Heloise Ribeiro De Barros

Heloise Ribeiro De Barros is a Fixed-term Assistant Professor at the Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT), Politecnico di Torino. She serves as a member of the College of Chemical and Materials Engineering and an invited member of the College of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Automotive Engineering. Her research focuses on nano-bio interfaces, plasmonic biocatalysis, and colloid chemistry, with applications in nanozymes, smart materials, and biomedical systems.

• ERC Skills: PE5_10 (Colloid chemistry), PE11_5 (Hybrid materials), PE4_10 (Heterogeneous catalysis)
• Scientific Sector: PHYS-03/A - Experimental Physics of Matter and Applications

Her recent work investigates gold nanoparticle interactions with enzymes and stimuli-responsive biocatalysis, particularly using thermoresponsive polymers and laser excitation to modulate enzyme activity. Key themes include catalytic regulation, nano-bio interface dynamics, and environmental applications of nanomaterials.

Notable publications include:

• 2025: Polymer nanocomposites (Elsevier)
• 2024: Smart Materials for Biocatalysis (ChemCatChem)
• 2023: Cytochrome C on AuNPs (ChemCatChem)

She collaborates on Physics I courses for Automotive Engineering and supervises Chiara Angela De Rosa, whose PhD research explores gold nanostars for viral RNA polymerase modulation. Her work spans bioanalysis, catalysis, and nanostructured materials.