Ana Maria Raluca Gherman

Dr. Ana Maria Raluca Gherman is a Recognised Researcher (R2) at the National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies (INCDTIM) in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. She works in the Department of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies as part of the Complex Molecular and Biomolecular Systems research team.

Her educational background includes:

• MSc in Biophysics and Medical Physics (2013) from Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Physics
• PhD in Physics (2023) from Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Doctoral School of Physics

Dr. Gherman specializes in molecular and chemical physics with a focus on advanced spectroscopic techniques and computational methods. Her research integrates experimental approaches with theoretical modeling to address complex problems in biomolecular systems. Her primary research interests span molecular physics, chemical physics, computational chemistry, vibrational spectroscopy (particularly Raman spectroscopy), molecular docking, and multivariate analysis. She applies these techniques to pathogen identification, biomolecular characterization, and receptor-ligand interactions, with applications in drug development and medical diagnostics.

Dr. Gherman has been actively involved in multiple significant research projects focused on pathogen detection using advanced spectroscopic methods:

• High-throughput nanoscreening platform for SERS monitoring of antibiotics' activity on antibiotic-resistant pathogens (2020-2022)
• Development of a microfluidic portable device for pathogen's rapid SERS detection (2017-2018)
• Pathogenic microorganisms' rapid detection and identification using high sensitive Raman spectroscopy (2015-2017)
• Increasing technological and knowledge transfer capacity in the field of bioeconomics (2016-2021)

Her research demonstrates a consistent focus on developing innovative, rapid diagnostic methods for pathogen identification that could significantly improve clinical outcomes, particularly for antibiotic-resistant infections. She has collaborated extensively with Babeș-Bolyai University while conducting her research at INCDTIM. The methodologies she develops are notable for being rapid, label-free, cost-effective, reliable, portable, and ultrasensitive, with potential applications in point-of-care diagnostics for sepsis and other infectious diseases.