Pietro Strobbia

Pietro Strobbia is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cincinnati since 2020. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Sapienza University of Rome (2011) and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (2016). Before joining UC, he was a Postdoctoral Associate at Duke University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering.

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s in Chemistry: Sapienza University of Rome, 2011
  • Ph.D. in Chemistry: University of Maryland Baltimore County, 2016

His research focuses on developing deployable optical sensing technologies using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) for clinical diagnostics, environmental analysis, and heritage science. Key areas include reagentless SERS biosensors, plasmonics, and integration with machine learning for sensor design automation. His lab collaborates with institutions like P&G and the Cincinnati Art Museum to advance practical analytical tools.

Research Trends in Articles: Recent work emphasizes SERS applications in antibiotic mechanism analysis, plant disease detection, and heritage artifact analysis. Innovations include lyophilized biosensors, fiberoptic probes, and machine learning-driven sensor optimization. Collaborative projects with biomedical engineering and heritage science highlight interdisciplinary impact.

• Awards:
  • 2023 Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentorship
  • 2024 A&S Faculty Development Fund Award
  • 2021 Research Launch Award

Grants & Advising: Active grants include NIH funding for deployable plasmonic platforms (2024–2029) and P&G collaborations on bacterial sensing. He mentors a diverse team of graduate and undergraduate students, focusing on training in nanotechnology and biosensor development. Alumni have transitioned to roles in academia, industry, and healthcare.

Labs & Teams: The Strobbia Lab is part of the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Chemistry, collaborating with the Nanobiosciences Research Institute (NBSRI) and the Institute of Heritage Science in Milan. Key projects span SERS hydrogels, lateral flow assays, and portable SORS devices for in-situ analysis.