Laura Fabris

Laura Fabris is a Full Professor in the Department of Applied Science and Technology at the Polytechnic University of Turin. She serves as a member of the Interdepartmental Center PolitoBIOMed Lab - Biomedical Engineering Lab and leads research activities in the ERC Instrumental Chemical Analysis Laboratory. Her academic career spans cutting-edge research at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and biomedical engineering.

Professor Fabris's research expertise focuses on plasmonic nanomaterials and their applications in advanced diagnostics. Her work centers on developing innovative biosensors using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with specialized metal nanoparticles. She investigates how light-matter interactions at the nanoscale can be harnessed for ultrasensitive detection of biological molecules, with particular emphasis on viral RNA detection and cancer biomarker identification. Her interdisciplinary approach combines principles from experimental physics, colloidal chemistry, and biomedical engineering to create next-generation diagnostic tools.

Her publication record demonstrates significant contributions to the field of plasmonics and nanosensing, with influential review articles and original research on gold nanostar substrates, SERS mechanisms, and nanoparticle synthesis. Her work spans fundamental studies of plasmonic phenomena to applied research in medical diagnostics, establishing her as a leading expert in the field.

• STELLAR - SERS-based Technology for EarLy Liquid biopsy Analysis and Recognition (2025-2026)
• PHROGS - Hot Spot-Mediated Plasmonic Modulation of Viral RNA Polymerase Activity (2022-2027)
• ANFIBIO - ERC-2019-COG (2021-2026)
• NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTER FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY (2023-2035)

Professor Fabris actively mentors six PhD students working on diverse projects related to plasmonic nanoparticles, biosensor development, and medical diagnostics. She also teaches Physics I for Automotive Engineering students across multiple academic years and participates in doctoral programs in Photoinduced Processes and Technologies and Bioengineering at both the Polytechnic University of Turin and the University of Perugia.

Her laboratory research focuses on synthesizing and characterizing plasmonic nanomaterials, particularly gold nanostars, and applying them to solve critical challenges in medical diagnostics. Her team develops innovative approaches to modulate biological processes using light-activated nanomaterials, with potential applications ranging from early cancer detection to antiviral therapies.