Alessia Lepore, Ph.D.
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Ai fini della pubblicazione
Departement of Physics University of Rome “Sapienza”
Email: alessia.lepore@roma1.infn.it
Current Appointment
2014
Scholarship at Department of Physics, University of Roma “Sapienza”
Experimental study of flagellar propulsion in Escherichia coli using optical tweezers.
Supervised by Dr. Roberto Di Leonardo
Previous Appointments
2011-13 Institute of Chemical and Physical Processes (IPCF) - the Italian National Research Council
(CNR) - UOS di Roma "Sapienza" (affiliation):
Development a new method to quantify bacterial motility using Image Correlation Spectroscopy.
This technique based on 2D Fourier analysis of digital images allows a fast and accurate characterization of motility parameters. The spatially resolved motility of bacteria in an external field
has been successfully quantified by this technique.
2010-13 ENEA Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (scientific collaboration supervised by Dr. Stefania Baccaro):
Test the gamma irradiation effects on cellulose structure. A complete description of the effects
of gamma irradiation has been given in a wide range of absorbed doses using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR and ATR-FTIR) and
thermogravimetric analysis (TG- DTG).
Higher Education
2014
Ph.D in Physics, Università degli studi di Roma Tre
Thesis: “Active Dynamics in a Bacterial Bath”
Supervisors: Prof. Antonio Di Carlo and Dr. Roberto Di Leonardo
Reviewer: Prof. Lydéric Bocquet
2010
M.Sc. In Physics, Università di Roma “Sapienza”
Thesis: “Study by NMR single-sided of radiation effects in biopolymers: a study for the application on
archeological paper”
Supervisors: Prof. Francesco De Luca and Dr. Stefania Baccaro
2006
B.Sc. in Physics, Università di Roma “Sapienza”
Thesis: “Non-destructive methodology for the analysis of white marble of artistic and archeological interest”
Supervisor: Prof. Marco Severi
Ph.D. Schools & Workshop
09/2013 International Soft Matter Conference 2013
Università di Roma “Sapienza” (Roma, Italy)
06/2013 Active Particles and Microswimmers
Max Planck Institute for Intelligent System (Rinberg Germany)
09/2012 Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Soft Active Matter
Second Sperlonga Summer School on Mechanics and Engineering Sciences (Sperlonga, Italy)
09/2012 PhysCell2012
Pierre-Gilles De Gennes Advanced School and Conference on Cellular Biophysics (Hyères, France)
05/2011 Conference on Mathematics and Physics of Soft and Biological Matter
ICTP - International Centre for Theoretical Physics (Trieste, Italy)
Last updated: October 16, 2014
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Alessia Lepore, Ph.D.
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Competence & Skills
Scientific
Optical microscopy techniques: bright field, dark field, phase contrast, fluorescence, digital holographic
microscopy
Optics: optical elements, optical tweezers
Spectroscopy Techniques: NMR, IR , FTIR, Raman (basic)
Microbiology: protocols to growth bacteria, preparation of motility and growth media, Optical Density
measurements
Computer
Programming Languages: Python for Scientific Programming
Plotting Programs: Gnuplot, Origin
OS: Mac OSX, Linux, MS Windows
Markup languages: LATEX
Software suites: MS Office, OpenOffice, iWork
3D: graphics SketchUp e printing
Languages: Italian Mother tongue, English Good
Publications
Journals
7. S. Bianchi, F. Saglimbeni, A. Lepore & R. Di Leonardo, ”Forward and backward swimming efficiency of E.coli bacteria", To be submitted (2014)
6. C. Maggi, M. Paoluzzi, N. Pellicciotta, A. Lepore, L. Angelani, & R. Di Leonardo, "Breakdown of
energy equipartition in harmonic oscillators driven by active baths", Submitted (2014)
5. F. Saglimbeni, S.Bianchi, A.Lepore & R. Di Leonardo,“Three-axis digital holographic microscopy for
high speed volumetric imaging”, Optics Express 22, 13710-13718 (2014) DOI: 10.1364/OE.22.013710
4. N. Koumakis, A. Lepore, C. Maggi & R. Di Leonardo, “Targeted delivery of colloids by swimming
bacteria”, Nature Communications 4, 2588 (2013) DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3588
3. C. Maggi, A. Lepore, J. Solari, A. Rizzo & R. Di Leonardo, “Motility fractionation of bacteria by
centrifugation”, Soft Matter, 9,10885-10890 (2013) DOI: 10.1039/C3SM51223A
2. S. Baccaro, M. Carewska, C. Casieri, A. Cemmi & A. Lepore, “Structure modifications and interaction with moisture in γ-irradiated pure cellulose by thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy”,
Polymer Degradation and Stability 98, 2005-2010 (2013) DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2013.07.011
1. A. Lepore , S. Baccaro, C. Casieri, A. Cemmi & F. De Luca, "Role of water in the ageing mechanism
of paper ", Chemical Physics Letters 531, 206-209 (2012) DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2012.01.083
Last updated: October 16, 2014
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Alessia Lepore, Ph.D.
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Conferences
Posters
4. C. Maggi, A. Lepore, J. Solari, A. Rizzo & R. Di Leonardo, “Motility fractionation of bacteria by
centrifugation”, Italian Soft Days 2014, (Rome, Italy 2014).
3. C. Maggi, A. Lepore, J. Solari, A. Rizzo & R. Di Leonardo, “Motility fractionation of bacteria by
centrifugation”, Book of Abstract :International Soft Matter Conference 2013, (Rome, Italy 2013).
2. A. Lepore, C. Maggi, J. Solari, A. Rizzo & R. Di Leonardo, “Differential Dynamic Microscopy of
E.coli cells in external field”, PhysCell2012, (Hyères, France 2012).
1. S.Bianchi, R. Di Leonardo, A. Lepore , “Real-time optical micro-manipulation using optimized holograms generated on GPU ”, 10th Mediterranean Workshop and Topical Meeting " Novel Optical
Materials and Application" NOMA, (Cedraro, Italy 2011).
Projects
PhD thesis
Study of the active dynamics in a bacterial bath in different physical environments: a centrifugal
field and an asymmetric landscape. We demonstrate that centrifugation can be easily used to
separate swimming cells having different motilities. We further design asymmetric energy barriers
by patterning a flat surface with a three-dimensional microstructures. In this way we have conceived
and implemented a novel method to use self-propelled bacteria as micro propellers that are capable
to transport and segregate colloids over micro-patterned structures.
Master thesis
Investigation of the role of water in the aging mechanism of paper. The single-sided 1H NMR
correlation relaxometry has been performed for the first time on gamma irradiated paper. Gamma
irradiation has been used to induce paper aging. We identify a two-site residence model for water
in the ultrastructure of cellulose. We observed that this two-site structure turns into a single-site
water arrangement when the cellulose damage grows.
Last updated: October 16, 2014
I authorize the treatment of my personal data in compliance with the Italian Data Protection Law in force (D.Lgs. 196/2003).
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