WORK EXPERIENCES
Post-Doc Research Fellowship
November 2024 - ongoing
University of Bologna-LIFE SCIENCES AND HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES
PhD in Health and Technologies (XXXVII cycle)
November 2021- October 2024
University of Bologna-Department of Medicine and Surgery and Department of Chemistry ‘G. Ciamician
Thesis: Biological estimate of safe packaging through 3D-bioprinted models
Experimental activity:
Preparation and characterisation of hydrogel formulations for 3D-bioprinting applications. Different biocompatible hydrogels were synthesised and characterised by thermal analysis, morphology, swelling tests, degradation tests, rheology, evaluation of printability for bioprinting by extrusion, stability in static and dynamic cell cultures in an assembled bioreactor system.
Instrumental techniques:
Rheometer, extrusion-based bioprinting, SEM, bioreactor assembly, mechanical testing, FT-IR, optical microscopy, Origin software, GraphPad Prism 8.0 software
Other activities:
- GreenMap project (greenmap.zut.edu.pl)
- PhD student representative of the ‘G. Ciamician’ department
Visiting PhD student at MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, University of Maastricht
Complex Tissue Regeneration Department, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Experimental activity:
Experimental activity:
Fabrication and characterisation of 3D bioprinted liver models by extrusion-based bioprinting with different hydrogel formulations. The models were designed and characterised by rheology, printability assessment and morphological analysis. Subsequently, the bioprinted models were biologically characterised by proliferation assays, albumin and urea secretion, staining of nuclei and cytoskeleton, and PCR analysis for liver-specific gene expression. Both static and dynamic cultures were performed, highlighting the differences. Finally, the models were treated with a hepatotoxic drug for hyperthyroidism, and proliferation and gene expression were again investigated.
Instrumental techniques:
GESIM extrusion-based bioprinter, microplate reader, RT-qPCR, tissue and cell cultures, fluorescence microscope, slidescanner, live cell microscope, stereomicroscope, Graphpad software.
Visiting PhD student at KBFolie Poland Sp. o.o. (Warsaw, Poland)
March 2023 - May 2023
Preparation and characterisation of multilayer films for application in biomedical packaging.
Tutor for the course ‘Functional Polymeric Materials (Module 2)’ of MSc in Photochemistry and Molecular Materials
Laboratory activities with students:
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), preparation of polymer films by hot press and tensile and compression tests on different polymers, such as nylon-11, polystyrene (PS) and polycaprolactone (PCL)
Visiting PhD student at Comprisetech GmbH (Hamburg, Germany)
September 2022 - November 2022
Compounding, filament extrusion and 3D-printing of polymeric materials containing packaging additives
Intern (at MOMENTIVE PERFORMANCE MATERIALS SPECIALTIES)
June 2013
Work experience in agreement with the Liceo Scientifico ‘Alfano da Termoli’, carried out at the chemical quality control laboratory.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
PhD in Health and Technologies (XXXVII cycle)
November 2021- October 2024
University of Bologna-Department of Medicine and Surgery and Department of Chemistry ‘G. Ciamician’
Thesis: Biological estimate of safe packaging through 3D-bioprinted models
Supervisors: Prof. Maria Letizia Focarete, Prof. Claudio Borghi
Master's Degree in Photochemistry and Molecular Materials (Class LM-54 Chemical Sciences)
September 2019-July 2021
Thesis: Development of nanostructured electrically responsive materials for artificial muscles
Supervisor: Prof. Maria Letizia Focarete
Grade: 110/110 with distinction
Experimental activity:
This thesis project, which is part of the European project ‘Magnify’, aims to develop polymeric non-wovens by means of the core-shell electrospinning technique, to realise electrically conductive coatings of individual nanofibres using dip coating and electroless plating processes, and finally, to electrospin aligned molecular machines. The aim is to make artificial myofibrils, which will then be assembled into hierarchical structures, imitating the structure of human muscles, in order to make artificial muscles for soft robots.
BSc in Chemistry and Materials Chemistry (Class L-27 Chemical Science and Technology)
September 2016-July 2019
Thesis: Functional magnetic nanoparticles embedded in polymeric nanofibrous fabrics
Supervisor: Prof. Maria Letizia Focarete
Grade: 110/110 with distinction
Experimental activity:
Development and characterisation of polymeric non-wovens, realised through the electrospinning technique, containing magnetic nanoparticles homogeneously dispersed within the fibres.
