Agustín has a degree in biochemistry from the National University of the South (UNS, Bahía Blanca, Argentina; 2009) and a PhD in chemistry from National University of La Plata (FCE-UNLP, La Plata, Argentina; 2014). His doctoral studies were performed (with a CONICET fellowship) in the Soft Matter Laboratory at INIFTA, advised by Dr. Marcelo Ceolin and co-advised by Dr. Omar Azzaroni, and devoted to the synthesis and characterization of amphiphilic macromolecules derived from hyperbranched polymers.

After obtaining his PhD, he did a postdoc (2015-2018; with a FAPESP fellowship) at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (CNPEM-LNLS, Campinas, Brazil) and the Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (CNPEM-LNNano, Campinas, Brazil) under the supervision of Dr. Mateus Borba Cardoso. His postdoc was dedicated to the synthesis characterization and applications in nanomedicine of silica nanoparticles.

Since 2018 he is CONICET assistant researcher at the Soft Matter Laboratory under the supervision of Dr. Azzaroni and Dr. Ceolín.

Research interest

  • Synthesis, functionalization and biomedical applications of nanomaterials.

  • Size, shape and inner structure characterization of nanomaterials using X-ray based techniques and optical spectroscopies.

  • Colloidal stability of nanomaterials in complex media.

  • Toxicity of nanomaterials.

Selected publications

  1. “Freeze-drying of silica nanoparticles: redispersibility toward nanomedicine applications” Picco, A. S.; Ferreira, L. F.; Liberato, M. S.; Mondo, G. B.; Cardoso, M. B.* Nanomedicine 2018, 13, 179-190
  2. “Temperature-Driven Self-Assembly of Self-Limiting Monodisperse Supraparticles from Polydisperse Unimolecular Micelles” Picco, A. S.; Yameen, B.; Knoll, W.; Ceolín, M.*; Azzaroni, O.* Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 2016, 471, 71-75
  3. “Mesophase Transformation in Amphiphilic Hyperbranched Polymers Induced by Transition Metal Ion Complexation. Creating Well-Defined Metallo-Supramolecular Assemblies from ´Ill-Defined´ Building Blocks” Picco, A. S.; Knoll, W.; Ceolín, M.*; Azzaroni, O.* ACS Macro Letters 2015, 4, 94-100
  4. “Probing the microenvironment of unimicelles constituted of amphiphilic hyperbranched polyethyleneimine using 1-methyl-8-oxyquinolinium betaine” Picco, A. S.*; Silbestri, G. F.; Falcone, R. D.; Azzaroni, O.; Ceolín, M.; Correa, N.M.* Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2014,16, 13458-13464
  5. “Supramacromolecular organization of gold nanocrystals capped with amphiphilic hyperbranched polyethyleneimine” Picco, A. S.; Zelaya, E.; Azzaroni, O*; Ceolin, M*; Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 2013, 397, 205-209
  6. “Thermoreversible formation and negative thermal expansion of supramacromolecular assemblies of unimolecular micelles in solution” Picco, A. S.; Yameen B.; Azzaroni, O.*; Ceolin, M.*; Chemical Communications 2011, 47, 3802-3804