Caterina BrancaView profile
Associate Professor
- Experimental Physics of Matter
- Structure and dynamics of disordered systems
- Soft matter physics
- +12 more
Caterina Branca is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Physical Sciences and Earth Sciences (MIFT) at the University of Messina, where she has served since November 1, 2014. She heads both the "Calorimetry and Thermal Analysis" Laboratory and the "Photo-Correlation Spectroscopy" Laboratory at the Department of Physics. Dr. Branca is also a member of the Doctoral School of Physics Teaching Board and the prestigious Peloritana dei Pericolanti Academy (Class I - Mathematical and Natural Physical Sciences), and serves on the Reviewer Board of Nanomaterials (MDPI). Her research focuses on the experimental physics of matter and applications, with particular emphasis on the structure and dynamics of disordered systems including soft matter (gels, colloids, liquid crystals), glasses, and biological systems. She investigates transport properties of condensed matter and employs various spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques in her work. Dr. Branca's research spans multiple Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Good Health and Well-being (Goal 3) and Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (Goal 9). Her 147 publications demonstrate expertise across materials science, biophysics, and environmental studies, with recent work focusing on nanoparticle applications, polymer systems, and environmental pollution analysis. The research shows a strong interdisciplinary approach connecting fundamental physics with practical applications in biotechnology, energy, and environmental science. Member of the Peloritana dei Pericolanti Academy - Class I - Mathematical and Natural Physical Sciences Member of the Reviewer Board of Nanomaterials (MDPI) Dr. Branca actively participates in doctoral education through the Physics Teaching Board and has supervised numerous graduate students. She has been involved in significant research projects including PRIN 2008 projects on the physical properties of water in biological systems. Her work has garnered substantial attention with 104 documents, 2,638 citations, and an H-Index of 26 according to Scopus data from March 2022. She leads specialized laboratories focusing on calorimetry, thermal analysis, and photo-correlation spectroscopy, and has organized multiple international scientific events including workshops on innovative materials for energy and the science of disorder in glasses and polymers.