PARTICIPATION IN CONGRESSES
-Oral Presentation
Mariangela Rea, Claudio Borghi, Lorenzo Moroni, Maria Letizia Focarete, ‘GelMA-Alginate interpenetrating polymeric network (IPN) for the design of a 3D bioprinted liver model for dynamic cell cultures', in CESB 2024, 8th CHINA-EUROPE SYMPOSIUM ON BIOMATERIALS IN REGENERATIVE MEDICINE , Nuremberg (Germany), 15-18 September 2024
-Oral presentation
Mariangela Rea, Luana Di Lisa, Daniele Nuvoli, Cristiano Albonetti, Alberto Mariani, Maria Letizia Focarete ‘Frontal polymerisation for the synthesis of semi-interpenetrating cross-linked networks: Tuning Properties for Versatile Hydrogel Applications’ in IUPAC MACRO 2024 THE 50TH WORLD POLYMER CONGRESS, Warwick (UK), 1-4 July 2024
-Oral presentation
Mariangela Rea, Luana Di Lisa, Daniele Nuvoli, Cristiano Albonetti, Alberto Mariani, Maria Letizia Focarete ‘Frontal polymerisation of semi-interpenetrating polymer networks with tunable mechanical properties for versatile hydrogel applications’ in Macrogiovani 2024, Rimini (Italy), 12-13 June 2024
-Oral Presentation
Mariangela Rea, Sarah Black, Richard Gross, Claudio Borghi, Maria Letizia Focarete, ‘Rheological evaluation of enzymatically cross-linked and tyrosine-functionalized alginate hydrogels for biomedical applications’ Abstract submitted to the organising committee of the AIM MACROGIOVANI event, Catania (Italy), 21-23 June 2023
-Poster contribution
Conference of the GreenMap Project ‘Bio-based polymers at the forefront of innovation in materials science’, BERTINORO (FC, ITALY) 12-14 APRIL 2023
Work title: ‘Evaluating safety of plastic packaging through 3D-bioprinted liver models’
-Oral presentation
Mariangela Rea, Carlo Gotti, Andrea Zucchelli, Francesca Soavi, Catia Arbizzani, Anna Liguori, Chiara Gualandi, Maria Letizia Focarete, ‘Electrically conductive polymeric nanofibrous fabrics for flexible and stretchable nanocables’ Abstract submitted to the organising committee of the event SYNC2022: First symposium for young chemists: innovation and sustainability, Rome (Italy), 20-23 June 2022
- Oral presentation
Mariangela Rea, Giorgia Pagnotta, Luana Di Lisa, Claudio Borghi, Maria Letizia Focarete, ‘Development of a GelMA/Alginate Interpenetrating Polymer Network (IPN) hydrogel for 3D-bioprinting of liver models’ Abstract submitted to the organising committee of the AIM MACROGIOVANI event, Florence (Italy), 16-17 June 2022
- Poster contribution
Polymers 2022 - New trends in Polymer Science: Health of the Planet, Health of the People, Torino (Italy), 25-27 May 2022
Work title: 3D-BIOPRINTED MODELS: A POTENTIAL TOOL FOR ESTIMATING SAFETY OF PLASTIC FOOD PACKAGING
-Poster contribution
XX Emilia Romagna Chemistry Day 2021, Ferrara (Italy), 16 December 2021
Work title: Realization of electrically responsive nanofibers for artificial muscles
- Oral presentation
Mariangela Rea, Carlo Gotti, Anna Liguori, Chiara Gualandi, Maria Letizia Focarete, ‘Development of nanostructured electrically responsive materials for artificial muscles’, Abstract submitted to the organising committee of the AIM MACROGIOVANI event, Genoa (Italy), 22-23 July 2021
SCHOOLS
- ‘Additive manufacturing in healthcare: from 3d printing to bioprinting’, Lake Como School of Advanced Studies, Como (Italy), 5-9 June 2023
- ‘Designing bio-based polymers for circular economy: from green monomers to green polymers’, 1st GreenMap summer school, 19-21 September 2022 in Szczecin, Poland
- ‘Chemistry for a sustainable future’ Workshop in memory of Dr. Doriana Scittarelli, 9 September 2022 - virtual edition
- XL Congress-School ‘Mario Farina’ AIM - Italian Association of Science and Technology of Macromolecules, Bertinoro (FC), Italy 1-6 May 2022
- API congress,3rd International Congress Advances in the Packaging Industry ‘Sustainability: Products and Processes’, 11-12 November 2022, virtual edition
PRIZES AND AWARDS
- Best oral presentation at the AIM MACROGIOVANI event, Genoa (Italy), 22-23 July 2021
-Marco Polo scholarship (2023) to support mobility activities abroad for PhD students and young researchers
- Una Europa PhD Impact Award (2024), evaluating the economic, social, educational and health impact of the PhD project
Organizing committee congress member
- Member of local organizing committee of “Bio-based polymers at the forefront of innovation in materials science” international conference, held in Bertinoro (Italy), 12-14 April 2023
- Member of local organizing committee of “MACROGIOVANI 2024” national conference, held in Rimini (Italy), 12-13 June 2024
CO-SUPERVISED THESIS
- “Synthesis and characterization of hydrogels for 3D Bioprinting process”, BSc degree in Chemistry and Materials Chemistry, 2021
- “Study of mechanical properties of GelMA according to different crosslinking parameters”, MSc degree in Chemistry, 2021
