Meet Gianluca Bandera

Gianluca Bandera

My PhD project focuses on protein engineering to design novel cell-adhesion molecules for application to synthetic cells.

Hi, my name is Gianluca Bandera, I am 26 years old and originally from Milan.

My academic background is mainly biological and biochemical, but throughout my experiences I have also had the opportunity to approach more biophysical disciplines, which have enriched my training.

Personally, I consider myself a curious and motivated person, with a strong desire to broaden my knowledge in different fields of biotechnology and nanoscience.

I obtained my bachelor’s degree in Medical Biotechnology at the University of Milan and then my master’s degree in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at the University of Pavia. During my master’s, I developed a strong interest in basic research in the biopharmaceutical and biotherapeutic field, an interest that I was able to further explore thanks to a six-month internship at TUM University in Munich. This experience was particularly valuable because it allowed me to complement my biological background with biophysical skills, gaining hands-on experience with techniques such as BLI, SEC-MALS, and SUPR-DSF.

I have recently moved to Delft, in the Netherlands, where I have just started my PhD in the laboratory of Professor Dimphna Meijer at TU Delft. My PhD project focuses on protein engineering to design novel cell-adhesion molecules for application to synthetic cells.

Outside of academia, I enjoy staying active: I regularly run and play tennis, which help me maintain balance and motivation. I am also passionate about nutrition, and I like to experiment with new recipes to share with friends.

I am excited to see where this journey will take me.