Federico Pepi

Federico Pepi is an Associate Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine. His research focuses on gas-phase ionic chemistry, mass spectrometry applications, and microdroplet reactivity, with significant contributions to surface functionalization techniques.

Dr. Pepi earned his Degree in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technologies from University of Rome "La Sapienza" in 1989 with a grade of 106/110. He completed his PhD in Chemical Sciences in 1993 and has been at the University of Rome "La Sapienza" since 1995, first as a University Researcher (1995-2003) and then as Associate Professor (2004-present).

His research primarily investigates the structure and reactivity of ionic and neutral species in the gas phase. He specializes in using mass spectrometry, particularly triple quadrupole and ion trap techniques, to study gas-phase ion chemistry. A significant portion of his work focuses on the interactions between ions and solid surfaces, developing techniques like "reactive landing" for functionalizing electrode surfaces with redox proteins, which has applications in biosensors and biofuel cells. His publications demonstrate expertise in analyzing reaction mechanisms, particularly in carbohydrate chemistry and dehydration processes.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a continued focus on gas-phase ion chemistry while expanding into applications in food science, pharmaceutical development, and green chemistry. His work increasingly combines traditional gas-phase studies with microdroplet chemistry, exploring accelerated reactions in confined volumes and thin films. There's also a growing interest in the application of his techniques to biomedical problems, including inflammation research and SARS-CoV-2 related studies.

Dr. Pepi has received several scientific awards throughout his career:

• Winner of two PhD competitions (Chemical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences) in 1990
• CNR scholarship from the National Committee for Chemical Sciences in 1993
• Degree prize named after Prof. Giordano Giacomello in 1993
• Winner of the Post-doctoral competition in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 1994
• CNR-NATO scholarship for research abroad in 1999

Dr. Pepi has held multiple teaching positions at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Medicine, including General and Inorganic Chemistry for Pharmacy (10 credits), Analytical Chemistry and Complements of General and Inorganic Chemistry for Pharmacy (8 credits), and General and Inorganic Chemistry for Biotechnology (6 credits). His research has been supported by projects including "Study of the reactivity of ionic species in charged microdroplets by 'Ambient' Ion Soft-landing." He has collaborated with researchers at Purdue University (Prof. Graham Cooks), CNR research institutes, and several Italian universities (Tor Vergata, University of Campania, University of Perugia).

His laboratory work focuses on developing and applying "reactive landing" techniques for surface functionalization, particularly for creating modified electrodes with biological molecules. This research has led to advancements in biosensor technology and the study of direct electron transfer between redox molecules and electrode surfaces. His team has successfully deposited enzymes and mediators on gold electrodes and nanostructured materials like multi-walled carbon nanotubes.