Dec 2018 - Nov 2022

• EPSRC Strategic Equipment Grant (co-I) "Integrated atomic force and confocal fluorescence lifetime imaging microscope with fibre-coupled infrared detector for materials research". Dec 2019 - Mar 2022