Cosima Damiana Calvano

Biography

Researcher at the Department of Chemistry, University of Bari, Italy. She is qualified as a PhD in Microbiology, Health and Food Chemistry achieved at the University of Bari with a thesis entitled "Mass Spectrometric Techniques for Lipid Analysis in Food." She graduated in Chemistry at the University of Bari March 28, 2003 with a thesis entitled "Development and characterization of bioactive polymer films on TiO2 substrates". The principal activities are focused on the development of new sensitive, reproducible, rapid, simple and low cost sample pre-treatment techniques coupled off-line to MALDI mass spectrometry for the analysis of different samples. During my research experience I have worked with MALDI mass spectrometry for: (a) determination of lipids, peptides and proteins in food matrices that allow a quick and reliable fraud detection; (b) characterization of organic binders in work of arts; (c) studies of lipid and protein profiles in bacteria grown under normal or stressed conditions in order to correlate the lipidome/proteome changes to a specific response mechanism. I have recently started to deal with synthesis, characterization and application of new MALDI matrices based on ionic liquids, modified strong bases and newly developed matrices derived from matrices conventionally used in MALDI mass spectrometry. Her research activity is documented by 40 publications in international peer reviewed scientific journals and 60 presentations at national/international meetings. Researcher at the Department of Chemistry, University of Bari, Italy. She is qualified as a PhD in Microbiology, Health and Food Chemistry achieved at the University of Bari with a thesis entitled "Mass Spectrometric Techniques for Lipid Analysis in Food." She graduated in Chemistry at the University of Bari March 28, 2003 with a thesis entitled "Development and characterization of bioactive polymer films on TiO2 substrates". The principal activities are focused on the development of new sensitive, reproducible, rapid, simple and low cost sample pre-treatment techniques coupled off-line to MALDI mass spectrometry for the analysis of different samples. During my research experience I have worked with MALDI mass spectrometry for: (a) determination of lipids, peptides and proteins in food matrices that allow a quick and reliable fraud detection; (b) characterization of organic binders in work of arts; (c) studies of lipid and protein profiles in bacteria grown under normal or stressed conditions in order to correlate the lipidome/proteome changes to a specific response mechanism. I have recently started to deal with synthesis, characterization and application of new MALDI matrices based on ionic liquids, modified strong bases and newly developed matrices derived from matrices conventionally used in MALDI mass spectrometry. Her research activity is documented by 40 publications in international peer reviewed scientific journals and 60 presentations at national/international meetings.

Research Interest

Food chemistry, quality control, MALDI mass spectrometry, new MALDI matrix, analysis of intact bacteria