Ilaria Testa
Research Interests
My research group works at the interface of physics, chemistry and neuroscience on the development and application of cutting-edge imaging technology.
Fluorescence microscopes, and especially their confocal and two-photon variants, are unique in their ability to observe directly morphological changes and molecular reactions in living cells. However, they are limited in resolution by the diffraction barrier (about 200-300 nm). This limitation is overcome with great success by the field of super-resolution microscopy.
In our lab we develop novel paradigms and concepts based on super-resolution light microscopy or fluorescence nanoscopy suitable for live cell imaging with the overarching goal of addressing contemporary challenges in biophysics and molecular biology. We continuously push the spatial and temporal resolution of novel nanoscopes (MoNaLISA, Smart RESOLFT, Adaptive STED) with the use of new molecular switchers (rsFusionRed) combined to custom designed illumination schemes.
This way, our technology allows the precise identification of populations of biomolecules depending on their localization, abundance and dynamics inside their native environment with a spatial accuracy far beyond the diffraction limit of light (20-70 nm).
A special effort is dedicated to investigate the localization and function of neuronal proteins, especially in synapses and fine processes, where trafficking organelles and protein complexes, due to the crowding, call for high resolution imaging in space and time for investigations of basic mechanisms.
Group members
Ilaria Testa, Associate Professor
Giovanna Coceano, Postdoc
Francesca Pennacchietti, Postdoc
Elham Jalalvand, Postdoc
Lea Rems, Shared-Postdoc with Delemotte Lab.
Jonatan Alvelid, PhD student
Andreas Boden, PhD student
Martina Damenti, PhD student
Xavier Casas Moreno, PhD student