Lorenzo Brancaleon

Lorenzo Brancaleon is a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), part of the College of Sciences. His research focuses on molecular biophysics, particularly the development and characterization of artificial photoreceptors—engineered systems where photosensitizers are conjugated to proteins to confer novel light-responsive functionalities.

His research interests include:

• Molecular biophysics
• Optical spectroscopy
• Photophysics
• Protein-dye conjugates
• Biomedical applications of light
• Drug delivery and photodynamic therapy
• Plasmonics at biological interfaces

The work conducted by Dr. Brancaleon’s group explores how natural photoreceptor principles can be mimicked to create synthetic systems with applications in cancer therapy, microbial decontamination, and nanoscale biotechnology. Though no specific publications are listed, the research themes suggest strong interdisciplinary engagement across physics, chemistry, and biomedical engineering, with emphasis on both experimental and computational approaches.

He is actively mentoring a diverse team of students, including doctoral candidates and undergraduates. His teaching portfolio includes core courses such as Physics for Scientists and Engineers I, Thermal Physics, and Statistical Mechanics.

Dr. Brancaleon collaborates with Dr. George Negrete in the Department of Chemistry to functionalize photosensitizers for protein conjugation. His lab investigates conformational changes in proteins upon photosensitization and the effects of plasmonic heating on protein structures near metal nanoparticles.