Giancarlo Masci

Associate professor
Biography
Giancarlo Masci was born in Rome (Italy) on january 29, 1965. He took the italian "Laurea" cum laude in Chemistry at the University of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy, in 1989. PhD in Chemistry Sciences at the University of Rome "La Sapienza", Italy in 1993, Since 1997 he has been working at the University of Rome "La Sapienza", Chemistry Department, as Researcher . In 2012 he passed the Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale (Italy) as Associate Professor. The research activity of Prof. Masci was mainly in the field of Controlled radical polymerization, mainly Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) for the synthesis of complex architecture block and graft copolymers with controlled molecular weight and low polydispersity to be used for self-assembling of pH or thermosensitive nanoparticles. He also has been working in the field of polysaccharides chemical modification for the preparation of nanoparticles and hydrogels. Since 2013 he has been studying also the preparation of conjugated polymers between oligo-peptides with a regularly alternated stereoregular structure and biocompatible polymers both synthetic and natural (polysaccharides). Since 2014 he has been working in a project concerning new biocompatible ionic liquids based on cholinium-amino acid room temperature ionic liquids ([Ch][AA] RTILs). In this work his group developed a new preparation method for these ILs which results significantly more rapid and green than the other methods reported in the literature. He is a member of the Italian Macromolecular Association (AIM). He is Member of Chemical Science Doctorate School of Rome Sapienza University. Since 1997 he was financed as participant with several national and local Grants. The last two years he was financed as participant by the Awards Grant (about 60.000 €) of Sapienza university of Rome. He published about 50 papers on international peer reviewed Journals. H INDEX = 22. About 1100 citations.
Research activity
Scientific area: 
Industrial chemistry
Research activity: 
- Atom Transfer Radical Polymerizations for the synthesis of amphiphilic stimulus sensitive (pH, temperature) grafted and block copolymers. Study of the associative properties in aqueous solution (micelles, vesicles, nanoparticles) of the copolymers using fluorescence spectroscopy, static and dynamic light scattering, GPC, TEM, SEM. - Synthesis and chemico-physical characterization of polysaccharide derivatives. - Synthesis and characterization of peptide-polymer conjugates. Peptides with regularly alternating enantiomeric sequences capable of forming ordered structures helical stabilized by hydrogen bonds that lead to the association in tubular structures. Peptides are conjugated with hydrophilic polymers able to stabilize in aqueous solution nanoparticle structures with a hydrophobic core formed by the peptide and the hydrophilic shell formed by the polymer. - Synthesis and physico-chemical characterization of ionic liquids based on amino acids and choline, chemico-physical characterization and their use in the solubilization of polysaccharides.
Scientific papers: 
Teaching
Available to students: 
Mercoledi dalle 11 alle 12

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